Don't Say it's So....SbtS AND a Huge Giveaway Opportunity!

SbtS...what is that?

SLIM BY THE SUMMER!

Yep, the countdown is over.  It doesn't mean the journey is over, because it is far from it.   Trying to be more fit and eat healthier is a lifelong task.  I say task, because some people love it and some not so much so it is a task.  A very rewarding task on so many levels.  It has been a great journey so far and Lanaya from Raising Reagan has been such a wonderfully supportive host.  From My Fitness Pal, Blog Link Ups, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest......many ladies(36 of us) have been support for one another.  It has been 5 months!  

Finale Tally for this Gal:

My total loss at 17.6!
I have not had a chance to do measurements, but 

my clothes fit better....when I started I had this certain pair of favorite capris and now they fall off!  I am 2 inches from buttons a pair of pants that would make a 3 size loss.  Does that count?  My belly is my issue....muffin top from 2 c-sections and super water retention issues as well as nerve/spine problems.  My belly is really a work in progress, but I have faith and will continue to communicate our Slim by the Summer Facebook page for cheering and support.  I gained some mad Zumba dance skills btw.   There is a way to lose weight, you just have to find what works for you!

Success

The loss is a great success, but so is the toned thighs and lifted behind that came with that loss.  

** I was in a serious sedentary phase and I went from basic duties and no exercise for the moment to being active at least 5 days a week.  Within the last 2 months, my schedule has changed dramatically.  My husband is now home every night, which prevents me from bored eating and staying up until 1 a.m. every night.  It is now getting warmer and my daughter is out for Summer and I can tell you, I see some more pounds dropping.  We will be going to spend a few weeks with my mom in MS and is a very active little lady.  Yes, I called my mom a little lady...she is petite.    It really is go, go, go and some days I wonder where the day went.  

If you are in need of some cheering buddies, supportive buddies and just someone to share new found information with, then the Slim by the Summer Facebook group page is for you.  

ONE MORE THING:

Our lovely Slim by the Summer host Lanaya from Raising Reagan is having a HUGE party!

Lanaya has come to be one of my favorite blogging gal pals, and I am so excited to participate as a Co-Host!  

Guess what? Raising Reagan is turning ONE! I will be throwing a huge giveaway bash and I would absolutely LOVE your support in joining me host a huge party!

I would love to have my friends and fellow bloggers join in the excitement and participate in the giveaway event.

è The event will begin on Wednesday, June 12^th and last for TWO WEEKS!

è I will be placing ads on various sites to promote maximum exposure – and since I have access to place a press release will also be sending out a press release which goes to over 1500 publications nationally!

The gift card will be a minimum of $100 and I hope it will be more based on all you awesome contributors!

The best part -- > Whoever refers the most participants to me will win a $25 gift card of their choice {minimum two referrals}

Please fill out this form: {And don’t forget to send me some referrals!!}---Just let her know Amy from Consider Me Inspired sent you. :)

Raising Reagan ONE YEAR Blogiversary Giveaway

Inspiration in Progress #20...So happy to mingle with all of you each week!

Welcome

Thank you to everyone that linked up your wonderful creations and inspirations last week!

I am sure everyone is getting ready for summer, I know I am.  My daughter just got out of school for the summer this past week and we have lots of activities and fun food plans coming up!

        

As always, feel free to follow both Amy's blogs!

Just leave a comment & let us know which one, so we can follow you back. 

Consider Me Inspired- Host
Clippie Dips- Host

Let's link up and make some new friends!   Spread the word and help us grow.

It is always fun to have new blogs featured and I am excited for this to be a part of our weekly hop.

 This is  Shari Lynne

 

 She blogs over at Faith Filled Food for Moms.

She posted this last week:

She decided she was going to make her own homemade junk food rather than go to the store and do so.  She is even sharing each step as well as a homemade pizza dough link!  You don't want to miss this, just click the photo and check out her yummy creation.   I love this idea, especially since it is homemade and in my mind it is more healthy to make something rather than buy it. :)  Thanks Shari!

We would love to get to know you and your blog better.  
Send us a email and let us know you would like to be a featured co-host OR do a guest post!
If you would like to be a part of our next giveaway, just let us know. 

For more links check out the full party from last week HERE.

We loved all of the link ups...don't forget to check in next week.

Grab the featured Button and share the love by placing our button on your page somewhere or at end of your post to share the love. Help us grow.  

Make a Pancake Bar for Breakfast

Yes, indeed!  My husband wanted pancakes for breakfast and everyone always wants something different in theirs.  I came up with the perfect solution; a pancake bar!  I went searching around the kitchen and grabbed all of the ingredients I could think of to add to pancakes.  This was a huge hit at our house.  I was going to surprise them when I called them to come and put their ingredients in their pancakes, but my husband figured out something was up.  He says "Whatcha doin'?" The surprise was busted.  He was so happy he instantly came walking in the kitchen to let me know what he wanted in his pancakes.  The kids were so excited and all giggly because they got to have chocolate in their pancakes.   I wanted them to be a part of it, so I let them stand right on side of me(super supervised) and sprinkle what they wanted on their pancakes before I flipped them.  I know after this pancake bar we can never go back to regular pancakes at our house.   

So what did everyone choose?  (the kids are upside down so they could see everything)

Hubby's man cakes

Oreo and Granola

Oreo, Granola, Coconut, Marshmallows

Kaylei's baby cakes

Strawberry, Coconut, Chocolate Chips, Oreo

Oreo, Strawberry, Marshmallow- She made this one look like a smiley face with hair!

Strawberry, Oreo, Marshmallow, 1 blueberry

Little Gerry's baby cakes

Blueberry, Strawberry, Oreo, Chocolate Chips

Blueberry, Chocolate Chip and Marshmallow

Chocolate Chip, Marshmallow, Cookie, Blueberry

Momma cakes

Blueberry, Strawberry, Granola, a sprinkle of Chocolate Chips and Oreo with a pinch of coconut all mixed up together and then poured on the skillet.

How does your family like their pancakes?

Like Me on Facebook #51~ Join over 100 other bloggers

Welcome to Like Me on Facebook

<center> <a href="http://www.thenaptimereview.com/"/><img src="http://s147.beta.photobucket.com/user/awages/library/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r306/awages/JulieFBbutton2copy2_zps027fdf29.png" /></a> </center>
We would LOVE for you to be our next Co-Host?   GRAB YOUR Co-Host SPOT NOW!

Email 

(julie_marling@yahoo.com)

We are scheduling NOW!

Thanks for joining us this month as a co-host:
Ms. MommyHH6, Sarah M Schultz, Home Ec @ Home, Ducks ‘n a Row, Marriage with a Baby Carriage
My Life as Robin's Wife, I Got This Martha, A Peek Into My Paradise, Captain America & His English Rose
Pretty Little Dahlia, Eco-friendly Emily, Porfiria Gomez / The Domestic Mami, Plucky's Second Thought

This is a link up designed for bloggers who want to increase their facebook likes

and share their facebook pages with others.

*PLEASE DON’T LINK UP YOUR BLOG*

Come back for Mom’s Monday Mingle to link up your blog!

PLEASE LIKE FROM YOUR PERSONAL FACEBOOK PAGE ONLY!

**Facebook doesn’t recognize likes from blog fan pages. Please use your personal account to like.

***Please comment on facebook pages so we can make sure to RETURN follows.

Thank you!

Rules:

1. Please follow your Hosts and Co-hosts on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

 Naptime Review- Hostess 

Consider Me Inspired- Hostess 

That Suburban Momma - Co-Host

They are 1-3 on the list.

*Send Julie a message if you would like to be our next co-host!*

Feel free to tell all your friends~ Tweet

2. Like as many facebook pages as you can.

Visit pages and say hi! Leave your Facebook page url so they can return the follow.  Don't forget to link up your Twitter and Pinterest for some extra fun! 

3. Please grab the button and place it on your sidebar or the end of a post.

Together we can help each other grow.

Thank you for linking up with us. We hope to see you next week.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST:

"Inspiration in Progress" EVERY THURSDAY! Blog Hop, favorite post, features & more! JOIN US

WE ARE IN THE TOP 10~ Feel free to click away & support us!  Thanks. 

Make Your Own Moon Sand!

Buy MOON SAND or make MOON SAND??  That is the question.  Well, not really because we actually made some.  

Regular recipes around internet use cooking oil, olive oil or baby oil.  We went with coconut oil. :)  Always being different.  I always say you never know unless you try.  I am glad to let you know that it worked just fine.  Coconut oil is good for you skin and is not oil or greasy feeling AT ALL.  It was solid so I microwaved it 30 seconds break 30 seconds and mixed until it was all liquid.  We made 2 batches...one for each kid so there was no fussing about he has more, she has more or not sharing.  

8 cups flour split 1/2 and 1/2 in your tubs.

1 cup melted coconut oil 1/2 and 1/2 in your tubs.

Blend, blend and blend.  You will know when it is done by the consistency. Instead of it falling apart when you pick it up it will be more manageable and moldable. 

Want glittered moon sand?

Add a palm full- as in cup your hand and fill it will fine glitter, dump and blend.

***NOTE- Mixing  food coloring does not work AT ALL.  I tried putting drops in the sand and I even tried blending food coloring in baby oil separately and neither worked.  I may have done it wrong, but no colored sand for us.  That is mainly why we went with glitter. 

They were so messy and basically looked like they had just been playing at the beach because both of them was covered from head to toe in moon sand.   I am not really sure how they did it because you see the size of the little plastic bins I gave them.  I know at one time they were pretending that they were stuck in the sand and couldn't move, but other than that...your guess is as good as mine.  I had them do the shake shake routine and then I resorted to some towel swatting before I let them back through the kitchen door.   

Let me know if you make any or have made any.  How did it go?  Any tips?

7 Years of Marriage and Counting......

I am so happy to say that my husband and I have just passed our 7 year milestone of marriage.   It truly is a blessing to be with someone that loves you back the way you love them.  We met October of 2003 and got married in 2006. Almost together for 10 years and married for 7.  We had a little rough patch at first due to outside sources, but we got through it and all the ones to follow.  Our relationship was really put through the ringer.  My husband and I agree that all of the hard times we went through together in the beginning of our relationship helped us be even stronger today.  We have lots of fun and know each other.  He is the sweetest man ever and I am so lucky to have him.  

Gerry(Jerry) makes me laugh and keeps me safe. He will cook for me, let me sleep late and then make me coffee, climb down hills after driving almost 2 hours just to get me pine cones and do anything he can if he thinks it will make me happy.  I am spoiled to say the least, but he requires a lot as well and I am happy to provide what I can for him.  That's marriage!  Simple things make me happy and just having him by my side does just that.  Shoot I would have never thought in a million years I would be able to be a stay at home mom.  I have been fortunate enough to stay home with each of my kids until they turned 1.  I have been home with little Gerry for almost 3 years.  We have lots in common, but then we have our differences as well which is perfect.  He is my happily ever after.  I am blessed to have him as a husband and that he is such a great father.  He is the fun one out of the two of us. 

This is the beautiful ring he got me for our anniversary.  I was so happy it looked like my smile was eating my face.   Victorian and vintage type anything in jewelry is my favorite.  This is SUCH a gorgeous ring.  

I will share with you on another post the story of the plans my husband put together for our special day. 

He makes me a better person.   I am no good at making interesting stories...it just isn't my niche, but I am happy to fill you in.  :)   So that is a little more about us.   Thanks for stopping by, it means a lot!

Carnival Themed Giant Popcorn Box

What do you need to make a giant popcorn box set up? 

Red and White Vinyl Table Clothes

Xacto Tool

Giant Cardboard Box

Tacky

Doublesided tape

Clothes Pins

Decide how wide you want your strips and draw them on a poster board and cut your template off of the poster board and trace with a pencil on your vinyl tablecloth.  Once you get all of your red strips traced, you can cut them out.  I traced the top half and then the bottom because the poster board was shorter than the length I needed.  

You want your box to actually look like a old school popcorn box.  Well, I did because I have this tendency to want things one particular way.  In order to get that cute little ruffle type design at the top, I used the same exact template I used for the red stripes for the outside of the popcorn box.  I traced the rounded design at the top of the box and then to get a smooth design, I cut along each design with my xacto tool.  It worked beautifully because it was new, so if you plan on taking on this project get a new blade.  I tried scissors and the cardboard was too thick.  

Wrap your box with 2 vinyl white tablecloths and staple in the inside of the box so everything stays put and is hidden at the same time.   After you attach your white tablecloth to your box line up all of your red strips and place the clothespin at the top to hold it in place.  I placed double sided tape under the strips, but they really only worked at the top and for some reason the rest kept coming undone.  I resorted to blue tacky and it actually came out looking like a part of the design.  Once you get them where you want them, adjust your bottoms and cut them.    

 There was a part of a tablecloth place on the inside that overlapped a table that was placed in the inside  to hold the popcorn and stabilize the box.  

It was hard to get it as perfect as I wanted it because all my boxes came in late.  I needed larger boxes, so I was waiting for my husbands job to donate boxes for the event.  I got them 2 days before the event....which did not provide very much time to get everything I needed done.  Everything got done and the giant popcorn box was a nice addition to the party.

Circus Clown Fun Face Photo Board

Just like the Circus Monkey Fun Face Photo Board, I did the same thing with getting my design.  I did the light tracing from the computer and drew on squares of computer paper and put them all together in the end. 

So cute right!  This one was my favorite.  I love all of the colors.  I added a little trick flower with the pump for more of a clown person.   I found it for $1 at The Dollar Tree.  I thought about putting water in it for extra fun, because I knew people would squeeze it, but I thought about the marker and it would ruin the artwork.   Other additions was a felt strip for the hat, felt for the vest and dots from the background for his clown tie.  Pretty cute and simple.  I am sure there is possibly a less time consuming but more costly way to do it.  I went harder route because it fit in my budget.  I was so happy with the end result and I just couldn't stop smiling.  Let me know if you ever try this out, I would love to see it.

Circus Monkey Fun Face Photo Board

This was a VERY large box.  It actually opened up it reached about 12 feet across and  was about 5'5" high.      Don't quote me on that exactly though, because it was over a year ago.  

I searched the internet and coloring books for a design that would fit the theme and I ran across this one. 

At the time my printer was out of ink, so I did the old fashioned light tracing.  I placed a piece of computer paper on the screen and traced as lightly as I possibly could.   That is why it is a bit messy.   However, it just goes to show you that you can have something cool and not have to spend a fortune or need special equipment to do it.

I am sure there are easier and more expensive options, but sometimes you just work with what you have.  In order to get the shape of a little hand, I traced my then 3 year old sons hands and they worked perfectly.  I did the eyeballing drawing per square in order for it to fit on the larger board.  

So that is the process of getting my forms set up for the board.  Lots of tracing, sizing, measuring and measuring and erasing again.  For decorating I used markers, glitter and felt. I added a bow and a hat to my little monkeys to make them even cuter with more of that jazz factor!  I hope you enjoyed this.   

Make Your Own Themed Cupcake Toppers~ We Made Carnival Toppers

Have you ever spent a large amount of time trying to find the perfect cupcake topper for your special event? I know I have way to many times!  I have went to store after store going crazy and stressing out trying to find the perfect cupcake toppers.  Next step is to turn to the internet to see what I can find. Stress no more...make your own cupcake toppers.  Last year at our Central Foothills Mommies Birthday Bash #6 we went with the carnival theme.  First thing is first....birthday cupcakes.  One of the ladies decided that the cupcake toppers would be the best idea.  They turned out really great.  I am sure you want to know how they were made, so you can make your own.  Fret not, you can always count on me to share whatever finding and alternatives to anything I come across. 

It was actually super easy, tedious, but easy.  You print your image out on card stock paper and cut length wise and place your circle cutter over the image and punch it out.  

You need: 

 2 circles and 1 toothpick for each one of your cupcake toppers.   

I could have used hot glue but I wanted the image to be completely smooth so I used regular Elmer's glue.  I believe I ended up making about 60 cupcake toppers = 120 circles.  If I remember correctly it took about 3 hours total of cutting out and putting them together.  I placed a small dot of glue on the toothpick, lined up the circles right under the middle of the circle and held it tight for a few minutes until the glue started to take. 

I let them dry over night and they were all complete. 

The possibilities are endless.  It really was worth it once I saw them all put together and making all the cupcakes so festive looking.

Carnival Themed Party Decorations COMING: 
Monkey Photo Board
Clown Photo Board
Giant Popcorn Box
Cotton Candy Sign

Inspiration in Progress #19

Welcome

Thank you to everyone that linked up your wonderful creations and inspirations last week!  

        

We would love for you to follow Hosts

Just leave a comment & let us know which one, so we can follow you back. 

Consider Me Inspired- Host
Clippie Dips- Host

Let's link up and make some new friends!   Spread the word and help us grow.

It is always fun to have new blogs featured and I am excited for this to be a part of our weekly hop.

We would love to get to know you and your blog better.  Send us a email and let us know you would like to be a featured co-host!

We had lots of special link ups last week.  If you missed it, here is a few:






For more links check out the full party from last week HERE.

Everything looks to be working this week with the thumbnails and I am so glad you stopped by today!

We loved all of the link ups...don't forget to check in next week.

Grab the featured Button and share the love by placing our button on your page somewhere or at end of your post to share the love. Help us grow.  

Like Me on Facebook~ #50 with over 100 of the best bloggers!

Welcome to Like Me on Facebook

<center> <a href="http://www.thenaptimereview.com/"/><img src="http://s147.beta.photobucket.com/user/awages/library/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r306/awages/JulieFBbutton2copy2_zps027fdf29.png" /></a> </center>
We would LOVE for you to be our next Co-Host?  
3 Months Ad Space up for grabs for every co-host spot in MAY!

ONLY 1 WEEK LEFT- GRAB YOUR SPOT NOW!

Just A Little Something- 3 months

100 x 100  Available now. Small ads will be rotated during the length of your ad time. Sidebar only. Just a little something to get some extra exposure! Your ad will be live for 3 whole months on The Naptime Review!  

Influenced- 3 months

200 x 200 Available now. ~ Sidebar Spot. Guest Post option. *Ads will be rotated for maximum exposure.  Ad will be live for 3 months on Consider Me Inspired.

Email 

(julie_marling@yahoo.com)

We are scheduling NOW!

This is a link up designed for bloggers who want to increase their facebook likes

and share their facebook pages with others.

*PLEASE DON’T LINK UP YOUR BLOG*

Come back for Mom’s Monday Mingle to link up your blog!

PLEASE LIKE FROM YOUR PERSONAL FACEBOOK PAGE ONLY!

**Facebook doesn’t recognize likes from blog fan pages. Please use your personal account to like.

***Please comment on facebook pages so we can make sure to RETURN follows.

Thank you!

Rules:

1. Please follow your Hosts and Co-hosts on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

 Naptime Review- Hostess 

Consider Me Inspired- Hostess 

 Pretty Little Dahlia- Co-Host
Eco-friendly Emily- Co-Host
Porfiria Gomez / The Domestic Mami- Co-Host
Plucky's Second Thought-Co-Host

They are 1-6 on the list.

*Send Julie a message if you would like to be our next co-host!*

Feel free to tell all your friends~ Tweet

2. Like as many facebook pages as you can.

Visit pages and say hi! Leave your Facebook page url so they can return the follow.  Don't forget to link up your Twitter and Pinterest for some extra fun! 

3. Please grab the button and place it on your sidebar or the end of a post.

Together we can help each other grow.

Thank you for linking up with us. We hope to see you next week.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST:

"Inspiration in Progress" EVERY THURSDAY! Blog Hop, favorite post, features & more! JOIN US

WE ARE IN THE TOP 10~ Feel free to click away & support us!  Thanks. 

Cake Off

When baking sweets for the other:

Gerry- Bakes with his heart in it; the bigger the better and the most elaborate the name the better.
Me- Bakes while trying not to overcook it so it is moist verses the chewing and swallowing AT LEAST 10 times for one small bite to get down without choking! I know you know what I am talking about. :)  When I bake I am seriously focused on display and the prettiness of it all!  I LOVE baking.

* I say- "Aww, it is so pretty!"  According to my husband "IT"S NOT PRETTY, IT LOOKS GOOD!"  Man lingo...haha.

* You hungry? I will make you something to eat.  According to my husband- "You can tell how much someone loves you by the way they make your food"-I think sometimes he may wonder how much I actually love him.....haha!

We started doing this cake off thing in a good nature.  My husband started it after I made him a awesome cake and he said "Yeah, wait until your birthday and see the bomb cake I am going to make you!"  It was history after that.   For about 3 years it went strong with only homemade cakes.  Over the last few years it has been a spotting homemade and store bought kind of thing.

Okay, have a seat and check out some of these super thoughtful desserts and other bday giving.

Poor photo quality only because the original was a little blurry, but it was delicious.

This was by far the most thoughtful and creative cake my husband has made to date.   He smashed up a whole box of banana twins and mixed it with the frosting.   He added it all together on a strawberry cake and you can see how awesome the decorations is.   This one has been the best cake of his and mine was the homemade Italian Cream Cake I made for him.....so he has had the win for years.  SHHH!  Don't tell him that, I will never hear the end of it. 

Turtle Cheesecake from Tripps.

2009- We made brownie sundaes at home.

2010-  He had me some cannolis made at the bakery.

2011- Grabbed some blizzards at DQ! 

They all made me breakfast in bed, we went and had chair massages at the mall and my hubby and I broke in my SPOILED ROTTEN BIRTHDAY GOBLET.  They really do spoil me. 

Oh my goodness....I love this photo.   This will last me AT LEAST until the end of the week.  Chocolate always makes me feel better.  The Olive Garden Moscato is my favorite wine to drink, but we get it for at least 8 bucks cheaper at the grocery store.   My husband got me that beautiful rose you see and I loved it all.   My day actually started off great.   You are going to laugh at me, but I am completely addicted to the Bingo Blitz game and I actually win here and there, but today I won SO MANY 1, 2, 3rd spots plus others and it made me so excited and started my day out right.  My son said "Your computer must know it is your birthday today mama!"  Thanks as always ya'll!

How was your last birthday?

30 Years Ago.....

I was born May 20, 1983 at 3 pounds and 3 ounces in Bay Saint Louis, MS.  I stayed in icu for a long time due to my being so premature and the technology was not even a quarter advanced as it is today.  

Here are a few photos of my mom and dad as well as a few other family members.  

Striped shirt is my maw maw from my moms side.  I look just like my dad if you can't tell.  :)  The lower photo is my Uncle Errol and Jennifer holding Shanika, my Aunt Rita all the way in the back, my mom up front holding me, my maw maw and my Peran(Godfather).

So the story is that my mom and Jennifer was pregnant at the same time and my dad called to say we were headed to the hospital because my mom was in labor and my Uncle Errol said that they were on their way to the hospital too because Jennifer was going into labor.   Needless to say Shanika was born first.  Pretty interesting little story.  I don't have any photos of my dad holding me; he died on May 28, 1983.  I thought I had ran across 1 of him holding me with all the tubes and such but I haven't seen it in years and my mom said that she hasn't seen it.   My mom tells me all the time that I was so small when I was a baby I actually could fit into baby doll clothes.  I love birthdays!  I love decorating the most for everyone else and baking.  Have a great day ya'll.