I am happy to say I am almost done Christmas shopping. My goal is to be completely done by Wednesday. I am talking about having all the wrapping done too. I already have presents for all my in-laws. The kids helped a lot by making a wish list. My husband is the hardest to shop for. Every year he says he doesn’t want a gift but I get him a few anyways. This year I have no idea what to get him. I am hoping the kids can give me some idea.

Have you heard about the Fairy Hobmother? Well the Fairy Hobmother is  from Appliances Online, and she is spreading  joy around the blogging world by granting wishes. I happened to make a wish on another blog and it was granted! I was sent an Amazon gift card to make my wish come through.

When I left a comment with my wish I really thought I did not have a good chance of being chosen. It was hard for me to make a wish because my list is long. I have been saving for new appliances, something like what  Hotpoint offers. It seems like everything is breaking down at the same time. I am hoping to start replacing my appliances in 2012.

Back to the Fairy Hobmother. She told me to tell you guys that she might grant your wish too. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what your wish is.

Good Luck!

““For 23 years, Energizer, the IAFC and more than 6,200 fire departments have partnered to educate communities on the importance of home fire safety and having working smoke alarms,” said Michelle Atkinson, Vice President of Marketing for Energizer North America. “By having parents and families actively pledge to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, we are hoping they will share the information with their network of friends and hopefully help other families do this simple and life-saving task- now that’s positivenergy™”

The Giveaway

Smoke Alarm and a pack of Energizer Batteries (2 winners)

The prize for this giveaway was provided from the company or its PR agency.

You see all that hair and those eyes? He is so handsome! Both of my brothers have a son named after them so I have an AJ and a DJ!

“For more free products and giveaways, go to http://www.facebook.com/chicbuds“ I would greatly appreciate it.

On September 12th, a new cookbook was released called Sesame Street B is for Baking: 50 Yummy Dishes to Make Together by Susan McQuillan. As a parent, I could not wait to see what was inside, of course Kayla beat me to it. As soon as the book arrived, she grabbed it and started looking through it.

B is for Baking is a cookbook which helps families to bake together.  Each and every recipe provides at the very least, one step that your kids can do. These steps are highlighted with a red circle and a picture of Elmo. I thought that was pretty creative and a great way for kids to spot what they are able to do to help.

Each recipe includes the name of one of the beloved characters of Sesame Street:  Elmo’s Pizza Party, Cookie Monster’s Cookie On a Stick, Ernie’s Corny Corn Pudding and Rosita’s Skillet Cornbread. That would be fun for kids to make something named after their favorite character.

This cookbook covers a lot when it comes to kids and cooking. One part of the book give parents an idea of what type of skills kids in different age ranges should be able to complete.  While this is different for every child, it is a good starting point. Baking safely is also mentioned in a easy to read format for kids. I liked that some how to’s were included like how to cut butter into flour and separate an egg. Kayla learned what it meant to fold ingredients. She had read those words in instructions before but was not sure what that meant. Ingredient and pan substitutions were explained too. It is not something I expected to find but definitely good to know.

B is for Baking breaks the recipes into six different categories:

• Breakfast Bake-off
• Quick Breads and Biscuits
• Main Dishes and Sides
• Puddings and Pies
• Cookies and Bars
• Celebration Cupcakes and Cakes

Every recipe includes a color picture of the finished product. There were also cooking tips and a little information mixed in. For example, there is a recipe for Elmo’s Berry Delicious Blueberry Muffins. One of tips that is shared is about berries. If you use frozen ones, don’t let them thaw. You should toss them with a little flour before adding them to the batter. Elmo even gives examples of animals that eat blueberries; birds, deers and bears.

We liked this cookbook. It has a nice variety of recipes which give you the opportunity to bake something you might not have had before. The ingredients include things like wheat germ, fresh basil, carrots, zucchini, brown rice and soy milk. I have to admit I don’t use foods along these line a lot. B is for Baking makes it easy to introduce healthy options and a variety of flavors while teaching the versatility of different foods.

You can find Sesame Street B is for Baking: 50 yummy dishes to make together for $11.55 over at Amazon.com.

A copy of this book was provided for review purposes. The opinions given are 100% my own as always.

When it comes to the interiors of cars I like dark colors that complement each other. No matter the ages of the children there will always be smudges, stains and spills. Easy to maintain materials that are comfortable is what I look for.

The seats were trimmed in black charcoal leather with grey suede inserts. Not only were the seats sturdy enough to provide me with enough support while driving, they warmed up. The first and second row of seats warm up on the bottom and back. I can only imagine how good that would feel during these Midwest winters.

Having everything at your fingertips is one of the first thing I noticed about the Flex.

• Easy to reach knob to control the outdoor side mirrors ( which heats up automatically)
• Power windows and locks ( the one touch button on the driver’s side took some getting used too)
• Storage space in the lower part of door
• Control for power adjustable foot pedal
• 2 cup holders near the gear shift

Right side of steering wheel

• has controls for volume
• with one press of the media button I was able to dial and make phone calls, change between radio, cd, dvd or mp3 with my voice
• button to redial or answer phone

This is where all  the action is. A touch screen greeted me when I turned the Flex on. Then I was saw a split screen showing me where I was located on a map, what form of media was active and the inside climate.  Please excuse all my fingerprints, as you can see as was throughly testing out the touch screen and all of its features.

When it came to setting up all the tech stuff (syncing my phone, using the navigation system, programming different media, etc) it was so easy, I could not stop showing everyone how to do it. You can sync up to at least four different phones to use with bluetooth. I set it up the first time I tried.  Whenever I got in the Flex, it synced automatically. I did not have to mess with anything after the initial set up.

As far as media you have a lot of options. There is Sirrus Satellite Radio, you can hook up a mp3 player or listen to a cd. The system even has a hard drive. I grabbed  my Mary J. Blige cd, and an option came up on screen to record it. Of course I pressed record. It copied the entire disc to the Flex! That means no flipping through cds anymore. I like all of the options because not everyone has a mp3 player, but they still want to listen to their own music.

Another feature of the Flex that I absolutely love is the rear view camera. When you put the Flex in reverse, the screen automatically shows you the area behind the vehicle. I had no idea how much I needed something like this until I used it. I would never rely on it 100% but it does help. I have a tendency to question myself when I going in reverse, because I think I am not seeing something. This camera helps to put me at ease.

The Ford Flex can easily fit six people. I was expecting the third row of seating to be more like a bench seat. If it was I could squeeze in another person I think. As it is set up everyone had enough room. I am not just talking about seat room, but leg room too. Especially in the first and second rows.  When I sat in the passenger seat I was able to stretch my feet out ahead of me without really touching the floor. My brother is over six feet tall and he was even able to sit comfortably in the back. My husband agreed with him. Both of them did not feel like they were missing out on anything by not sitting in the passenger seat.

The third row of seating is super easy to access. With a push of the button, which is located near both doors, the seat automatically folds and moves. The movement is a little sudden so you need to make sure you are out of the way. It also helps if you do not have anything in front of the seat on the floor. It will get in the way.

Kayla’s favorite spot was in the third row of seats. You could tell we were not used to the button because we all kept forgetting to push it when whenever we got out of the Flex.

There is a lot of storage around the second row of seats. Cup holders are on each of the doors, in the middle console and directly in front of the seats. The inside of the console goes pretty deep, so it can store a lot. My kids would have no problem filling up all that space with their belongings!

If you are sitting in the second row of seats you can control the temperature back there and heat your seats. Everyone that sat in the Flex had to test that out! It is no fun sitting on icy cold seats during Wisconsin winters so this is a nice perk! There is also a power source if you need it to plug up something like your laptop. I tried it when we took the kids fishing. While they fished I worked, when my battery started to die, I was able to plug right in. Talk about nice. Usually by this time I am ready to go back home. Everyone was able to have more time doing what they enjoyed.

Up next…… Our Ford Flex Titanium Experience wrap up.

I was not asked to post about my experience with the Ford Flex. I wanted to. As always all opinions are 100% my own.

After looking through a couple of different sites, I came across a blog called Cute as a Fox Creations. There are tutorials on making a variety of different things. The Burp Cloth and Baby Sock Cupcake, Blanket Lollipops and the Diaper Bassinet were absolutely adorable and I wanted to make them all. Of course this is when I had all the time in the world. My plan was to make a few little gifts. That way it could be from the kids and I. Unfortunately I did not go with this idea, but I did file this away. I will be trying these for some upcoming gifts.

What I finally decided to go with was a Diaper Tricycle. I found the idea over at Southern Fried Gal and I am so happy she had a tutorial. One thing I think is very important to point out when doing tutorials, read through all the steps completely. Don’t just skim them. I skimmed and wasted a bunch of time.  After following all the instructions and a little help from my husband, here is the finished product.

I did a few things different. I did not use newborn socks. I went with 3-6 months instead. I like the way they hung down. I also did not thread the blanket from the back wheels through the front one.  I had to improvise because the blanket did not reach far enough. I used a glass bottle for the headlight because the plastic ones were foggy looking. I also used a piece of cardboard covered with a blanket to support the tricycle. I wanted a sturdy bottom when I wrapped it. That made it much easier to carry. I put a wooden trowel in between the back wheels. To me it was moving a little too much.

After I completed the tricycle I came up with a lot of different ideas. I want my next one to more color coordinated. Everyone said it looked fine but I want to go with some deeper colors. Oh, and I would choose diapers that are solid. When use ones with designs it can get a little tricky. I would also find a cute bear to add to it. I could not find one that was the right height so I decided not to use one. I think it would be cute with maybe some blocks spelling out the word “baby” or the actual name attached to the bottom board with a few smaller toys.

I had fun making it. Most importantly my brother and his girlfriend were very happy with it. If you want to try out making one yourself, make sure you visit Southern Fried Gal.

First Impressions

Mine

When the Flex Titanium was delivered, the first thing I noticed was the square shape of it. It was much bigger than I thought it would be. The exterior was silver with a black top that glittered in the sun. The tires are huge, much bigger than those of our current vehicle. The back windows are tinted. The driver’s side door has numbers on the right side so you can also get in the Flex by using keyless entry. So my first impression had me thinking “Cool”!

My Husband

“I looked at it online. I liked the different colors it came it. I think it is really nice. I am tall and I was able to sit in the passenger side and the back comfortably. Lots of head and leg room. The Flex is a very smooth ride”

Nannah

“I thought it was really big compared to our other cars. It was so pretty and shiny. When I got inside it was so much room”

Trevon

“I was really surprised when we were picked picked up from school. It looked a lot smaller in the picture and it is super roomy”

Kayla

“The Flex is so pretty. It looks like a fancy limo. When I saw it I started smiling”.

Jazz

“ It was prettier in person. I already knew I would like it because of all the stuff I read that it has online”

As you can tell one of the main issues when it comes to vehicles in our family is room. Between Nannah, my husband and I, we are tall. Trust me, riding around in a cramped spaced in no fun, no matter how short the trip is.

Our first ride in the Ford Flex

The first place I drove to was Sam’s Club, it just so happens we were out of pretzels, water and a few other things so we needed to go there anyway. My husband jumped in the back seat, usually there is not enough room for him to fit in the back and he wanted to see what it is like. It definitely is spacious. Jazz sat in the front seat. After buckling our seat belts, adjusting our seats and making sure I could see out of the mirrors we took off. When you start the engine it is very quiet, you can barely hear it running. The ride is very smooth. In Milwaukee, the roads can be pretty bumpy. They have begun filling most of the potholes, but there are still quite a few. It was nice to not feel them as much. The Flex maneuvers well for the size it is. This is one the biggest vehicles I have ever driven so I was a bit nervous when it came to parking. Luckily, the rear view camera made it very easy. I will talk more about it later.

Once my husband grabbed what we needed from Sam’s, I popped the lift gate so he could put everything inside. The storage space went down which is a big plus. When driving, purchases can move back and forth a lot sliding all over the place. We did not experience this problem.

Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow. I will be sharing what the inside looks like and all the features of the Ford Flex.

I was not asked to post about my experience with the Ford Flex. I wanted to. As always all opinions are 100% my own.