Wordless Wednesday - Tribute To My Grandma

My grandma passed away Monday night. We were all incredibly close and I spent many days after school with my grandparents. My Granddad passed away when I was 12 and my grandma then spent many days at our house. Several years later she got into a bad car accident and had a few infections while in the hospital which started her downward spiral of dementia. She never went back to her home and lived with family until she had to be put in a home. She was extremely feisty and wasn't always so sweet with the staff, but she recognized us and sometimes knew us by name. I can't help but smile when I think of her and all of her quirky ways. She will be missed, but I know she's in a much better place.  This is a picture of Me, my Grandma holding Evan, and my Mom. 

 

SwimWays Ambassador - Teaching Kids To Swim With Pool Floats And Toys

The temperatures have already been in the 100s here, so we're doing everything possible to stay cool. Most days are spent either in the pool or on the boat and I am doing trying to teach my kids to swim. As a SwimWays Ambassador, I was sent several water products to help us have fun in the water.

The kids' absolute favorite thing in the pack was the Rainbow Reef Fish.

Isabella screams, "FISHY!!!", and Evan follows it around the pool. It takes 2 batteries(not included) and there is a little button under a fin to press that makes the tail move. You have to let it fill with water and then it cruises on the top. I wish that it could swim down in the water, but Isabella likes being able to see it on the top too! As you can see in the picture, it is swimming slightly to the side, but if it fills up well with water, then it floats completely upright.

SwimWays also has many products to help teach your children how to swim in a step-by-step process. Here are the different steps.
Step 1- It’s my first time in the pool.
Step 2- I’m ready to paddle and splash.
Step 3- Teach me to swim so we can play together.
Step 4- I can do it—watch me go!

Isabella is between the 1st and second step. She likes to just float around the pool and uses the Baby Spring Float Activity Center w/ Canopy to do so,  but she also likes to get in and splash around. I absolutely adore this float and wish we would have had it for her last summer! The removable canopy has 3 different positions to keep sun off and there are several different toys to keep her busy on the front.

Evan is in stage 4. He is still learning to be a stronger swimmer, but can swim without any floaties. He is constantly wanting to dive and swim from the steps, to a person, and back to the steps. After a while I almost have to force him to put on the arm floaties because I can tell he's getting tired. Thankfully SwimWays has super cute arm floaties that he likes to wear. Evan things the Fishbites Soft Swimmies are "awesome".

Evan looks like a complete goober in his goggles, but he has an absolute blast throwing the ball with us. He usually throws the WetBall while one of us jumps in and tries to catch it before we hit the water. He and Isabella think this is hilarious.

We spend countless hours in the pool and boat each week, and after browsing the SwimWays website, we have a huge wishlist of products! Be sure to check out SwimWays to view their fantastic selection of water products.  You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to the company and/or pr agency who supplied the product for review.

 

Got Giveaways? 6/28

Sorry I didn't get this post up last night. My grandma passed away yesterday and my head was in a different place.

Got Giveaways? Link up! It'd be great if you could tweet about this link up or post my banner on your blog.

Check out my giveaways while you're here!

iPad 2 ($499 ARV) 7/25 US/CAN


Kalorik Food Processor ($99 ARV) 7/18


(4) Cars 2 Movie Tickets, Popcorn, And Drinks 7/11


$525 NuMe Professional Styling Tools Prize Pack 7/11 US/CAN


Dockers Khakis - TWO WINNERS 7/11


Wilton Punch. Cut. Decorate! $125 ARV Prize Pack 7/11


ERGObaby Carrier 6/27


Shoebuy.com $50 Gift Card 6/27


Hoover MaxExtract60 Carpet Cleaner ($230 ARV) 6/27


Please link to the specific post for each giveaway-NOT just your blog! I will delete your link if it does not go directly to the giveaway.

***CLICK HERE for my Daily List of blogs with giveaway linkies.***


 

Update On My Mom

If you're new around here, my mom has cancer. I've been pleasantly overwhelmed by the emails and messages from those of you checking up on her over the past few months. If you missed it, the surgery did not get all of the cancer. Much to my dismay, she continued to put off the next surgery but is still in a good amount of pain and finally scheduled it a few weeks ago.

The doctor that specializes in her type of cancer only does surgery on one day out of the week, so she couldn't get in until the end of July. I'm praying like crazy that they get it all this time!  Since some of what is left is still cancerous, it hasn't healed properly which causes her to still be in pain.

I want to express again how thankful I am of all the prayers and positive thoughts that are continuously pouring in!

 

Flixlab Review + iPad 2 Giveaway

***If you tried to enter my iPad 2 giveaway after 6:03pm EST on 7/20, your comment did not go through. I was recently informed that each post could only have a certain amount of comments and we have exceeded that on this original post. All entries from now until it ends on 7/25 will need to be put on this post to count.***

Go leave your comments on THIS POST for your entries to count.

 Its funny how until recently I didn't have an iPod Touch or the awesome apps that come with it, and now I have no clue how I lived without it! Flixlab recently sent me an iPod Touch with their awesome Movie Maker Application already loaded on it. This FREE App allows anyone to create movies from their pictures and videos on their mobile device.

As a parent, I am constantly snapping pictures and videos of my children to cherish forever. I'm sure like me, you have tons of pictures and videos that have never been seen by anyone. Flixlab was created to make it easy for people to create fun videos to share with friends and family on their iphone, iPod, iPad, etc. Flixlab removes the burden from video editing making it fun, fast, and easy to combine video clips and pictures with great themes, rockin’ music, and text slides. The App couldn't be easier to use - here is the "home" page of the App on my iPod.

Wow, the screen is really dirty-my kids are constantly playing with it. Below are pictures showing how easy it is to use Flixlab. First you select the pictures and/or video that you want to use.  Once you've figured that out, you have many options to choose from for the theme of your video.  The options are really endless, you can have it fade between photos, use any of their themes, and much more. After you've made your choices, you can use any of the songs that are on your device.

After you've done all of the easy editing, its time to watch your movie. After you've viewed it, you can change it, tag friends in the video, choose your privacy setting(friends only, etc), and then publish to facebook or save to your camera roll.

If you want to quickly make rockin' videos with your pictures and videos to share with your friends and family, Flixlab is the way to go! You can effortlessly make an impressive video to share those unseen moments that you've captured on your device, but have never shared.

Be sure to visit Flixlab to learn more and download it - for free - onto your iphone.

Win It

Flixlab is giving one of my readers an iPad 2!!!

Go leave your comments on THIS POST for your entries to count.


To enter, become a fan of Flixlab on Facebook. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

Extra Entries

You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do. 

1- For TEN extra entries, download the FREE Flixlab app onto your device and create any movie you'd like and post a video to Facebook. Be sure to add #twoofakind to the title of the movie so we can count your entry! Don't have an apple device? Borrow a friends!

2- For TWO extra entries, subscribe to my blog via email.

3- Follow my blog via google friend.

4- For FIVE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Flixlab.

5- Follow twoofakind AND Flixlab on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: Learn about the FREE @flixlab App + #WIN an #iPad 2 @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/5ucww2g #giveaway open to US AND CANADA!!!

6- Become a fan of/like Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

7- Vote For me on Picket Fence Blogs. You can do this for an extra entry each day.

8- Include a link to this post in your facebook status letting your friends know you entered this giveaway. Leave your first and last name(or initial) in a comment below. If you tag me (@Dee Twofakind or @Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House), I can actually see your status on facebook. You can do this 1x per day for an extra entry each day.

9- Place my regular pink Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House button on your blog.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on July 25th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond!

Open to the US AND Canada!!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to the company and/or pr agency who supplied the review and giveaway.

 

The Best Buttermilk Pancakes

I used to buy a buttermilk pancake mix that was incredibly good, but starting about a year ago, I couldn't find it in stores anymore. After trying different mixes that just didn't match up, I found a Martha Stewart Recipe that claimed to be "the best", so I had to try them. Sure enough-they totally rock and we make them all the time(the kids and I like chocolate chips in ours)!!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle
Blueberries, chocolate chips, etc for mixing in(optional)

Directions
Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. We made a few plain ones for my husband and then add in blueberries or chocolate chips for me and the kids!

Heat oven to 175 degrees. Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle(we spray with Pam). Wipe off excess.

Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other(we just pour out of the bowl until they are the size we want). When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve warm.

This recipe makes a lot of pancakes. We often half the recipe for our family of four. If we want extras to heat up for the kids during the week, then we'll make the full recipe. Enjoy!

 

Kimberly-Clark Celebrates Cars 2 + Movie Tickets, Drinks, And Popcorn Giveaway

Evan is a huge fan of the Disney Pixar Cars Movie. He has been eagerly waiting for this weekend because he knows Cars 2 is coming out. I am almost ashamed to admit how many times we've seen that movie. He even listens to the "Life Is A Highway" song over and over again on my iPod. Kimberly-Clark teamed up with Disney-Pixar this summer to provide mom with the solutions for her job as the family’s Pit Crew Chief, while allowing her to earn Cars 2 rewards for her crew.

Between now and July, consumers can find the Cars 2 promotional sticker on Kimberly-Clark brands, including Kleenex facial tissue, Pull-Ups training pants, Viva paper towels, Scott paper towels, Cottonelle bath tissue and Huggies diapers and wipes. The codes can be entered until September 30, 2011 and a free gift voucher will be delivered by mail for die-cast Cars 2 vehicles, Visa prepaid cards, Cars 2 movie tickets and more.

The more Kimberly-Clark products you buy, the more credits you can redeem for premium Cars 2 items. Visit www.KIMBERLY-CLARK.com/CARS2 to learn more.

Win It

Kimberly-Clark is giving one of my readers four movie tickets to an AMC theater, four drink coupons and two popcorn coupons.

To enter, tell me who the Cars fan is in your life. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

Extra Entries

You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do. 

1- For THREE extra entries, subscribe to my blog via email.

2- Follow my blog via google friend.

3- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Kimberly-Clark.

4- Follow twoofakind on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: #WIN a set of (4) Cars 2 Movie Tickets, 4 drink coupons, and 2 popcorn coupons @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/6f3zect #giveaway ends 7/11

5- For TWO extra entries, Become a fan of/like Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

6- Vote For me on Picket Fence Blogs. You can do this for an extra entry each day.

7- Include a link to this post in your facebook status letting your friends know you entered this giveaway. Leave your first and last name(or initial) in a comment below. If you tag me (@Dee Twofakind or @Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House), I can actually see your status on facebook. You can do this 1x per day for an extra entry each day.

8- Place my regular pink Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House button on your blog.

9- Place my Surviving Summer Button on your blog.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on July 11th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond!

Open to the US Only!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to the company and/or pr agency who supplied the movie ticket prize pack to me and will send one to the winner.

 

Wordless Wednesday - Hug

Every morning when Isabella wakes up, I bring her downstairs and she runs to Evan for a big hug. Of course, I keep missing it on camera until the hug is pretty much done. Its so cute, she wraps her little arms around him-I adore that they love each other so much!

 

Kalorik Red Food Processor Review + Giveaway

With many fresh veggies coming out of my garden, I'm using my food processor more than ever. The one that I used to have was pretty small and couldn't tackle the larger recipes that I wanted to do. Kalorik had just what I was looking for and sent me their Red Food Processor.

The Kalorik Food Processor relies on robust 500W motor to chop, slice, shred, mix and puree just about anything you put in the bowl. Fast and easy to use, this versatile food processor incorporates 7 attachments including a stainless steel grader, slicer, chopper and shredder discs; emulsifier/egg beater, dough maker and citrus juicer. In-bowl blade storage and dishwasher-safe parts make this food processor easy to clean and store, let's get cooking!

Features-

• 1.2L bowl capacity (4 cups) for liquid / 2.0L capacity for dry preparations
• 7 attachments including stainless steel grater, slicer, chopper and shredder discs; emulsifier/egg beater, dough maker, and citrus juicer
• Vertical design takes up less kitchen storage
• Powerful 500W motor for the toughest ingredients
• Removable stainless steel blades for easy cleaning

I couldn't be more in love with this food processor!  My other one didn't have all of these attachments and couldn't hold near as much!  Check out everything that comes with it.  My only issue is storage, I wish it would all fit in the bowl, but it doesn't.

Having so many attachments allows me to use my food processor even more than I thought I ever would. I mostly use the blades to chop things.

I used the food processor to crumble up croutons. Here is the before and after.

This is half of an onion. I'm not a huge fan of onions, so I like them to be chopped really small when I cook with them. You can chop or pulse until the pieces are the size you want them.

One of my favorite things about this food processor is the suction feet on the bottom. It sticks to your counter and won't move until you pull it up!

I simply can't say enough good things about this food processor. It chops well and has so many different attachments to do things like grate cheese! I was just telling my husband the other day how wanted one of those juicer things to stick into a lemon or orange so that I could hand squeeze them at times for recipes - The Kalorik Food Processor comes with one! I adore the fact that it is big enough for me to finally be able to tackle some of my larger recipes without chopping things in batches.

Be sure to visit Kalorik to learn more and to view their fantastic selection of stylish kitchen accessories and appliances.

Buy It

The Kalorik Red Food Processor retails for $99, but is on sale for $79.99.

Win It

Kalorik is giving one of my readers a Red Food Processor.

To enter, follow Kalorik on Facebook AND Twitter. Leave your Facebook and twitter name in a comment below letting me know you did so. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

Extra Entries

You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do. 

1- For THREE extra entries, subscribe to my blog via email.

2- Follow my blog via google friend.

3- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Kalorik.

4- Follow twoofakind on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a @TeamKalorik Red Food Processor ($99 ARV) @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/6e6eqdz #giveaway

5- For TWO extra entries, Become a fan of/like Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

6- Vote For me on Picket Fence Blogs. You can do this for an extra entry each day.

7- Include a link to this post in your facebook status letting your friends know you entered this giveaway. Leave your first and last name(or initial) in a comment below. If you tag me (@Dee Twofakind or @Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House), I can actually see your status on facebook. You can do this 1x per day for an extra entry each day.

8- Place my regular pink Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House button on your blog.

9- Place my Surviving Summer Button on your blog.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on July 18th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond!

Open to the US Only!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to the company and/or pr agency who supplied the product for review and giveaway.

 

Got Giveaways? 6/21

Got Giveaways? Link up! It'd be great if you could tweet about this link up or post my banner on your blog.

Check out my giveaways while you're here!

$525 NuMe Professional Styling Tools Prize Pack 7/11 US/CAN


Dockers Khakis - TWO WINNERS 7/11


Wilton Punch. Cut. Decorate! $125 ARV Prize Pack 7/11


ERGObaby Carrier 6/27


Shoebuy.com $50 Gift Card 6/27


Remington Smooth & Silky Rechargeable Shaver 6/20


Hoover MaxExtract60 Carpet Cleaner ($230 ARV) 6/27


Please link to the specific post for each giveaway-NOT just your blog! I will delete your link if it does not go directly to the giveaway.

***CLICK HERE for my Daily List of blogs with giveaway linkies.***