My #DisneySide Party

*I received free products in order to host the Disney Side @Home Celebration. All opinions are my own.*

Parties are fun! Disney is great. Put the two together and throw in a birthday, you have one great party. (And one cute, little, Mickey Mouse eared baby!)

We received our Disney Side party kit full of great things. First of all it came in a huge box. Inside was all of our Disney Side party supplies inside of American Tourist Luggage, which just happens to be the official luggage of Walt Disney World Resort!

There were lots of great party supplies like Disney napkins, cute, balloons, plates, a tablecloth and more. To play we had Disney bingo and trivia. The HP photo card packs were great for creating invitations and printing photos of the event.

We made up party gift bags with lots of goodies inside. Each person got a Mickey & Minnie Mouse poster, Craisins, a Run Disney poster and bumper sticker. Plus there were balloons, tattoos and stickers. It was a great goody bag without all the sugary sweets and cheap toys that parents cringe about.

Our Disney Side party was a little different. We incorporated it with Zachariah's 8th birthday. He had been talking about doing something a little different this year anyway. We typically have a low-scale party with all of our family at our house for birthdays. But the older he gets, the less fun that is (especially when he's the oldest cousin...by 4 years). So we discussed a few different options and settled on bowling. I knew we could do our Disney Side party along with the birthday fun.

We were able to set up our decorations at the bowling alley. The kids bowled, then we ate pizza and had our special Mickey Mouse cupcakes (in the Mickey Mouse cupcake wrappers, of course). They ran around and played like crazy little boys do. I think it turned out very well. They enjoyed the fun of bowling and the fun of our Disney Side too. They were so busy the whole time, I don't even have a great picture of the birthday boy himself (he's in the green hoodie).

Our Disney Side Home Celebration was a hit! How do you show your Disney Side?

Spring

With the winter we've had, I'm happy to know that today is the first day of spring. It doesn't mean winter is completely done, but it's time to think spring. I couldn't do it better than with my little lamb!

And now you can see what happens when Mom takes just one too many pictures. Ha ha!

This cute little lamb hat was made by me. The pattern was free from Repeat Crafter Me. Go check her out. Her things are so cute! I've used several of her patterns and adore them.

What makes you think spring?

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that your Valentine's Day was as sweet as mine!

Mike and Ike, Hot Tamales candy for Valentine's Day Plus Recipes

*Disclaimer: I received this product to review. All opinions are my own.*

Valentine's Day. The day of candy and flowers. Chocolate is good, but there are other great candies to celebrate the day too. How about Mike and Ike? Now that's a sweet treat that everyone in my house loves. It's perfect for this holiday with their special Valentine boxes too.

The product:

MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES Valentine's Day Varieties 

Are the Perfect Candy To Share With Loved Ones

Bethlehem, PA (January, 2014) - Share the passion of Valentine's Day by surprising special loved ones in your life this Valentine's Day with limited edition varieties from MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES candy. MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix, is hitting the shelves just in time for Valentine's Day! Your favorite "hottie" will love to receive special edition HOT TAMALES Cinnamon candy with special HOTTIE Valentine's Day graphics. Go the extra mile for your Valentine this year and create some tasty recipes featuring MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES candies! These recipes were created by Chef Jamie Geller as part of her recent alliance with the leading candy brands.

MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix and HOT TAMALES Hottie both come in a 5 oz box, and are the perfect addition to any Valentine's Day gift. The MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix blend includes Paradise Punch, Strawberry, Grape and Cherry flavors. HOT TAMALES special edition for Valentine's Day is the classic Cinnamon flavor everyone loves and the box comes ready to gift with a tag fully integrated into the packaging! SRP for both 5oz boxes is $1.00 - $1.39.

"There is nothing sweeter on Valentine's Day than candy," says Koren Ivie, Brand Manager for MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES candy. "We are sure consumers will fall in love with MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix as well as HOT TAMALES with Valentine's Day packaging!"

What we thought: This family likes MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES already. My son isn't a fan of the hot cinnamon, so he opts for the fruity MIKE AND IKE. And my husband prefers the HOT TAMALES. Honestly, I like both. We really enjoy the Valentine's Day packaging. They are great little packs that include a spot to write a special message to your loved one. I made sure to give the HOT TAMALES to Matt and sign it "Your Hottie"!

When I saw the recipes for using these candies, I was intrigued. I would have never thought to put MIKE AND IKE or HOT TAMELES in a recipe. But the cookies sound really good. I'm planning to try them soon. (See the recipes below.)

Where to buy: The Valentine's Day MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix and HOT TAMALES are available in stores.


BeJeweled MIKE AND IKE Cookies
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ready Time: 25 min
Servings: 36

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 Boxes of MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix
• 2/3 cup margarine - cold
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixer bowl, put 2/3 c. margarine, 1 c. sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Mix until well creamed.
4. Add in 2 c. flour and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
5. Add in chopped up MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix, mix into a dough (will be slightly sticky).
6. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheets lined with baking paper.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Centers will be slightly soft.
8. Let cool.

HOT TAMALES Snickerdoodles

Servings: 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup (4 oz) HOT TAMALES Candies, coarsely chopped*
• 1/4 (2 oz) salted margarine, softened
• 1/4 (2 oz) shortening
• 3/4 (5.6 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt (increase to 1/4 tsp if using unsalted margarine)
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

*This candy is quite sticky so the best way to chop it is with a lightly oiled knife.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the margarine, shortening and 3/4 cups sugar. Add the egg and beat until thoroughly combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients (except the candy) into the creamed mixture and mix until just combined. Add the chopped candy and mix until the candy is evenly distributed, a few minutes more.
4. Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes (this makes it easier to handle).
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
6. Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Form dough into balls the size of small walnuts (or use a tablespoon scoop). Roll the balls of cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar.
7. Place the cookies two inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets in the oven at the halfway point. They are done when they look puffed in the middle and slightly brown at the edges (the tops of the cookies will form cracks). Be careful not to overcook.
8. Remove cookie sheet from the oven and let cookies sit on it for another minute or so before removing to cooling rack; cookies will flatten out as they cool.
9. These cookies are best served warm, straight out of the oven, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.

Beenevolence Lip Balm

*Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.*

The product: Beenevolence Lip Balm is made with everyone in mind. They are packaged in a simple tube that is gender neutral to appeal to both men and women. The three varieties are natural, peppermint and cinnamon. These all natural lip balms are made in Austin, Texas.

What I thought: I like having a simple, no frills lip balm around. They are especially great for the boys in my house. It's nice to have a healthy, natural product, and the added bonus of something without frills makes it a product that we can all use and enjoy.

Where to buy: You can check out Beeneveolence Lip Balm at their Etsy shop.

Elle Naturals Lip Balms

*Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.*

I love finding products that are from small, US companies and naturally made. It's not always easy to find such things that meet high standards we have for the things we use. Here is a lip balm that will live up to your expectations.

The product: Elle Naturals is a small company located in Austin, Texas. They produce lip balm from natural ingredients on a small scale. They use things like plant oils, beeswax, and essential oils as ingredients in their lip balm.

They make their lip balm in the following flavors: Coffee Butter French, Coffee Butter Vanilla, Green Tea Butter Lemon, Green Tea Butter, Mango Butter Coconut, Mango Butter Lima Lip, Shea Butter Grapefruit and Shea Butter.

What I thought: I was happy to find a nice lip balm that is made naturally. I'm also happy that this supports a small business. I like the variety of flavors that they offer too.

Where to buy: You can purchase Elle Naturals from their website https://www.ellenaturals.com/.

How to connect: You can find Elle Naturals on Twitter and Facebook.

MUPPETS MOST WANTED Not Nominated for Awards

Can you believe it?!!

Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais. The film stars Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon.

Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” is directed by James Bobin and produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Bobin wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller, who is also executive producer with John G. Scotti. Featuring music from Academy Award®-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, “Muppets Most Wanted” hits the big screen March 21, 2014.

Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey, Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour where they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper.

NOTES:

·         Director James Bobin returns to Muppets mania. For his work as Disney’s “The Muppets” director, Bobin was nominated for BAFTA (Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer). He co-created HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords," which he wrote, directed and exec produced.

·         Bret McKenzie, who won an Oscar® for best original song for “Man or Muppet,” returns to the Muppets stage as music supervisor. McKenzie created, co-wrote, executive produced and starred in the hit HBO television series “Flight of the Conchords.”

·         Ricky Gervais is the creator of “Derek” and the Golden Globe®- and Emmy®-winning series “The Office” and “Extras.”

·         Ty Burrell is an Emmy® Award winner for his role in TV’s “Modern Family.”

·         Tina Fey is a Golden Globe®-, Emmy®- and SAG Award®-winning actress and writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock,” “Mean Girls,” “Date Night”).

·         In the grand tradition of the Muppets, the film features a host of cool cameos. Revealed so far are Danny Trejo, Tom Hiddleston, Celine Dion, Salma Hayek, P Diddy, Christoph Waltz and Ross Lynch.

Get the Look: Lizzy Caplan at the Golden Globes

Hitting the red carpet for the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards, "Masters of Sex" star Lizzy Caplan dazzled as the epitome of understated glamour. "Because Lizzy's beautiful dress is so structured with amazing gold beadwork, I wanted to keep her makeup relatively simple," said Burt's Bees Lead Makeup Artist Katey Denno. Katey began with Burt's Bees Peony Lip Shimmer ($5, www.burtsbees.com), followed by a super-hydrating coat of the Burt's Bees Caramel Daisy Tinted Lip Balm ($7, www.burtsbees.com) to lock in the subtle color. "To achieve a perfect red-carpet glow, I added a cream blush and a cream illuminizer along the highlights of her face, and used three shades of eyeshadow along with a black-gold liner and black mascara for a sultry eye," says Katey. 

*This article is shared with permission. Watch for my upcoming review of the products mentioned.

I Love Making Crocheted Baby Hats!

I have a new little hobby. 

Making baby hats.

Gotta love the crossed-eyed newborn look!

Before my youngest was born I crocheted a cute little newborn owl hat. It was so much fun. He didn't wear it a lot, but it was cute for some pictures. Of course after he was born I had my hands full, so I didn't make many new hats. But a few months later I started seeing different baby/kid hats online and was inspired.

This pumpkin hat is knitted.

I made more owl hats, a pumpkin hat for Halloween. Then it started. I would make owl hats now and then for friends who just had new babies too. It was a fun little gift I could easily make. Other people started asking about them, so I started making a few for friends and family. Then more people wanted them, so I made more hats.

   

At some point my cousin asked if I could come up with a minion hat. I was able to alter the pattern I have for the owl to create a cute minion hat. These were an even bigger hit. I was busy making them for many family and friends for many Christmas gifts and Halloween costumes.

 

Since the craze slowed a little bit I started doing some new patterns and making some new creations of my own. For Thanksgiving I crocheted Jonah a turkey hat and babylegs to match. For Christmas it was a gingerbread man and Rudolph. So cute!

       

My latest creations are a snowman (with top hat!), polar bear and fox hat. I just can't help myself. They are so cute on my little guy. We get stopped everywhere with compliments about these hats. It's a fun hobby for me. And it inspires me to make more. My little guy has quite the collection!

 

If you are interested in purchasing one, I'd be glad to talk to you. My prices are very reasonable and I can easily customize colors and size. Just comment here, email me, or connect on Facebook or Twitter.

*Quite a few patterns have come from Repeat Crafter Me. The rest are my own creations (some of which I remembered to write down).

New

Happy New Year, everyone! A new year means a fresh start. I see people around me already making their resolutions and trying to make themselves better.

I don't normally make resolutions. I find that for most people, they are just empty goals. Lofty dreams. It's just something that you do each year. Then when you look bad, you feel bad about the things that you didn't accomplish.

However, this year, I've decided to set some goals. Most of them are small and easily achievable. They are things that I've been talking about doing and haven't done. They are things that will better myself, my family and my home. They are things that even if I only do a few times, I will have accomplished something good.

One of those goals...blog! That's exactly what I typed down. Do I want to blog every day? No, not really. I know that's not feasible for me right now. But I want to make sure that I keep blogging. The last few years have been difficult for me to keep up with my writing and reviewing here. But I want to honor my commitments to companies who are sharing their great products with us.

I also want a place where I can share about things that are happening in my life. For the most part, I have kept that separate from this blog. That will change. Things have changed in my life. Having a new baby after 7 years has changed a lot of things for me and my family. So much about raising a baby has changed in 7 years. I am doing things differently in some ways this time. I would like to write about those things, so I can share with people who are like-minded or just interested in what I have to say.

For now I'm much better about sharing things on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. So if you want to keep up with me, you can find me in those places. But I look forward to sharing and doing more here. I'd love to interact more with my readers too. I want to get to know you, so don't be afraid to leave a comment, tweet me, post on my Facebook wall.

And of course there will still be plenty of product reviews and giveaways to come!

Happy New Year!! I'm looking forward to what 2014 will bring.

Kidoodle.TV

I participated in a Blog Blast program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kidoodle.TV. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Kidoodle.TV is a website and app made just for children to easily (and safely) watch great shows that they and you will love. Kidoodle.TV is unique in that it is specifically designed for children under 12 years old. It is an easy to use website and app that young children can easily navigate, but even better than that are the parental controls that make your job supervising what they watch even easier. Your children can watch what they want, but you set the standard.

Right now anyone can try Kidoodle.TV for free until the end of the year. And they are running a great giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 10 tablets or 1 of 10 Kidoodle.TV year-long subscriptions. Get your free trial and enter the contest by December 31, 2013.

It was very easy to sign up for Kidoodle.TV on their website. I also downloaded their free app on my iPhone. My son is excited about the great shows available. I like that there are a mix of old and new. It's always fun seeing cartoons and shows that I enjoy as well as my kids. I like that I can set age restrictions, block particular shows of my choosing, and limit watching time all so simply. And it's easy for my 7 year old to use.

Check out Kidoodle.TV on their website. Plus you can connect with them and learn more on their Facebook and Twitter pages too.

SAVING MR BANKS - Premiere Images

I am excited about this new movie. What do you think? Is this something that you want to go see? How about your kids? I have a feeling it's something that parents are going to be more excited about than our kids.

     

     

Like SAVING MR. BANKS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SavingMrBanks

Follow SAVING MR. BANKS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures

Follow SAVING MR. BANKS on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/saving-mr-banks/  

Visit the official site here: www.disney.com/savingmrbanks

SAVING MR. BANKS opens in theaters limited on December 13th and opens wide on December 20th!

---

SAVING MR. BANKS

DISNEY

Website and Mobile site: www.disney.com/savingmrbanks

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SavingMrBanks

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures

Genre:                                      Drama 

Rating:                                      PG-13  

Release Date:                           December 13, 2013, limited; December 20, 2013, wide

Running Time:                           120 min

Cast:                                        Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker and Colin Farrell

Director:                                   John Lee Hancock                    

Producers:                                Alison Owen, Ian Collie, Philip Steuer

Executive Producers:                Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, Andrew Mason, Troy Lum

Written by:                                Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith

 

 

Two-time Academy Award®–winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Inspired by true events, “Saving Mr. Banks” is the extraordinary, untold story of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen—and the testy relationship that the legendary Walt Disney had with author P.L. Travers that almost derailed it.

 

 

Notes:

·       “Saving Mr. Banks” is the first feature-length, theatrical drama to depict the iconic entrepreneur Walt Disney.

·       Richard and Robert Sherman’s original score and song (“Chim Chim Cher-ee”) would go on to win Oscars® at the 1965 ceremonies.

·       “Mary Poppins” won five awards of its 13 Academy Award® nominations: Best Actress (Julie Andrews), Best Effects, Best Film Editing, Original Score and Original Song. Among the nominations were Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

·       P.L. Travers’ father was a banker and is the basis for the “Mary Poppins” story’s patriarch, Mr. Banks—the character in the book whom the famous fictional nanny comes to aid.

OFFICIAL BOILERPLATE

Two-time Academy Award®–winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge.  He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Disney presents “Saving Mr. Banks,” directed by John Lee Hancock, produced by Alison Owen, Ian Collie and Philip Steuer, and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Executive producers are Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, Andrew Mason and Troy Lum. The film will release in U.S. theaters on December 13, 2013, limited, and open wide on December 20, 2013.

Gorton's Wicked Good Seafood - Fish BLT Sandwich Recipe

Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.

How does your family feel about fish? Mine likes it quite a bit. Fish is not something that my mom made a lot of when I was growing up. I never really developed a taste for it. I think the most I'd do was eat the frozen fish sticks. As I got older I started trying more fish and other seafood. I found that I really do like it. I am still bad about cooking it for my family enough, but we all do like fish.

I recently participated in a campaign for Gorton's Wicked Good Seafood. We got to try a few different varieties of the frozen fish products that they make. One of my favorites is the Lemon Herb Fish Fillets. So tasty and easy to make. We also were able to try the new Fish Sandwich Fillets. 

I looked at Gorton's website for recipes to inspire me. Not only do they have recipes, but you can also download coupons and explore their other great products. When I found the recipe for a Fish BLT Sandwich, I knew we had to try it. My boys love bacon. I knew this recipe was a winner for us. The Fish BLTs were very quick and easy to make. I served them along with a salad for dinner and everyone was pleased. My son enjoyed it and so did my husband and I. If you're looking for a great way to change up a fish meal for your family, you should give this recipe a try.

Fish Sandwich BLT

INGREDIENTS:
4 Gorton's Fish Sandwich Fillets
4 Hamburger Buns
8 Slices Bacon
Lettuce
Tomato

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare four Gorton's Fish Sandwich Fillets according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, prepare 8 slices og bacon according to package instructions.
3. Place Gorton's Fish Sandwich Fillet on hamburger bun and top with two slices of cooked bacon. Add lettuce and tomato and enjoy!

We added tartar sauce on the bun and served with a salad. Perfect!

Connect with Gorton's on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest too. 

Disney Classics Box Set

Disclaimer: I am participating in a blog post campaign from One2One Network and Walt Disney Records. All opinions are my own.

Like many people I have a lot of memories wrapped up in Disney movies from my childhood. I remember the favorites that my sisters and I had. There were several movies that I could probably quote from start to finish, including the songs. It's probably the songs that stick with me the most. Maybe that just goes with my musical ability, but I think songs/music play a special part in most people's lives.

The product: Just released yesterday, November 12th, the Disney Classics box set is something that parents, kids, and even grandparents can enjoy together. 

The box set includes 4 discs of 94 original recordings. They are Disney Modern Classics, Disney Theme Park Classics, Disney Timeless Classics, and Disney Television Classics. And there is a special bonus for box set purchasers, a new medley of Disney hits by YouTube a capella sensations. See the video!

Find out more about this and other Disney music at www.disneymusic.com. They are also on Twitter and Facebook.

What we thought: We received a sample CD with a few songs on it. They brought me right back to my childhood. I love this music & it's something that I can sing along with and enjoy with my sons too. Just the other night I had songs popping in my head from Disney movies when I was singing Jonah at bedtime. Nothing like "A Whole New World" to get your baby to sleep.

Where to buy: You can get the Disney Classics box set at Amazon.com. (It is also available at Disney parks for purchase.) It has a suggested retail price of $49.98, but prices can vary depending on the retailer.

A Jedi & a Wolf Saber? Halloween 2013

We don't usually make Halloween a big deal around here. Just not a holiday we get really into.

I generally let Zachariah choose a trick or treat event to participate in and we do that together. This year our church had trunk-n-treat, so we went to that. 

I really wanted to have the boys costumes coordinate, but time just didn't allow for me to complete Jonah's costume. I did manage to get Zachariah's done just in time. He went as Mace Windu, a jedi from the Star Wars movies. (I think he makes a better Anikan or Luke with that blonde hair!)

So, I really wanted to make Jonah be yoda. We have a little robe/jacket that he fit into from one of Zachariah's toys. But I needed to make a yoda hat. Crocheting one would be no problem, but I had so many other crochet/knitting projects started and didn't get around to making it in time.

So instead of yoda, we used a cute jacket (and shoes) that I got from Crazy 8 and made him a snuggly wolf. I think he pulls this look off pretty well. Plus a cute outfit doubled as a Halloween costume. Since he slept through half of the trunk-n-treating anyway, it wasn't a big deal. 

This is too funny not to share. Zachariah was having fun using a stick as his light saber (seen in photos at the top). When I got photos of the boys together, he was swinging Jonah around (gently) and calling him his "wolf saber". Ha! This kid cracks me up!

For just trunk-n-treating I think he did pretty well. He has more candy that he really needs. But best of all he had a blast, and that's why we did it. 

Halloween night we were supposed to go trick-or-treating in our neighborhood, but all the area trick-or-treats got rescheduled due to back weather. There were storms in the forecast and it was VERY windy. So early in the day all the communities changed the day and time. We'll be trick-or-treating Saturday afternoon. Not quite the same, but it will still be fun.

Since we couldn't go out, I agreed to help Zachariah carve the pumpkins. We stuck with the Star Wars theme here. Our pumpkins are Jabba the Hutt and Darth Maul. It was a lot of work, but I love how they turned out.

How was your Halloween? What did your little pumpkins dress as this year?