Archives for July 2015
Inspirational Quotes – My Tombstone
July 17, 2015 by
10 Beach Safety Tips
July 14, 2015 by
Kids often get excited and need reminders on beach safety. Being safe in and around the water is a must. Although my granddaughter doesn’t like the ocean, she heads toward the water to fill her bucket for sand castles. As a result, we need to have somebody watching the water and somebody watching her on the beach. My grandson on the other hand will stay in the water until he shrivels up. We need someone to stay in the water with him until it’s time to take a break. Today, we are sharing parenting tips on beach safety.
I’ve put together a few rules that we use for beach safety. Our beach safety tips will help keep your child out of harm’s way in and out of the water. As parents it is our responsibility to keep our children safe:
- Never enter the water alone – Make sure children understand that they should only enter the water with an adult or older child.
- Set limits – Provide an area that they are not to wade past while in the ocean.
- Observe your surroundings – Teach them to look for family or landmarks when they want to come out of the water.
- Train your children to listen – Teach them to listen for the lifeguard’s whistle when they’re in the water and to follow instructions from the lifeguard and family.
- Stay Hydrated – They should understand the importance of taking a break from the water to rest and drink plenty of fluids. Offer water, fruit flavored waters or Gatorade instead of soda or sugary fruit drinks.
- Apply Sunscreen – Make sure everyone is adequately covered in sunscreen. My dermatologist recommended Neutrogena. A beach hat is a good idea too.
- Explain Signs – Make sure kids understand safety signs posted around the beach.
- Provide Adult Supervision – Make sure an adult is always present to oversee the children in the water and on the beach.
- Re-enforce Stranger Danger – The beach is full of people, so go over the rules of interacting with strangers, especially adults.
- Provide a Shaded Area – Set up an umbrella so everyone can rest in the shade and allow the body to cool down and refuel.
What rules do you have for the beach? We would love to add them to our list. You may also like: 15 Summer Activities For Kids
11 Reasons To Visit St. Thomas
July 13, 2015 by
Today, I’m sharing reason why you should vacation in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. It is now one of my favorite places to visit, and I’ve added it to my favorite travel destinations. So, at least once a year I head to the Caribbean or some other destination on my bucket list. And, I always return with a positive outlook and feeling relaxed. I found St. Thomas to be truly breathtaking from the condo that I rented for the week. I don’t think I could have made a better selection. Let’s check out why you should visit too.
Here’s 11 Reasons Why You Should Visit St Thomas Virgin Islands:
1. First, these are pictures from my balcony, which overlooked the harbor in Charlotte Amalie. The view was just as spectacular during the day as it was at night. St. Thomas is hilly as you can see in the pictures. As a result, many homes and businesses are built into the hills. Reaching certain destinations can be a struggle if you’re walking around the island. If you decide to visit and rent a car. As a matter of fact, I would suggest a jeep. You may also want to remember they drive on the opposite side of the road in the Virgin Islands. If you’re not comfortable with that concept, cabs are plentiful.
2. Next, this is a picture of Blue Beard’s Castle named after the Pirate Blue Beard. The castle is actually a tower that sits on a hill. It was used as a look out by Blue Beard for ships coming into the Charlotte Amalie Harbor. The canons used by Blue Beard on still on the premises, Also, a statute of Blue Beard is pictured below. The tower is open several days a week for tours.
3. Cruise ships dock in St. Thomas. The ships actually passed my balcony before docking in the harbor. I captured these pictures after they had docked on the other side of the resort. They arrive around 6:00 – 7:00 am several days a week and normally depart around 9:00 pm that night. Cruise passengers must shop and explore the island between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.
4. St. Thomas offers world class shopping for the rich and famous as well as unique boutiques and shops for the everyday person. Many of the shops are housed in narrow alley ways, but they also have major shopping areas with stores like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Rolex etc. They are a little to rich for my pocket, but you can also find flea market type items at Vendor’s Plaza. Nice place to visit for tees, jewelry and other items for souvenirs.
5. Historical churches and landmarks are a big part of St. Thomas too. This is the world famous Frederick Lutheran Church. It’s the oldest church in St. Thomas and the second oldest church in the western hemisphere. Also shown is the oldest building in St. Thomas, Fort Christian, built in 1671.
6. Exotic fruits and hot sauces are plentiful. It was interesting to see coconuts in their original state after being picked from the palm trees. What we see in our stores are coconuts that have the shell shown removed. The coconut has reached its final stage, and contains the coconut meat that we use for cooking. Fresh mangoes are huge on the island too. I’m a lover of all things hot, so I went in search of unique hot sauces to bring back to the states. I found the perfect stand at Market Square. The vendor allowed me to taste the sauces before purchasing to ensure I went home with the perfect sauce. I did!
7. I enjoyed watching the yachts of the rich and famous pass my balcony as they headed out to the Caribbean Sea and their next destination. You see million dollar yachts on television, but to see them in person is truly amazing. This one has a helicopter on board, see it on the back of the yacht?
8. I love eating native dishes when I’m traveling. Gladys’ Cafe came highly recommended. So I headed there for lunch. The cafe is downtown and specializes in Ox Tails and curried dishes. They were both amazing. The Cafe is very small. Pauline was our waitress and the only waitress. What amazed me the most, the cafe didn’t have a rest room. In the states, a business would not be able to operate.
Patrons were required to go outside and several doors down a small building housed the Ladies and Men’s rooms. Most of the establishments are open for either breakfast and lunch or they’re just open for dinner. Those that are open for breakfast and/or lunch close by 5:00 pm. Since many businesses depend on tourists, the money must be spread around.
9. Also, you can find Green Iguanas in many areas in St. Thomas. The Green Iguana is native to Central and South American. Wondering how they have populated the Caribbean? Biologist believe they arrived via hurricanes over the years. This is an older Iguana. Unfortunately, they loose their bright green color as they age. It appeared to be used to people and was enjoying crackers when I spotted it.
10. There’s nothing like relaxing with a little steel drum music when your vacationing in the Caribbean. As a matter of fact, one evening we were entertained by a brother and sister team pool side. In addition to Calypso, you will find Reggae which is popular on the island of St. Croix. Furthermore, salsa dancing in the Virgin Islands is a must too. So, be sure to brush up on your moves before you arrive.
11. So, the supermarket in the background below was about a mile from my condo. Some items were reasonable and some caused my mouth to hang open. For example, $9.00 for a gallon of ice cream, $10.00 for a gallon of milk, and $5.00 for a dozen of eggs. Needless to say, I didn’t purchase any milk or ice cream. Truthfully, it was cheaper to eat it out. In spite of the of the high prices, the views are awesome on the island. They make-up for the high cost of living. As a result, things balanced out for me.
Last, rent a vehicle. If you’re simply going to cruise around the island, I would recommend a convertible. Remember, the maximum speed limit is 35 mph on the island and it’s hilly.
Finally, I wish I could share all of my photos of this trip. It is a beautiful island. Unfortunately, I was unable to visit several places during my visit. So, I will be returning in the near future. In my opinion, turquoise water, beautiful beaches, great food, and nice people make another trip worth it. In closing, you may also like 18 Places to Travel Off Season.
Sunday’s Best Linkup – #28
July 12, 2015 by
Welcome to Week 28 of Mother 2 Mother’s Sunday’s Best Linkup. This week Everything’s Beachy. Families are enjoying their backyard pools and heading to the beach for a little fun and sun. This is a great time to share your beach crafts, safety tips and anything else that you love about the beach.
We also welcome other recipes, crafts, DIY, home makeover and gardening tips, SEO and blogging information, sewing projects, patio and deck makeovers, front porch makeovers, summer organization tips, ideas for backyard BBQ, summer flower arrangements and more.
Blow the dust off your old posts and link those too. They’re great for inspiration. Don’t have posts that fit into the theme, link up whatever post you would like to share. We would love to have parenting tips, DIY projects, homesteading, homeschooling, and your posts on family and life. Your linkups and giveaways are welcome here too. Anything goes, as long as it’s family friendly and you may linkup as many posts as you would like.
Each week your hosts will select their favorite post and it will be featured the following week. An image from your post will be used on my blog the following week with a link back to your blog. Be sure to check back to see if you’re a Sunday’s Best featured blogger. All Featured Bloggers will have their posts Pinned to the Sunday’s Best Pinterest Board.
What’s New: We would like readers to select their favorite posts. Voting will start at noon every Friday until mid-night. We will be adding the post with the most votes from our readers to our Sunday’s Best featured bloggers. Be sure to have your blog readers and social media followers head over to vote for your post on Fridays.
All posts linking to Sunday’s Best will be promoted on Twitter.
In addition to the reader’s and hosts selections, a post for our monthly themes will be selected and featured each week as well.
If you are interested in becoming a Sunday’s Best host, please contact me for details at rhonda@mother2motherblog.com or email one of our other hosts.
Your Hosts Are:
Rhonda – Mother 2 Mother Kim U. – Pinterested Parent Kim M. – Life In A House of Testosterone
Here’s the rules, please connect with us on social media before you leave or subscribe to/follow our blogs:
Mother 2 Mother: Please like my Facebook Page, follow me on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, BlogLovin or subscribe/join my blog on the right before you leave.
The Pinterested Parent: Please like Kim’s Facebook Page, follow her on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Bloglovin before you leave.
Life In A House of Testosterone: Please like Kim’s Facebook Page, follow her on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Bloglovin, or Instagram before you leave.
Last, please help us grow by placing our button on your sidebar. If you are selected as a Featured Blogger please let your readers and followers know. They may want to join the party too! For those who have a Link Party list/directory, please add us. I appreciate your help in promoting the linkup with Re-tweets and shares. Now lets party!
The Sunday’s Best Posts are:
Kim U. selected the Cucumber Mint Chickpea Burgers from Krystal Kitsch
I selected 20 Summer BBQ Food Ideas from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
Kim M. selected Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella Sticks from Sweet C’s Designs
and
The Readers Selected:
5 Tips to the Perfect Family Movie Night from Confessions of a Mommyaholic
and
35 Recipes for S’Mores from Sweet C’s Designs
The Favorite Theme Posts
Hail To The Red, White, and Blue
Star Spangled Flower Pots by The Scrap Shop Blog
and
Patriotic M & M Fudge from Diana Rambles
Congratulations to our featured bloggers! All of the posts were great, and I appreciate each of you linking up. I would like to invite all of you back to linkup your post(s) again, it could be selected this week. While you’re here take a minute to visit these great blogs. It’s a great way to meet and connect with new bloggers. Be sure to PIN or share any posts that you like, we all appreciate a little love.
How to Bargain Shop For Kid’s Clothing
July 10, 2015 by
Today, I’m sharing tips on how to bargain shop for kid’s clothing. It‘s amazing how much children grow in a year. Have you noticed that problem with your children? Kids grow out of pants, shirts, shoes and it happens quickly. At least 2 – 3 times a year I find myself going through my grandchildren’s clothing or asking their mother what kind of clothing they need to get through the summer, winter and the school year. Unfortunately there’s nobody to pass hand me downs too in the house for either, so I look for ways to shop wisely and within my budget.
How to Bargain Shop for Kid’s Clothing:
I’ve found ways to cut down on clothing expense and the children look fabulous. Just walking into a store at any given time and just purchasing clothing is not an option for me. I shop on a budget and I want quality. Here’s 7 ways while shopping for kid’s clothing that have helped me cut down on expenses:
- Purchase clearance items – I purchase coats, tees, jeans, shorts, sundresses etc. in a bigger size for the next season.
- Shop sales – You can score some great buys during the holidays too. Check on-line and your local advertisements for sale items.
- Free shipping and discounts – Not paying shipping costs or getting a discount on your order can help cut down on expenses.
- Shop thrift and consignment shops – I send tons of clothing to thrift shops that are in excellent shape. Others do the same. So check them out.
- Don’t purchase designer items unless you’re getting a huge discount – Kids outgrow them too quickly, and you will rarely get your money’s worth.
- Check out neighborhood yard sales – You can find bargains on jeans for boys to play in and adorable dresses for girls. If you have a newborn, I’ve seen tons of baby clothing that look brand new.
- Check out on-line yard sales – I’ve seen great deals on local Facebook sites too.
I don’t recommend purchasing used shoes for children nor do I think everything has to have a designer label. I would rather save my money for week-end activities and educational items for my grandchildren instead of having them dressed in designer cloths and too broke enjoy life. We hope you enjoyed our tips on how to bargain shop for kid’s clothing.
What savvy tips do you have on how to bargain shop for kid’s clothing. We all want to save money. You may also like: 8 Back to School Shopping Tips
Brownie Trifle Recipe
July 8, 2015 by
First, are you a dessert person? Normally I am not. However, when I entertain I like to have a fabulous dessert on hand. So, finding a great trifle recipe goes to the top of my list. I’ve come to love trifles. They’re easy to assemble and look great in Trifle dishes. This dessert ended differently from the way I originally planned. Normally I use chocolate pudding, but time was not on my side so I skipped it. Needless to say, I was worried about how it would turn out. Thankfully, it turned out better than I expected. As a result, I’m going to by-pass the pudding in this trifle recipe from this point on.
Here’s what you need:
- 1 Trifle Bowl
- 2 boxes of fudge style brownie mix
- 2 containers of Cool Whip
- Sliced Strawberries
Next, bake the brownies according to directions on the box. However, you will need to allow them to cool completely. I usually bake them the night before I assemble the trifle. After the brownies have cooled, cut them into bite size squares. Layering is key to this dish. Place a layer of brownies on the bottom of the dish. Add a tablespoon of Cool Whip to the center of the brownies. Repeat this process. Carefully spread the Cool Whip toward the edges.
Be careful with this step. Most importantly, if the cool whip splashes against the sides of the dish it will affect the presentation. Add more Cool Whip and spread toward the edges. Be generous with the Cool Whip. You want guest to have plenty with the brownies and strawberries. Add sliced strawberries around the sides of the entire dish.
Add another layer of brownies, another layer of Cool Whip and strawberries. Top the dish off with Cool Whip and fresh strawberries as shown.
Last, this dish was devoured. I even had one guest say “you can keep the food, just pass me that dessert.” Make this Brownie Trifle your go to dessert. I promise, you won’t regret making this trifle recipe. Finally, do you have a favorite dessert that you like to serve when entertaining or take to an office party?
How To Make a Mickey Mouse Pizza
July 7, 2015 by
Do you have a picky eater? You know those adorable little kids that won’t eat anything that you place in front of them or one will eat a particular food one day but won’t eat it another. We strive to give them healthy foods, but it can turn into a battle.
Check out my solution to this problem. I create fun foods. Kids get bored easy even with food. My daughter is amazed when she sees them eating various foods that I create. Now stop questioning your ability as an artist. I’m not an artist either, but I can create fun foods. Kids aren’t looking for perfection, they want fun. They want things that make them happy.
I made these Mickey Mouse pizzas this week-end for the kids. What child doesn’t want to eat up Mickey Mouse. I had to make two. My grandson is very particular, he just likes cheese pizza. My granddaughter wanted Mickey Mouse to have eyes, a nose and a mouth. These are our creations! They’re cheaper than calling Pizza Hut or one of the other local pizza delivery services, and they were simple and fun to make as a family.
Here’s how we made the Mickey Mouse pizza:
- 1 medium size pizza for the face
- 2 mini pizzas for the ears
- Pepperoni for the facial features, olives, tomatoes, green peppers or whatever you like.
Bake on a cookie or pizza sheet according to the directions and enjoy! These are great for movie night or the week-end when you’re just relaxing. Serve with a juice box, a few apple slices and you’re good to go.
You may also like: Kids Breakfast Ideas: Oatmeal Funny Face
Snowman Pancake
Sunday’s Best – #27
July 5, 2015 by
Welcome to Week 27 of Mother 2 Mother’s Sunday’s Best Linkup. This will be the last week of our Hail To The Red, White & Blue theme. I thought this would be a great time to share festivities from your backyard BBQ this week-end, recipes that you created, fireworks, cocktails, games and fun activities. Any crafts and decorating ideas would be great so we can PIN them for next year’s inspiration or for those who like the Red, White and Blue theme all year.
We also welcome other recipes, crafts, DIY, home makeover and gardening tips, SEO and blogging information, sewing projects, patio and deck makeovers, front porch makeovers, spring organization tips, and ideas for indoor flower arrangements and more.
Blow the dust off your old posts and link those too. They’re great for inspiration. Don’t have posts that fit into the theme, link up whatever post you would like to share. We would love to have parenting tips, DIY projects, homesteading, homeschooling, and your posts on family and life. Your linkups and giveaways are welcome here too. Anything goes, as long as it’s family friendly and you may linkup as many posts as you would like.
Each week your hosts will select their favorite post and it will be featured the following week. An image from your post will be used on my blog the following week with a link back to your blog. Be sure to check back to see if you’re a Sunday’s Best featured blogger. All Featured Bloggers will have their posts Pinned to the Sunday’s Best Pinterest Board.
What’s New: We would like readers to select their favorite posts. Voting will start at noon every Friday until mid-night. We will be adding the post with the most votes from our readers to our Sunday’s Best featured bloggers. Be sure to have your blog readers and social media followers head over to vote for your post on Fridays.
All posts linking to Sunday’s Best will be promoted on Twitter.
In addition to the reader’s and hosts selections, a post for our monthly themes will be selected and featured each week as well.
If you are interested in becoming a Sunday’s Best host, please contact me for details at rhonda@mother2motherblog.com or email one of our other hosts.
Your Hosts Are:
Rhonda – Mother 2 Mother Kim U. – Pinterested Parent Kim M. – Life In A House of Testosterone
Here’s the rules, please connect with us on social media before you leave or subscribe to/follow our blogs:
Mother 2 Mother: Please like my Facebook Page, follow me on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, BlogLovin or subscribe/join my blog on the right before you leave.
The Pinterested Parent: Please like Kim’s Facebook Page, follow her on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Bloglovin before you leave.
Life In A House of Testosterone: Please like Kim’s Facebook Page, follow her on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Bloglovin, or Instagram before you leave.
Last, please help us grow by placing our button on your sidebar. If you are selected as a Featured Blogger please let your readers and followers know. They may want to join the party too! For those who have a Link Party list/directory, please add us. I appreciate your help in promoting the linkup with Re-tweets and shares. Now lets party!
The Sunday’s Best Posts are:
Kim U. selected the Glow in the Dark Water Balloons from The Scrape Shoppe Blog
I selected Rainbow Painted Kitchen Set from Albion Gould
and
Kim M. selected 16 Nifty USB Gadgets from Life With Lorelai
The Readers Selected:
21 Patriotic Treats For Kids from Mommy’s Slice of the Pie
and
Strawberry Applesauce from Best of Long Island and Central Florida
The Favorite Theme Posts
Hail To The Red, White, and Blue
Patriotic Party Decor by Kyrstal’s Kitsch
and
Patriotic Nautical Flags from Atta Girl Says
Congratulations to our featured bloggers! All of the posts were great, and I appreciate each of you linking up. I would like to invite all of you back to linkup your post(s) again, it could be selected this week. While you’re here take a minute to visit these great blogs. It’s a great way to meet and connect with new bloggers. Be sure to PIN or share any posts that you like, we all appreciate a little love.
