Crab Cakes Recipe Made With John Wm Macy's Cheesesticks

Crab Cakes are the things that my seafood dreams are made of.  I cannot resist  them! I have 2 recipes that I like to use when I make them at home! But, this time, I switched things up and added my favorite snack of all times {John Wm Macy's Cheese sticks!} to the mix. What I created was nothing short of incredible. This recipe comes together in a flash, is packed with delicious flavors and it always leaves me wishing for leftovers for breakfast the next morning!

We live in Ohio. Our access to fresh seafood is seriously limited. Luckily, both Kroger and Meijer carry good brands of canned claw meat. I prefer to use blue crab in this recipe as I like the flavor it offers. You can use whatever variety of crab meat you have access to.  In a pinch I have used imitation crab meat {if that is what you can get, by all means go for it!}

Crab Cakes with John Wm. Macy Cheesesticks.

Ingredients
8 ounces of blue crab claw meat
1 egg
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of honey mustard
2/3 cup of John Wm. Macy Cheddar Cheese sticks; crushed finely
1/4 cup sweet onion chopped finely

Cooking Directions

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of butter at a time to the skillet. {Add more as needed.}
Mix crab meat, egg, mayonnaise, mustard and onion together. Stir well.
Add 1/2 cup of John Wm. Macy Cheese stick crumbs and mix well.
Shape your patties by hand.
Coat the crab cakes in the remaining cheese stick crumbs
Place in hot skillet, frying until golden brown

The honey mustard in this recipe offers a touch of sweetness to the crab cakes which totally makes them crave-worthy! If there is left over butter left that wasn't used for frying I might add a tiny touch of it to the top of the hot crab cakes to enhance the flavor even more!

I used original cheddar in this recipe, but John Wm. Macy's has so many amazing flavors. Any of them would be amazing in this recipe. The Asiago and Cheddar variety will definitely be going in this recipe soon!

If you haven't tried John Wm. Macy's Cheesesticks yet. You seriously have to. My son hates cheese... but he told me, "These are the kind of cheese I like!" With a dreamy sigh and a cheesestick in hand I said "Me too Roo... me too."

John Wm. Macy offers delectable flavors such as Jalapeno Cheddar, Dijon Swiss, Melting Parmesan and Madagascar Vanilla to name a few. Check out their store locator or shop to order some. You will be so glad you did!!

Do you love crab cakes? Do you go out to get your fix of these little bits of yum or do you make them at home? I would love to hear either about your recipe or your favorite place to indulge in crab cakes!

You might also enjoy this Easy Cheesy Chicken Tacos recipe

Chocolate Milk for Mom

This recipe for chocolate milk is the best way to indulge your sweet tooth and get your coffee fix. It is a favorite lazy Sunday morning way to wake up in my world. Made with simple ingredients this is a total treat that will impress any guest with its amazing flavor. Much better than a coffee house drink in terms of both flavor and cost, you are going to love this Chocolate Milk for Mom recipe.

Ingredients
1 heaping teaspoon of instant coffee {I like foldgers classic}
4 ounces of ice
5 ounces of cold milk
2 teaspoons of dark chocolate syrup {I used Hershey's Special Dark}
Optional: whipped cream


Directions
This is so simple, add ice, chocolate syrup, cold milk and coffee in a Magic Bullet or in a Blender.
Top with whipped cream if desired and a drizzle of chocolate syrup on the top!
Pour it into a glass and enjoy!

Chocolate Milk for Mom is an amazingly simple and delicious drink. It is perfect for a summer day. I imagine this would be perfect for Christmas too with crushed peppermint on the top! What is your favorite cold coffee drink? i would love to hear about it in a comment!

Blackberry Cheesecake Float

You guys! I have an awesome summer drink recipe to share with you that is so easy and literally only requires 2 ingredients!

I have been craving all things blackberry lately. Normally I am not the biggest ice cream eater, but this little pint of blackberry cheesecake ice cream practically fell into my cart and begged to come home with me.

Immediately I knew how I was going to enjoy this treat! In an ice cream float!

Ice cream floats completely change the ice cream game in my book. I cannot resist them and love to try different flavors! They can be as simple as root-beer and vanilla or as complex as you care to make them.
This one is not too wild in terms of the combination, but it is wildly delicious!

To make a Blackberry Cheesecake Float you will need:

2 scoops of blackberry cheesecake ice cream
1 can of Cream Soda {I used Diet A&W}

optional:
graham cracker crumbs
whipped cream

Directions

Add ice cream to a tall glass
Top with cream soda

Optional:
Top with whipped cream and 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs

This was a fantastic flavor for a float for a summer indulgence that took only a moment to prepare and share!


You might also like this Strawberry Shortcake Float recipe.

Easy Xylophone Craft

It is summer, my kids would live in the pool or perched on a swing, with possible breaks for snacks, lemonade and some screen time if given the opportunity. While I am a firm believer in the importance of play, I am a firm believer in learning year round and brushing up on the things that kids already know too.

One afternoon we were talking about instruments and toying with a few drums, triangles, and maracas when I mentioned a xylophone. My son couldn't picture what I was explaining so I decided to make a quick craft with the kids to see if it would refresh his memory without grabbing the ipad to give him a visualization.

This craft took about 4 minutes for my speedy little boy. It would have taken half of that time had I not nudged him to color the sticks completely.

You will need
6 craft sticks
markers
glue



As you can see I placed 2 of the craft sticks at vertical slants almost mimicking a V

I had Roo color 4 of the sticks in whatever colors he liked


Next we placed the sticks horizontally on the vertical sticks, like rungs on a ladder, securing with 2 beads of white glue per stick

By the time we had placed 3 of the 4 sticks on the frame, Roo remembered what a xylophone was. This was easy to make and the kids had fun banging on the craft stick xylophone. I enjoyed that part too because it was quieter than the real deal.

This was also a great way to discuss colors, shapes, ladders and how one might use a ladder as well as how rungs are like steps in a trickier way. I loved that so much conversation happened around one simple project, involving 6 craft sticks!





Don't miss this fun paper sandwich craft for kids!

Peanut Butter and Jam Pound Cake Parfait Inspired by Hagensborg Chocolates

 This recipe was inspired by friends at Hagensborg via samples received. 

A few weeks ago, I partnered with my friends, The Chocolate Princesses at Hagensborg Chocolates to bring you a really sweet giveaway! We loved hearing all of the ways that you guys are making the world a sweeter place. It was truly inspiring!

Last week was rough for my husband. Mr. Sweet Silly Sara was wrapping up the year at his job as a school librarian and he had not been getting enough sleep. We were busy every night of the week and despite his long week and his weariness, he was on a baseball field, volunteering to help coach a team of 3-6 year old kids.  I  was inspired by Hagensborg Chocolate truffle pigs in peanut butter and jam flavor to make a sweet dessert that would bring a smile to my husband's face.

This is such an easy recipe. I normally would have baked a sponge cake to use, but as I mentioned we had several weeknight games! With that in mind, I had picked up a sponge cake to serve with berries one evening. The berries were consumed but the cake was stashed in a cabinet and forgotten about for a few days.

I put the cake to good use and created a 5-minute recipe that anyone can make and will love!

Peanut Butter and Jam Pound Cake Parfait Inspired by Hagensborg Chocolates

Ingredients

4- 2 inch slices of pound cake, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons of raspberry jam

2 tablespoons of peanut butter

1 tablespoon of cold water

4 Hagensborg Truffle Pigs in Peanut Butter and Jam flavor

Chocolate sauce for garnish

Directions

In a small bowl mix the jam and the water together

In a small saucepan melt the peanut butter over low heat, stirring often until it reaches a smooth liquid state

Place several cubes of cake into a parfait cup

Add a spoon full of jam to the top of the cake cubes

Add another layer of cake cubes

Add a spoonful of melted peanut butter to the top of the cake cubes

Drizzle Chocolate Sauce, jam and peanut butter over the top layer

Garnish with a Hagensborg Chocolate

Repeat until the ingredients are gone in additional parfait cups

My husband suggested that whipped cream would be excellent on top of this Peanut Butter and Jam Sponge Cake Parfait! 

How do you like to serve sponge cake? Do you ever garnish it with something fantastic like chocolate? Hagensborg offers so many fantastic flavors. We are hog wild for their Truffle Pigs. It was nearly impossible to pick a favorite. My son loved the milk chocolate and dark chocolate ones. My daughter was all about the Peanut Butter and Jam. My husband liked Caramel and Peanut Butter... Me. I just couldn't decide. I was impressed by each flavor. Look guys, lets be honest. I am a gourmet kind of girl. Hagensborg is the way to go when you want to indulge in something delicious and cute. My tastebuds thanked me after we tried this brand, and yours will too.

You might also enjoy this Chocolate Fondue recipe.

A Stroll At The Kingwood Center

As a family, we love to visit The Kingwood Center in Mansfield several times a year. My husband and I love the flowers and plants. The kids love the statues and we all love the exercise! It is easy to spend an hour strolling the paths with the kids.

The Kingwood was one of the first places Adam and I visited when we moved to Mansfield, pre-kids. Over the years we moved, but we make a point to visit The Kingwood several times a year with the kids, not only for the experience but also to revisit our roots in a way.

The Kingwood Center is a 47 acre estate that is open to the public. The grounds are compromised of gardens that are breathtaking. Kingwood Center Gardens develops and displays exemplary gardens on the former estate of Charles Kelley King for the pleasure and education of its constituents.  While admission is free there is a parking charge. It is minimal and helps to support the operation of this amazing place in Ohio.

If you visit, plan to stop by the greenhouses. It is easy to get swept away in the fun of the outdoor experience, but the greenhouse offers many gems including a fantastic banana tree. We seem to make a purchase of a plant on each visit.

This is a great place to snap some awesome photos of your family. The flowers are awesome in the spring and summer, in the fall the leaves add a lot to the experience.

Be sure to bring quarters to buy a few handfuls of food for the ducks! If you pay attention you may see the peacocks. They were nesting on eggs on our last month so we really hope to make it back this summer to see babies!

Do you have a favorite public garden? I would love to hear about it!

Donut Balls

Sometimes you want something incredible for dessert, but who has time to whip up something from scratch and then bake something?! I mean it is summer. Why heat up the house when you can create these sweet, easy and pretty little treats in no time at all.

These were a huge hit with my family. My husband could not believe I made these with store bought ingredients. I will definitely be making these again- in different flavor combinations for sure!

Donut Balls

Ingredients

1 box of donut holes (about 30) I used glazed original
1 tub of Cool Whip, thawed SAVE the CONTAINER! YOU will use it again!

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of milk

1 box of instant pudding mix I used French Vanilla 

Instructions

Mix the milk and the pudding mix, it will be kind of like a blob of pudding. 
Add the Cool Whip and blend well. I used a low setting on a hand mixer and mixed for a minute or so. 
Return the pudding mixture to the Cool Whip container and place it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.
Make a thin slice on one side of the donut hole.
Then slice in half. 
The slice that is cut on both sides becomes the bottom, separate the 'tops' and 'bottoms'. 
Repeat until all donut holes are ready.
Remove the mixture from the freezer, place a dollop on the 'bottom' section of the donut hole, gently pressing the 'top' section on the pudding mixture.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

These are pretty , easy and delicious!
Next time I will try chocolate pudding and donuts!

You might also enjoy this easy Berry Vanilla Parfait Recipe!

If you are craving all things donut now, grab this free D is for Donut Coloring Page.

Hand Print Fish Puppets

One of my favorite things about being a mom is to watch the pleasure my kids get from simple items. Last spring my husband cut out a photo of Colonel Sanders and glued it to a craft stick. He casually laid the Colonel on the table for the kids to discover at breakfast. They went wild over this! 

Last night after the kids were tucked into bed, inspiration hit me and I got busy crafting up something fun for them.  I hoped that the idea would inspire them to want to get crafty with me after seeing how fun these little puppets could be!

These are so easy to make. This is maybe a 3 minute project that will bring hours of entertainment. While entertainment is important, there are subtle and vital things happening when your kids engage in imaginative play. 

Benefits of Pretend Play

Pretend play allows the expression of both positive and negative feelings, and the modulation of affect, the ability to integrate emotion with cognition (Jent, Niec, & Baker, 2011; Seja, & Russ, 1999; Slade and Wolf, 1999).  Pretend play, fosters language development, thinking skills, and helps to develop emotional and social skills in children ages 2 thru 7. The creativity unleashed thru dramatic play has long-term benefits too. From problem-solving thru imaginary situations to the ability to express feelings.

Isn't it incredible to think that so many things can come from playing with a handmade puppet!?  Well, let's get to it and make one so the play time can begin!

Supplies needed

handprint cut out on colorful paper

small paper triangle

small paper heart

white school glue

a googly eye

craft stick

Directions

To begin, trace a hand and cut it out on colorful paper. 

I applied a little glue to affix the eye.

I also cut out a small triangle from another colorful paper and an oddly shaped heart for lips.

I applied a small amount of glue in the middle of the handprint for the small triangle.

I applied a small dot of glue for the heart paper for lips.

Next, add a little glue on the top of the craft stick and affixed it to the back of the handprint, in the middle of the handprint.

Allow the glue to dry and you have a fun fish puppet.

What Did the Kids Think?

The craft was well received with Harper, who took both of the fish puppets that I made and dashed off to play with them before her brother could see them. I chalked that up as a success.

Once Roo got a peek at the fish puppets he said, "Mom can you trace my hand?" That was all it took and the construction paper came out for handprint tracing.  After lunch today we are going to make a few of these together for an afternoon of crafting and puppet play!

Puppet play is a lot of fun for kids, but there is something almost magical about creating a puppet of your own design and bringing it to life via imaginative play. This project required the most simple of supplies and it can be completed in a matter of moments. There is no reason not to give it a shot with your kids! The benefits of simple projects like this that create an invitation to play are abundant, the mess from such a project is minimal and you likely already have these items on hand, or you could improvise with any paper or cardboard, tape and a straw if not!

Mushroom Hunting with Sweet Silly Sara

I have an interest that you might not know about; I am especially fond of mushrooms! Photographing wild mushrooms is one of my hobbies that I rarely talk about. It is one of those things that I do for the sheer pleasure it brings me to find a mushroom growing somewhere and to capture it, as it is at that moment in time. I have toyed with the idea of turning my collection of photos into a book, but in the meantime, I am going to share a few with you.  I hope you enjoy this glimpse into my life and one of my interests.

I spotted this beauty on a walk in the woods with my son.

This specimen was discovered growing in a yard on a walk downtown. 

Jackpot!! Look at all of these babies!

These ones were  discovered on a walk in my neighborhood.

Not the best photo, but for some reason I am drawn to it.

On a fall walk one morning, I took a side street I had never walked. I walked upon hundreds of these beauties. I loved the way the mushrooms resembled buttercups. This was a fantastic reward for exploring!

A few days later I returned for more photos, I found the mushrooms were in a state of decay, but they were still an impressive sight. 

I ran across these guys in a random field.

I do not, at this time, attempt to identify the mushrooms. I simply enjoy their beauty and appreciate the mystery of the fungus. 

My interest in mushrooms began about 12 years ago. My then boyfriend, now husband and I took a walk around a lake after an especially rainy couple of days. We saw a large mushroom with lovely purple hues to it. I snapped my first mushroom photo at that moment and have been intrigued by them since. 

I often joke with people that according to my photo collection all I ever do is eat, visit parks with my kids and take photos of mushrooms. There are that many mushroom pics on my phone!

Thanks for stopping by for a glimpse into my life!

Lemonade Craft for Preschoolers

This craft is perfect for a play time pause on a hot summer day. Your preschooler will have a lot of fun creating a craft to go with a glass of lemonade!

Summer is here! The kids are enjoying the chance to play at every park known to man, soak up the sun and splash in the pool! My husband and I are trying to savor these sweet and relaxed moments while they last. We know all too well that the hustle and bustle will begin soon enough as the kids head off to school and he resumes his post as the local school librarian.

Last week I squeezed lemons for our first fresh pitcher of lemonade of the summer. My kids were quite impressed with this. I love the magic of the early years! My toddler daughter thought it was "magic!" My kindergartner thought I was kidding when I told him the lemons would turn into his favorite drink.

After the fruit was squeezed and the lemonade was chilling in the fridge, I decided now was the perfect time to pull out a craft to go with a cold drink. I quickly gathered supplies and had this ready to assemble in under 5 minutes.

Supplies needed:
2 pieces of construction paper in the shape of a glass
1/2 a sheet of white copy paper, cut into cubes
2 strips of paper cut to look like a straw
One cupcake liner, yellow, cut in half
A glue stick

When I called the kids for their snack and lemonade, I had laid out the supplies needed at their place of seating. I asked them to take a long look at their lemonade glasses and notice how the drink looked in the glass.

Next I asked the kids to glue ice cubes on their glasses.
They both thought 3 ice cubes were the ideal amount.
Then I had the kids glue on the half cupcake liner for their lemon.
Novel. Lemons are food, so this had both of my mini foodies intrigued.
Finally, I instructed them to include their straw shaped paper.

This was such an easy craft for the kids. It kept them entertained for long enough to cool off for a moment before rushing back out to play and it gave them a chance to try freshly squeezed lemonade in a calm and relaxed setting. With growing a growing boy, it seems like he gulps and dashes without ever really tasting anything... {wink}. The kids also concentrated on what their beverage looked like so they could create their craft for thinking skills in early learners.

It was cute to see the kids interpretation of what a glass of lemonade looks like too.

You might also enjoy this Paper Cookie Craft.

5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Professional Moving Company

There is nothing as challenging as relocating to another house or office. It is quite stressful and frustrating gathering up all your stuff and moving to a new household. If not planned well, the move could result in a disaster. To save yourself from such hectic situations, you need to hire a good and affordableprofessional moving company to get the job done. Here are five things that will guide you to choose the right relocation company.

Check whether the company is licensed

Every professional moving company should be registered and fully certified to operate. A company that is certified should have a valid license showing they have the basic requirements to engage in the specific business. Involving unregistered companies to carry out the service is unlawful; the law may find it difficult and challenging to protect your rights when seeking justice in case of violation of the agreement.

Insurance

Make sure you check whether the company is insured. This is especially important if you are doing a long-distance move. This is because all your items will be covered against any damage or loss. Inquire what the insurance policy covers so that you can take up any additional indemnity to ensure that you are fully covered during the relocation process.

Check the technical capacity to render the services

As you plan to move, do not be in a rush and just pick any moving company in South Florida. Make sure you check their technical capacity to get the job done. The mover should be well equipped to move your valuable items. A professional moving company should be able to facilitate transportation of different types of items, be they fragile, delicate or heavy. The right mover should be able to understand different customer needs and exceed them for future engagement.

Look at the company’s service history

With the internet, you will get any information you want with just the press of a button. You can know more about moving companies and read lots of customer feedback regarding their services. You can gather as much information as you want to enable you to make the right decision. Dig deeper; contact people or businesses that were previously moved by the company you are considering. With the right information, you will be in better position to make the perfect move without regrets.

Get moving estimates

It is advisable to get several estimates from different moving companies and do a comparison. Every figure should be scrutinized and you should ask questions where necessary. You can go ahead and inquire about what would happen in case they cause any damages. Negotiate for better rates, especially if the one on paper seems high. These estimates are never final; adjustments can be made by engaging these companies.

A good mover should be able to offer alternative options to their customers in case they are undecided on how they want their situation handled. Good companies will give customers a perfect guide when offering relocation services. Next time you plan to move to a new household or office, consider using the above tips to get yourself a professional moving company and move without regrets.

Makeup for Busy Moms

This conversation has been sponsored, via product or payment but all opinions, chit chat and ideas are my own.


As a busy mom, sometimes I feel like I have to sacrifice sometimes. You know the joke, 'It's the house or me. We both can't look good at the same time.' That rings entirely too true in my life some days. As an example, last week when I attempted to style my hair my sweet little 2 year old climbed atop a counter and found a bottle of honey in a cabinet... I might have looked halfway human after 5 minutes with my curling wand, but my house was an entirely different and sticky situation.

When it comes to my makeup routine, time is always of the essence. With active little movers and shakers in the house and limited patience, I need products that make my skin look amazing without requiring a detailed regimen. I am kind of a wham, bam, thank you ma'am kind of woman. Not that I wouldn't love to devote 30 minutes to getting ready for the day, but life moves fast.

Mineral Hygienics is my go to makeup these days. Not only is it a matter of steps for a polished look, but geez you guys. Have you ever tried this stuff? It is incredible. Let me tell you why.

I have fair skin. I burn fairly easy for a few weeks in the spring and early summer, but then I am fortunate to develop a nice tan. However, it doesn't seem that I tan evenly. My high cheekbones generally catch all of the rays. My skin tone looks a little blotchy and uneven at times.

With 2 shades of Mineral Hygienics, I can even out my skin tone. I love that these are natural products and even better- for my high cheekbones- this makeup offers natural, chemical-free protection from the sun and those damaging rays!

After adding my foundation tones in the appropriate places, I follow up with a cool mineral enhancer, which adds a pop of pretty color to my cheeks. A quick brush with silk translucent and my face is silky, even looking and picture perfect.

Even on the busiest of days, this is a few moments I can spare for myself. As a mother, I feel it is important to look and feel confident. While sometimes it is nearly impossible to get yourself dressed and get your makeup on, it really makes a difference in how we feel as mothers. When I am dressed in a nice outfit and I get a little dolled up, my attitude is positively impacted. I feel like I can face the world.

If you are a busy woman, this is one makeup brand I insist you try. After receiving my starter kit, I tossed all of my other foundations. I finally found the perfect one for my skin.

Want to give this makeup a try? Why not apply coupon code SILLYSARA to your order?

Berry Vanilla Parfaits {Easy Patriotic Parfaits}

This easy recipe requires no baking and is a perfect sweet treat with berries, sponge cake and ice cream. So easy to assemble anyone can make this scrumptious dessert that combines 5 simple ingredients.

Unless you spend time in my company on holidays, you wouldn't know this secret fact me. On a holiday, I take a nap! I feel drained after all of the preparations usually and my husband is home on every holiday known to mankind, {hooray!} so there is an able bodied adult to keep our little ones happy.

On Memorial Day, I really wanted to have a nap. I shooed the family out the door for a round of frisbee golf and the house was quiet. As I looked around, I realized it was now or never. I attacked the closets, the massive amount of blankets and the aftermath of a what feels like a constant toy tornado with a vengeance. I folded laundry, sorted out items we no longer need for donation and tidied up my office/studio.

As I smiled and surveyed my impromptu cleaning spree I realized I had not made dessert, and my family had let me know several times they wanted cake. Luckily I had 3 slices of sponge cake left over from a recipe I made a few days prior and a few other simple ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

1 pint of strawberries, cleaned, destemmed sliced

1 pint of blackberries, cleaned

1/4 cup of white sugar

Vanilla Bean ice cream

3 x 2" thick slices of sponge cake, cut into 1" cubes

1/4 cup of water

Directions

Add your strawberry slices and blackberries together in a bowl

Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Gently stir.

Layer 3 or 4 cake cubes into a pretty glass or parfait bowl

Add 2 small scoops of ice cream {I used a cookie dough scoop for the perfect size}

Spoon berries and a little of the sugar water/ juice mixture over the cake cubes and ice cream

Add 2 more cake cubes to the glass

Serve immediately as the cake will get saturated with the liquid for a delicious flavor infusion

Repeat until the ingredients are depleted.

This recipe will serve 6.

This was the perfect easy patriotic parfait to make for Memorial Day. I will definitely be serving this to guests on the 4th of July and Labor Day as well! Actually, strike that, this is going to be one of those easy recipes for the hot summer months that I add into my rotation without a doubt!

What is your favorite no bake dessert recipe to serve in the summer months?

You might also enjoy this Fruity Waffle Recipe made with Gerber Baby Food.

Apple, Strawberry, Banana Baby Food Waffles #CookingwithGerber

This is a sponsored conversation, however, the chit chat, opinions, and recipes are all my own!

Moms, baby cereal is a part of life during the early years of a child's life. We have all mixed it with fruit, spooned it into mouths and cleaned it out of hair! But, did you know that even after your child is past the baby cereal stage, there is a good reason to keep it in the pantry! Gerber brand cereal also makes for an awesome baking substitution and there are so many ways to use it to add a little something special to your recipes!

There are 4 varieties of Gerber baby Cereal available at Wal-Mart stores; Oatmeal Cereal, Oatmeal & Banana Cereal, Lil' Bits Strawberry and Banana and MultiGrain. which are great for different stages of feeding baby and introducing textures. 

I have been around the block of picky eating a few times now, my daughter will eat anything and everything, my son, however, is incredibly picky. His famous line is "That makes me weird..." when he is offered almost any kind of food. He will eat waffles, pancakes, chicken and potatoes... you can imagine how I worry about his nutritional needs! At the age of 6 he is growing and developing. He is active and plays sports, the mom in me needs to know he is getting some essential nutrients in his selective eating phase.

Last week I whipped up a fantastic and easy recipe with Gerber Oatmeal and Banana Baby Cereal and Gerber baby food {apple strawberry banana stage 2}. This was so easy to make and my son had NO CLUE I slipped some added goodness into one of his favorite foods.

If you are looking for a healthy recipe with added nutrients that is an awesome and hearty breakfast in its own, you are going to love my recipe for Apple, Strawberry, Banana Baby Food Waffles!

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose baking mix

1 cup of Gerber Oatmeal and Banana Baby Cereal

1 container of Gerber Apple strawberry Banana 2nd foods

2 1/2 to 2 2/3 cup of milk

1 banana sliced finely

1 egg

Directions

Add baking mix, Gerber baby cereal, egg and banana together, lightly stir to smash the banana.

Add the apple, strawberry, banana baby food to the mixture, stir lightly

Begin to gradually combine the milk and the waffle mix. When you reach the desired consistency, stir the batter well to smash up any larger chunks of banana.

Add to your waffle iron and cook until done.

Serve warm with syrup or sliced fruit.

My son really loved these fruity waffles. The fruit flavor was not overpowering which is awesome for parents of picky eaters! If your child likes fruit, you could reduce the milk by 6 ounces and add an additional container of baby fruit food.

How do you use Gerber Baby Food? Have you ever added it to a recipe? I would love to hear about your experiences with Gerber Cereal.

You guys, I want to inspire you to create a great recipe with Gerber Cereal!! Would a $50 prepaid credit card help inspire you to pick up a package of Gerber Cereal at Walmart and make a yummy recipe? If so, enter for your chance to win! This giveaway is not endorsed by facebook or any 3rd party applications or other social media channels! The sponsor will deliver the prize to the winner, who must be 18+ and live in the USA.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adding Dreaminess With My Wonderful Walls

We moved 53 weeks ago. That is one year plus one week of time. In a way, it seems like it was not that long ago but then again... it feels like we have been here forever. Funny how that works out. The house is an old charmer for sure. It has its own quirks, conveniences, and irritations. Mostly, the place feels like home. Then we get to the master bedroom...

You guys, this is horrible to admit on some level, but the master bedroom was completely ignored. Like, people may use this room... but I can't be certain as it is like... empty! Like I mentioned above, the house has quirks and conveniences, but it also has one massive inconvenience. The stairs twist in 2 spots, this makes taking basically anything up the stairs impossible. On moving day, we realized that getting our mattress up the stairs and twisted to go around the corners was quite a feat. Nothing else was going to go up there... my bedroom furniture was destined to sit in the shed.

Life moves fast... so fast. Finally, one cold winter day I walked in that room and said "Are we college kids, forced to sleep on the floor?! Why have we never dealt with this bedroom situation!?"

The project began, some artwork was brought in, a small dresser was purchased. A bed in a box type of contraption was purchased and brought in. It was starting to look like an actual bedroom. But, it really lacked something.

This is where My Wonderful Walls comes into my story.

I didn't want to do anything permanent to the room, as I am trying to convince my family that my daughter should trade rooms with my husband and I. But, I really wanted to add something to the room while we are using it. My Wonderful Walls happens to offer an impressive selection of decals for your walls that are perfect for what I wanted to do.

The hardest part about adding to my wall decor with this company was this... How do you decide when there are so many cute, fun and gorgeous options?! Really! I finally made use of my best gal pal and ran my favorites by her. We both seemed to have fun with the selection process.

In the end, I decided on a constellation scene, Scorpio and the Blue Ridge. It was absolutely perfect for adding a dreamy touch to a bedroom! The decal arrived quickly and securely shipped in a sturdy tube {this is so important as I have ordered a decal from another site in the past that arrived folded and unusable as it never flattened out properly...} I unrolled it, oohed and ahhed and hopped on to the next moment in this busy life.

This is what it looked like on the site.

A few moments later, my husband asked me to have a look. I couldn't believe he already had it up! It looks fantastic in our bedroom and would look great in a living room, maybe behind a sofa as well! My son suggested putting one on a ceiling too!

Mr. Sweet Silly Sara informed me that the decal was incredibly easy to apply to the wall and that it was practically effortless because of the shape and size of the decal.  {We got the large size.}

This is what it looks like on a wall in my home.

Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better experience with this company. They make great products to bring  new life to any space. Many years ago we featured a canvas print over here and it is still looking fabulous on the wall of my sons room! I know that this decal will be a part of the atmosphere of our bedroom for many years to come. It is so peaceful and pretty I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to take it down. However, should you change your mind about a decal from My wonderful Walls, rest assured these can be removed without damaging the wall, and with little effort.

If you want to add some awesome to your walls, you will not want to miss this giveaway! My Wonderful Walls has graciously offered to give one incredibly lucky reader a $100 gift certificate to the site! This giveaway is not endorsed or affiliated with facebook or any social media site or application. The prize is to be delivered from the sponsor. The giveaway is open to US residents, 18 and older.



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