Life Archives • Page 12 of 26 • diy mama

by Shelly on November 9, 2015 10 Comments

Inside Out Memory Orb Cake

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #InsideOutMovieNight #CollectiveBias
Inside Out was a roller coaster of emotions but I loved every second of it. To get our #DisneySide on, we saw Inside Out the day before our vacation to Disney World. Sophie can’t sit through movies at the theater yet, so I was anxiously awaiting it’s release on BluRay + DVD at Target. I wanted her to see this movie now as she’s learning about emotions and how to talk about them, but it will definitely be watched several times throughout her life. Inside Out is a timeless story.

I had to get the movie (and a little Joy figurine for Sophie) the day it came out and was so excited to have a special movie night as a family on Friday. We’ve recently started ‘no tv until the weekend’ and it’s only going to get harder with the cold rainy weather, making last Friday’s movie night that much more special! I also really wanted to have a family movie night because…

We’d finally get to say ‘OK!’ to her when she repeats ‘show?’ for the 10000th time.
I wanted to see what I missed from the first viewing in theaters (you know how you always pick up on more detail the second time?)
I’d seen this polka dot cake on Pinterest, that I hadn’t seen until after Sophie’s birthday, and desperately wanted an excuse to make it. My family was not disappointed.

Movie snacks were a must but I wanted to have an assortment that would make everyone in the family happy. I picked up some trail mix, sweet and salty popcorn, tortilla chia rolled chips and apple juice to go along with the Inside Out Memeory Orb cake. Not surprisingly, Sophie just wanted more cake. Speaking of cake, here’s how you can make it at home:

Inside Out Memory Orb Cake

Ingredients Needed:

2 boxes of white cake mix
Vegetable oil (amount depends on which cake mix you get)
Egg whites (amount depends on which cake mix you get)
Vanilla pudding mix
Cookie spray and flour
Food coloring gel
2 tubs of white frosting
Cake pop mold
3 6″ round pans
Round cereal (or other Memory Orb candies)
Jelly Beans

Mix cake as directed by the box. I made one box as directed but added the vanilla pudding mix for added moisture in the cake pops since they will be baked twice. I waited until the cake pops were baked and cooled before I mixed the second box to insure it would be fresh.

Divide the cake batter into 6 bowls. Using 1/4 tsp of red (Anger), yellow (Joy), green (Disgust), blue (Sadness) and purple (Fear) coloring gel, mix the cake batter well. You will have cake batter left over after filling your cake ball mold. I poured them into cake liners and took them over to a neighbor as a ‘thanks for being cool’ treat. Be sure to follow your cake pop mold’s instructions on greasing. I recommend filling but not overfilling (like I did) the cake pop molds. The less overflow you have, the less you’ll have to trim off once they’re baked. Remember, you want round orbs for your cake.

Joy helped me make sure all the memory orbs were safe before I put them into the oven. After greasing and flouring, I filled each 6″ pan with a small amount of white cake batter and placed the cake pop orbs evenly on top. I filled each of the three pans equally with the cake batter before placing them on a cookie sheet in the oven.

This next part was my favorite part of making this Inside Out Memory Orb cake. I used a knife to level out each cake, revealing the brightly colored orbs. As you may have seen on Twitter, despite using cooking spray and flour on each pan, one still broke in half. Thankfully once it was covered by icing in the end so no one could tell.

I first did a quick crumb coat of icing on the cake and let it sit in the fridge to harden. I followed it up with a thick layer of icing, topping it with memory orbs (Trix cereal) and Joy added an extra layer of her memories along the bottom to make sure we were all super happy to eat this cake.

I have to admit to you, I was extremely nervous to cut the first piece. I knew the orbs were beautiful inside but was worried that they would all be one color (with my luck). Thankfully I got each wonderful emotion in the very first slice.

I would definitely say we each added a yellow orb to our memories after this fun Inside Out Movie Night. Be sure to head out to Target (because I’m pretty sure I don’t have to twist your arm) and pick up a copy of Inside Out on BluRay + DVD. My favorite is always the deleted scenes and bonus features and the extra 20 minutes in Inside Out did not disappoint. For added Inside Out fun, check out Kim’s Inside Out Emotions Game that you can cut out and play along with the movie. Sophie wasn’t quite ready for the dice rolling part but she really liked recognizing and replicating the emotions she made.

You might also like my Movie Night Snack Necklace:

by Shelly on November 4, 2015 12 Comments

Surviving Disney World with a Toddler

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase using links below.
I want to start out by saying how absolutely perfect our trip was and that I wouldn’t change one thing about it. The reason I loved our trip, despite the tears and tantrums, was because I expected the worst. Not to say I was dreading our trip, knowing Sophie might not be her smiling self 100% of the time, but I was prepared for the melt downs. Surviving Disney World with a toddler is easy when you’re prepared to leave a show with a 30min wait time or know that she’ll only eat one bite of her $15 meal.

I may have been, what some say as, over-prepared. Being a Girl Scout and ex-Disney cast member, I had thought of every possible disaster and had a plan to turn our frowns upside down. There were a few key tips that I want to share with you that may not make your vacation bliss, but will help in making it more fun for everyone. The goal is for both parents, siblings and toddlers is to have a magical time during their stay at Disney World!

Surviving Disney World with a Toddler

Hydrate. No matter what time of year you visit Disney World, you’ll need to stay hydrated from the sheer amount of walking. Some people bring filtered water bottles to the parks to re-fill as needed. We chose to carry a Camelbak bladder in a hiking backpack so we would have water any time we needed. Having it easily accessible to Sophie as we waited in lines was perfect. It also saved us money by avoiding sodas and juices in the parks.
Just do it. Go with the flow. If there’s something you think your toddler may or may not like, just try it. Sophie surprised us on the things she liked and didn’t like. For example, we thought she’d love the Festival of the Lion King and Frozen Sing-Along Celebration but both had fog that terrified her. Also, if there are rides they love, let them go multiple times. We did Teacups and Aladdin’s Carpet multiple times, yet she was afraid to go on Dumbo. Our plan was to have three must-do attractions each day and anything else was a bonus. Remember not all fights are worth a tantrum. Sophie wanted to wear her sweatshirt one morning when it was 80 degrees outside. We let her wear it and by the time we got to the parks she was ready to take it off. Our motto was ‘if it doesn’t hurt her, or someone else, let her do it’ (to a degree). She was the star of the show during the Enchanted Tiki Room because she was singing and dancing in the aisle. She wasn’t bothering anyone and it made her (and the rest of the visitors) happy. We went on this trip to see Disney World through her eyes.
Bring your own. I did a lot of research ahead of time regarding bringing our own stroller. I had been wary because Sophie always refuses her stroller, wanting to be independent and walking on her own. We decided to bring it to make the airport experience easier and are so glad we did. Sophie’s City Select Stroller was the perfect stroller to take with us. She loved riding in it because she could climb up on her own and it was comfortable. The stroller was heavy enough to hold our rain cover and our backpack without tipping. We attached a Fetch locator in a discrete location so we would be able to locate our stroller via our phones if it got stolen. I also wanted to make sure we would be able to easily spot it in the line up of identical strollers by tying a tassel of colorful ribbons to the handle. If you’re not comfortable bringing your own stroller, there are several stroller rental places in Orlando that will deliver to your hotel. They’re much easier to manage and more comfortable than the park’s plastic strollers.
Nap. My biggest tip to anyone who asks me for advice on their Disney vacation is to nap, no matter their age. Every trip we’ve taken, we wake up early to be there at park opening, have lunch at the resort, nap or lay by the pool during the hottest part of the day and head back for Extra Magic Hours. Unless you’re used to high sensory during your every day life, you’ll need a break from the sensory overload that the parks bring. If your kids no longer nap, a relaxing walk around your resort, cartoon watching or reading books will help them last until the end of the night without breaking down from exhaustion. If you’re only in the parks a few days and don’t want to take time to nap, plan to do calm rides in the middle of the day such as TTA, Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress or the Monorail.
Embrace the rain. It rains a lot in Orlando. During certain seasons it rains every day at 3 o’clock. The slowest season is hurricane season (for a reason), which is when we always visit. Don’t let the rain stop you from enjoying your time in the happiest place on earth. Bring your own poncho or buy the Mickey Mouse ponchos in the park to keep as souvenirs. If your kids won’t wear their poncho (like mine) it’s warm enough that it’s ok if they’re wet for a little while. I remember going as a kid and loving that it rained because all you saw was a sea of yellow ponchos everywhere! The rain also clears a lot of people out of the parks meaning shorter wait times. If you’re sure you don’t want to get caught in the rain, have a few inside attractions set aside to visit while it rains.

We would love to be able to visit Disney World every year but realistically can not. We will be better prepared for our next trip by learning from our trip this past September. We will probably wait until Star Wars and Pandora construction is done before going next (if I’m able to stand waiting that long). What are your biggest tips when traveling to Disney World with kids?

For more Disney vacation tips, check out my favorite Disney World pins:

by Shelly on November 2, 2015 2 Comments

November Goals

October has blown through our lives like the wind that fall brings. It’s crazy how much we did this past month. I really focused on having fun with Sophie and making sure to spend more time with friends and family. We’re still doing nightly projects on the house but there is a lot more ‘fun’ time scheduled in. Unfortunately, we’re ramping up to do a few big house projects before winter (and snow) comes. Hopefully having these November goals written out will help keep me on track because I know this and next month will be pretty anxiety inducing.

On that note, let’s check to see how flexible I’ll have to be with my November goals by looking back on my October goals (or as I like to call them ‘accomplishments’.)

We did well on our family goals for October. Like I said, my focus was Sophie, so we got a play area set up for her in the basement since the weather is starting to get rainy. We did not do well at getting her bedtime routine set. I could blame it on a number of events we did but in reality, it’s all on us to make sure we’re home to give her the routine she thrives on. We’re running into her having a hard time waking up in the mornings and refusing school again so bedtime routine will be a must this month. We did not go to a pumpkin patch but Soph went with me to pick out her pumpkin and we carved them as a cat and Frankenstein. We also went to several local Halloween attractions like The Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie, The Children’s Museum and Octoboo Trick or Treating at the Hamilton East County Library.

I only accomplished 50% of my life goals this past month. We got the bathroom painted with help from my sister and got the shelves up in the master closet this past weekend. We were able to visit both sides of our family for lots of Birthday celebrating, however, I did not work out 5 days/week and we only did Whole15. The good news is that I’m now in PT for my shoulder and neck so I will be able to do more regular workouts (and vacuum the house!) I rocked my blog goals and completed all three! I did several paid posts, wrote both Sophie’s Birthday party post and a Disney post (coming this week) and finished our final book for Page Turners, George.

We have had a wonderful start to the fall season. During Sophie’s fall break we were able to visit with lots of friends and family and really spent quality time with everyone (without a ton on the agenda). She seems to really like fall and all the activities that come with it (other than the rain because she can’t go to the park every day). Now for my November goals.

November Goals:

Family:

Focus on Sophie’s bedtime routine
Start swim lessons
Meet up with another mom or mom’s group

Life:

Do one personal organizing session
Read 4 nights/week
Build a shed

Blog:

Post three times/week
Use hashtags more effectively on Instagram (higher likes)
Schedule content a month out

I’m excited but also nervous for November and December. I like having a few things on the calendar but it’s already looking quite full. One day at a time. By the way, what is one of your biggest goals for November? Please share it with me. I’d love to have an accountability buddy.

By the way, if you’re liking my photos, you can follow along with what we’re up to on my Instagram page:

by Shelly on October 5, 2015 4 Comments

October Goals

I’ve come to the realization that things may not slow down in my life until my kids have graduated High School. Monthly goals are an important part of my mental stability in keeping my priorities in order through the madness that is the 21st century. The most important thing to remember when goal setting is to know that it will be alright if each goal is not fully complete by the end of the month. To be flexible in goal setting is the key to not feeling stressed or frustrated with your accomplishments. If you don’t accomplish one of your goals, it’s no problem, if it is still an important task simply push the date back. It does no good to get down on yourself for not accomplishing goals.

On that note, let’s check to see how flexible I’ll have to be with my October goals by looking back on my September goals (or as I like to call them ‘accomplishments’.) By the way, September rocked in all areas of my life.

We started Sophie in an all day Montessori school just a block from our home. The transition has been rough for all of us. There are tears every morning but each day is a little bit less of a struggle. She loves being at school once she’s there but leaving me is really tough on her (and me!) Sophie and I had many mini Mommy/Daughter dates after school. I was sure to focus entirely on her after school rather than cleaning the kitchen or running errands. We’re on a great track to making our home Montessori friendly with adding low tables/chairs, hooks and a spot for all of Sophie’s belongings that she can easily access.

We also are on a roll with potty training. I know that things can digress after a while but as of now she is doing a wonderful job and is very excited about being more independent. We got two more rooms of our home painted and I was able to work out at least 4 times per week. I also accomplished most of my blog goals. I was able to join another Pin 70 group although I’m not seeing much of an increase in numbers this time. I got one recipe post up on the blog and have another that will be coming out soon. I talked to my blogging buddy Misty about some ideas on social media and was re-inspired with writing.

We had the best family vacation in Disney World (of which I’ll post about soon) as well as a date night out celebrating our 5 year anniversary with dinner and Inside Out. We had some fun fall adventures including apple picking and a bon fire at my sister’s and a cook out with Jeffrey’s new job. I’m excited about the month ahead with lots of Birthday’s (Sophie turned 2 today!), fall break and Halloween! Now for my October goals.

October Goals:

Family:

Get a play/craft area set up for Sophie in the basement
Focus on bedtime routine for more successful sleep
Go to a pumpkin patch

Life:

Finish bathroom closet and paint master bath
Visit both sides of the family
Work out 5 days/week & Whole30

Blog:

Complete shopportunity
Write one party post and one Disney post
Read final Page Turners book

I’m excited for October and the change in seasons (despite it being dark sooner.) I’d love to know if you make goals. How do you keep track of them? A running list, post-its, an app on your phone or do you just remember everything? What is one of your biggest goals for October?

By the way, if you’re liking my photos, you can follow along with what we’re up to on my Instagram page:

by Shelly on September 18, 2015 2 Comments

September Goals

The date on my phone says September 18th too, don’t worry, I’m a little behind. That’s just how things go sometimes! I didn’t want to skip over making goals this month because there are still things I want to work towards these next couple of weeks. Because I started late, my September goals will be a bit lighter.

Before jumping into September’s goals, let’s take a look back to see how I did on August’s goals. (To be honest, I did not look at them once this past month. With the move transition, my focus was getting our home in order and spending quality time with Sophie, making sure her transition was as smooth as it could be.

Jeffrey and I went on a couple dates in August, including GenCon where I dressed up in steampunk attire! I highly recommend GenCon if you’re near the Indy area and like board games. I also took Sophie to several different Indianapolis attractions. Her favorite is Conner Prairie due to her love of goats. As far as completing her room, we are far from that goal, but her uncle painted her room white while we were gone on vacation and I’m slowly decorating her space to feel like her own. My life goals were not as successful as we did not get everything unpacked, however, all of the important things are unpacked so we feel much more stable. All of our accounts have all been switched over and we’ve had two rooms painted!

Unfortunately, despite applying for multiple shopportunities, I was not accepted. I’m stuck on whether I should pursue Collective Bias as a partner or try someone else. I skimmed the Princess Bride for book club because I’d read it within the past year. I was able to post at least once per week through August. I put forth a lot of effort to keep up with posting through the move.

September Goals:

Family:

Start Sophie at a local Montessori School
Have a Mommy/Daughter date
Make home more montessori friendly

Life:

Start potty training
Paint 2 more rooms
Work out 5 days/week

Blog:

Join another Pin70 (Facebook group for Pinterest)
Write one recipe post
Talk to Misty and start a monthly game plan

Have you had those kind of months where you’re just catching up half way through? Any tips on transitioning a toddler through a movie and starting school at the same time? The tantrums have been rolling in! What better time to also introduce potty training?

Inside Out Memory Orb Cake

Inside Out Memory Orb Cake

Surviving Disney World with a Toddler

Surviving Disney World with a Toddler

November Goals

November Goals:

October Goals

October Goals:

September Goals

Life Planner

Preschool Montessori Bedroom

7 Tips to Make your Road Trip to Disney Magical