April 2015
  

Turning Outdoor Activities Into Indoor Activities for Rainy Days

I'm over on The CMR (Canadian Mother Resource) sharing 5 Ways to Bring Outdoor Fun Indoors!

We had a lot of fun thinking about how to transform some typically outdoor activities into indoor activities. Head over there to see more photos & find out what we did (and you can do too)! :)


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Loving An Organized Fridge!

As you know, we've been using Frigidaire's new Gallery® Custom-Flex™ Refrigerator. I've already posted about each of the unique features that it comes with and now that we've had it for a couple of months, I wanted to tell you about our absolute favourite parts and why we love our fridge. It really all comes down to how easy it is to organize this fridge!

Custom-Flex™ Door

This is definitely my favourite part of the fridge. We actually haven't rearranged the door since my post about organization for school lunches because it has been working really well for us! Our fridge door actually still looks just as organized as it did when I took this photo for that post!  I do think that we will rearrange soon because we don't always keep pop cans in our fridge, so when we get through the ones we have on hand, I'll probably switch that bin for something else. I'm excited to experiment with some of the other bin shapes and sizes!


I consulted with Ken before writing this post so that I could get his opinions too. We wanted to mention that we really like that the bins for the fridge door don't have any gaps or open spaces in the bottom or front of them. Our old fridge did have an opening, so smaller items would slip out of the front of the bin when you opened or closed the fridge! These new bins also have clear fronts so that although everything is contained, you can still clearly see what is stored in each bin.

April 2015 Sharing Time - Week 4

Welcome to April's Sharing Time Linky!

Before we get to the party, here's a quick recap since the last Sharing Time:

I started this week off with a Video Review of a new Camera Backpack by Jo Totes


Just a few days left of the #GettheMostOutofLife giveaways going on all month
on Shoppers Drug Mart's website
(a new winner is chosen every 3 days!)
So, keep on entering!

I also posted about our Easter Egg Hunts this year.


And yesterday I posted this Mini Puffed Pancakes recipe with Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Sauce!
(There's also a pretty huge Giveaway with that post!)


Now, on to the link party- I can't wait to see what you share! :)


Please join the Raising Memories Sharing Time & add a link to your latest and greatest blog posts
about activities to do with your children or fun projects that you have done!
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If you're participating, please share the button on your blog & "hop over" to at least one other blog post that's been linked up- let's support each other!










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Mini Puffed Pancakes with Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Sauce (& a #Giveaway!)

We have been trying out Gay Lea's Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Spreadables this month and experimenting with using it in different recipes and with different snack ideas. I would typically use something like this by just spreading it on toast (which tastes amazing) but for my post around this product, I wanted to think of a recipe to use it with.

I have tried it melted & drizzled on popcorn (delicious.. but a bit messy.. I ended up eating it with a spoon), I have tried it on toast (tried & true method and the easiest, quickest way to eat it), and I have thought of other ways to use it like baking apples with the spread on them.  I have also watched some fellow bloggers post about recipes they've added it to (such as frosting or crumble on top of a fruity dessert). These spreadables combine creamery butter with unsaturated canola oil to make them spreadable on any food, right from the fridge, but also fabulous melted or incorporated into baking.

What I finally came up with was to use it as a melted sauce on top of mini puffed pancakes and let me tell you, I know something's a winner when I can't even start to type out the blog post or edit the photos for it without salivating! :)  We LOVED this and I think you'll want to give it a try!




Here's what you'll need:

Easter Egg Hunts ( #NikonMOMents Part 5)

I took a bunch of photos this year, for Easter and I'm so happy to have them to look back on. :) We're past Easter now and looking forward to Mother's Day, but I wanted to share these photos before Mother's Day comes!


Saturday morning, the girls woke up to see the Easter baskets that Ken & I set out for them.

The Bellbrook Backpack by Johansen Camera Bags

I am not really a purse person. Let me rephrase that... I'm not big on buying purses. I do love to look at them and think about getting them, but I can't tell you the last time I gave myself permission to buy one. I just tell myself that if my purse is still functioning, I don't need another one.

Then along came purse-style camera bags, and well... I've found a bit of a passion there. I have a few.. and I love to see what new designs are coming out. Johansen Camera Bags (also known as Jo Totes) have come out with some new bags! One of those is backpack-style which is totally new for their line and pretty exciting!

Johansen Camera Bags Belbrook Review by www.RaisingMemories.com

I made a video review of the bag (more of a first impressions review since I haven't actually used it yet) to share with you. Bonus points to anyone who can successfully tally the number of times that I say "kinda" in this video!! haha

April 2015 Sharing Time - Week 3

Welcome to April's Sharing Time Linky!

Before we get to the party, here's a quick recap since the last Sharing Time:

I started this week off with a Book Review


Just a quick reminder about the #GettheMostOutofLife giveaways going on all month
on Shoppers Drug Mart's website
(a new winner is chosen every 3 days!)
So, keep on entering!

I also posted about the need for a relaxing, romantic getaway for parents and our experience in Niagara Falls recently.



Now, on to the link party- I can't wait to see what you share! :)


Please join the Raising Memories Sharing Time & add a link to your latest and greatest blog posts
about activities to do with your children or fun projects that you have done!
 ---------------------------------------
If you're participating, please share the button on your blog & "hop over" to at least one other blog post that's been linked up- let's support each other!










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Sterling Inn & AG Restaurant, Niagara Falls

Here's a detailed review of our experience at the Sterling Inn and their restaurant, AG Inspired Cuisine.

A Parents' Getaway in Niagara Falls


Sometimes, as a parent, you need a break from parenting.  Whether it's a couple of hours while your baby naps, a date night with a babysitter at home, or a weekend away with your spouse- there are times when getting some time away to focus on other things can help you to "recharge your parenting batteries"!

Ken and I decided we wanted to get away for a night to celebrate our birthdays and Valentine's Day. We have turned to Niagara Falls several times during our marriage, to get away on anniversaries.  It's a great area to visit with not only the fabulous falls, but lots of fun attractions and things to do.  So, we started looking for a hotel.  We have often found little package deals in the past but this year we just weren't coming across anything that we were excited about.  I was talking to my siblings about it one night while visiting my parents and my brother told us about the Sterling Inn & Spa in Niagara Falls.  We pulled their website up on my tablet and pretty soon I was excited about the possibility of a little getaway there!

We booked a night at the Sterling Inn on Ken's birthday and when the day came, we said goodbye to our girls when they got on the school bus in the morning and the two of us headed for Niagara Falls!  On our way, we stopped at IKEA for a few things (and for lunch), and then at the Outlet Collection in Niagara.

Story of the Sterling Inn Hotel


Finally, we arrived to check-in at the Sterling Inn.  The Inn is quite close to the falls, but is just a block or two away from the hustle and bustle of the busier streets.  It was originally built as a Creamery in 1928 (hence the milk bottle-shaped entranceway!) In 2006, the owners of the hotel began major renovations but purposely maintained some elements of the original building (like the 3 story milk bottle, and beautiful exposed ceiling beams which you'll see in some of my photos).  I love that it's "off the beaten path" because it's in a quiet area and it really is a peaceful getaway, just removed from the busyness of the tourist areas.

sterling spa and inn
photo courtesy of Sterling Inn & Spa

Practicing for Heaven; The Parable of the Piano

If you like reading my book reviews (which tend to be religious books more often than not), then you may remember when I posted about Brad Wilcox's The Continuous Conversion which was a second book to go with his book, The Continuous Atonement.  I like listening to Brad Wilcox (he was a motivational speaker for youth back when I was going to youth conferences, so I get excited when he comes out with books)!  Anyway, he has come out with a new book called The Continuous Atonement for teens as well as a children's book called Practicing for Heaven; The Parable of the Piano Lessons.


I jump at the chance to review children's books that are published by Deseret Book because they are always beautiful.  The artwork in this one (by Brian Call) is gorgeous, the story about practising the piano is totally relatable (especially for my girls who are taking piano lessons), and it teaches a very important lesson about life and the atonement and how we don't need to be perfect; we just have to keep trying!

April 2015 Sharing Time - Week 2

Welcome to April's Sharing Time Linky!

Is it just me, or is April already flying by?! Before we get to the party, here's a quick recap since the last Sharing Time:


I started this week off with a tutorial on how to Make Your Own Rimming Sugar


Just a quick reminder about the #GettheMostOutofLife giveaways going on all month
on Shoppers Drug Mart's website
(a new winner is chosen every 3 days!)
So, keep on entering!

I shared a book review of Sheri L. Dew's new book, Amazed by Grace.


And yesterday I shared some photos and video about our awesome new Zipper Bedding!




Now, on to the link party- I can't wait to see what you share! :)


Please join the Raising Memories Sharing Time & add a link to your latest and greatest blog posts
about activities to do with your children or fun projects that you have done!
 ---------------------------------------
If you're participating, please share the button on your blog & "hop over" to at least one other blog post that's been linked up- let's support each other!










Thanks for visiting my blog!

Please subscribe or follow to keep in touch.

Easy Bed Making with Beddy's Zipper Bedding!

We recently got new bedding for the girls and we are very excited about it- not just because it's super cute (although it is), but it is VERY practical and has made it WAY faster for the girls to make their own beds... AND believe it or not... they LIKE to make their beds now!

Before I tell you about its cool features, let me show you how CUTE this beddng is!  The one shown below is the "Perfectly Miss Matched" set.  These are made by a company called Beddy's (bed-ease).

Easy Bed Making with Beddy's Perfectly Mismatched

The coolest thing about Beddy's is that they are zipper bedding.  They were originally designed to solve the problem of making a bunk bed, but they make bed-making easy for any bed!

Amazed by Grace

Ken and I recently read Sheri L. Dew's new book, Amazed by Grace. It's based on a talk that she gave at BYU's Women's Conference in May, 2014.

Amazed by Grace
Amazed by Grace


The book includes some more stories and thoughts that were not included in the original address and is presented beautifully in a small 5.5x7.5" hardcover book, 80 pages long,  As seems to be common with Deseret Book's recently published inspirational books like this one, the pages are arranged nicely with a border and with meaningful quotes emphasized with occasional pages with quotes over photographs (as shown below).



As we read the book, Ken and I had a discussion about Grace and what it is exactly, referring to Sheri's book, a recent General Conference talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, entitled, "The Gift of Grace", as well as Elder Bednar's talks on the subject and referencing the Bible Dictionary.

I love it when something gets us thinking and studying together like this.  We talked about whether grace is actually a power itself, or whether it is an attribute which leads to the use of power.  I will spare you all of our thoughts and conclusions because I suspect you would have a more enlightening experience if you were to read the book (or talks) yourself.

The book, like her original talk, considers four questions:

What is grace?
What difference can grace make in our lives?
How does the Savior make His power available to us?
What must we do to gain access to the Savior's power?

It's great food for thought and I probably never would have heard of Sheri's original talk, had I not come across her book.  This is another book that I think would make a lovely gift.


Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions shared are my own.

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