Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Click ‘n Learn Remote

Kelsey 6 months and up, Baby/Kid Toys, Products We Tried , , , , 0 Comment

New Toy = Lots of Fun In Our Household! Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Click 'n Learn Remote

The other day we bought Clay this, Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Click ‘n Learn Remote, and man he is loving this toy! He plays with it so much through out the days, it was a great toy to buy for him. It has buttons for them to be able to press to hear songs, music, and more. You can turn the volume up or down, switch channels to hear a new station and more with this little remote. Plus it lights up which really grabs Clay’s attention. 

fisher price remote toy

What I love about this fun toy is Clay enjoys playing with this toy remote, and in return he is learning about numbers, colors, opposites, greetings, first words and more. I know if you read my post, I say it all the time, I love toys that help children learn things! It offers more than 25 songs, phrases, songs and more, so it can keep him busy. I love that it doesn’t say just 3 things, as that gets old quick for the parents!

Laugh & Learn Click ‘n Learn Remote

fisher price remote

This toy right now is under $10, it makes a great toy for your own child, give as a gift for a birthday present, or holiday gift. As you can see the age range is 6 months to 36 months. I know for me I like to see an age range so I know how long I will probably use this toy, and if it fits where Clay is at in his learning abilities!

I am all about great toys that don’t break the bank and can help your child grow and learn when they use it! I hope you all like the post, and if you buy it, hope the special kiddo getting this enjoys it as much as Clay does! 

Classic Homemade Brownies – Can’t Beat A Good Ol’ Classic

Kelsey Dessert, Recipes , , , 0 Comment

Rich Ooey Gooey Brownies

classic homemade brownies

Nothing can beat a classic homemade brownie, it is for sure something I could eat all the time! I like boxed brownies too, but I like the taste that homemade have that can’t be copied from a box mix! These brownies are nice and ooey gooey and have a great chocolate flavor. You can also add in chocolate chips or nuts if you would like, I just did a basic brownie with no goodies added in. I like my brownies a little soft, so I just watch the baking time closely so that they don’t dry out and over cook. 

My Helper

It was fun baking because I had my little helper scooting around in his lil driver walker! He would just move around while I was mixing up stuff, and then I would take little breaks to play with him! Clay is at a really fun age, I love when he gets to giggling, and doing his fake coughing! Hopefully as he gets older he will want to help in the kitchen when I bake and cook, I think it is great for them to learn at a young age!

Classic Brownie Recipe 

kitchenaid

When I bake and sometimes even when I cook I use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer! I have always wanted one and a few years back Adam got it for me for a gift! It has been so nice to have, it really does the work for you! They are a little pricey for some people, but it is truly worth the investment if you enjoy being in the kitchen and cooking! You can even shred meats with this, it is very versatile.

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Classic Homemade Brownies – Can’t Beat A Good Ol’ Classic

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa (I like Special Dark)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Great a 9x9 square baking pan, or if you prefer line with parchment paper..
  2. In a bowl (I used my KitchenAid Mixer) mix together sugar, oil, and eggs. Once it is mixed add in your vanilla extract.
  3. Then in a separate bowl, you will want to put the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa and mix it up.
  4. Slowly add your dry ingredients into your wet mixture till well incorporated.
  5. Pour into your pan and spread evenly.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until you put toothpick in and it comes out pretty clean with just a few crumbs.

Notes

Depending on where you live and altitude can affect the cooking time for this recipe.

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I hope if you make this recipe, you all enjoy it! Hope you all have a blessed week! 

Personalization Mall- Custom Gifts! Mugs, Collages, Blankets and More!

Kelsey Home Decor, Products We Tried , , 2 Comments

Create Custom One of A Kind Gifts at Personalization Mall! Personalization Mall

I am a HUGE fan of Personalization Mall! I have used them for years, for creating wonderful gifts for loved ones, and creating personalized items to decorate our home with! I wanted to share the two collages I have from their, the first one my sister gave us at Christmas, and the second I had made with our Easter photos we took! They turned out so good, I truly couldn’t be happier!

collage

This collage is so special to me, my sister, Felicia got this for us this Christmas! Clay had just been born and she took pictures of him and added it to the collage! It was so sweet to be able to hang pictures of our little prince on the wall! I love that she has his first photo of him in the hospital on their, it always melts my heart to look at it! 

Photo Collage

This photo collage is 16×16, so good sized! I had this one made right after we did our Easter photo’s! It turned out awesome! It was pretty easy to create! You simply upload pictures you want, and then move them around till you have them in the order you want. Look over to ensure it is correct then order!

You can also buy many more items from their! They have gifts for any occasion or treat yourself! Custom mugs, graduation gifts, treasured keepsakes, photo decor, and so so much more!

Earn Cash Back on Your Order! 

Plus if you go through Ebates, you can earn Cash back on your order! Right now it is 7.5% cash back, but that does change with time, so you might have a different cash back offer. If you are new to Ebates, it is FREE to Join, and you can earn cash back from thousands of stores when you shop online! It is beyond awesome!

 

What Has Been Happening at the Apley Home!

Kelsey Life Updates , , 2 Comments

Whats Been Going On in Our Neck of the Woods Clay and Daddy

I thought it would be fun to do an update on what has been going on in the Apley household! Since this is a new blog, most won’t know our son was diagnosed at 1 week old with salt wasting congenital adrenal hyperplasia. It is life threatening genetic disease. We were completely shocked when we found out  and we almost lost him, but now he is 7 months old and thriving! He is steroid dependent for life, in order to maintain a healthy life, and we are taking it day by day on how he will react to things as he gets older! We are so blessed that he is doing so well, and we can’t wait to see what happens with each new day! He truly is such a little blessing and we love watching his personality grow! 

Family Fun

Minnesota Family

We had family come down from Minnesota to meet Clay for the first time a few weeks back. It was nice to see them and have them stay with us for a few days. We did a lot of good eating while they were here, and I think I am still a little full from it! Haha, but it was a nice trip, and it was fun to meet baby Eli for the first time! 

Cousins

Then my cousin and her family came down last weekend, and we went over to my sisters house for a bbq, and family fun! It was such a beautiful day, we spent a lot of the time outside soaking up the sun!

I am so excited it is warmer weather and we can get out and enjoy things! Tomorrow we are off to Salina to do some shopping with Clay, it will be his first big outting!

Simple Shrimp Boil Foil Packets on The Grill Or Oven

Kelsey Recipes, Seafood , , , , 4 Comments

Simple Shrimp Boil Foil Packets

These Simple Shrimp Boil Foil Packets are to die for, they taste very similar to the classic shrimp boils! I have had a shrimp boil one time, and really loved it, my husband on the other hand grew up eating them every now and again! So his family introduced me to the new menu item!

These foil packets make creating a shrimp boil super easy, you can bake them in the oven or the grill! With warmer weather here we wanted to do the grill, that is my husbands favorite way to cook! They turned out amazing!

If you are on Facebook, right now they have video’s of how to create these beauties and it is going  viral! I was amazed we saw these, made them then the next day 3 different video tutorials were floating around becoming a sensation! I totally get it because they are delicious and way easier than the classic shrimp boil!

Prepping for Shrimp Boil Packets 

shrimp boil packets

We used the creole seasoning and it was delicious! My husband wanted a little more seasoning so he just sprinkled over the top once it was done! You can make as many packets of these as you want at a time, just assemble with more food in each. Their was only two of us, so we didn’t have a huge amount at once.

Like I had said above you can cook in the oven as well, just do 350 degrees, and cook until shrimp turns pink and is cooked through!


Simple Shrimp Boil Foil Packets on The Grill Or Oven

Ingredients:

  • Aluminum Foil (best if heavy duty)
  • Raw Shrimp (21-25 we used bigger sized ones)
  • Crab (Optional)
  • 1 Kielbasa Sausage
  • 2 Ears of Corn
  • 4-6 Red Potatoes Diced
  • Mushrooms (Optional)
  • Canola Oil
  • Creole Seasoning

Instructions:

  1. You can cook this either on the grill or the oven, we chose to do the grill. My husband prepped the grill and got it going, I started to prep the packets.
  2. I started by rolling out a little aluminum foil for the packets, then I placed a little bit of each item in the foil packet. It is best to have it in a thin layer so it all can cook evenly.
  3. I drizzled the oil over the meat and veggies in each pack, I did about a tablespoon of oil per packet. Then just sprinkle seasoning over the top to taste. I did a good amount and once done, I sprinkled a little more.
  4. Make sure to seal up your aluminum pretty well so nothing spills. If you cook in oven I recommend keeping a cookie sheet or something underneath it to help make it sturdy.
  5. Cook until the shrimp is nice and pink and cooked through.
  6. Serve and enjoy, make sure to grab a napkin or two!

Notes:

Depending on how many mouths you want to feed just add more of each item to compensate! Their is only two of us so we didn’t make a ton.

Shrimp Boil Packets

Here is a before picture, as you can see our shrimp was raw. We don’t have a store in our town that sells fresh shrimp, and it worked just as good. It added a little water that helped steam the food while it cooked which was nice!

 

Hope if you make this you all will enjoy this, it is great for parties! 

Simple Shrimp Boil Foil Packets on The Grill Or In The Oven

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Simple Shrimp Boil Foil Packets on The Grill Or Oven

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

  • Aluminum Foil (best if heavy duty)
  • Raw Shrimp (21-25 we used bigger sized ones)
  • Crab (Optional)
  • 1 Kielbasa Sausage
  • 2 Ears of Corn
  • 4-6 Red Potatoes Diced
  • Mushrooms (Optional)
  • Canola Oil
  • Creole Seasoning

Instructions

  1. You can cook this either on the grill or the oven, we chose to do the grill. My husband prepped the grill and got it going, I started to prep the packets.
  2. I started by rolling out a little aluminum foil for the packets, then I placed a little bit of each item in the foil packet. It is best to have it in a thin layer so it all can cook evenly.
  3. I drizzled the oil over the meat and veggies in each pack, I did about a tablespoon of oil per packet. Then just sprinkle seasoning over the top to taste. I did a good amount and once done, I sprinkled a little more.
  4. Make sure to seal up your aluminum pretty well so nothing spills. If you cook in oven I recommend keeping a cookie sheet or something underneath it to help make it sturdy.
  5. Cook until the shrimp is nice and pink and cooked through.
  6. Serve and enjoy, make sure to grab a napkin or two!

Notes

Depending on how many mouths you want to feed just add more of each item to compensate! Their is only two of us so we didn't make a ton.

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Delicious Freezer Burritos

Felicia Snodgrass Freezer Meals, Mexican, Recipes, Uncategorized , , , , , 0 Comment

Easy and Delicious Freezer Burritos

If you are looking for a quick and easy recipe, try these Delicious Freezer Burritos.  Like most moms, I am very busy and it is hard to make a nice meal every single night. Several times a month I decide to make food ahead of time and put it in the freezer for a quick and easy meal. That way on those busy dance nights we don’t always feel like we have to eat out. This not only saves us time, but money as well.  Plus, I like to eat these for lunch instead of sandwiches all the time!

Freezer Burritos

In our home, anything that is evenly slightly Mexican gets us all on board!  I swear we could live off of beans, tortillas and cheese!  This recipe contains very few ingredients and it is super quick to whip up a batch to freeze or eat right away.

 

The best part about this recipe is that you can do several things to make it your own. I use original Rotel Tomatoes, but if you want a little more kick you could go with the Hot Rotel.  If you like onions or peppers, you could add some when you brown your hamburger.

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Delicious Freezer Burritos

Ingredients

  • Package of Knorr Mexican Rice - prepared
  • 16 oz. can of refried beans (I use fat-free, but whatever kind you prefer)
  • 10 oz. can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1 lb. hamburger browned and drained
  • 1 package of taco bell original seasoning
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 12 soft tortilla shells

Instructions

  1. After browning hamburger, add package of taco bell seasoning using the directions on the package. Add refried beans and rotel to the hamburger mixture.
  2. I always stir it around and get it nice and hot.
  3. Once it is hot, take a tortilla shell and add as much rice as you want and top it with the hamburger mixture.
  4. Sprinkle with cheese.
  5. Continue filling burritos until your run out of filling.
  6. Fold and serve immediately or let cool and prepare to place in the freezer.
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Now, to freeze these burritos let them cool and then tightly wrap them in aluminum foil. I like to put mine in gallon size freezer bags and I always write the date I made them. To warm them, place them on a microwave safe plate and cover with a paper towel. I usually heat them for 2-3 minutes until they are cooked through.

Add some tortilla chips and guacamole and you have a pretty tasty meal!  When you serve the burritos, they go so nicely with some sour cream, any kind of nacho cheese sauce or some picante sauce on top!  You can also add lettuce or tomato add to the delicious burritos.

Now you can just sit back and enjoy your Easy and Delicious Freezer Burritos. No need to worry about having to rush home to slave over the stove to make supper!

Garmin Vivofit Tracker – Fitness and Sleep Tracker

Felicia Snodgrass Electronics/Gadgets, Products We Tried , , , 0 Comment

Track your Steps and Sleep with the Garmin Vivofit 

If you are looking to track your steps and sleep, try the Garmin Vivofit Fitness and Sleep Tracker.  Let’s face it, in today’s world it is way to easy to overeat and to skip exercising! I need that extra push to motivate myself to improve my health.  I decided to shop for a fitness tracker so that it could help jump start my desire to become more active.

Garmin Vivofit Fitness Tracker

While searching for the perfect fitness tracker for me, I came across the Garmin Vivofit Fitness Tracker. I was looking for was a fitness tracker that is inexpensive, has an app that I can use for my phone and something that monitors my sleep habits. The Garmin Vivofit has all of these things!  The Garmin Vivofit didn’t break the bank and I love the app for my phone!  

There are many colors to choose from. Black, Blue, Red, Slate, Teal and Purple to name a few. I chose the Teal, because I love bright colors in my wardrobe and thought this would make a great accessory.

Garmin Vivofit Fitness and Sleep Tracker

You get to pick your daily goal. This helps you start ease into reaching your goals each day.  I started with 7,500 steps. It was easy for me to reach that goal, so I will keep increasing it every few days until it becomes challenging. Another awesome feature about the Garmin Vivofit is that if you become inactive for an hour, a red bar will appear across the top of the Vivofit. Each additional 15 minutes of inactivity another bar will appear. This encourages you to get up and moving.

One of my favorite features is the sleep tracker on the app. I am a very poor sleeper and it tells me how many hours I slept and how much of it was deep sleep and how much of it was light sleep.  Having this information helps me understand part of why I am so tired all the time!  I have began researching ways that I can get more deep sleep and this has already started helping me get better sleep.

If you are in the process of looking for a fitness tracker, I highly recommend the Garmin Vivofit Fitness Tracker!

Infantino Spiral Activity Toy – Wraps Handle on Car Seat, Stroller and More

Kelsey Baby/Kid Toys, Birth and Up, Products We Tried , , , 0 Comment

Disclosure Affiliate

Spiral Includes Four Visually Delightful Hanging ToysInfantino Spiral Activity Toy

This Infantino Spiral Activity Toy is one of Clay’s favorites! He uses this in his stroller every time we go anywhere! It helps keep him entertained, as he is not the best at car rides! He hates being stopped, the car has to constantly be moving or he gets fussy.. moms should get to skip red lights I think!

You can hang it off the handle of the car seat or they can hold in lap and play, which is what we do often. That way he can grab it and chew on it better! This also works with most strollers and cribs if you want to coil it on, for entertainment!


Perfect Car Seat Toy!

car seat toy

I don’t know what it is about the bee but that is truly the one that he grabs for the most. He loves putting the fabric stinger in his mouth and munching on it, it’s so darn cute! The wings make a crinkle noise, which is something he has always enjoyed with any of his toys! The bee is fabric and nice and soft! You can wash this in the washer, so you don’t have to worry if he slobbers all over it!

BPA FREE Toy

infantino

It includes peek n’ see mirror,2-clacker rings, bird rattle, crinkle bug, textured fabrics and satin ribbons that will entertain the kiddo! Plus I love the fun fabrics they use, that makes it more appealing! It didn’t have an age range on when to buy but from what I have seen it is an item you can use from birth on! 

It is available for boy and girl! I do highly recommend a fun toy like this for a gift or for your baby! It really is fun for them and keeps them entertained when your out on the run! 

Infantino Spiral Activity Toy – Wraps Handle on Car Seat, Stroller and More

Lazy Girl’s Cookie Bars – Using Cake Mix!

Kelsey Dessert, Recipes , , , 0 Comment

Cookie Bars Made Easy 

lazy girls cookie bars

Sometimes I crave sweets and don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen making it, that is when I decide to whip up these lazy girl’s cookie bars! They are so quick and easy to make, and you can toss whatever toppings you want in it! Whether you want nuts, butterscotch, peanut butter, m&m’s, or crunched up candy bars, the skies the limits! If you have never heard of this beautiful creation, today is your lucky day! These lazy girl’s cookie bars are made with cake mix and minimal ingredients making it so great for whipping it up quickly!

Cookie Bars Made with Cake Mix

cookie bars

When I made these I did half butterscotch and chocolate chip and the other half mini M&M’s and chocolate chips. I couldn’t decide which sounded better so I said let’s split it and make both! It turned out delicious and I am glad I decided to go for both flavor combos!

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Lazy Girl’s Cookie Bars – Using Cake Mix!

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow mix
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 5 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
  • Mini M&M's and Butterscotch Chips (OPTIONAL)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. All you want to do is mix all the ingredients together, I used my KitchenAid Mixer for this, made it quick and then once well mixed pour into a 9x13 greased pan.
  3. Then if you have toppings like me sprinkle them on top, or if you want to do just one flavor mix it in the batter, it will taste better.
  4. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and you can put a toothpick through or knife and comes out clean.
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See how easy these babies are!?!!? I mean you can’t get much easier than that, and they taste amazing! Like I said above you can add nuts, cut up candy bars or whatever else your heart desires! Anymore I am all about quick and easy but yet satisfyingly delicious! This recipe reaches both requirements so it is a winner in my book!

cookie bars using cake mix

I hope if you make these delicious bars you will enjoy them! Great for a potluck dinner or family bbq, or if you are like me just to treat yourself to some sweets!

 

 

Classic Cucumber and Onions Salad

Kelsey Recipes, Side Dish , , , 2 Comments

Great for Side Dish for BBQ and PotLucks

classic cucumber and onions

For Mother’s Day we had a bbq, and I decideded to bring deviled eggs and this classic cucumber and onions salad, two staples for barbecues! This recipe is one that I have used for years, you can use white or red onions in this, my husband bought red ones, so that is what we used. It adds a bit more color when you use red, but it is totally whatever you prefer.

Family Fun

My sister in law had a selfie stick so we put it to good use and did a fun family photo of everyone! I loved having to cram everyone on the couch all scrunched up so we could capture this photo! This is Adam’s parents and the three kids and our families and that my sister-in-laws mom and sister! We had tons of food, and lots of fun play time! Clay really loved being around everyone! He has one little cousin that they are one day shy of a month apart, so they could play together well!

family

We love to have fun and do silly pictures, it helps make life more fun! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day!!!

Okay Okay… enough pictures and let’s move on to the recipe shall we!

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Classic Cucumber and Onion Salad

Ingredients

  • 3-4 cucumbers (thinly sliced)
  • 1 Red or White Onion
  • 1 Cup Vinegar
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1/2 Cup White Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Peel and thinly slice cucumbers. Then slice onion thinly as well.
  2. Place in bowl, add in vinegar, water, and sugar. Mix up and put in fridge.
  3. After like 2 hours go and stir it and add in some salt and pepper to taste.
  4. The longer this sets the better the flavors, I normally make a day before the time I want to eat it.
  5. If you think it is a little strong or something feel free to add a little more vinegar, water or sugar. Just play with it to fit your taste buds.
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classic cucumber and onions

If you make this recipe I hope you all enjoy it! Also, another add in is dill. A lot of people love to add dill to this, I personally am not a fan of dill so I always leave it out. If you do add it in, I think a teaspoon will do!