Monthly Archives: August 2010

Jiftastic Instant Coma Bite Size Treats.. yum!

Food and Drink, , , ,
Jiftastic Instant Coma bite size treats

While mixing peanut butter with almost everything under the sun today in hopes of coming up with a snack that both of my kids would enjoy, I concocted these little treats I affectionately call Jiftastic Instant Coma Bite Size Treats (thanks Daddy).

What you’ll need:

  • Jif Peanut Butter
  • Graham crackers
  • Banana
  • Candy chocolate
  • Mini chocolate chips – pour into a small bowl

How to make Jiftastic Instant Coma treats:

  • Break a graham cracker into four pieces
  • Slice a banana into slices about 3/4 inch thick then cut the slices in half
  • Melt candy chocolate in the microwave for about 35-45 seconds
  • Spread melted chocolate on 1/4 of the graham cracker (for bigger ‘treats’ break graham cracker in 1/2 instead of 1/4’s)
  • Put the chocolate covered graham cracker pieces in the freezer for about 15 minutes to harden the chocolate
  • While those are in the freezer spread your choice of Jif peanut butter on top of your 1/2 banana slices. (Regular Jif and Jif Peanut Butter & Honey are great choices.)
  • Then dip the peanut butter covered banana piece into a bowl of mini chocolate chips to cover the top of the banana slice and set aside.
  • Take the chocolate covered graham crackers out of the freezer.
  • Put your peanut butter and chocolate chip covered banana slice on top of the chocolate & peanut butter covered graham cracker.
  • ENJOY!

How do you enjoy peanut butter?  On a pretzel, banana, apples, raisins?  Let us know in the comments below.

What do you pack for your child’s school lunch? I need ideas!

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Looks healthy, but really?

Today I decided that grapes, crackers, carrots, and ranch dip might not be a delightful lunch for Madelyn to take to school every day.  It’s a little boring I think.
So I Googled “preschool lunch ideas” in hopes of finding a sandwich that doesn’t require jelly or meat as Madelyn’s not too fond of either.. on bread at least.

I can’t believe some of the things that the resulting parenting websites/magazines are telling parents to prepare and pack in their kid’s lunchbox!

  • Cauliflower soup (eeeewww!)
  • veggie mac & cheese
  • sandwiches shaped into funny faces

Yes, I’ve heard of all of those things before and they are cute and healthy but pllllease!!!, is a busy mom really going to make cauliflower soup (yes or no?) even if just once  week then refrigerated, to put in her preschoolers lunch box?  I’m not.  Despite the fact that I work from home, I’m barely home (and not working) for more than 2 hours a day.  I don’t want to spend my time with my kids making cauliflower soup or cutting sandwiches into funny faces.  Albeit, these are GREAT ideas and I do feel bad saying that I won’t do it, but these sites have done  nothing for me except make me feel less adequet as a mother and like I’m lazy and unwilling to do what I can to send my child to school with a healthy lunch.

So.. I guess we’re back to last year’s school lunch:

Hummus, crackers, and carrots, apple slices and/or grapes, and a cheese string.  Madelyn never complained and most days she ate everything.

Do you have any jelly-free sandwich ideas? Madelyn might tolerate a sandwich with meat on it but she’s not fond of ham and cheese sandwiches.

What does your preschooler take to school for lunch?


Ralph Lauren Twitter party tonight at 8EST + an exclusive coupon code – join us!

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I am so excited to have been chosen to be one of a select group of bloggers to be a Ralph Lauren Brand Ambassador (details coming soon) and tonight we’re having a Twitter party to celebrate the launch of the new Ralph Lauren Digital Storybook.

What: Ralph Lauren #RLGang Twitter Party
RL logo

When: Thursday, August 19th from 8-9 pm EST

Why: Talk about the new Ralph Lauren digital storybook, a children’s book that gives Moms a unique way to explore Ralph Lauren clothing and their new fall line.
* You’ll also be entered to win a back-to-school outfit from Ralph Lauren for your child or one of six $50 AMEX gift cards.

Hashtag: #RLGang

Host: @MomCentral and @RalphLauren

About the Party:

On August 18, Ralph Lauren launched a unique new way to experience their childrenswear: the RL Gang Digital Storybook, an online children’s book, narrated by Harry Connick Jr., that lets Moms and kids explore Ralph Lauren clothing through an interactive first day of school adventure. This Thursday, August 19th we will celebrate the launch of the digital storybook with a #RLGang Twitter Party.
How do I join the conversation?
Easy. Just tweet using the hashtag #RLGang. Mom Central moderators will help guide the conversation with fun questions and giveaways.

Ralph Lauren coupon code:

Get 10%-off full price Ralph Lauren Children’s and Baby products through August 20th with coupon code RLG_MOMMYINSIDER  at checkout.

If you need an adrenaline rush.. shop online sample sales

Diaper Bags, Handbags & Accessories, , ,

I haven’t even moved from my office chair in two hours and I’m exhausted.
Why am I exhausted?  Blame Gilt and Rue LaLa, two online sample sites that I’ve been glued to for the last couple of hours in hopes of snagging a Francesco Biasia or BCBGMAXAZRIA handbag, ultimately getting the BCBGMAXAZRIA Femme Fatale Medium Satchel, pictured below.  Yay!

In case you aren’t farmiliar with online sample sale sites like Gilt and Rue LaLa, the jist of it is that these sites provide shoppers (aka members) access, by invitation only, to luxury brands at prices up to 70% off retail.  Most online sample sales last 24-36 hours and feature hand selected styles from designers.  The catch is that there are only a select number of each item available so if you see something you like, you’d better put it in your shopping cart right away or you might lose any chance of buying it.. at up to 70% off!
That’s what happened to me in the case of the BCBGMAXAZRIA Femme Fatale Medium Satchel on Gilt.
I saw the bag, knew I liked it, but I didn’t put it in my cart and about 5 minutes later it was not available.  Luck for me, the shopper who had put it in her cart had 8 minutes to buy the handbag before it went back on sale.  I didn’t know when her 8 minutes started so I just hit refresh over and over waiting for the “Wait List” (you can be added to a wait list for items) button change to “Add to Cart” and it did!  What a relief!

I’ve been very happy with my two most used handbags, both Coach, but my favorite Coach bag is missing two pieces, my second favorite Coach handbag is not quite large enough for the trip, and I desperately wanted a black handbag so I went out on a serious and very time consuming search for the perfect handbag. The funny thing is though, I ended up with a tan handbag.

I gave up on The Sak Silverlake Bucket bag I was seriously considering buying because I couldn’t figure out what the true color of the bag was.. as you’ll see in this post.  I am going out of town next Thursday and wanted to find a handbag that could be delivered by Tuesday so please please let this bag be delivered by then!