10 Wow-The-Crowd Super Bowl Fun Facts #SuperBowl

Want to wow the crowd and impress your friends with a few Super Bowl Fun Facts? Then Keep reading, because I have surfed the web and newspaper to find 10 of the most awesome Super Bowl Fun Facts... 

Without further ado, 10 Wow The Crowd Super Bowl Fun Facts:

Sunday Book #Review: A Thicket Of Tales #Giveaway

There is no denying that technology is a huge part of our lives. It's also becoming increasingly a big part of a child's life too with interactive toys, games, Apps and ebooks.  My house is littered with talking, flashing, singing and remote controlled things. In fact, I'd say half of my son's toys run on batteries!

The one piece of technology I have been apprehensive about handing over is a Smartphone or tablet. I'm worried my kid will become obsessed with Toddler Apps, and beg to play 24/7 like a few other kids his age I know. I want him to play with toys and develop a great imagination. You know, be a kid, not a nerd with his nose stuck in a tablet... not yet, anyway.  

Thanks to finding fun kid friendly apps and ebooks, I've been less reluctant to hand over the tablet.  Today's review, A thicket of Tales, written and narrated by, A.D. Hasselbring, is a perfect example of this.

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Parenting Lesson #412 Learned The Hard Way... Don't Screw Up Birthdays

I'm feeling like such an ass right now.  Ollie's birthday is going to get here before his presents.  Like 4-6 days before. #EpicFail

My only saving grace is that the kid is turning 3 and still has no expectations for his birthday...

In four days, Ollie will be three. (I can hardly stand it. How is he already three?!) With Christmas and his birthday being barely a month apart, FTD and I made a game plan for splitting up his big gifts between the two so we didn't go broke. The plan was to get Ollie a Choo-Choo table for Christmas, and a big boy bed for his Birthday.

Last week, FTD and I finally decided on the bed. It's a super cute fire engine bed with storage steps.   FTD and I have already had the conversation about how FTD's going to go sleep in it when Ollie kicks him out of our bed with repeated kicks. I told FTD I'd already be there since I usually get roundhouse kicked first.

Basically, we are getting the bed for ourselves...

Being the procrastinator from hell that I am, I JUST ordered the bed online thinking we could pick it up in the store.

Nope...

The bed is out of stock and has to be shipped to either my house or the store.

#Shit

 Out of curiosity, I checked to see how much express shipping was...

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR DOLLARS!!!

What the hell?

I didn't want the bed that bad!  So, by next Friday it is... too bad that's four days after Ollie's birthday!

Dammit, I suck!

In an effort to fix my fail, I asked Ollie what he would like for his birthday.

Ollie: A cake with a candle.

OMG! How sweet is that?!

He's been to enough birthday parties to know, the birthday boy/girl gets a whole cake with candles to blow out.

After a little more coaxing, he said he wanted a trampoline like at his favorite toddler tumbling gym.

SCORE!  I go right online to find a store to buy it at.

No store in the city has one in stock.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Why? Why? Why?

So now I have a bed and trampoline being delivered days after his birthday!

You have no idea how awesome this will be for the wild-one.

I also booked his birthday party for the following weekend to avoid conflicting with Super Bowl.

So, on his birthday he's not getting his bed, trampoline or party with his friends.

How's that for some serious first-world parenting problems?!

Don't worry, I have a plan!

On Ollie's birthday, FTD and I are taking him to his favorite place for dinner, at which time, I plan to tell him we are going to have a BIG birthday weekend with awesome presents,  a trip to the circus and a birthday party with his friends. Hopefully, since he has no expectations of a big birthday complete with lots of gifts, he will happily buy into my "birthday weekend" plan.

I still suck. Lesson learned.

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Who's Ready to Get Their Weight Loss Goals Back On Track? #3030Challenge

It's time for the first 30/30 Challenge of 2015!

February: Fight The Winter Blahs! 

For the next 30 days, devote 30 minutes a day to creating a healthy lifestyle.

This month get control of your crappy snacking, soda drinking and couch potato tendencies.

Clean out the pantry then restock it with healthy snacks and whole grains.

Buy veggies and fruit not chips and candy.

Maybe even sign up for at least one yoga/spin/Pilate's class (working up to 3-4)

The goal this month is to kick start a healthy lifestyle for your entire family.  This is NOT a diet. This is all about you changing the way your family eats. Replace crap snacks with healthy snacks.  Make one meal a week from a new recipe that is full of healthy goodness.  Don't buy sodas for one month.  Or just one week. 

Make small changes that add up to a big lifestyles changes!

For those just joining, the 30/30 Challenge is designed to help you create small attainable goals that add up to BIG results. I wish I could take credit for the 30/30, but I first learned about it on the TV Show, The Doctors. Over the last year I have tailored it to not only address exercise, but a complete lifestyle adjustment. Now that I am a mother, my poor nutrition and lazy ways don't only effect me.  I want to raise my son to be active and healthy, and the only way to do that is lead by example.  

Don't get me wrong, we have donuts for breakfast and french fries for lunch, but only as a very rare treat. All the other days, I do my best to make wise choices for my family.  

I challenge you this month to fight the winter blah by eating clean and getting as much exercise as possible!  I can't wait to hear how you do!

TIP: Don't want to join a gym? 

Do 30 of anything to keep you going...

do one or all..

30 Sit-ups while waiting for the coffee to brew. 

30 Lunges while watching Mickey Mouse Club House with your little.

30 Squats while brushing your teeth

30 jumping jacks with your little one to get that last bit of energy out before bed.

Lift your baby up over your head 30 times...  Babies love that! Or a sack of flour.. or a dumbbell...

Walk in place while doing the dishes...

Check out my 15 tips for losing 15 pounds in 2015

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Animal Themed Party Ideas

You want to make your little one’s party a time to remember. One great way to do that is with an animal themed celebration! Here are a few party ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Zoo Party

If you choose a zoo-themed party, spruce up the room by adding pictures and cut outs of animals normally found at the zoo. Large beanie boos could also be a great addition to add a 3D effect, with options including elephants, turtles, and penguins. If you want to get a bit more hands on you could incorporate some arts and crafts of common zoo animals, such as coloring elephant paws or making flamingo sticks. Depending on your budget, you might also incorporate a small petting zoo, or have the entire party at a local zoo.

Jungle Party

Utilize lots of bright, colorful decorations and serve delicious tropical fruit at a jungle themed party. You can incorporate many of the same elements as with the zoo party, while concentrating on animals that would normally be found in the jungle. You might even consider a rainforest themed option.

Circus Party

There are many ways that you can incorporate a circus theme into your child’s party. You can stage many of the circus acts as party games. For instance, you can have the kids try to juggle, or balance on the balance beam (firmly planted on the grass, of course), and everyone who plays gets a prize. To liven things up, you and your adult helpers can dress up as circus characters, such as the bearded lady, a magician or a contortionist. As long as your little one is not afraid, do not forget the clown!

Dress Up Party

Completely bring the animal theme to life by having the invitees dress up as their favorite animal. You can set up different stations where the kids can act like the animals in different habitats. Be sure to serve food to complement the different animal choices the kids might come as. You can also provide extra accessories and hold a fashion show, or even turn it into a dance party! The options are limitless.

Whatever theme you choose, the important thing is that you and your child have fun doing it. Use this as an opportunity to bond and to learn. Take some time leading up to the party to research different animals and talk about how they fit into the party theme. You might come up with some uniquely different ideas of your own to personalize the part

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