For my little sister’s bridal shower, we hosted a Disney Princess themed party.  Every dish on the menu was themed after a Disney movie.  My favorite was The Grey Stuff from Beauty and the Beast.

This is a very easy recipe that creates a beautiful presentation for the table.  A simple mixture of pudding, Oreo cookies and whipped cream is elegantly topped with edible pearls (easy to find at any grocery store).

I piped the pudding into dessert liners I bought from either Michael’s or Party City.  Guests could just pick one from the cupcake tower and set it on their plate.

Soon I’ll post more on the full bridal shower, including photos of all the menu items.  It was a really cute party!

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Last weekend we surprised our boys with a quick trip to LEGOLAND Florida resort in Winter Haven, FL.  Earlier this week I wrote a quick overview of our stay, but today I want to take you for a tour inside our bungalow room at their new Beach Retreat location!

The outside of the bungalows looks like it is built of LEGO blocks.  The kids were in awe that we were staying inside a real live LEGO house!  There are two hotel-type rooms per bungalow.  Our room is on the left side in the above photo.  Each room sleeps up to five, with a king size bed and a separate bunk-bed room with a trundle.

The bungalows are decked out with a beach/surf theme.  The bright colors and surf boards create such a fun atmosphere! The beds are super comfortable.  I don’t think I slept that great in a long time!

We love this about the LEGOLAND hotel, too, that the kids bunk beds are separated into a separate cove with a privacy curtain.  You can see to the left in the above photo.  It’s perfect for letting the littles get to bed earlier while the parents can spend a little time relaxing or watching TV.

Right when we opened the door, the boys ran to their bunk bed area and immediately found a box of Duplo LEGO’s to start building their own creations.  After a long day of driving, they were definitely ready to just play for a bit.

The distraction was nice while we unpacked and settled in our room.

Don’t you just love this little bunk bed area?  The bottom pulls out into a trundle for a third child!

The room has a nice sized flat screen TV, Keurig machine for coffee or tea, and a mini fridge.  There is also plenty of closet space and hangers.

We were also welcomed with a couple bottles of water and juice for the kids.  Again, a nice refresher to have after a long day of traveling!

One of my favorite parts of the beach retreat is each cove has its own playground in view from the bungalow’s front porch.  It was so nice to let the boys play and see them from our window or porch table.

We thoroughly enjoyed every detail of our Beach Retreat stay.  To read more about our experience at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat, please see my overview by clicking here.

Thank you to our friends at LEGOLAND Florida for partnering with Seeded at the Table and providing us with the room and park tickets.  All opinions are from yours truly — the Gladd family.

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After our trip to LEGOLAND Florida resort last year, we were so excited to visit again!  This time we tried out the new Beach Retreat and stayed in their beach-themed bungalows.  You guys, I totally recommend taking a trip to LEGOLAND Beach Retreat with your family.  It will NOT disappoint!

When we pulled up to the Beach Retreat, we checked in while still in our car.  I do not have a photo of it, but it was really convenient to just drive up to the check in window and not have to get out of the car.  After we checked in we were directed to the most convenient parking for our bungalow.

Walking into the beach retreat area was like living a LEGO dream.  We were elated to find our village of bungalows and even made a few friends in our little cove.  The kids immediately ran to the playground in the center of our group of bungalows and played with a couple other children while Ben and I unloaded our luggage and took a few photos.

After we settled in, we changed into our swim suits and headed to the pool.  I’ll follow up with a separate post to show more details of the pool area with more photos.

It included an area of sandy games and a obstacle course style playground that my kids LOVED.

The breakfast buffet is included with your stay at the Beach Retreat.  There is something for everyone!

I love their french toast sticks, but I also evened out the nutrition options with some oatmeal, asparagus (what what?), and well… you can see what else in the photo below.  🙂

The dining area was very spacious, colorful and filled with LEGO decor.

Also located inside the lighthouse is the pool bar and a sandcastle made of LEGO pieces!

Kids could gather around the sandcastle and build their own creations.

After breakfast, we headed to LEGOLAND amusement park to enjoy a day full of rides and other LEGO entertainment.

Have you been to LEGOLAND Florida resort?  I would love to hear about your experience!

Other LEGOLAND Florida posts:

Inside the Amusement Park
Beach Retreat Room Tour

Thank you to our friends at LEGOLAND Florida for partnering with Seeded at the Table and providing us with the room and park tickets.  All opinions are from yours truly — the Gladd family.

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My oh my, school is making my life busy and dare I say somewhat miserable.  I’m starting to wonder if I can actually achieve this goal, or if it’s honestly a goal I want anymore.  The stress of the work load is making me ornery and my poor children and husband are the ones taking the heat.  They are saints for putting up with their cranky mama/wife as I spend too much time worrying over getting everything done while balancing the needs of my family.  I need to learn how to handle stress better.

My husband and kids are also saints for eating whatever it is I put in front of the table for dinner, because I haven’t had the time to cook very favorable meals lately.  If we’re not doing take-out, I’m making something very fast and convenient, and sometimes questionable in the flavor category.  Eeek!

One meal that is fast and convenient but does not lack in the flavor category is this Sloppy Joe Noodle Skillet I developed for Pillsbury recently.  If you’re like me and need something quick and tasty for your family, here is the link to this fabulous recipe.  Plus, it’s so easy to make in just ONE pan.  It might make you less ornery and your man and children excited for dinner again.  😉

Super Bowl Sunday is one week away!  Because I’m back in school full time we are not hosting a huge party like we have in the past, however, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be snacking away on all things delicious!  This year, I’ll have these Apple Peanut Butter Cracker Stackers on hand because they are super quick to make and such a yummy combination.

How easy is it to take just four ingredients and sandwich them together?  Super-dooper easy, that’s how!  Simply stir the peanut butter into the apple butter and spread on one cracker.  Melt white chocolate and spread on another cracker then put the two crackers together and … BAM! … you have your magical cracker snack.

I’m always finding new ways to use my Musselman’s Apple Butter, whether it’s in soup, a dip, or a cheese ball.  Because apple butter is a versatile ingredient that can enhance your favorite sweet and savory recipes, we also use it for breakfast, dessert and healthy snacks.

This post is sponsored by Musselman’s Apple Butter. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that I love which helps make this site possible.

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As we drown in sugar cookies and hot chocolate this festive week, let’s start thinking about another way we can snack on sweets and get a little healthier into the new year.  I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to the days after Christmas when I no longer have various sweets at my every disposal.

These date rolls are made with a variety of nuts and sweetened with both dates and apple butter.  With just a scoop of Musselman’s Apple Butter you add some sweet along with a cinnamon punch to the flavor.  I always have Musselman’s Apple Butter on hand to use for more than just a spread in many of my various recipes.

These are thrown together in 15 minutes and require no baking time.  Slice them then store them in the freezer so they are ready for a quick snack that satisfies your sweet tooth.  See below for easy step-by-step photos.

Other apple butter recipes:
Apple Butter Banana Bread French Toast
Apple Butter Cherry Cobbler Bars
Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Apple Butter Hummus Dip
Pecan Crusted Apple Butter and Bacon Cheese Ball

This post is sponsored by Musselman’s Apple Butter. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that I love which helps make this site possible.

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This recipe is one I created for Pillsbury using their refrigerated pie crusts. With just a few ingredients you quickly mix together, these are fast party bites you can whip together within 30 minutes.

Head over to the Pillsbury website for the recipe.

Ben is here again with a review of his new JORD men’s watch.  We both think these watches are a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for that special someone.  They are available in both men’s and women’s styles.  A high quality and fashionable unique watch.

I really like this watch!  I was a bit skeptical at first.  How could a wooden men’s watch be comfortable?  The cool watch comes in an embossed wooden box, complete with directions and a nice looking watch pillow.  I measured my wrist and ordered the Dark Sandalwood Fieldcrest model.  The package arrived very quickly, just a few days later with no issues.  I was immediately struck at how light the watch was.  It’s easily the lightest of all my watches.  The band has a double latch at bottom that works well.  I chose the Dark Sandalwood because I needed a watch that would match my wardrobe.  I typically wear a shirt and tie to work, and the Sandalwood color is a fit.

The best part of the watch is the wood grain of the watch face.  I get a kick looking at the time and noticing the grain.  I work a lot with Walnut, so I enjoy the deep colors of the Sandalwood.

I was attending a conference this past week, and I student noticed my watch and started inquiring about it.  I let him try it on, and he was blown away.  He couldn’t believe he was wearing a wooden watch!  My only complaint is that the watch doesn’t display the date.  On a few occasions, I found myself looking down at the watch to check out the date.  Nevertheless, I look forward to many years with this unique watch!

Shop their collection of watches and receive $20 off your purchase plus enter to win a $75 coupon!

This post was sponsored by JORD Wood Watches.

Mens Wood Watches

We made these turkey cookies this morning in preparation for a play-date we’re having today.  Super fast, very few ingredients, and a whole lot of fun with your kids!

Simon and I actually made our first batch of these last Friday morning for his Thanksgiving party at school, and we have enough leftover to make some more this morning for our friends who are coming over in a little bit.  I thought I’d share with y’all in case you were looking for a quick Thanksgiving activity for your kids (that they can also eat!).

Make sure you buy the Double-Stuffed OREO cookies so that the candy corn fits right into the sides.  For the beak, just cut out a small orange section of the candy corn.  For convenience, I used a squeeze tube of Betty Crocker icing to glue the eyes and beaks.

We’re out of school this week, so I’m hoping to have time to do more crafts and fun holiday themed activities with my kiddos.  Would love any suggestions you have of things that are quick and easy!  🙂

Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s no secret that we love everything to do with LEGO, so when Simon moved out of his nursery and into Judah’s room we decided to make his old room a LEGO room!   Ben built the built-in desk for building LEGO sets and we can also clear it for other family activities, like puzzles and homework.  Ben wrote the rest of this post to show you how he did it.

If you love LEGO, too, make sure you check out our LEGOLAND Florida Resort review from earlier this year!

Step #1 Paint the Room

Paint the room. I found a Sherwin Williams color that’s close to Lego red (SW 6869) and a grey that matched (SW 6005). I painted one wall red, and the three other ways grey.

Step #2 Build/Purchase IKEA TROFAST System

The toughest part of this project was building and painting the cabinets for the plastic bins. I measured the length of my wall and built the cabinets according. Fortunately, these storage cabinets can be purchase at IKEA under the TROFAST system. The TROFAST bins run about $3 for the larger ones and $2 for the smaller ones. The TROFAST vertical organizers are $30 a piece, and the horizontal ones are $28.

If you are building the cabinets, be sure to prime the wood with an oil based primer on the plywood. Then, paint the cabinets with a bright white to provide a nice contrast with the red and grey walls.

Step #3 Build Top

Prime (oil based) and paint the top before you install the top. The 3/4” plywood top needs to run the entire length of the wall. Mine was about 2 feet wide and 12 feet in length. Your wall probably isn’t square, so you may need to transport the top a few times to and from your workshop. I built a frame out of 2×4’s that I affixed to the studs in the wall. Once the frame is installed, attach the 3/4” plywood top. I attached the top from underneath, so I purchased 4” screws. The edge of the plywood will be exposed, and you’ll want to put a wood face frame on it.

Step #4 Attach Upper Cabinets

Locate and mark your wall studs. I attached the cabinet right into the wall studs for strength. You’ll need a partner to hold the cabinets while you drill and screw.

Step #5 Run LED Lights

I ran LED lights on the top and bottom of the upper cabinets. You could probably run both lines off one switch, but mine runs on two separate switches.

Step #6 Build Minifigure Shelf (inspired by Jedi Craft Girl).

Buy a 3/4” x 3/4” wood strip at your local Home Depot or Lowes. Prime and paint it a bright yellow. Buy a “LEGO Classic Gray Baseplate” and cut it into strips with a sharp knife. Super glue the gray strips to the painted minifigure shelf. Screw the minifigure shelf into the wall students. I used a brad nailer, however.

Step #7 LEGO Decals

The wall decals were the most time-consuming part of this project. You can’t buy these decals, so I had a local designer create them. I then hired a local company to print them on a canvas sticker of some sort.

We also found an Etsy seller for the LEGO bin decals. The bin decals are great for sorting!

Step #8 Become a LEGO VIP Member and LEGO Hunter

Becoming a VIP member is free on Lego.com, and it comes with all sorts of benefits. It’s a no brainer. I also cast a net on local Facebook garage sale pages. I snagged several great deals! Be sure to wash used Legos with soap and water, though.

Lego Room inspired by DroomManGroup at Euro Bricks.

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