Let's Try Simply Delicious Dinners!

Wednesday, December 30, 2015
One day it hit me that I was going to have to decide what to make for dinner for the rest of my life. Sure, we'd have the occasional night out to eat, or maybe pizza or Chinese food, but for the most part, that lingering question would always be there. I've heard about services that send you meal ingredients or even recipe cards, but they all seemed kind of expensive to me for what you got. But then I was contacted by a new local business called Simply Delicious Dinners. They're based in Central New Jersey, and they provide ready made meals to their customers. They arrive frozen, and all you have to do is heat them up. Can you imagine how excited I was to try them out?


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What is Greenberg's Train and Toy Show? A Jersey Momma Review

Monday, December 28, 2015
You've probably seen the ads or received postcards in the mail for Greenberg's Train and Toy Show.  It is held a few times a year, usually in the NJ Expo Center or the Garden State Exhibit Center (two different places, mind you, and I always confuse them!).  And if you have a little train lover (or even a big train lover) in your house,  you might wonder what this show entails.

We have been to the Greenberg Train and Toy Show several times over the years, and each time we go it's a little bit different.  So just a disclaimer to let you know that what I describe here might not hold true for every show.  What I can tell you about the show is just what it's like, in a nutshell, but keep in mind that each show might feature different vendors, attractions, etc.

Mr. Jersey Momma helps the boy get a better look at the trains.

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Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 25, 2015
Merry Christmas from The Jersey Momma and 
The Taylor Ham Man!


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Kawaii Box Review and Giveaway!

Sunday, December 20, 2015
In Japanese pop culture there is a term for everything cute, and that term is KAWAII! Sanrio characters like Keroppi frog and Hello Kitty were a huge part of my childhood.  Even today I have a hard time resisting Kawaii items in stores (pencils with smiling bunny tops, puffy food stickers with little eyes and noses drawn on them- need I say more?).  Kawaii is an art form, and it's one that my heart appreciates.  Mr. Jersey Momma says it's one thing he doesn't understand, but what does he know?  Anyway, if you happen to have the same Kawaii obsession that I do, you might appreciate this fabulous service called Kawaii Box.  Read all about it below, then enter to win a Kawaii Box of  your own!


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A Review of the Planetarium at RVCC: The Alien Who Stole Christmas

Monday, December 7, 2015
Last year I purchased a Groupon for the Planetarium at Raritan Valley Community College.  This is literally a stone's throw away from where I live, and after reading about it online, I figured it might be fun to try. Have you ever visited this planetarium?

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More Cookie Decorating with Sweet Dani B

Monday, October 26, 2015
You might recall me writing about Sweet Dani B in the past, praising her amazing cookie decorating skills and fun workshops.  I was fortunate enough to attend her Summer Cookie Decorating Workshop in Asbury Park, as well as previous Valentine and Christmas workshops in Flemington.  She never ceases to amaze me.  Take a look at the fun we had during Sweet Dani B's Halloween 15 Monster Mania Cookie Workshop at Porta Pizzeria in Asbury Park, New Jersey.  Then make some plans to attend one of Dani's workshops  yourself!


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Baby Mantra for Sensitive Skin: A Quick Review and Giveaway

Thursday, September 17, 2015
I was recently contacted by Baby Mantra to see if I was interested in reviewing their gentle, personal-care products.  My first thought was, 'Sigh, The Jersey Momma's Boy is not a baby anymore! He's seven!' But they were quick to point out that their products are not just for babies, but for children (recommended for aged newborn to 8) and can be very helpful for children with sensitive skin, which just so happens to be The Jersey Momma's Boy.  So I agreed to try their line and let them know what I thought.  And for the record, even though this is a sponsored post, I would not suggest you try a product that I didn't approve of myself. That's not how I roll!




About Baby Mantra

Right from the source:  "Baby Mantra’s earth-friendly range of extremely gentle personal care products for children (newborn to 8 years old) are made with all-natural skincare ingredients. Baby Mantra products have been certified by the Natural Products Association (NPA), are gluten-free, allergy-tested and cruelty-free.
You can find Baby Mantra products across the country at Babies R' Us retail locations, and stores like Albertsons, Jewel Osco, Walgreens, Duane Reade and Meijer. We recommend using the store locator on the company's website to find a store nearest you. In addition, Baby Mantra can be found online on websites such as Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com (and retail stores nationwide), Drugstore.com, Walgreens.com, and Diapers.com.
You can read about the founders of the company here. You can also follow and like Baby Mantra on Facebook. On a side note, I totally love their pretty logo. :)



Baby Mantra's Products

We tried Baby Mantra's 3-in-1 Bubble Bath, Shampoo and Wash. I, personally, loved this because it literally does three jobs in one! What more can a momma ask for? A little goes a long way- we just needed a small drop to give us lots of bubbles. The Jersey Momma's Boy wasn't crazy about the smell, but I thought it was gentle and soothing- a touch of lavender gave it a really fresh scent without it being overly 'baby scented' (I didn't want my seven year old to smell like baby powder- well, at least I didn't think he'd want to smell like baby powder!).


It has some terrific ingredients in there like lavender oil, aloe vera and honeysuckle. It's allergy tested, cruelty-free and vegan. It's also NPA certified and gluten free! The Jersey Momma's Boy had no itchiness, dryness or ill-effects from the Baby Mantra 3-in-1 Bubble Bath, Shampoo and Wash. Two thumbs up from us! It left his skin soft and smelling wonderful.



If you prefer a shampoo separate from the 3-in-1, try Baby Mantra's Newborn Shampoo and Body Wash. Again, great smelling like the Bubble Bath (very similar scent between the two). The scent is also not over-powering, which is nice! But let me tell you why the Jersey Momma's Boy loved this. It was low foaming, which made it easier to rinse out of his hair and off of his skin. He hates rinsing his hair and getting water and soap in his eyes. This was such a natural product that it easily rinsed clean and left no residue. Kudos for that, Baby Mantra!!


We also tried out the Baby Calming Lotion. Lord knows the Jersey Momma's Boy could use some calming! Hee hee. But honestly, I was eager to try this one because The Jersey Momma's Boy tends to get itchy skin, especially after baths, and is prone to little rough and bumpy patches. The calming lotion contains oils and natural extracts, so the consistency is a little bit thinner than some lotions I know. This is great for babies because it won't leave a greasy or heavy feeling on their delicate skin. But this might have been a little too thin for The Jersey Momma's Boy, who ran off to bed yelling, 'My butt feels squishy!' after using this.


I loved the pump feature of this lotion, since it can be difficult with a newborn or infant to juggle a bottle of lotion while trying to apply it!

We also tried out Baby Mantra's Detangling Conditioner. Again, a great, fresh smell since it's made with coconut oil and lavender. If you are using this on an older child, they won't be smelling like baby powder! I loved that it was made with all natural ingredients, especially the shea butter, which is one of my favorite scents. Just like their other products, it's NPA certified, gluten free, allergy tested and vegan! Some other conditioners we've used leave hair a little bit limp, and this one did not do that. I also noticed a shininess after using it, which was an added plus!



I was psyched to hear that Baby Mantra will be coming out with a sunscreen. This is something we totally need, since The Jersey Momma's Boy can only use one very expensive sunscreen on the market right now, since all others seem to give him a skin rash. We're counting on you, Baby Mantra!


Where to Buy

As stated above, you can use Baby Mantra's online store locator to find the products near you.

Want a coupon code? Of course you do! If you sign up for their newsletter, you can earn free coupons each month. Want to win some of their awesome products? Visit The Jersey Momma Facebook page to sign up for the Baby Mantra giveaway!

You can follow Baby Mantra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so go show them some love!

Disclaimer: I received this product for the purpose of this review, however, I am not compensated for writing or obligated to write anything specific. These are my own opinions and they have not been influenced in any way by Baby Mantra. And you know I wouldn't recommend anything I didn't love myself, right? Okay, glad we got that straight.

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The Best Adult Coloring Books

Sunday, July 12, 2015
The best adult coloring books can really work wonders. If you're looking for a relaxing, quiet hobby (you, yes you, not your kids, not your family, you!) then adult coloring books might be right up your alley. Coloring in coloring books was always fun as a kid. Now there are coloring books geared towards adults, with more complex patterns and more 'grown up' illustrations.You can choose whatever medium you like (it doesn't have to just be crayons!). Colored pencils are my medium of choice at the moment. Sharp ones! They say coloring is a stress reliever and a great way to find some 'quiet time.' It's also something you can do with your kids, in your own way.

Here are some of my favorite picks for adult coloring books. I've included some affiliate links if you want to jump ahead and purchase them, too! If you like these choices, be sure to check out my other posts about the Best Adult Coloring Books and Mediums, Part 2!


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A Robot Birthday Party and Robot Party Favors

Wednesday, June 10, 2015
The Jersey Momma's boy is a big fan of robots.  He specifically loves the movie Wall-E and all of its crazy characters, so when he asked if he could have a Wall-E Robot themed birthday party this year, I thought, why not?  If you recall, we had an Art Themed Party for his 5th Birthday, and that was a huge hit!


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A Cookie Decorating Workshop with Sweet Dani B

Monday, June 8, 2015
Have you ever been to a cookie decorating workshop?  Sounds appetizing, right?  Actually, I love anything titled a 'workshop' because I get an immediate picture in my head of little elves or Santa or something.  But add the word 'cookie' in there and I'm DEFINITELY in!  So come with us for one of the best cookie decorating workshops around, with none other than Sweet Dani B herself.


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Science Experiment for Kids and Toddlers: Moving Food Coloring!

Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Sometimes I actually enjoy a rainy day (sometimes, I said, sometimes!).  I love that temporary change in weather- the sound of rumbling thunder,  the hint of rain in the air.  If I were alone I could curl up and read a book or watch a good movie with some snacks.  But of course I'm never alone, I'm a momma!  So there's usually a bored kid tugging at my shirt tails.  So here's a quick science experiment you can do to pass the time.  You can create a swirling rainbow of your very own!



What you'll need:

-milk (not skim, must be 2% or higher)
-liquid food coloring
-dish soap

Fill a shallow bowl with milk (I put the bowl on my handy dandy kid tray- I tell you, I use that tray for everything!!).  You can also see my son's Wall-E robot joining us for this experiment in the background.


Pick the colors you want to use and add a few drops to the milk.  My son went overboard and added a lot of drops.  You can't see it in the picture, but at one point he squeezed so hard I thought he emptied the dye bottle.  Although this amount of food coloring still works, I think you get a "swirlier" effect with less drops.  He wouldn't listen to me, but I'm hoping you'll concur.


Now here comes the fun part.  Drip a few drops of liquid dish soap right into the mixture and watch it swirl right before your eyes!


It will actually move and swirl for a good amount of time.  And when it's finished we decided to mess around and see what else would happen, so we added more milk, more dish soap, more color, etc. to see what effects we could get.

And hopefully by the time you're done with your science experiment, the sun will be shining and you can head back outside again!

*If you're looking for a handy dandy art tray of your own, check out my Amazon affiliate link below!
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Crafts for Toddlers and Kids: Easy Marble Painting

Friday, April 24, 2015
Although I enjoy making crafts and doing art activities with my little one, let it be known that I don't like cleaning up a big mess (really?  A mom who doesn't like messes?  What a surprise!).  So when I choose art projects I try to pick things that are easy set up and easy clean up (just see my posts on EASY DIY Play Dough and EASY DIY Chalk Sand Art!).  Marble painting was one of those crafts for us.  Quick and fun, the clean up wasn't too bad and the mess was pretty self-contained.


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Easy DIY Squishy Play Dough

Tuesday, April 21, 2015
I know a lot of people out there complain about 'Pinterest moms' and don't see why it's necessary to go baking  your own play dough when you can just buy it in the store.  The truth is, you don't have to do this. No one's twisting your arm.  I really do this stuff because I like it.  It's fun for me.  And my little guy loves experimenting and creating, too, so this is right up his alley.  I also can assure you that I'm all about easy crafts and easy fun.  This recipe for DIY play dough really is easy.  Trust me.



You Will Need:

-1 cup flour
-1 cup water
-1/4 cup of salt
-2 tsp cream of tartar
-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
-food coloring (about 4 drops or to your liking)
-wax paper or parchment paper

Step 1.  Put all of your ingredients into a heavy duty pot and stir them up.

Step 2.  Put the pot on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a soft dough forms.  As soon as it forms into a ball, remove it from the heat and dump it onto some wax paper on your countertop.  Wait for it to cool and then begin to knead it until it's soft (this is where the little hands come in, just make sure it's cool enough for them to touch).

It kind of smells like pizza when you're making it...
When all of the color is spread throughout and the dough is nice and squishy, it's play time!

This dough is cool because it's so squishy!
That paint splattered thing is a placemat!
Storage:  When finished you can store it in a gallon size ziploc bag or in ziploc containers.  It will keep for a long time if it remains sealed.  I can't tell you exactly how long, but I know we had ours for a while!  This dough also makes a great little gift for someone.  Check out HowDoesShe? for great tutorial pictures and ideas on gift packaging!

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Make Your Own Find It Game

Friday, March 13, 2015
It's not easy to think of ideas for class parties. There's only so many DIY games one can create! Once again I needed to find a fun activity to do in The Jersey Momma's Boy's classroom for the latest class party (which just so happened to be a Dr. Seuss Read Across America Party.  You can read about the Yertle the Turtle Stacking Game we made for that party here). I was trying to think outside the box and I came up with a DIY Find It Game!


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Make Your Own Votive Candle Holders

Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Mini votive holders make great gifts and they look so pretty on a gloomy day!  You can make them in any color combination for the holidays, too (think green and white for St. Patty's Day, pink, red, and white for Valentine's Day.  You get the idea, right?).



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Breakfast Egg Cups Muffin Recipe

Saturday, February 14, 2015
 I was recently looking for a way to cut back on sugar (I am a sugar junkie, it's in pretty much everything I eat).  I love breakfast cereals and wanted a suitable, easy replacement that would keep me feeling full and be semi-healthy at the same time. These Breakfast Egg Cups are great for breakfast, but taste great for lunch or dinner, too.  You can mix and match whatever vegetables or meats you like, as well as choose your cheeses.  If you make them and don't care for the amount of fillings, you can change them any way you desire.  I keep them in the fridge and reheat them when needed for breakfast or even lunch.


Ingredients:

6 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped green peppers (can substitute chopped broccoli)
1/4 cup chopped onion (if desired)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (reduced fat or regular)
3 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped (can substitute turkey sausage)
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp pepper (if desired)
1/2 tsp salt (if desired)

Step 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a muffin pan very well (you have to really spray it, otherwise the egg will stick and that is just a total mess).  I have heard some people also like to use silicone muffin cups for these, but I've never tried it.

Step 2.  Whisk together the eggs, milk and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.  I tend not to add salt if I am already adding bacon or sausage.  Even the cheese seems to give it enough saltiness in my opinion, but it's all about personal taste. 

Step 3.  Add your vegetables and meats and stir until just combined.  *Note:  if you want a more even distribution of your ingredients in each egg cup, then do NOT add your fillings to the egg mixture in the bowl. Pour your egg mixture into the muffin pan and then you can add each ingredient to each muffin cup individually, if you prefer.

Methinks I need a new muffin pan! This one is 'well loved.' 

Step 4.  Pour your egg mixture into each muffin cup.  If you want a higher muffin, fill about 3/4 of the way.  If you want flatter, mini egg cups, fill them a little less.  

Step 5.  Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until slightly browned around the edges.  Mine took about 18 minutes in my ugly muffin pan.  Allow to cool completely before removing from pan.  I use a little plastic knife and just pop them right out.  If they don't pop right out, you probably didn't spray your pan enough.


They might sink a little in the middle after they cool.  This is normal, although the Jersey Grandpa makes these and he's not too happy about that sinking factor.  So we've been working on our ingredients to see why some of them sink and some don't.


Store egg cups in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.  To reheat, just stick them in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds.  You can also freeze these, but they are best eaten fresh or reheated from the fridge. Oh, and the number of egg cups you get depends on how much you fill each cup up with the mixture, but from this recipe you can yield anywhere from 6-12 egg cups.


I wish I had a printable recipe for you, or all of the nutritional information, or a conversion for this if you want to just make it with egg whites or something. I also wish I didn't have such an ugly muffin pan.  But I'm just The Jersey Momma and not super blogger, so this is the best I could do. I adapted this recipe from EatDrinkLove, so feel free to visit her page and look there for other tips, nutritional info and nicer photos.  And check out my pal over at TheDomesticGoddess for her version of the fab egg cups, too (which are sort of egg whitish).
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DIY Spin Art: Easy Crafts for Kids

Saturday, February 7, 2015
A few years ago, The Jersey Momma's Boy wanted to have an art-themed party for his birthday (you can read all about that here). We already decided on making our own sand art, and I thought it would be cool to have spin art, too.  Unfortunately, it was about $86.00 to rent a spin art machine, so that wasn't going to happen. What did happen was another Pinterest find...salad spinner spin art!!


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