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Florida Blueberry Cobbler with Fresh From Florida Produce

April 26, 2018 By MommyOctopus 2 Comments
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however, all opinions expressed are my own. 

As the year goes on, more and more local produce is coming into season!  I’m so excited that I’m able to run right up the road to our local Publix store and find a variety of Fresh From Florida produce.  Right now, you can find things like blueberries, bell peppers, sweet corn, and watermelon all in season.  The Florida farmers definitely make it easier to eat fresh all year round and I love knowing that the produce didn’t travel far to get to me.  Fresh From Florida produce is so popular at my local store that they were almost sold out of several items!

I was able to stock up on the blueberries since they looked so delicious.  Don’t they look amazing?  My kids love having fresh fruit in the house that they can just grab and go play outside.  Blueberries are among the favorites for sure.

Now that I’ve got your mouth watering for some sweet blueberries, there are plenty of other things to do with them besides just a quick snack.  If you visit the Fresh From Florida website, you’re sure to find pages of recipes that will be perfect to use up your produce.  I decided to find an easy one and tried making their Florida Blueberry Cobbler.  It was very simple to throw together and the whole family enjoyed it!  Personally, I found it to be a little sweet for my tastes, but the kids loved it and devoured every bite. Next time I think I’ll back off the sugar a bit, but there definitely will be a next time!

For starters, wash your berries and sort to make sure you’ve taken off any remaining stems.  Then toss with sugar and lemon juice.

Pour your sugared blueberries into a pan over a stick of melted butter.

Combine topping ingredients, pour on top and then bake!  See how incredibly simple that is!  Wow!  Definitely the easiest blueberry cobbler I’ve ever made!  I

 

Florida Blueberry Cobbler Recipe:

Ingredients:

Filling:
4 cups fresh Florida blueberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup Florida natural sugar
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping:
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup Florida natural sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup milk

Preparation:

Filling:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the butter in an 8×8-inch square glass baking dish (no substitutes) and melt the butter in the microwave. In a mixing bowl, combine lemon juice and blueberries. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the blueberry mixture to the baking dish with the melted butter. Do not stir.

Topping:
Combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the blueberries and bake 45 minutes, or until brown.

We served ours with some delicious vanilla ice cream on top.  Perfection!

For More Information:

For more information from Fresh From Florida produce, simple head on over to social media.   You can follow Fresh From Florida on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and visiting their recipe page.  They often share recipes and ways to use your Fresh From Florida produce in delicious ways.

Stock the Fridge with Fresh From Florida Produce

March 10, 2018 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own. 

 

I love living in Georgia.  We can plant gardens fairly early and grow our own vegetables throughout part of the year.  Another great thing about Georgia is that when our gardens aren’t growing (like right now), we can purchase Fresh From Florida produce to keep the fridge stocked and the kids well fed.  I’m so thankful to the Florida farmers for making it easy for us to eat fresh all year round.

I have been able to find Fresh From Florida produce in both our local Kroger and our Publix.  Knowing that the produce we buy didn’t travel far to reach us helps preserve the flavor and make us feel confident that we are buying local.  Plus when we buy produce that is in season, we know we are saving money and getting the ultimate fresh taste.

On my most recent shopping trip, I was able to “Follow the Fresh” and pick up bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, mushrooms, radishes, beans, and cabbage, all with the Fresh From Florida logo.  The logo is easily recognizable and spotted throughout the produce section.

My kids are always excited to see fresh produce come in the house because they know it means some of their favorite foods are coming their way.  Radish dip especially is a favorite around here.  In addition to radish dip, I plan to make coleslaw with the cabbage for later this week and use the tomatoes and peppers for our community group’s taco night tomorrow.  Mushrooms and beans will make the perfect sides to grilled chicken on my meal plan for this upcoming week.  The strawberries we will rinse off and leave out for the kids to munch on throughout the day.

For More Information:

For more information from Fresh From Florida produce, simple head on over to social media.   You can follow Fresh From Florida on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and visiting their recipe page.  They often share recipes and ways to use your Fresh From Florida produce in delicious ways.

Freshening up Mealtime with Moe’s Southwest Grill

July 29, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This post is sponsored by Moe’s Southwest Grill; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

As our family has grown, eating at a restaurant has become more of a rare treat and less of a frequent occurrence.  We have 5 children to feed, plus I try to feed our family healthier options and lower carb for myself.  Grabbing a poor quality meal makes me cringe, but finding fresh and quick meals outside the house can be a challenge.

I was recently asked to visit Moe’s Southwest Grill and thought it would be a great opportunity to try a restaurant that we hadn’t been to before.  Knowing very little about the food they offered,  I looked at the Moe’s online menu to find out more.  To my surprise, I found out that Moe’s has a wide variety of over 20 fresh toppings that can be used to create your own perfect meal.   Protein options include grass-fed steak, all-natural chicken, pork carnitas, 100% ground beef or organic tofu.  Even more surprising is that Moe’s chicken is grilled every hour!

After finding this out, the kids loaded up and we headed right over to Moe’s Southwest Grill to give it a whirl.  I am so glad we did!

Upon opening the door to the restaurant, we were instantly greeted with “Welcome to Moe’s” by all the employees!  From there, we checked out the menu again to make our selections.  Entree options included Burritos, Junior Burritos, Tacos, Quesadillas, Nachos, Salads, Stacks, Kids Meal options, and more!

A salad was my choice since I’m eating lower carb.  I had them put the salad in a plastic dish instead of the taco bowl.  From there I had a hard time making decisions!  So many great protein options and toppings!  I ended up selecting black beans, all-natural chicken, cheese, fresh salsa, guacamole, sour cream, a few fresh jalapeños to give it a little bite, and topping it off with chipotle ranch dressing.

My husband chose a burrito with all of his favorite toppings, which was almost everything.  The employees were able to stuff his burrito like pros!  I’m amazed at how efficient they are at getting super stuffed burritos rolled up!  My older 2 children usually eat off the adult menu, so they chose a stack and a burrito.  The younger 3 chose off the kids meals and selected 2 quesadillas and a burrito.  Everyone was happy with their selection and being able to customize their entree however they liked.  With 7 family members, each of us prefers something a little different from the others.

At checkout, I was surprised to see my total was much lower than I had anticipated.  When I inquired to make sure they had rung everything up correctly, I was pleased to find out that on the day we were visiting, kids could eat free with an adult meal!  That meant that all 3 little kids were able to get their meals for free and we just paid for the 4 adult entrees.  I was one happy mama to find that out!  Be sure to call your local Moe’s and see if they offer a Kid’s Eat Free night.

Made fresh each morning, Moe’s salsa is sure to please everyone.  My almost 2 year old enjoyed it immensely with his quesadilla and chips.  Speaking of chips, free unlimited chips and salsa are included with every order!  All of the salsas and guacamole are prepared from scratch daily and taste great.  Sampling the salsas from the bar was a hit with my kids.  They love to try spicy things!  El Guapo was my favorite.

 

After all of the bellies were filled, my kids asked if we could come back to Moe’s again.  My answer?  Certainly!  I was so pleased with the fresh selection and taste of the food and the price overall for my family.  Most importantly, no one left the restaurant hungry!

Helping Kids Prevent Cavities with ACT Kids Toothpaste

July 17, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This post and party were sponsored by ACT Kids Toothpaste, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

With 5 kids running around here, there are a lot of teeth to try and keep clean!  As a mom, I feel like I’m constantly chasing after one of them reminding to brush their teeth twice a day.  I know I’m not alone in that battle!  For us, the biggie is brushing long enough.  My children want to take about 10 seconds away from play to brush their teeth and that’s simply not long enough.

According to a recent survey, 35% of moms saying getting their kid(s) to brush their teeth is one of their most frustrating daily battles!* I completely relate to those results!

New ACT Kids Toothpaste is now available at a variety of retail locations, including Walmart, Walgreens, and Target locations.  ACT Kids Toothpaste is available for kids ages two years on up in fun bubble gum and fruit punch flavors.

We were recently chosen to host an ACT MommyParty as a way to share information regarding tooth care with a few of our dear friends.

ACT was very gracious and sent us a fun goodie bag for each child that included a toothbrush, ACT Kids Toothpaste, a tooth eraser, and a tooth brushing timer.  All the moms were thrilled with the toothbrush timer since it helps create a visual for the kids to know when they have brushed long enough.

   

During the party, we were able to have lunch with our friends.  Afterward, all of the age-appropriate children could try out their new toothbrush and ACT Kids Toothpaste and also the ACT Kids Anticavity Rinse.  The ACT Kids Anticavity Rinse is indicated for kids ages 6 and older.

We talked about keeping our teeth healthy and played fun games to remember which food items are good for teeth and which ones are more likely to cause cavities.  These kids were smart!  They know what foods are good and which ones could cause issues!  ACT had even sent a fun matching memory game for the kids.

For More Information:

For more information, please visit ACToralcare.com and check out ACTKidsSavings.com to download a product coupon.

*This survey was sponsored by Sanofi Consumer Healthcare and conducted online using Toluna’s QuickSurveys methodology between February 13, 2017 and February 14, 2017 among 1,150 moms with children between the ages of two and twelve in the USA.  Respondents for Toluna QuickSurveys are selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Toluna Surveys.

Toluna’s SmartSelectTM methodology was used to promote sample representativeness. SmartSelect relies on statistical matching rather than probability sampling to select survey respondents, based on demographic, attitudinal and behavioral characteristics that match those of the target population. Figures for age, gender, region, race/ethnicity, education and income are also weighted to bring them into line with their actual proportions within the population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in Toluna surveys, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

SwimWays: Baby Spring Float Sun Canopy

May 18, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

 

I’m so happy that summer is here!  We have a pool membership and utilize it as often as possible, especially given how hot it gets here in Georgia!  We’re already having days over 90 degrees!

Sometimes I struggle trying to get all of the kids to the pool, however taking all 5 doesn’t have to be chaotic once we are there!  The big kids are able to dive right in the deep end and I can tend to our 20 month old toddler.  He wants to swim like the big kids, however he’s too small for arm floats.  He is so much of a daredevil that he wants to be in the water and not in the kiddie pool area.

As a mom, I enjoy that I can push him through the water in this while I swim across the pool.  He’s happy and I’m happy that I’m able to get some exercise.

The SwimWays Baby Spring Float Sun Canopy works perfect for our family since he’s in the water and able to kick around a bit.  I love that it has a shade since he won’t keep a hat on.  This float folds down easily and packs away in a little bag for easy storage and travel.  I can even just toss it in our big pool bag.

This product is Step 1 in the 3 Swim Training stages with SwimWays.  Geared toward children ages 9-24 months, it’s the perfect product to start introducing your baby to the water.  My son loves that he can carry some of his favorite pool toys on the float with him.  No wonder this is the best baby float on the market!   The SwimWays Baby Spring Float is available at Target in store and online.

 

National Learn to Swim Day:

Did you know that the 3rd Saturday in May is National Learn to Swim Day?  This day is dedicated to education parents and children about the importance of knowing how to swim and about water safety.  Saturday, May 20, 2017 will be the 6th annual National Learn to Swim Day, started by SwimWays.  I think we will celebrate this day by another trip to the pool!  Seems like that would be the best way to celebrate and we will be sure to take along our SwimWays float!

Be sure to visit the Teach Me To Swim website for more information.

For More Information:

  • SwimWays on Twitter
  • SwimWays on Facebook
  • Swim Steps Video
  • SwimWays available at Target

Spring Diaper Bag: 10 Must Haves

March 31, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This review was made possible by iConnect and Luvs.  I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions stated are 100% mine.

 

The weather is warm and spring cleaning is in full swing around here.  With spring comes switching out all of the children’s clothing and making sure they have what they need for spring.  One thing that I often forget to switch out is the items in our toddler’s diaper bag.

In the winter, we keep warm clothing, mittens, and hats in the bag, but those items aren’t needed during spring here in Georgia.  Today I have put together a list to help you switch over from the winter diaper bag to a spring diaper bag.

10 Must Haves for a Spring Diaper Bag

Extra Clothing:

Extra clothing is always an essential.  Depending on your location, you might want to toss in a light jacket for chilly mornings or evenings.  Shorts and pants can be appropriate for spring and a short sleeve shirt.  Extra socks and shoes or sandals can be helpful for kids that love to splash in puddles from spring showers

Sunscreen:

SPF 30 or more is recommended.  Be sure to check expirations on your sunscreen and toss ones that have expired!

Sunglasses:

If your little one will wear sunglasses, that’s great!  Pack a pair for baby and for yourself!

Diapers, such as Luvs Ultra Leakguards with NightLock Plus™:

No diaper bag is complete without diapers of course!  You won’t want to get caught without a diaper during a time of need.  Softer and more absorbent than ever before, and a money-back guarantee, Luvs Ultra Leakguards with NightLock Plus™ provide the high-quality features babies and parents need for less than many other brands.

Wipes:

Wipes are perfect for diapering and for wiping down hands after an ice cream cone or popsicle.

Sunhat:

Keep your little one’s head covered and sun out of their face with a simple hat that can be thrown in the diaper bag.

First Aid Kit:

My littles play so hard outside in the spring and are always getting scrapes, bumps, and bruises.  Having a first aid kit handy with cream and bandaids is a must!  Toss in a bite stick as well just in case of sings or insect bites.

Bug Repellant:

Evening picnics and chasing fire flies also bring out the bugs!  Protect your littles by keeping this on hand and in the diaper bag.  Make sure to find one appropriate for children.

Snack:

Summer snack ideas are simple crackers or small bags of cheerios.  Be careful with any item that needs to be refrigerated.

Sippy Cup With Water:

Hydration is key to having a great outing in the spring!  Bring baby a cup and yourself as well.

More Information on Luvs:

If you want to stock up on diapers for spring, this week Luvs is offering up a $2 coupon to save on Luvs diapers.  You can rest assure with these diapers because of the Luvs Money Back Guarantee, where if you aren’t satisfied with the leakage protection of Luvs, Luvs will refund your money. See www.luvsdiapers.com for details.

Luvs are available in sizes newborn through size 6!

 

 Can you think of other Must-Haves?  What would you add to this list?

America’s Greatest School Nurse Contest

January 18, 2017 By MommyOctopus 21 Comments
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.

As I think back to elementary school, I can remember a few times when I started feeling sick at school, whether with a virus or the flu.  I was able to go to the nurse’s office, where the nurse would help me lay down on a cool cot, administer medicine if needed, and then call my mom or grandparents to come and get me.

School nurses always have a hard job being exposed to so many germs and still staying happy and strong in order to care for all of the students in their school.

Regardless of how great school nurses are and how well we try to prevent our kids getting sick, germs are inevitable.  We try to make sure out kids wash their hands, shower after they’ve been around a bunch of other kids, but kids are going to get sick. When it happens,  Pfizer Consumer Healthcare are there for us with three solutions – Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin® and Children’s Dimetapp®.

Coughs and colds are going around here like crazy.  For a child’s cough, you can trust Children’s Robitussin® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief to control and relieve symptoms all-day or all- night.  For the cold, Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free eases your child’s stuffy and runny nose, while quieting a bothersome cough.  Getting relief is sometimes the first step in getting rest and getting healthy once again.

America’s Greatest School Nurse Contest:

Does your school nurse go above and beyond in educating and comforting their students?  You can nominate them for America’s Greatest School Nurse Contest!  One nurse from every state and D.C. will win a prize pack valued at $500 and be entered to win the grand prize!  This is the title of America’s Greatest School nurse and a trip for a getaway from school sickness.

From now until February 23rd, head on over to AmericasGreatestSchoolNurse.com to nominate a wonderful school nurse in your life.  Voting will be open from April 3 to April 16 and the winners will be announced in early May.

Giveaway:

Our friends at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare would like to offer a giveaway!  One lucky reader will win a $25 Visa gift card and additional Pfizer Pediatric products [(1) Children’s Advil® Suspension, Grape, (1) Children’s Robitussin ® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief, (1) Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free].  Fill out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sweet Santa Pancakes

December 10, 2016 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This is a sponsored post, written for Dixie Crystals.

santa-pancakes

 

My dear husband loves taking time with the kids and baking and cooking with them.  Since he’s off work this weekend, he decided to make pancakes as a treat for all of us this morning.  He wanted to do something more than just plain pancakes, though.

One of our favorite websites to search for projects with the kids is Dixie Crystal’s Kids in the Kitchen.  On their website, there is a section for Christmas Crafts and for Christmas Edible Art.  Browsing through the Edible Art, he came across these Sweet Santa Pancakes.  After a quick check of the fridge, he discovered that we had everything needed to make this adorable treat!

Ingredients for Santa Pancakes:

Buttermilk Pancakes:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 6 Tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 eggs

Toppings:

  • Strawberries, sliced in half
  • Chocolate chips
  • Red candy coated chocolates (or part of a cut strawberry)
  • Spray whipped cream

santa-pancake-batter
Directions: 

  • In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, and eggs.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined, the batter will be slightly lumpy, as shown above.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter and cook until bubbles form around the sides. Flip and cook until cooked through.

santa-pancakes-process

  • Place the pancake on a plate.  This will become Santa’s face.  Arrange the cut strawberries on top of pancake for Santa’s hat. Add chocolate chips for eyes, red candy or strawberry for nose, and spray whipped cream to make Santa’s beard.

These Santa Pancakes were so easy to make and turned out ridiculously cute!  The kids LOVED have the supplies ready and making their own creations.  They made some pretty silly Santas!  This is one project we will definitely be doing again before the season is over.

santa-pancakes-2

For more fun ideas to do with your kids during the holidays, be sure to visit Dixie Crystals’ Kids in the Kitchen website.  There are recipes and crafts both available to check out.

WaterWipes Are Now Available at Walmart!

December 7, 2016 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

img_4759

I’ve always been seeking for the best products for my children, especially my babies.  We’ve been a huge fan of WaterWipes for our 15 month old son since we were first introduced to them a little over a year ago.  As they have been rolling out to more and more stores, they are getting easier to find during my shopping trips!  I’m starting to see them in many places where we shop.  What great news we have that they are now available on Walmart.com.  That helps make it even more convenient!

The individual WaterWipes packages have a resealable sticker to reseal the package after every use.  I like this feature of WaterWipes so that they stay fresh in their pack and very moist for diaper changes.  I can’t stand reaching for a baby wipe and it being all dried out.  WaterWipes truly are the world’s purest baby wipes!

screen-shot-2016-12-07-at-1-15-20-pm

About WaterWipes:

Have you ever wanted a baby wipe that was made just for the sensitive skin on your baby?  WaterWipes is a durable and effective chemical free baby wipe.  Made with only 99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract, WaterWipes offer a safe and natural option for your little one and perfect for those with sensitive skin.  It’s interesting to note that grapefruit seed extract is a natural skin conditioner.  WaterWipes are the only baby wipe to be approved by Allergy UK and the National Eczema Association of America.

WaterWipes are soft and easy to use, yet thick enough to keep the mess from getting on my hands.  They leave my son fresh and clean and ready for his next adventure.

For More Information:

You can find out more information about where to buy WaterWipes on their website.  Be sure to also check out the WaterWipes Facebook Page and Twitter Page.

Giveaway:

5 people will win a $100 Walmart gift card!  This giveaway is from November 14 – December 9, 2016.  I-C will randomly select winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes (5 winners).  You can enter for your chance to win below.

WaterWipes Walmart Giveaway

Now Available: 3 Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf Game!

November 15, 2016 By MommyOctopus 1 Comment
By clicking my links, I may earn a small commission to support this blog. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

screen-shot-2016-11-15-at-8-08-55-pm

Here’s a fun game that is on one of my children’s wish lists this Christmas!  The 3 Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf game!

Help the three little pigs on their adventures as they build their houses and hope to avoid the huffing and puffing, Big Bad Wolf, just like in the well-known fairytale. The 3 Little Pigs game combines skill and a dash of luck. Kids will love the soft and squeezable Big, Bad Wolf that actually huffs and puffs the pig’s houses down!

Now Available at Amazon And Walmart.

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