Guest Blogger Week; Domestic Pirate

My name is Jessica, and I'm The Domestic Pirate, Renn Faire Privateer Gone Mom. I started blogging as an outlet for PPD but came back into my cooking, laughing, reading, dancing, sometimes cleaning, laughing, singing, spazzy, wenchy Pirate self upon the epiphany that I didn't need to mold myself after anyone else but me. I post about whatever tickles my fancy; kid stuff, diy projects, clean eating, and societal issues, but I feel like empowerment and acceptance are where I really hit my stride. "Being Inked Is My Superpower" I am so excited to be doing my first ever blog post for Miss Ginger's 10,000th page view, and honored to be featured this week among some pretty awesome women. My father in law is incredibly opinionated. Whose father in law isn't, right? When the Captain and I started dating seriously I had just gotten my second tattoo, in memory of my Uncle. My first tattoo is one that my parents and I worked on together to design to represent our family. Father in law let me know, in no uncertain terms, that he thinks people who get tattoos get them to compensate for their insecurities. I was devastated. Here was this man, who had so much more life experience than me, who I still didn't know what to think of other than "I hope he likes me," immediately pegging me as insecure and trying to compensate for it because I chose to mark my body forever in a manner similar to the way my family and Uncle had marked my soul.

Now, I have been tattooed for 9 years, and have a total of 7, with a long list of the others I would like to add. And here's what I have come to accept about my tattooed self:

My tattoos do not define me. They are like the illustrations on a book cover. They might give you an idea of who I am, my beliefs, and the things that are dear to me, but they are not the whole story. It is easy for some to look at the art I have chosen to wear on my body for the rest of my life and think that I am compensating for something, or trying to draw attention away from the parts of me I may not be 100% comfortable with. In actuality, it is quite the opposite. I am one of those who love to be approached about my ink. If you have a question about what it is, what it says, who tattooed it, what it means to me, I will talk your face off about it. Which will give you opportunity to notice my chipped front tooth, my crooked nose, and my rough skin. If I choose to show you some of my less exposed tattoos, you may see scars on my back, stretchmarks, my thighs that rub together, and possibly my muffin top.

Are those things someone compensating for their insecurities would do?

If anything, my tattoos have made me more confident. Like wearing your favorite accessory every day, only there is no one else in this world that has the same exact accessory as me. My convictions in the things that I have chosen to wear on my body forever make me more secure.

You don't decorate a room, or showcase a project that you're ashamed of. Why would I put decorations on a body I felt insecure about?

This is who I am, ink, piercings, and all.

My tattoos do not define me.

 

 

 

Image by FontMeme

Free Glasses In June With Firmoo

Hiya Snappers! Here is the latest deal from my favorite online glasses company, Firmoo! You can get FREE, yes that's right FREE glasses in June! Check out how below! Get ready for the best online ordering experience of your life! And...they have excellent customer service!

 

Hit Your Summer with Firmoo Free Glasses in June

The most awaited part of the years- S-U-M-M-E-R has finally come. Aren't you excited to be in the beach, wear shorts, be tanned, be sweaty yet gorgeous and go to music festivals? Well I definitely am! What is summer without a new pair of eyewears? An easy remedy for this is to stop by Firmoo.com! and pick up a free pair of glasses so that you won't miss a moment this summer. New arrivals are part of the First-Pair-Free-Program. Now get yours for FREE!

+ Looking for Rectangle Glasses?

Bright colors, more rectangles and patterns are all current eyewear trends. Fashion frame designs and styles at Firmoo.com icons have embraced eyewear as an accessory that adds instant panache to any look. These eyewear are a must-have one for you in this shinning June.

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+ Looking for Oversized Glasses?

To be yourself and find your own way to show yourself! This eyewear with big blue frame is so unique and attractive and they will let you stand out of the crowed. Oversized glasses are always your best choice for showing your star quality in the fashion trend.

Still have no idea about how to style your pairs? Check out a few ladies modeling their favorite Firmoo eyewear.

(The above model photos are all derived from Firmoo+.)
New Customers, check more products for your first free pair at Firmoo right now! You just need to pay shipping. First come, first served! (Simply clicking "LUCKY DRAW" on this page, you may even get a totally free pair including shipping free.)

About Firmoo
Firmoo is the World's Most Popular Online Eyeglasses Store. We have always been committed ourselves to offering customers the best quality products at the most affordable prices which start at 8 dollars- 80%-90% lower compared to that in local store.

Guest Blogging Week; I'm No Hum Drum Mum

Hello Snappers & my minions hiding out there, I see you! ( o )( o ) ImNoHumdrum-Mum and I'm here to take over the world...I mean guest post...yeah, that's totally what I meant. I'm delighted to be a part of this spectacular, 10,000 View event! (Go Ginger, Go Ginger!) *Insert extreme white girl dance*
A week of guest posting? OH, how lucky all you snappers are! Though, its us bloggers who should be honored! Now, my minions are already familiar with my non-sense but no worries, I'll brainwash you before long. I don't mean to toot my own horn (TOOT, TOOT!) but I'm AWESOME!! My mommy says soooo!! :-} ( OK, so she doesn't but I am in my head and that's close enough for me. Catching on to the non-sense yet? No? Keep going.)
I've spent some time thinking over what to write for this huge milestone. Of course, ginger had a little guidelines to follow, but no worries....she didn't cut me off at the knees. However, I don't think my thoughts on Paula Deens recent racial outbursts and the dropping of the N bomb, is really going to fly. Haha.
So..... why blow job will save your marriage? No? Dang! Teens using anal to avoid pregnancy?....Not so much? Hmmm.... Oh where shall ImNoHumdrum-Mum take you snappers? How about an island? Yes, I think that will do.
Here you are on a beautiful, deserted island. This isn't Cast Away, I'm not giving you a friend like Wilson. No, in reality, Wilson was a great "person" to get stuck with. You don't have to feed him, he doesn't talk back and the chances of him killing you in your sleep is well....nonexistent.
No, instead, I'm giving you the 5 most annoying people, you could ever be stuck with. I know, I'm so mean. :) You'll get over it!
1. The Kardashians: Ok, so that's not one person but we're going to just lump them together. Lets face it, no matter which one you pick...they will all likely be just as useless as the next. Two days in and you'll be trying to figure out how to hang them with their overly priced, almost nonexistent, clothes.
Don't believe me? Just Imagine it. Kim Kardashian has her big butt perched on a stump, complaining about the sand on her pretty $3,000 dollar dress. Ordering you to find her some clean water and to wipe her shoes clean. Then you'll have to build a shelter, that will of course be far to below her standards. Hours of her day will be spent griping like a child and treating you like a servant.
More power to you if you can handle her. As for me, I'd be pushing her off a cliff. Bludgeoning her to death with her own shoes and then using her as bate.... I hear shark tastes great.
2. Bill Cosby: He's a pretty funny dude, how could he ever be a bad island pick? Just think about it. Non-stop generic jokes and endless offers to give you his " puddin' pop". Ewe, no thanks Bill, I'll pass on that one. Now, add on the fact that he's old and won't be much help in finding food and building shelters. Exploring the island will take you twice as long since gramps will need a rest every 20mins and pee every 10mins. (Side note: it'll take him 3mins just to pee.)
If the island has large, dangerous predators....like dinosaurs. (What? It's my island.) Then you are either going to be stuck saving his butt all the time or end up getting eaten, because he was slowing you down. Sorry Bill, looks like you'll have to be dinosaur chow. I don't have time for all that.
3. Jeff Dunham: I love this man, he got me through my first labor and delivery. However, I would never want to be stuck on an island with him. First off, he makes a living by basically talking to himself. That means that he is already slightly crazy. Being placed on an island is not going to Improve that kind of insanity.
Second, who wouldn't get tired of watching him talk to all the different dolls? I don't know about you but there would come a point where I would fear him killing me in my sleep...or "Walter".
Third, Im willing to bet he's the kind of guy who loves to play pranks. He'd be up late into the night, making creep sounds that will inevitably make me pee my pant. No one wants to pee their pants or worse...have a heart-attack. No thanks Jeff, you'll have a take a long swim because I couldn't be stuck with you.
4. Lucas Cruikshank: This guy plays Fred on nickelodeon. Never, have I ever, seen a more annoying character. If you have the ability to act this annoying then chances are, you are that annoying. Personally, this isn't a chance I'm willing to take. Nope, sorry Fred. The voice alone is enough to make me gouge my ear drums.
Look man, little kids might love your silly antics and fart jokes, but I'd rather try to swim for help in zombie, shark infested waters, then be stuck on an island with you. (You know thats serious, haha.) I'd boil myself in a pot of water before I ever considered staying on an island with you. I couldn't imagine a worse kind of hell, really, I couldn't!
5. June Shannon: that's right, Honey Boo Boos mama. I like to think the reasons are obvious. She's fairly useless in the heat or in general, as far as she shows herself. She'd eat you out of island! I'm not picking but anyone who eats spaghetti covered in butter and ketchup is likely to eat anything.....and everything.
Could you imagine seeing her try to build a shelter? Yeah, me neither. She'd lay a few branches, across two trees and call it good. I don't think her knowledge of the best restaurants or ideas of what's "smexy" is going to help any of us out. However, if the island was full of road kill then I'm sure you'd be set! Though, the thought of her shaking her "goods" after a dip in ocean is enough to make anyone want to starve.
I don't know about you guys but I'd much rather be stung by bees, dragged by a truck or flattened by elephants, then be left alone with these people. Oh my gosh! Could you imagine the horror show our world would be if these were the only people left and they had to repopulate?....We'd really be doomed then!
Now peace out to all you snappers and. My minions of course! Thanks you so much Ginger for letting me be a part of your big event. Congratulations on that big 10,000!!!

Image by FontMeme

Tattler Thursday Blog Hop #7

Hiya Snappers! Welcome back for week #7 of the Tattler Thursday Blog Hop! It's time to tattle and hop! It's a share your crazy, gross, hilarious, in-the-trenches parenthood stories, kind of blog hop! I love funny kid stories and I want to hear yours! Just leave a comment with your story, post not required! So think of your funniest, wackiest or favorite kid stories, leave a comment  with your story/tattle, follow your Host and Co-Hostesses, visit and discover other blogs, and have fun!

Remember the easiest way to get a follow back is to like/follow other pages and leave a comment! So hop around, tell your friends and share, share, share! This is a hop designed for you to have fun and share! Happy Tattling!

 Please, Please, Please follow your host and co-hostesses! We do this for free, and fun, so don't be a bloghole and not follow! Also looking for future Co-Hosts(no cost associated and it's super easy just ask! Also a great way to gain new followers and make new bloggie friends)! Send me an email @ gingerssnaps32@gmail.com if your interested! Thanks guys and dolls! Muah! Wink!

 <div align="center"> <a href="http://wildwonderfulgingerssnaps.blogspot.com" title="The Wild and Wonderful World of Gingerssnaps" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s521/gingerssnaps32/8dd434c8-9105-4da4-8987-bbb2e12a2e1d_zps35c47bbb.jpg" alt="The Wild and Wonderful World of Gingerssnaps" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

                                                     Tweet about the Blog Hop HERE!

                                                                 The Rules are:

                                          1- Follow Your Host and Co-Hostess

                                          2- Grab the button and display it on your blog or hop page/section

                                          3- Leave a comment with a funny, wacky, or gross kid story/tattle
 

                             Be Sure to Hop over to other blogs and visit/network and share the Hop

                                         Have fun Hopping! (and come back next week!)

                                                                     

                                                                        Hostess

                                                                

   <div align="center"> <a href="http://wildwonderfulgingerssnaps.blogspot.com" title="The Wild and Wonderful World of Gingerssnaps" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s521/gingerssnaps32/e1dadca6-3a1b-4463-aef9-df581ab9ff87_zpsfaa8246c.jpg" alt="The Wild and Wonderful World of Gingerssnaps" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

            Thanks to this weeks co-hostesses,  Miss Cristyl, Miss Joy, and Miss Michelle ! Be sure to  hop by their pages and give them some lovin'! Love these little gals!

 

 

Co-Hostess

 

Co-Hostess

Co-Hostess

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Looking for bloggers to Co-Host the Hop! Sign up to Co-Host!  Email gingerssnaps32@gmail.com !
 



Image by FontMeme

Guest Blogger Week Day 4;ComfyTown Chronicles

You Can’t Own a Rainbow
 
I am so thrilled to post for Ginger, for so many reasons and also because I have been wanting to do this rainbow dessert post, and honestly I don’t think anyone who knows me, or follows my blog would trust a recipe I post on my page or blog!

My Facebook page is full of BURNED food, failed Pinterest attempts and my mostly unsuccessful attempts at cooking. There are a few things however, that I have made so often that I actually make them WELL.

I’m a big dork for rainbows, and all things rainbow-colored, so I have made rainbow cakes and rainbow Jell-o quite a lot. So much in fact, that my son got sick of making them. We had a blast making them the first thousand times, my nieces would come over and we would try making rainbow Rice Krispy cookies and all kinds of stuff. They are all pretty much OVER IT now. Of course, they are all 18 and older, so yeah if it’s not Jell-o SHOTS? They’re out. Yes, I have made those too and will again in 3 weeks for a summer party. It’s in here!

These are sometimes foods because they contain SUGAR, (my kids act like monsters if they get too much) and they take a little work to make. They are COLORFUL, and that means using either artificial coloring or a lot of hard work. This is your call to make which way you want to go here.

I feel like everyone has to like rainbows, amirite? Don’t worry, no group can OWN refracted light. I love this Demetri Martin quote (he’s a COMEDIAN btw):

Demetri Martin: I'm in a weird position, because I like rainbows, but I'm not gay. So whenever I go out wearing a rainbow shirt, I have to put "Not gay." But I'm not against gays, so under that I'll have to put "... but supportive." It's weird how one group of people took refracted light. That's very greedy, gays.

 

 

Rainbow cake and cupcakes are a LOT easier than I thought they would be. I am not a natural baker, or candlestick maker, shockingly, so if I can do it….yadda yadda.

There are a variety of different ways to get the rainbow colors, the easiest is with artificial food coloring, but you're not exactly going to *TASTE* *THE* *RAINBOW* like a Skittles commercial. If you want good color, you're going to taste.....well, less of a rainbow, and more like cancer. 

You can use pureed food for color, and/or a mixture of both fruit AND food coloring, which I like best.

Nature’s Flavors < http://www.naturesflavors.com/food-color-food-colors/food-color-organic-food-color-natural-food-colors-kosher-vegan-gluten-free-certified-organic-for-coloring-ice-cream-baking-beverages-candy-dairy-milk.html > also makes all-natural food coloring, I have not tried that yet because when the mood strikes, I’m far too impatient to order it online or drive around trying to find it.

  This cake is just a matter of separating the cake mix, it doesn’t matter if you make it from scratch or buy a box of mix, and coloring the cake mix in six SEPARATE bowls. Then you just pour the mix one color at a time into the pan, in rainbow order. ROY G BIV, yo. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,  and violet..

 
As long as your cake mix is not watery and you pour it slowly into the pan, they won’t blend together. This is one reason I had a hard time using JUST the fruit/veg to color the mix, it tends to make the cake mix too watery, and the colors bleed together. 
If you’re brave and/or an experienced baker, you can google how to cook fruit down to less watery/more concentrated syrup, which would work best.

I am way too sick with the comfy to do all that, so I just used a combination of some fruit and a little food coloring. The only reason I started adding the fruit is the taste. As I said, if you use a lot of food coloring, especially for a darker blue red or purple, you can really TASTE the ARTIFICIAL RAINBOW coloring.

These foods worked best for colors:

Cherries work best for red, they’re not very watery and they are dark so you don’t need many. Frozen are too watery, but they don’t have pits.
Papaya and 1 or 2 cherries works best for orange. If you’re using yellow cake mix, try to add the cherries right to the yellow cake mix and see if you can get a good orange. I could only get pink doing this, but if I mixed some papaya and cherry together, BEFORE I added it to the cake mix, it was orange. You could use oranges, but again they are watery, and when you try to pour the mix, the colors tend to try to blend together. Annoying.
Mangoes or egg yolk for yellow, or if you use yellow cake mix hey, you’re done.
Spinach for green. I know, but you only need a few leaves pureed in the Magic Bullet, and you can’t taste it. If you’re not getting a dark enough green, you can add a COUPLE of drops of coloring.
Blue is the tricky one, blueberries turn everything purple. I use a few blueberries, and the fake dye for blue and just don’t use a lot. It winds up lighter blue but it doesn’t take like plastic.
Blackberries for purple.

One option: If you are really worried about the artificial colors, the better way to get a good rainbow affect without sacrificing taste is to bake SEPARATE cakes and frost them in between the layers, see picture. You have to bake SIX smaller cakes, and I only have 2 cake pans. This is more work and I don’t like the effect as much, but the taste is better this way IF you’re a frosting fan. I like the cake more than the frosting and I like the way the other cake LOOKS but hey, it’s still pretty cool.

                                                                  
                                                               

 

Again, it's all about the layers. You can make one big rainbow mold in a big, clear bowl, or use clear cups to make individual servings. It’s obviously faster and more environmentally conscious in ONE big bowl, but at a party the cups are SO MUCH faster. These ARE sometimes foods, so don’t beat yourself up either way.

This is a day before or start REALLY EARLY project, because you have to make it one layer at a time. You want each layer to solidify a little before you add the next layer, otherwise it all blends together in one big puddle of mud. Mudbows are not as pretty as rainbows, IMHO.
I start with purple on the bottom, pour purple to a little less than 1/6^th of the container(s). The hardest part for me is cleaning out enough room in the refrigerator to store the cups while they are in the process. Let the purple layer solidify for at LEAST ½ an hour, probably longer. Then do the blue layer green, etc. You can do red on the bottom and go up to purple on top, but I don’t recommend that. The darker colors tend to hide the lighter colors that way and you don’t get as pretty of a rainbow effect. I didn’t take a picture of the time I did it that way, but it’s not as pretty.

There are only a couple different ways to make these, buy the ALREADY COLORED gelatin (super easy, cheap highly recommended method) or you can buy or make CLEAR gelatin and try to mix the colors, (but, why?) If you can, and WANT TO make your own gelatin (WHO does this?), I would bet you kick Life’s hams pretty regularly! (I also think you and I will probably never be good friends. And that’s okay. You can join the club of people who laugh at me! :)

There are eleventy BILLION recipes for Jell-o shots, all you do is typically replace the COLD WATER part of the recipe with alcohol. It's okay if you don't chill the alcohol first, but you NEED the hot water to make Jello as you know. I know you are all familiar with search engines and how they work, but I can save you some trial and error with a few tips:
Less is more with booze in these recipes. If you add too much, they can taste like hair spray. People can always have MORE booze, but after a few of these sometimes people forget there IS alcohol in them, and well, it can get ugly.
The best tasting ones I have ever done use FLAVORED vodka and rum. It's okay if it is not the EXACT same flavor as the Jello flavor, most compliment each other. You just replace all the COLD WATER (or HALF of the cold water) in the recipe with say blue raspberry vodka.  Leave at least all the HOT WATER as just water, unless you really enjoy cleaning up multi-colored vomit.
If there will be kids or anyone under age, or say DESIGNATED DRIVERS, ALWAYS also make a batch with no alcohol. Make those EASILY RECOGNIZABLE. Use a different kind of cup, or a specific color of Jell-o, so all the adults can keep track of which ones the kids/drivers/people on medications where they can’t drink *cough, cough MOM* are eating!
Always lightly spray the cups with non-stick cooking spray before you put the Jell-o in. Preferably NOT butter flavored if you have the option. This way, the Jell-o doesn’t STICK so much to the sides of the cup. It’s okay if this happens, just have toothpicks or plastic cutlery on hand.
I also tried this beauty from Pinterest, never again. 

It looks kind of cool, but it was a PAIN in the hams! Just clearing out the orange halves and leaving the skin totally intact took FOREVER and it was not worth the time. I made about 10 oranges worth, took me over an HOUR and an ENTIRE bag of oranges just to have TEN usable ones, then everyone just said “Cute” or “Wow, that must have taken forever” and they were just as happy with the cups! Maybe do a few, unless you have the kind of family and friends that really appreciate this effort. Mine? Didn’t really care. Not worth it.
 The best way for me was to use those tiny cups and lids you get at a party supply store. They stack well when you're making them, they transport well in a cooler, they are easy for people to grab and eat, and just recycle the plastic containers! Easy Peasy. Have fun and keep em COLD!

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 *Photo Credits

[rainbow shirt pic From Demetriemptyclosets.com]
Rainbow cake [picture from omnomicon.com]
[cake mix pic From jayhawkgirlskitchen.blogspot.com]
[separate layer cake w/white frosting from caketopia dot blogspot dotcom]
[one big jello hunk pic from wingledings.blogspot.com]                                      ^ I took the pic w/the cup of rainbow jello ^
[pic of jello inside orange peels from datingthedistrict.com]
pic of lil shots in a cooler from thecampuscompanion.com]

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Guest Blogger Week; CHill Thoughts

Hiya Snappers! Today is day 3 of my guest blogging week, and today we have CHill Thoughts writing for you! She and I go way back, and she is my bff as blogging buddies go! Hope you love her as much as I do! Go visit her page and give her some lovings! Happy reading!

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My name is Cristyl and I write over at Chill Thoughts.  I write about my life and pretty much anything that comes to mind; I currently have a composition notebook I'm filling up with anecdotes and ideas for my future posts! I'm excited to be chosen as the guest blogger to celebrate W3G's 10,000^th page view! I've known Ginger since we were just wee 12-year-olds; I enjoy reading about her adult life, her family, their adventures and I thoroughly appreciate her wicked sense of humor!
 

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The Best Job on Earth

Nineteen months ago, I began the best job on Earth, again.  I became a mother for the third time!  This motherhood adventure I'm now on with my son, Buddy (aka Little Man), is one of the hardest and most rewarding adventures I've ever taken!

Ready for adventure when he was only minutes old!

There are a lot of moms out here in the blogoshpere writing about our lives as mothers and each of our stories are important and each of our stories are unique.  Each of our voices and how we choose to share our story is valid; whether it's through humor and sarcasm or by sharing silly little stories about our kids on a regular basis.  Personally, I try to keep my blog posts HONEST; so if I'm in a crappy mood, it's going to bleed through.  Same goes for if I'm in a silly mood.  I've read a lot of moms' stories on their blogs who make motherhood sound like it's the worst job in the world.  Like raising children and keeping a household functioning is not only the most thankless, but the most hectic, food-covered, body-function-covered, never-ending, unpredictable scream and tear filled job around!  And some days it is!  But some days it's the best job on Earth, too!

When the first hand you this little person, the one you spent the last nine+ months toting around in the body that previously belonged to only you and maybe your husband, all the pain and sacrifice instantly seems worth it.  I was fortunate enough to be able to nurse all three of my babies, though some mommies can't and I honor and recognize that all moms do their best to give their baby the best they can, I loved being able to nurse my Buddy.  When he'd snuggle in crying and latch on and was instantly soothed and happy, I felt like Wonder Woman!  It's just one of many magic moments that sometime get overshadowed by the poopy diapers, constantly messy house, teething and sleepless nights.

When Little Buddy would crane his neck to see me, or to turn toward his Daddy's voice - that's a magic moment!

The first smiles, when you're not certain if he's really smiling at you or just has gas - magic moment!

Coming in from a long, thankless day at work exhausted and ready to be done with the world and his little face lights up - magic moment!

Holding back the tears when he gets shots at the doctor's office and then scooping him up to snuggle as soon as they're done - magic moment!

Watching his face as he discovers his first taste of food - magic moment!

Watching him try and try and try and try and try to reach a toy on his own and finally succeed - magic moment!

The joy on his face the first time he manages to sit up without you holding him - magic moment!

Discovering little bumps on his gums that will soon become teeth, singing lullabies, dancing like you've escaped from the loony bin just to make him laugh, baths in the kitchen sink, pulling him in a wagon, watching him discover the world, watching him grow, watching him learn, watching him become more and more and more independent - ALL magic moments! All the hard, pull your hair out stuff is totally real and valid, too.  But they are all cushioned in magic moments.  And many of us, myself included, forget to see the magic moments when we're so caught up in the thick of potty training and "terrible two's" attitudes in the body of a one-and-a-half-year-old!  So sometimes I need a reminder to slow down and cherish the magic - to stop and see it on a Monday afternoon when my house is an absolute wreck and my child is eating more crayon than he's getting on the paper!

The magic is all around us!  Do you see it too?

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Image by FontMeme

Guest Blogger Week;A Peek Into My Paradise

Hiya 'Snappers! Welcome to day two in my guest blogger week! Today we have Miss Cathy from
A Peek Into My Paradise .  I met this lovely lady from my Tattler Thursday Blog Hop! She is a doll, and has a post all ready for you filled with yum yummies!  Thanks Miss Cathy!  Warning: she flashes people! Bahaha! My kinda gal! Wink! Hope you all enjoy!

Hi! I'm Cathy, from A Peek Into My Paradise. I am super excited to be guest posting for Ginger today! Thank you Ginger for having me! A little about me. I have been married to my husband Dave for 29 years. We have two grown children, 26 and 22. We recently joined the empty nest club. I am a Christian who loves to read, spoil my two Shih Tzu's, cook - bake - make anything with food, travel (we are HUGE Disney fans) and I have been known to flash people! I have been saving memories for years through photography and scrapbooking.

Through the years friends and family would ask me, "How did you do that?" or "Can I have the recipe?". In September of 2012, my first post went live on A Peek Into My Paradise. Over at my piece of the blogosphere, A Peek Into My Paradise, I share a little bit of everything; recipes (Lemonhead Cookies), scrapbooking (My Story of Us Album), Disneyland and Travel Tips (Popular Disneyland Post), DIY (Cinnamon Roll Wedding Cake) and so much more! I hope you will come visit me, pour yourself a cold drink, put your feet up, relax and check out my recipes, projects and take A Peek Into My Paradise.

During the summer months, May to October where I live, the temperature is typically over 90 degrees and spikes up to 100 degrees! If it's 85 outside that is a really nice day here! Often the humidity is high and our nights stay warm too. So, a cold smoothie for breakfast is perfect! I have a smoothie almost every morning. Don't have time to make a smoothie in the morning? I wouldn't either if I didn't pre-assemble smoothie packets and freeze them. 

I have collected quite a collection of favorites.  I love chocolate covered strawberries! Who doesn't like the luscious treat?! Yum! I'm not a fan of Nutella, probably because I'm not a fan of hazelnuts. However, I love this smoothie! I saw the idea a few years ago on some website, back when we used to print recipes and ideas, before I had Pinterest boards to pin them too! So, I wish I knew who to thank for sharing this awesome flavor splash with me! 

I can have a Strawberry Banana Nutella Smoothie 

made and served in less than 5 minutes - 

and that includes cleaning the Vita-Mix! 

Let's get to the recipe.....

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Greek Vanilla Yogurt (I freeze the yogurt into cubes)

1/2 cup nonfat milk

10-15 frozen Strawberries (depends on size and how much berry flavor you want)

2 Tablespoons of Nutella

2 Packs of Sweetner or 1 Tablespoon of Honey

1 Banana (I prefer a frozen banana. I freeze my ripe bananas in their peel)

Frozen ingredients make a smoothie thick like a milkshake. 

I use as many frozen ingredients as I can because I like my smoothies thick. 

If you prefer a thinner smoothie then use fresh fruits. 

If all you have is fresh fruits, no problem, 

just add ice cubes until the smoothie is the desired thickness! 

Prepare the smoothie in a blender or Vita-Mix. 

I have had a Vita-Mix for at least 10 years now. I love it! 

I bought it, from Costco, of course, as they have the best deal on this pricey little machine! 

You can save hundreds of dollars at Costco over the website price. 

In the first year of having the Vita-Mix the motor burnt out. 

I called Vita-Mix and they overnighted me a new base, free of charge, I didn't even pay postage! 

There was a return tag enclosed to return the bad base. 

I have never had another problem with this power appliance and 

we seriously use it almost everyday! 

Pour the milk in.

You always want to put liquid in the container first; 

that way the motor doesn't get overworked. 

Simply plop the remaining ingredients on top of the milk in the container.

 Put the lid on and blend until desired consistency.

If the smoothie is took thick then just add a little more milk. 

Play around with the ingredients until you find the perfect consistency you like. 

I put my morning smoothie in a to-go cup and enjoy it on my way to work.

I hope you enjoy this scrumptious morning treat as much as I do! 

I will be sharing my smoothie favorites over at A Peek Into My Paradise this summer.

I would love for you to come on over and visit me!

 If you like what you see, I invite you to A Peek Into My Paradise everyday! 

Just choose your favorite way(s) to become friends with me.....

Blog  *  Facebook  *  Bloglovin  *  Twitter  *  Google+  *  Instagram

Have a terrific week! Thanks again for having me Ginger!

Tattler Thursday #6

Hiya Snappers! Welcome back for week #6 of the Tattler Thursday Blog Hop! It's time to tattle and hop! It's a share your crazy, gross, hilarious, in-the-trenches parenthood stories, kind of blog hop! I love funny kid stories and I want to hear yours! You just have to leave a comment with your story, post not required! So think of your funniest, wackiest or favorite kid stories, leave a comment  with your story/tattle, follow your Host and Co-Hostesses, visit and discover other blogs, and have fun! Remember the easiest way to get a follow back is to like/follow other pages and leave a comment! So hop around, tell your friends and share, share, share! This is a hop designed for you to have fun and share! Happy Tattling!

 Please, Please, Please follow your host and co-hostesses! We do this for free, and fun, so don't be a bloghole and not follow! Also looking for future Co-Hosts(no cost associated and it's super easy just ask! Also a great way to gain new followers and make new bloggie friends)! Send me an email @ gingerssnaps32@gmail.com if your interested! Thanks guys and dolls! Muah! Wink!

                                                     Tweet about the Blog Hop HERE!

                                                                 The Rules are:

                                          1- Follow Your Host and Co-Hostess

                                          2- Grab the button and display it on your blog or hop page/section

                                          3- Leave a comment with a funny, wacky, or gross kid story/tattle

                                          4- Hop over to other blogs and visit/network and share the Hop

                                          5- Have fun Hopping! (and come back next week!)

                                                                     

                                                                        Hostess

                                                                

   <div align="center"> <a href="http://wildwonderfulgingerssnaps.blogspot.com" title="The Wild and Wonderful World of Gingerssnaps" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s521/gingerssnaps32/e1dadca6-3a1b-4463-aef9-df581ab9ff87_zpsfaa8246c.jpg" alt="The Wild and Wonderful World of Gingerssnaps" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

                                     Thanks to this weeks co-hostesses,  Miss Cristyl, Miss Joy, and Miss Danie! Be sure to  hop by their pages and give them some lovin'! Love these little gals!

 

Co-Hostess  

Co-Hostess  



                                                                        Co-Hostess


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