Bored Book by Zoom Album

Have you heard of Zoom Album?  It is an awesome photo book that you print at home from your printer, personalized cover and everything!  The books are 3x3 so they are a perfect gift for Grandma to be able to carry around a brag book in her purse.  There a so many gift ideas for this, I am not going to list them all.  You guys are smart and creative, you will find plenty to do with it!

Each ZoomAlbum kit contains:

• ZoomAlbum Creator Software CD - Easy-to-use photo album software program allows you to arrange your photos and print your page and album covers just how you want them.
• (3) Glossy Photo Sheets - Unique patented photo pages are scored and self-adhesive, so you can assemble your one-sheet, 12-photo album in minutes
• Glossy Album Cover Photo Sheets – high-quality paper means vibrant colors and long-lasting covers that you print yourself right at home.
• Custom designed templates – eliminate the guesswork! Just plop in your photos, print, and assemble your own Hardbound 3"x3" Photo Book.
• One of two cover styles: Hardcover Album or Make-Your-Own-Photo-Cover Album
• Complete, Easy-to-Follow Instructions that guide you each step of the way – printed right on the photo paper!

It is really easy to use.  Just use the software provided, select your digital pictures, and print.  You can use premade templates to make it even easier.  ZoomAlbum sent me a package to try out.  A couple of my friends and I decided that we were going to go in together and buy a package of our own.  They wanted to just one each for a gift, and I wanted to try it out.  Since there are 3 kits in a package it worked out great.  One friend used hers as a birthday gift for Grandma.  The other friend used hers as a photo book to capture moments of her son’s first birthday party.  I used mine for this tip:

How many times do you hear this one, “Mom, I’m bored.  There is nothing to do.”?  Make a Bored Book.  A Bored Book is really easy.  Just take pictures of activities, games, and toys your kids have and put them together in a book.  Next time you hear that dreaded cry of boredom, break out the Bored Book and let your kids remember all of the fun stuff around the house.

The ZoomAlbum works perfect for this.  You can print up pictures of 12 different things to put in the book.  Now be sure you put things in there that you are willing to do, because you know the one that you don’t want to do is going to be the first thing picked. ;-) Toys that don’t stay out (like bigger ones) or games in a closet are great to add to this.  Try to use a picture of them doing/playing with the toy/activity.  This helps remind them of how much fun it is.  My Bored Book has playing with water in the kitchen sink, getting out the tunnel, playing Candy Land, getting the tent out, painting in the GIANT tablet Grandma bought, and other things that we do not do every day. 

This is the part where I show you my super cool ZoomAlbum I made in such little time that my kids didn’t even whine that much for me.  Well unfortunately my son thought it was just too cool, thus making it extremely appealing to his little sister and they got into a tugging match with it during snack time after my son put it down to eat.  They didn't even mess it up.  They did get food scent all over it, though.  The scents were just too much for one of my dogs and it took it out into the backyard while it was pouring rain.  We did not notice that our cool ZoomAlbum Bored Book was missing for about 15 minutes.  Which is about how long it takes to get nice and nasty in a mud puddle while being rained on.  Here are some pictures that I had printed for it.

You might ask why I didn’t just print another one up?  Well, I had just that one from the set we split up.  I don’t want to use the one that ZoomAlbum sent me, because I want to be able to give away 2 ZoomAlbums to you all.  That is right...2!  ZoomAlbum has generously sponsored a giveaway to go along with this review.  They will be sending one of you a ZoomAlbum and I will be sending another person one too (the one they sent me). 

I really liked using the ZoomAlbum.  It was easy to get everything up and going.  The pre-made template made designing everything a cinch.  I loved the custom look of it.  I think the size is great.  If you get any other photo book, they are much bigger and bulkier.  The ZoomAlbum is perfect for a little slice of your life.  Most events in my life don’t take 50 pictures. 50 pictures might get taken but about 35-40 get deleted for various child uncooperative moments.  The only draw back I could possibly see is the price ($23.96-26.36).  But if you make three gifts out of it, the price is a bargain.  That is my review of the ZoomAlbum, now let’s get on to the giveaway!  As stated above, there will be 2 winners selected by Random.org.  Just complete the form below. 

This giveaway has ended.  The 2 winners were Trisha and Kellie.  They have been notified via email and have 3 days to respond with necessary information or new winners will be selected.  Congratulations!!

Disclaimer: As stated in this post, I did receive a ZoomAlbum kit from ZoomAlbum to review, but opted to purchase one on my own.  The kit I was given will be used in this giveaway as well as one provided by ZoomAlbum.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  This is my honest and unbiased review of this product.

What will you do with your ZoomAlbum?

Turnip Lights

I was researching some Irish based holiday traditions for ideas for my Grandpa for Christmas.  While researching I came across this and had to try it.  Buy a turnip and trim off the root to create a smooth round surface at the bottom.  At the top where they cut off the greens, place your flashlight and trace the outer edge.  With a knife, cut that circle.  Now you just gut your turnip with a spoon like you would a pumpkin.  It is a little difficult at first, but once you start it the kids should be able to do this easily.  Don’t leave it too thick. 

At this point you have two options.  You can carve it like you would a jack-o-lantern, or you can just paint a face or object on it.  I did both.  We liked the painted version much better. 

Now place your turnips on the end of your flashlight.  Viola!  Fun turnip flashlight torches!  The painted turnips seem to glow more than the cut one.  My kids were running all over the living room twirling their flashlights.  It was a huge hit!  The best thing is that turnips are in season and I got mine for a quarter each!  Try it.

What vegetable have you never eaten, not even tried?

Spread the Word

All of the attention that the award and local news brought this site has also brought marketers wanting me to review and showcase products.  I try to make sure every review that is requested also includes a giveaway.  As a reader of other blogs, I love giveaways, so why not give them to you if I can?  I have been getting a lot of requests.  My goal was to get up to doing one a week, but looks like we will be doing them a lot more frequently, at least for now.

I have a prize that will be given away to Mom Tried It Facebook Fans ONLY!  If y ou are already a fan, you are automatically entered.  If you are not a fan (why aren't you? lol ) please become a fan to be entered.  Now is the part where I need your help.  Tell your friends about this site.  If they like it, encourage them to become fans too.  When we hit 200 fans I will give the prize away.  Help us spread the word and get something for yourself. :-)

You can become a fan by clicking "Become a Fan" in the Facebook box on the right side of the screen.  You can also see how many fans we have and how close we are getting.  You can also just go to the Mom Tried It Facebook Fan Page by clicking here.  Thanks for spreading the word!

WOW, that was fast!!  See the Facebook page for more details.  You guys rock!

Head, Shoulders, Trucks, and Toes

Yes I know, the song goes “Head, shoulders, knees, and toes”, but we now have trucks on our knees.  My son wears out the knees on his jeans (mostly from playing trucks).  We have been getting holes on the knees, but the rest of the jeans are fine.  While I know that holes in jeans are fashionable, on my son I think they just look like he has worn out his clothes and I just don’t care.  Yes, that is my obsessive side rearing its ugly head.  No, I don’t have a problem with other people’s kids having holes in their pants, just mine.  

Before the jeans had holes on the knees.  Here are the jeans after I found cute construction truck iron-on patches!

This is a great way to fix a hole or prevent one.  There are a ton of iron-ons out there, including licensed characters (Disney, and Nickelodeon).  What a great way to spruce up hand-me-downs or a thrift store find.  This works perfect for a boy or a girl.  Try it.

What is the one thing you absolutely obsess about over your kids clothes?

See this posts and other great ideas at Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are THAT Family by clicking here.

Fun By The Yarn

Here are some neat and very cheap crafts to do for the fall and Halloween.  Take a cardboard circle and tape the end of orange yarn to the middle.  Wrap the yarn around the circle.  You can do it randomly or like the picture.  After you have completely covered the circle, tie the end of the yarn to other strands already wrapped.  For a jack-o-lantern, cut out the pieces for eyes, nose and mouth.  For just a festive fall or Thanksgiving theme, write your message on some pretty paper.  Just glue these to your circle and you are done!  Here are pictures of the circles spun randomly and in a more orderly fashion and of both festive options.

 

Another neat yarn trick is to use an empty soda can to make a Frankenstein.  Tie the end of green or purple yarn to the tab of the soda can.  Slowly wrap the can with yarn and tape it off at the bottom (or you can use hot glue). 

Put the can on black construction paper and trace a circle about an inch further out than the can.  Cut out the circle and make jagged edges.  You will need to cut a few slits in the circle so that you can bend the edges over the can.  You have just made the Frankenstein's toupee, yipee!  Cut out some eyes, a mouth, and the weird little knobby things for his neck and you are done!  This is so easy the kids will be able to do this craft.  My three year old helped out wrapping the yarn, but lost interest.  His attention span is just too short, but he did have fun.  Your kids should love doing the crafts and their new creations.  Try it.

A big thanks goes out to Kori who sent this tip in to my husband. 

Snake Cake

Whether you participate in Halloween or not, this cake is too cute!  I made this cake for my son’s birthday.  You can tell it’s his birthday from the candle.  This cake would be great for a Halloween party, birthday, cake walk, or just for fun.  All you need are 2 cake mixes, 2 cans of frosting, some Fruit Roll Ups, and a bundt cake pan.  Make the cake mixes as directed on the box.  After the cakes cool, cut them in half and stagger the halves to make a slithering snake.  Frost the cakes, and decorate with Fruit Roll Ups cut into diamond shapes.  This cake is super easy and super cute!  Have fun making it and have even more fun eating it!  Try it.

What was the hardest cake you ever made?

Big Boy Bins

I have been trying to teach my son to pick up after himself.  It has been difficult for me to let him do it completely alone because I like things a certain way.  We have inexpensive little baskets from the dollar store that we put small toys in.  I have labeled the bins with what belongs in them, along with a picture.  This way he can put the toys in the proper bin and my brain doesn't explode.  He gets so proud that he has done it all by himself, while I get so proud of him for being a big boy.  You can just doodle a drawing, cut out a picture from a magazine, or take an actual picture of the toys and place it on the container.  So easy, such a sanity saver.  Try it.

What things do you redo after your kids have done them?

Mummy Wrap Ups

Looking for a party favor or activity to do for a Halloween party?  Try a mummy wrap up.  It is really easy to do.  All you need is a roll of toilet paper and some small cheap little toys.  You can get a bag of the perfect toys at your local dollar store.  Spider rings, plastic bugs, as long as it is pretty small it will work great.  To make the wraps, unroll some toilet paper out on the table and place the toys on it, making sure to space them out.  Roll the toilet paper back up and you are done.  If you want to get extra cute, you can secure it closed with some black yarn and a toy, but the kids won’t care.  It is a lot of fun.  My son unrolled this one and squealed with each toy he reached.  After he was done, he rolled them all back up again, and did it over and over.  This would be great at a party as a fun game and/or party favors.  We just did ours at home for a special fun treat.  Try it.

Has your house ever gotten toilet papered?  Tell us about it.

Cold Weather Cover Up

My son is too big for a bib, my daughter can’t stand them and practically chokes herself trying to pull one off.  My kids are like all kids...messy.  During the summer it was easy, we would just take off their shirts.  It is 45 degrees outside! Now what?

My son’s favorite t-shirt is too stained to give to someone else (it is worse than it looks in the picture), but has characters on it so I can’t do the cover up trick.  It's time to repurpose it.  Cut the shirt along the sides from the the bottom through the armpits to the sleeves.  It is now a t-shirt bib/cover up.  Just put it right over their clothes.  The kids get to stay warm, the clothes get protected, and you save a shirt from getting thrown away.  The best part is that it doesn’t matter if the shirt doesn’t fit, it is open completely on the sides so there are no areas for it to be too small or too big (my daughter also wears a shirt that was my son’s).  If the neck gets too small, just cut a slit in it to open it more.  It works for messy meals or for arts  and crafts time.  Try it.

This post was linked with others at Friday Favorites on Daily Dwelling.  Check it out to great posts from other blogs.

What food made the worst stain ever on your clothes (or your kids clothes)?

Worn Out Wallet

My son loves to play pretend, while my daughter is at that stage where taking things out and putting them back in is the most fun game ever!  I gave them an old wallet of mine along with the fake credit cards the banks send in the mail.  You know the ones that read “YOUR NAME HERE” and are glued to an application?  I take those card off before disposing of the application and give the card to the kids.  They use them in their wallet.  My son and I play store, while my daughter sits there and takes them out one by one.  Then she puts them back in just to do it over and over again.  Your children might want some play money to go in their wallet, too.  My son said he needed something else in his wallet.  I asked him if he needed money and he told me “No, Mommy.  I need coupons.”  Yep, that is MY boy!  Try it.

This post was linked onto Works For Me Wednesday at we are THAT family, here.

Have your kids ever taken your wallet out of your purse to play with and not put it back in? 

Ghost Footprints

Send your friends and family a “spook-tacular” Halloween card.  I know, I know.  But admit it, it was cute.  Your kids will ABSOLUTELY love to do this with you!  Take off their shoes and paint the bottom of one foot white.  You will need to put a lot of paint on there.  Next, press their foot on some colored paper to make a foot print.  When the paint dries, paint little eyes and a mouth to create a ghost.  The outcome is really cute and one of a kind.  My son got a big kick out of doing this project.  I wanted to keep one to look back on, but he said no.  He wants to send his cards to Grandma and Great Grandma in Texas.  These make great Halloween cards for friends, family, and especially classmates.  Maybe your kids will let you keep one.  :-)  Try it.

What is the most you have ever spent on a card for any occasion?

Pimped Out Pumpkins

The fall is such a beautiful time.  I live a few miles from a state park and get to see all of the beautiful trees turn different shades of amazing colors.  Then the leaves fall off and everything turns gray for months.  So I love to celebrate the rich colors that come with fall.  Whether you have pumpkins out for Halloween or just for fall decoration, it is fun to mix things up a bit.  Everyone is usually so caught up in the big ones, most don't bother with the little guys.  Since they are so inexpensive, you can experiment with them more.  They cost less than $1 and sometimes you can get crazy deals on them at the farmer's market or grocery store.  I like to use a hot glue gun and embellish mine a little.  You can do so much with them, especially if you scrapbook.  Use fun stickers or ribbons to decorate yours.  If you use stickers and self adhesive jewels, the kids could create their own.  My son and I did this one.  Try it.

What is the most unusual thing you have embellished?

Yoplait YoPlus – Review/Giveaway

Yoplait has done it again!  They have a great tasting product perfect for us busy moms.  How many times have you snacked on whatever was lying around, or worse...gone to that secret stash of goodies just to feel guilty and weighed down by all of the junk you just ate?  Treat yourself without compromising.  Yoplait Yoplus+ is a great alternative to that "food" lurking behind boxes in the back of the cabinet.  I don't know about you guys, but I KNOW I do not get enough calcium or fiber in my diet, so I was pretty excited about this.  I went out and bought this to try (before telling you guys to try it) and I really like it.  My favorite flavor is Strawberry Banana.  Guess what my kids favorite flavor is?  Strawberry Banana.  I am thankful I got to eat the ones I did.  But I don't mind one bit.  A healthy snack that provides calcium, vitamins, nutrients and helps their digestive system...that they actually LOVE and asked for seconds!  You betcha I am happy with that!  
 

You can download a $1.00 off coupon for YoPlus+ by clicking this link: http://bricks.coupons.com/bstart.asp?o=57800&ci=1&c=GM&p=4XeBjIEi

Now for the really cool part!  MyBlogSpark provided me with this cool gift set and I want you to get one too!  The gift set includes a sports duffel bag, an exercise towel, a handy small mesh bag, an earbuds set, and 2 FREE coupons for YoPlus+ yogurt!  Enter to win by completing the form below.

This giveaway has ended.  
The winner is #121 Brooke B.
The winner will be notified via email and must respond within 3 days of notification with necessary information requested or a new winner will be selected.  Winners will be selected by Random.org.

**Please note, while MyBlogSpark did provide me with the gift set including free coupons for YoPlus+, I purchased YoPlus+ on my own to review it.
After taking pictures of the gift set I received, I donated it to a local moms group to be given away at their discretion.  The fact that Yoplus+ sponsored this giveaway had no influence on my review.  I tell it like it is, as you will find out.  :-) **

Boo-tiful Banana Treats

This fun snack tip came from Kathryn.  Kathryn is a mom of 3 boys and sometimes has trouble getting them to eat healthy foods.  She says that she has learned to compromise and take healthy foods and put a non-healthy twist to them to make them more appealing.  While she does not do this with everything or every time, every now and then it helps and she has learned to pick her battles. 

She cuts a banana in half and puts it on a popsicle stick.  She freezes it for about 30 minutes then covers it with vanilla frosting.  She decorates the bananas in fun ways, but for the Halloween season, she uses chocolate chips to make ghost faces.  Kathryn says that you could use white chocolate candy melts that have been melted (instead of frosting) and dunk the banana in the pot, but when the chocolate hardens the covering will break off in pieces when bitten.  At Christmas time, they put green food coloring in the frosting and the boys decorate their banana Christmas trees with candies.  Try it.

Alternative:  If you do not participate in Halloween you can decorate the bananas in any way you choose.  Kathryn’s youngest boy loves to decorate his as a rocket by using Fruit Roll Ups.

What is your favorite way to “ruin” a healthy snack?

Mommy, Treat Yourself!

How many times have you snacked on whatever was lying around, or worse...gone to that secret stash of goodies just to feel guilty and weighed down by all of the junk you just ate?  Treat yourself without compromising.  Yoplait Fiber One is a great alternative to that "food" lurking behind boxes in the back of the cabinet.  Here are some great things about Yoplait Fiber One:

• Yoplait Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt is the only leading nonfat yogurt with 50 calories and 5 grams of fiber.

• Available in four flavors – Strawberry, Vanilla, Peach and Key Lime Pie – Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt is a delicious snack that is good for you, contributes 20% of the recommended daily value of fiber and is a good source of calcium as well as vitamins A and D. 

•   Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt features a ‘Hungry Girl Seal of Approval’, the first nationally distributed yogurt to receive this endorsement.   

Now for the REALLY good part!  Since this snack is just 50 calories, the first 50 readers to sign up through the link below will get a coupon mailed to you for a FREE 4-pack of Fiber One yogurt!  If you are not part of the first 50?  We still love you.  We want you to be able to download a $1.00 off coupon for Fiber One yogurt.  I would like to thank Yoplait for providing my readers with the opportunity to get free yogurt and great coupons!  There is nothing in this for me, guys.  It is all about you, enjoy!

 

No-Sew Costume: Red-Eyed Tree Frog

I sew, but I realize that so many people don’t.  You don’t have to go out and spend a fortune on a costume.  You can just make one at home.  Here is my step-by-step guide to a Red-Eyed Tree Frog.You will need a green hooded sweatshirt and pants, you can use a regular shirt and a green skull cap if you want to, and these items:

Hot glue gun and glue

Felt pieces (4 orange, 1-2 yellow, and 3 black)

2 Styrofoam balls (about 3 inches in diameter)

Red and black paint

Velcro or double sided tape

First, cut about a 1/4 off the bottom of the styrofoam balls.  Paint them red (put them on a popsicle stick for easier handling).  After they dry, paint black pupils on the eyes.  

 

Next, place the yellow felt on the front of the hooded sweatshirt.  Cut rounded corners at the top.  For the rest of the body, cut out small pieces of black felt in uneven, inkblot-type shapes.  These are going to be the frog’s spots.  You can affix the spots and yellow belly panel with double sided tape or self-adhesive Velcro pieces. 

For the hands and feet, you will need to draw a 3 fingered hand onto a piece of felt.  Cut that out and use it as a template to draw another one on the same piece of felt.  From the excess on the side, cut 2 strips of felt.  Repeat this process for all 4 pieces of orange felt.  Hot glue 2 of the hand/foot shapes together, remembering to glue 2 straps inside (see pictures).  For that extra touch, you can stuff the hands and feet before sealing them shut.  Now glue the red eyes to the hood (or skull cap).  You are all done!  Get your critter to put on the outfit and start taking some pretty cute pictures.  Hopefully yours will smile more than mine did.

If you would like to see an easy no-sew BULL RIDER costume that is super cute go to 3 Boys and a Dog.  I made this costume just to put on Kelli's site.  Check it out!  By the way, Kelli has awesome giveaways going on at all times.  It is a good site to visit frequently.

This post has been linked to Your Life, Your Blog on Real Life.  See other great posts by clicking here.