MovieStop!

Hey Ya'll!  Can I just tell you how much I like MovieStop?

I decided we needed some dvd's that we hadn't seen before that would keep our kids' attention for the 12 hour road trip to North Carolina.  The kids chose several dvd's that they don't watch or had outgrown.  We took the 6 or so we agreed upon down to the local MovieStop.

Easy-peasy!  Walk in, give them to the clerk at the desk, then shop around for new-to-us dvd's.  The clerk then calls us over and lets us know how much our trade-ins are worth in dollars.  We can then decide to take the cash or get dvd's.  I let the kids each choose a movie (mommy has veto power, of course!) and I chose one.  (TIP: have a list that you'd like to get but have an open mind when you go.)

RIGHT NOW they are running a special Trade-In Event!  They will up the value of all of your trade-ins by 50%! 

All in all - it was totally worth our time and a thrifty way to get new movies to watch!  Family Approved!

Kids Eat Free at IKEA

Ahh, IKEA, that Swedish oasis of furnishings and meatballs! 

And now Kids Eat Free  August 1 - 21, 2011! 

Hmmm, just a thought; eat with the kids, put the kids in the "Smaland" supervised kids area, enjoy 1 hour kid-free wandering around or sipping a juice box of Dryck Flader.  mmmmmmmmm, elderflower juice.

They have other special events in August - click here for more details - free face painting, caricature artist, and kids' crafts are all on the calendar.  We're kinda excited about the August 19th all-you-can-eat Swedish Crayfish feast.  No, really!

National Watermelon Day, August 3rd, 2011

Yes, folks, Wednesday, August 3rd, is National Watermelon Day!

Our family always takes some watermelon to the beach.  Last time we had a good old fashioned seed spittin' contest! 

I wish I could say I was the one in the bikini, but that is my gorgeous niece!

Anyhoo - This fun fruit is 90% water and is full of vitamin C, lycopene, and antioxidants according to the USDA and can help keep you cool on a hot day. 

Here's a Paula Deen recipe for Watermelon salad which is very grown up with onion and feta cheese.  It sounds weird and yummy!  Here's another site with 10 more interesting watermelon recipes.  I think I will try the Aqua Fresca with watermelon and lime.

Happy spittin'!

Cherries Rock!

These sweet red gems are an awesome summer treat and they can be yours for a limited time only!  According to the cherry experts at ChooseCherries.com, cherries are full of great stuff that helps with pain management and has anti-inflammatory properties - yadda yadda - they're just good!

We are nearing the end of cherry season here in North America which only lasts from June to mid-August.  Right now many supermarkets have cherries for about $1.99 a pound.

When my kids were younger, I was afraid to let them eat a cherry with the pit in it (always be watchful for choking hazards, even when pit is removed), so I invested in one of these bad boys...


The OXO Good Grips Cherry and Olive Pitter which retails for about $10 - 12 at Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon, and other retailers.  It removes the pit cleanly with a little leverage and is kinda fun to do!  Now that they are older, my kids like to do it themselves. 

Tip #1 - Wear an apron while pitting or you will get some splatter and may look like a victim on CSI. 
Tip #2 - Only pit what you will eat immediately as they go bad super fast in the fridge after pit is removed.

All in all - fresh summer fruit, really yummy, and good for you!  Family Approved!