Protecting Your Nest

What do you think about when you think of protection for your nest? Financial security? A safe home? A supportive family? Something completely different? We all have our own ideas about what it means to be well protected and secure. When I think of protection I think of all of those things and more.
Financial security is something we all must think about and consider seriously. I've heard many times that financial issues are a key reason listed in divorce proceedings. Financial planning is vital if we want to feel protected and safe. Most of us are under-insured. Are you prepared if something happened to the primary breadwinner in your home? I know my own insurance coverage is not even a full year of my salary. Experts recommend coverage at a rate of 5 to 10 times your annual income. (Obviously I need to check into an additional policy!)
Recent downturns in the economy have made planning for the future even more important. Knowing that I am a few decades away from retirement has been a blessing. My quarterly statements for my 403(b) have not been kind. I'm still happily investing, though. The low stock prices now mean my money is buying more and when the economy improves-and I truly believe it will-I will have a bigger nest egg.
A safe home is something to be prized. I remember the feeling of peace I got from simple actions when I moved into my house. I added deadbolts, made sure there was a fire extinguisher on each floor and added motion lights to the front and back of the house. Those simple steps did not cost a lot of money-but the peace of mind they gave me was priceless! There's also something to be said for my favorite type of security system. A dog! Sure, you can install a security system from some company (as a matter of fact, I recommend it!) But nothing beats the security you get from a family dog who's barks to let you know when you have visitors. (Another valid poing: you can't can't cuddle with and tell your secrets to a wall alarm!)
Above all else I think the key to feeling truly secure is your family. There's nothing quite like having the protection of a family upon whom you can depend. And really, isn't your family the reason you're protecting your nest in the first place?

About Allstate Life InsuranceThe Allstate Corporation is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies and Allstate Personal Financial Representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.
More information on Allstate Life Insurance: http://www.allstate.com/
Allstate Life Insurance on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Allstate
Follow @allstate on Twitter

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Allstate blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
Photo credit: U.S. Geological Survey 
Department of the Interior/USGS

Wordless Wednesday

Let's just call this my closet of shame. I have all of next week off and plan to finally get this organized. (Along with multiple other projects.) If you don't hear from me send for help. It will more than likely be the case that I was buried under a toy avalanche. 

Trying Out Member's Mark 4X Probiotic #digestivehealth

I'm not new to the world of probiotics. I suffer from chronic sinus issues which means somewhat regular courses of antibiotics. My Ear, Nose and Throat specialist has always recommended I take probiotics to avoid getting sick when I'm on medications for my sinus infections. I've even taken probiotics based on recommendations from friends before oral surgery and before trips out of the country.
I can report that each time I took probiotics I did not get the potential illness I was trying to avoid. (I might be the only person I know who had absolutely no issues after having my wisdom teeth removed!) Despite this I always stopped taking probiotics afterwards.

I've been hearing great things about Member's Mark 4x Probiotic and I'm excited to finally try these out for myself. Probiotics can be a part of your daily routine, not just for specific reasons like in my experiences. Stress and diet can have a huge impact on your digestive health and probiotics can help by supporting healthy microflora and immune system function.

Just one pill a day and I'll *fingers crossed* be on my way to a happier tummy. What are my hopes for Member's Mark 4x Probiotic? Quite simply I'm hoping to feel healthier. I'm prone to what I like to call "nervous tummy" and the previously mentioned chronic sinus issues. Even though probiotics are more about digestive health I am hopeful that a healthier immune system means less sinus issues, too.
You can find Member's Mark 4x Probiotic at Sam's Club.
I'll be checking back in two weeks to let you know how things are going. Before that you can join me at a Twitter Party  on September 7 for your chance to win Member's Mark 4x Probiotic and gift cards. Tweet you there!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

And The iPod Winner Is...

Congratulations! Your iPod will be in the mail on Monday!

Join The Elmer's Glue Crew! #BagItForward

Have you heard about the Elmer's Glue Crew? Your school or classroom can collect their empty glue sticks and bottles for recycling. Terracycle will then turn those empties into something new-keeping them out of landfills. The Glue Crew website contains lesson plans that teachers can use in their classrooms to expand on the project and help reinforce the importance of recycling. Classrooms can sign up for the Glue Crew Recycling Program here or simply drop off the collection at their local Walmart on Earth Day.

Creating a fun collection box is great way to kick off the school year and get everyone excited about recycling their glue bottles and sticks.

I upcycled an empty paper box from my office for this project. I decided to use Elmer's School Glue and Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks as the characters on the lid. It couldn't have been easier-just attaching googly eyes and drawing on a mouth with a permanent marker. I made the word bubbles in Photobucket and attached them to the box using the No-Wrinkle Dual Tip Glue Pen. I then used Elmer's Craft Bond Ultra Stix All to attach the bottle and stick to the lid.

I found this image on the Terracycle website and thought it was perfect to use on the sides of the box.

The Glue Crew website also contains a collection of templates you can use. I picked this image for the front of the box-I just colored it in with an orange marker.

And here is the finished box! This is a super fun and easy project-and one that can include the kids. It's a great opportunity to start a conversation with your children about recycling and the environment.

While you're shopping for supplies to create your box don't forget about the Bag It Forward campaign. It's not too late to pick up supplies to donate to a child in need. You can also help just by following Elmer's on Twitter and liking Elmer's on Facebook. Each follow and like means an Elmer's product is donated to the Kids In Need Foundation. 

In addition to helping others, Elmer's also helps you help yourself. Elmer's is a Upromise partner which means every purchase of Elmer's or Krazy Glue products when using your participating grocery or drug store card is a percentage donated into your Upromise account. Please look here for more information.

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Elmer's #BagItForward #collectivebias. All opinions and glued on googly eyes are my own!

Wordless Wednesday

Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. This ice cream has all of my favorite things.

Sharing The Big News

Are you looking for a creative way to keep family and friends informed of your new bundle of joy? Are you hoping to keep a memory book for your baby?

The Day Baby Was Born is a free service provided by Tommee Tippee.  Your input automatically creates a digital storybook you can share with your family and friends. Photographs, Facebook wall posts, news stories and more are collected to create a memorable keepsake for you and your baby. You can see an example of a storybook created by The Day Baby Was Born here.
The Day Baby Was Born website requires the use of a personal Facebook Page.  Beyond that the information you include is up to you. Include as little or as much information as you would like to create your own personal story. You can start from the day you find out you're expecting or on the date of your baby's arrival. When you start is up to you! (This service is designed for newborns so unfortunately you cannot make memory books for older children at this time.)
Once your storybook is created you can choose to share it with your Facebook friends or publish it privately. It is recommended you download your storybook as a PDF when you are finished so that you will have a permanent copy. You can continue to update your storybook for as long as you would like but accounts that have been inactive for over a year will be deleted.
You can include a pregnancy journal, letter to your baby, news facts from the day of the birth and even fun trivia like famous people who share your child's birthday. It will be a fun digital time capsule for your child to enjoy in the future.
Even if you plan to keep a traditional baby book, The Day Baby Was Born can be a fun supplement to include. Just print out the storybook and store it inside! I have known more than one mommy who has had the best of intentions when it comes to documenting their baby's first year but somewhere along the way life gets busy and the books remain unfinished. Using The Day Baby Was Born will solve that problem by doing much of the work for you. Best of all the website is a free service from Tommee Tippee to thank moms.
You can stay in touch with Tommee Tippee on Facebook and Twitter. You can find Tommee Tippee products exclusively at Babies R Us and Toys R Us.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Tommee Tippee blogging contest for a chance to get a gift pack worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Back To School Party Ideas

Ready for one more Back To School post? How about planning a back to school party? A Back To School party is a fun way to get your children excited about going back to school. It can also get little ones heading to school for the first time excited about something that can seem very scary.

Serve party treats and snacks in fun ways to represent things from school. For drinks how about using little cartons of milk?  Serve candy and chips in brown paper lunch sacks or inside of open lunch boxes.

What's a more iconic back to school image than an apple? These apple cupcakes couldn't be easier. Just tint frosting red, microwave the frosting for about 15 seconds and dip in your cupcake. Give it a little twirl to avoid drips. Use a small piece of pretzel as your apple stem and a green candy for the leaf. I microwaved a piece of Laffy Taffy for 5 seconds and then molded it into the leaf shape

Back To School Supplies such as rulers, erasers and crayons can make fun-and inexpensive-party favors. You can even use more brown paper lunch sacks as your treat bags!

Are you planning any special back to school activities?

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Wordless Wednesday

So does anyone know how to put this together?

Aquarium Party Theme Treats With #ClearAmerican #CBias

It's always fun to plan parties with a theme-especially if you can do so easily! Here are a few treats and ideas you can use in planning an Aquarium Theme party. (Easily adapted for a child in love with Bubble Guppies, The Little Mermaid or even Spongebob Squarepants!) One of my favorite things about this theme is you can pick up (almost) everything you need in one store.

The first treat couldn't be easier-a gelatin aquarium! Take a look in your cabinets, you might already have some glassware that can be used. If you don't it will be easy enough to find something that would work in the kitchen department of even the pet department when you're picking up your other supplies.

In addition to the glassware you'll only need three ingreedients: Clear American Flavored Water, blueberry gelatin and multi-colored Swedish Fish.

Simply make the gelatin according to package directions but replace the cold water with the Clear American Flavor of your choice. Stir in gently to avoid losing the carbination. The gelatin will actually maintain some of the bubbles!

After at least 90 minutes in the refrigerator simply insert the Swedish Fish into the gelatin and return to the refrigerator. The gelatin should be completely set in another two and a half hours. The use of the Clear American in place of the cold water in this recipe will add both bubbles and additional flavor to this simple treat. *Please note, over time the sugars in the Swedish Fish will begin to break down. It's best to make this the day you plan to serve it.*

The second goody is something every party needs-cupcakes! These aren't just any cupcakes, however. They're fishy cupcakes flavored with Clear American Flavored Water.

Just as with the gelatin, you follow the package directions on your cake mix. (Or your recipe if you're baking from scratch.) Simply replace the water with the Clear American flavor of your choice. Using Clear American will impart a subtle flavor in your cupcakes. I chose white grape for this treat.

Once the cupcakes are out of the oven and have had a chance to cool it's time to start the decorating. Each cupcake will use two circus peanuts and three cheerios to start. Use kitchen scissors to split one circus peanut in half, then cut each half on an angle. Cut the front of a whole circus peanut off at an angle and place it in the middle of one cupcake and the other four pieces go on the sides as fins. Frosting is the glue that holds this all together. Use the three Cheerios on the front of the circus peanut (where it's been cut) to create the face. Place the finished cupcakes in the freezer for a few minutes to set.

Tint a cup of frosting the color you want your fish to become-I was going for a goldfish/koi look so I used orange. Microwave the frosting for about 20 seconds. Dip the top of each cupcake in the warm frosting completely. Give each a twirl to get off any excess frosting so you don't get drips.

The dipped cupcakes should go back in the freezer again for a few minutes to set up. Once they're set it's time to add the finishing touches.

 Place plain frosting in a small plastic bag and snip off a small bit of one corner. Use this to pipe a small dot of frosting on each eye. Add brown Mini M&Ms to each spot of frosting.

Pipe on frosting tinted blue using the same plastic bag method. Then use a bamboo skewer to twirl the frosting to help make it look more like water.

When planning your aquarium party let your mind run wild! The fish section in the pet department is full of all sorts of fun things that can be used as party decor. Fish bowls can be used to hold chips and dips. The only limit is your imagination.

Don't forget to use Clear American to add extra flavor to any party theme. Whenever you find a recipe using water you can up the flavor profile by substituting with the Clear American of your choice. You can find Clear American at your local Walmart. You can also follow Clear American on Twitter and Facebook.

Join #ClearAmerican for their first Twitter Party on 8/17/11! Go here for more information.

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, which is a vendor for Cott Beverages Inc., the manufacturer of Clear American^® brand beverages.


Fish cupcakes are adapted from an idea found in What's New, Cupcake?

First Day of School Traditions

My mother was an elementary school teacher. Through third grade I actually attended the same school where she taught. I never had that "traditional" first day of school experience when I was little because of that.
I would usually go "back to school" with my mom two weeks before school actually started. I would hang out in her room, color, play with toys. Pretty much anything to keep me busy while my mom set up for the new school year. Since she was already friends with all of my teachers that meant no orientation, no meeting the new teachers-no surprises, really. Don't get me wrong-I'm not complaining. There's something to be said for being a school "insider". The mere fact that I had seen inside of that mysterious room known as the "Teacher's Lounge" had major cool mystique in elementary school.
Because my experience wasn't traditional, I started collecting a mental file of the things I heard parents were doing for their children and picked out some of my favorites. These are all filed under "I'd like to do that one day."
Lunchtime Love Notes
I've heard of more and more moms tucking little notes into their children's lunch boxes on the first day of school. I love the idea of taking this even further. Why not hide a note in their backpack or a pocket. Adding in little trinkets is another fun idea. Just a little something to let them know you're thinking about them on that first day.
First Day Photos
I love the idea of taking first day of school photos. Waiting at the bus stop, by the front door-wherever it makes sense to take it. My mind is spinning with all of the fun things you could do with this collection of photos when your child is about to graduate!
Special Morning Breakfast
We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but with the family rushing out the door it seems that a quick bite is all anyone has time for anymore. Why not make at least one day a year extra special by taking the time to have a very special first day of school breakfast? It could be breakfast in bed, those homemade pancakes you never have time to make, special muffins-even some deliciously gooey pastry treat that has far more calories than any one item of food should. It's just one day a year-go all out!

Whatever your back to school traditions are, Tiny Prints can help your child go back to school in style.  (The personalized notebooks are my favorite!)

Disclouse: This post was written as part of a compensated campaign from Tiny Prints. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Upcycling A Bunny-Oaxaca Style! #gluenglitter #collectivebias

This is a story in three parts. The first part starts during a day trip to Mexico. I was in San Diego for a conference and I gathered up a group of friends to head to Tijuana one afternoon. That's where I fell in love with this little fellow:

The man who was trying to sell him to me explained that the craftsmen in Oaxaca paint these Alebrije based on their dreams. Not sure if he really came to someone in a dream, but this little creature did come home with me in my suitcase.

The second part of my story takes place at my mom's house. She just moved into a new townhouse, which means massive amounts of purging and forcing me to take my old prom dresses at threat of throwing them in the dumpster.

Mom's new place has a sprinkler system throughout, so I rescued this old bunny sprinkler from the trash pile:

The poor bunny has a chipped and broken ear and about five different colors of paint splashed on him, but I couldn't leave him behind. (As you might have guessed I have a thing for bunnies...)

We're back at home for the third part of the story. This is where I decided I wanted to repair the broken bunny ear and paint it in a fun Oaxaca style.

I started by repairing the ear using Elmer's Craft Bond Ultra Stix All . This glue is a thick gel that dries clear and forms a secure bond on multiple surfaces. Since there was a gap left from a missing piece of the ear I used the glue to fill in that gap, smoothing it into place with a bamboo skewer.

After the glue had a chance to cure I took everything outside to give the bunny a base coat of blue spray paint.

I like to use old cardboard boxes when I use spray paint-it really helps to avoid a mess and prevents things from flying onto the wet paint when you're outside.

With a base coat of blue on the bunny I started to decorate using Elmer's Painters. Alebrije tend to combine lots of different colors and patterns in the same piece. I wasn't sure where I was going when I started, I just painted.

I started by painting in the details I knew I wanted to keep such as the nose, carrot and eyes. I then started on the patterns.

Not everything was a success. I disliked the red squiggles on the face as soon as I had done them.

The pink and purple giraffe print on the tail was one of my favorites immediately!

What I loved about Elmer's Painters for this project is their opacity. When I did something I didn't like I just painted over it. In the Oaxaca style, more is more. I painted designs on top of designs-it was hard to decide when to stop.

To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm finished. I've put the bunny on the porch several times, only to pick him up again to add something new. If I do decide to add more to my bunny I'll be sure to post an update!

If you would like to find out more about this project please view my photo story here.

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Elmer's #gluenglitter #collectivebias. All opinions are my own.

Confessions of a Diaper Trainer

Did you know my day job is as an Infant-Toddler Specialist? I get to spend my days playing with babies and I get paid for it! It's a great job.

OK, maybe there's a bit more to it than playing with babies. What I actually do is visit infant and toddler classrooms in my region and work with the teachers to help increase the quality in their rooms. We work on how the room is set up, what materials they need, interactions with the children-all sorts of things. And one of the things I get a lot of questions about is changing diapers. On an almost daily basis I help teacher's change diapers the "right way". That means getting supplies out ahead of time, cleaning the table with the right solution, throwing away gloves with the dirty diaper before putting on the clean one. All sorts of fun steps the teachers have to learn to fall in line with standards.

Here's my confession: I'm all thumbs when it comes to changing diapers. What is it they say? Those who can't teach? Well, that's my story. Don't get me wrong, I've changed a ton of diapers in my day but I'm really rusty. Give me a squirmy baby and the baby just might end up with their diaper on backwards. I'm also terrified of changing diapers on baby boys. I've heard all the stories. *Knock Wood* so far so good! But I will throw a diaper on a baby boy in two seconds to avoid an accident, and I probably forget half of the steps I teach along the way!

I've changed diapers on the squirmer-the baby who wiggles all over the place. And of course there's the incher-the baby who manages to end up on the other side of the table. Most of the babies I've known have at one time or another been the streaker-the baby who will pull their diaper off at any given chance. I've managed to avoid the dreaded sprayer so far, but of course as I mentioned, that's my number one diaper fear. Huggies is trying to help all of us with diaper changing fear with their new slip on diapers. Just pull them on your squirmy baby and skip the the extra steps.

Do you have any funny (now that you can look back and laugh) diaper stories to share? Please share in the comments, I'd love to hear them!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Huggies blogging program, for a gift card worth $35. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Wordless Wednesday

If you remember this post, you'll know why I'm so happy this week:

The old and very dinosaur desktop at work was finally put to rest. I can now work from home and I have a docking station with a monitor that doesn't take up the entire desk!

Healthy Back To School Tips

Are you ready for back to school? It's just around the corner. Back to school time is a great time to begin things on the right foot with some healthy habits.
1. Start talking about healthy snacks and lunches now. Let your children be a part of the planning and even help pack their own. Just be there to help make sure they're making healthy summers.
2. Remember that when they're in school doesn't mean they'll stay indoors all day. Sunscreen should still be a part of their morning routine even though summer is coming to an end.
3. Make sure every night your child is getting a great night's sleep. A good night's seep is essential to a successful day at school.
4. Start each morning with a balanced breakfast. Food is fuel and your child can't run at school if they're on empty.
5. Prepare for all of your children's afterschool activities by getting supplies and gear ready. Consider a backpack with wheels if they are allowed at your child's school and you are concerned about the weight of books and supplies they'll be carrying.
6. Back to school time is a great time for your child to get a checkup-and it might even me required if they'll be participating in sports. Check ahead so you can get any forms filled out by your pediatrician.
7. Talk about outdoor safety with your children including staying hydrated. In many parts of the country it will still be very hot when children are heading back to school. Kids play hard during recess and will need to make sure they stop at the water fountain when they get a chance.
8. Speaking of time outdoors, many schools are having to cut back on recess and physical education programs. If your children are attending schools where this is the case make sure they get time in the afternoon to run, play and stay active. Just because they're not getting a chance to exercise at school doesn't have to be a reason children can't stay active.
9. Remind your children to wash their hands after coughing and sneezing. Washing hands is a frontline of defense against many of the illnesses that come with the school year.
10. Dont' forget your child's eyes are an important part of their back to school success. Make sure they have an eye exam to check for any vision problems before they head back to the classroom.
What are your tips for a healthy trip back to school?


I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Transitions Lenses blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Things I love-August Edition

Hey, have you heard we're in the middle of a heatwave? Of course you have, it's pretty hard to miss. The second you walk outside you get smacked in the face with just how hot it is out there. That's why I'm loving my Thermos Brand Under Armour Dominate Bottle. It has vacuum insulation, stainless steel construction and a flip top lid. I've used my fair share of stainless steel bottles, but this is the first I've owned that doesn't sweat when using it with iced drinks. It also keeps drinks cold for an amazing 12 hours at a time! I have put this to the test, leaving it in the car for hours at a time on days with triple digit heat. At $29.99 it's a bit pricey for a bottle, but it's worth every penny.

Everyone needs a good book to read on the beach or at the pool and I'm loving Tina Fey's Bossypants. I started laughing when I checked out the back cover and haven't stopped laughing since I picked it up. Starting in Tina's childhood and moving into her experiences on television, Bossypants reads like a hilarious conversation with your best friend. 

I've been making my own sodas and seltzers for the last few months almost exclusively, but I have found one that I will be buying occasionally because it's just that good. Zevia sodas are sweetened with all natural stevia. That means each soda is zero calories. I am in love with Zevia's Black Cherry Soda-it's unlike any other flavor I've tried. You can find Zevia at Whole Foods and Kroger stores. 

Updating Etsy

Things have been quiet for a while in my Etsy shop. I think it's just the time of year. (And perhaps a lack of new additions and photographs from me.) I'm very curious to see how things go once Halloween season starts. I'm planning to add a pumpkin tutu, a watermelon tutu and tutu dresses. I'm even working on a very cool Santa dress! (Well, it's cool in my mind. My mind and reality are not always connected.)

I haven't sold as many things through the Etsy shop as I thought I might. It's actually acted as more of a portfolio for in person sales. People have asked what I can do, looked at my Etsy shop and then just ordered face to face. That has saved money on both shipping and fees, but hasn't exactly helped with my feedback on the site. 100% is great, but the amount of feedback is low.

My latest tutu is the Radley, made for and named after a little girl in my family who will be making her arrival later this month. This is a newborn sized tutu made in two layers with a gradual color change. I wasn't able to capture the colors as well as I would have liked in my photograph, but in person it is adorable.
The two colors happened because of a happy accident. This was my first attempt at a newborn tutu and as I was going along I started to think I was making it much too short. Instead of scraping what I had done I decided to layer it with longer strips in a slightly different color. The result was very nice and I'll be adding this to Etsy soon.
Be sure to check back for my fall updates to the shop-I can't wait  to find out what you think!

{Closed} Win An iPod For My Birthday!

It's August and that means it's the official start of my birthday month! (OK, I'm really not one of those people who celebrate for an entire month, but for the purposes of this post let's pretend...)
I want one of you guys to get a gift to help celebrate-a shiny new iPod shuffle! How do you win? Well, lots of ways!

Mandatory Entry

Become a public follower of my blog on Google Friend Connect and leave a comment below letting me know what's the best birthday gift you've ever received.

Additional Entries

• Tweet about this giveaway: 1 entry (No more than 1 tweet per hour) 
Tweet
• Follow me on Twitter @lilac_the_bunny: 1 entry
• Share this giveaway on Facebook: 1 entry (1 time per day)
• Add my shop to your Etsy Circle: 1 entry
• Add my button to your blog: 5 entries
• Blog about this giveaway: 10 entries
• Follow me on Networked Blogs: 1 entry

• Like my Facebook page: 1 entry
• Leave a comment on another As The Bunny Hops post: 1 entry
• Give me +K on Klout: 1 entry each (unlimited) 
• Add me to your circle on Google+: 1 entry
• Give +1 to any of my posts (located at the bottom of each post): 1 entry each (unlimited)

Leave a comment for each entry below. I'll pick the random winner on August 27th. (My birthday!)  Good luck!