My Product Review of the Rubbermaid LunchBlox

Posted on 26 August, 2015 by admin

I was both excited and nervous about my baby girl heading off to Kindergarten. There are way too many reasons to name. But, 1 BIG reason was that she has numerous food allergies, and can never be without her EpiPen. We have known about all of her allergies for years, and she knows what she can and can not eat. But, I couldn’t help but worry about her eating something that was on her NO GO List. In addition to that she is a Picky Picky Eater. As any parent who has a picky eater knows, having a child with these kind of issues can make things difficult, and, can turn you into a short order cook. There is very rarely anything that she always loves and she tires of food easily.

So of course, my first thought was what am I going to feed her. I went to favorite spot for ideas. You guessed it Pinterest using this Search. I knew that she needed variety, just to ensure that she was eating enough to be productive during the school day. My next thought was the Bento Box (pictured here). There were so many different kinds to choose from, and many different price ranges too. I had pretty much settled on them.

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But, then …. on my weekly Grocery Shopping Trip, I ran across the Rubbermaid LunchBlox for Tall Lunch Bags. This set up was perfect for us because of the the Tall Hello Kitty Lunch Bag, that we had already purchase for our little one. And…. it happened to be on SALE, another plus. We started trying it out, the week before school started just to see what could fit in it. Since she most likely would not be eating the school lunch for fear of an allergy mix up, I wanted to make sure that her lunch would be something that she would enjoy. I did not want her to feel like she was missing out.

First, I wanted to make sure that she could open it by herself. ☑

Second, I wanted to make sure that we could keep her fruits, veggies and drinks cold.☑

Third, I wanted to make sure that the ice pack that came with the bag wouldn’t melt through out the day and make a mess. ☑

The Rubbermaid LunchBlox passed all my tests, plus it’s Microwave Safe, Dishwasher Safe, Freezer Safe and BPA Free, as listed on their website here.

It’s no Easy Feat to please this Mommy. So this product gets the Stage Present’s Stamp of Approval.

All That Glitters – Don’t Call It A Comeback

Posted on 24 August, 2015 by admin

There was a time when Decorating with Gold symbolized wealth and power, especially during the Roaring 20’s and the Old Hollywood era (as pictured below). But, as time went on people began to shy away from such grandeur and even considered it to be pompous and showy. But, in recent years, and the reintroduction of “Bling”, Gold has made quite the comeback in the Interior Design/Home Decor Scene. Homes aren’t draped in Gold as they once were. But, incorporating this precious metal still demands attention and provides a regal and timeless feel to any given space.

Decorating With Gold - great gatsby movie set design - jay gatsby mansion ballroom

Pictured Here in the Great Gatsby Movie Set Design

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As is the case with adding pops of color, adding Gold Accessories to your room can transform an otherwise calm, or muted space into a rich conversation piece. I have always been a fan of dark walls, but add a large ornate gold mirror to this room and it goes from masculine and a little cold, to stately and stylish.

Decorating with a Gold Mirror On Black Walls

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Aside from the fact that curtains provide us with privacy and shield us from the sun, they are also the final piece to any room. The piece that ties in all the furniture, all the accents, and gives it a completed look. One of the benefits of choosing curtains with Gold in them is that they can be paired with so many different color palettes, giving you a broad spectrum from which to choose. Color Scheme References Shown Below.

Crate and Barrel Bold Ivory & Gold Aston Curtains

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Gold Color Schemes

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Accent Pieces are those pieces of furniture that you don’t necessarily need, but you just have to have it. It adds definition and personality to your room. It could be a throw pillow, a picture, a vase, a dough bowl, and the list could go on and on…

Gold Accessories from Our Etsy Store

The items above are all available for purchase in Our Etsy Store.

Many people choose to update their space as the seasons change. And, with the end of summer almost here and fall quickly approaching, gold is the perfect accent color to add into the mix. Have you jumped on the gold band wagon yet?

Three…. Two…. One …..

Posted on 21 August, 2015 by admin

Today is the Start of a New Series that we will be featuring every Friday right here. Three Blogs Two Faves One Freebie.

Three Blogs:

Photo Sources (Associated by Numbers)

1. The Lettered Cottage

2. Tiffani Thiessen

3. Knock Off Decor

Two Faves:

Photo Sources (Associated by Numbers)

KeySmart 2.0

Mochi Things Large Better Together Sailor Pattern Pouch

One Freebie:

The Little Frog – To Download – Follow the Link – Right Click – Save and Print

Have an Awesome Weekend!!

My Product Review of the Keurig 2.0 Brewing System

Posted on 20 August, 2015 by admin

Almost as important as all the supplies that I had to purchase for back to school, is the fuel I need to start my day. Now that the girls are a little bit older, I managed to get to sleep in several mornings during the summer. My body quickly adjusted to the down time. Getting back on track and used to getting up by 7am has been, dare I say challenging. But, with no other choice I drag myself from the bed every morning. And, run straight to the Coffee.

[Enter the Keurig 2.0.] Over the summer our house got hit by lightning and it fried our Keurig. Coffee is a HUGE part of my day. So you can imagine my dismay when I went to brew my coffee and realized that is was NO BUENO. Ugh!! My warranty was up, and I was hesitant to call Keurig. But, I thought maybe they could walk me through troubleshooting and or help me to reset it. The customer service rep was very pleasant and quickly pulled up my info and confirmed that my warranty had indeed expired. BUT….. She was willing to honor it anyway. (You can imagine me doing the Tootsie Roll, Cabbage Patch or whatever old.. dance you can think of here.) I expected her to say send it back and they would repair it or replace my existing model. NOPE… Boy, was I wrong. Instead she told me that they would be upgrading me to the Keurig 2.0 K350 Brewing System. I was super excited. And, got off the phone pleased.

But, then I remembered that I had actually looked into this model and that there had been a lot of chatter about it. I wont say that the chatter deterred me from purchasing it, as it was on My Later Wish List. But, it did give me pause. However, I certainly wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. My box came in the mail about three days later.(Fast Turn Around) The Keurig 2.0 comes with a Keurig Carafe, 6 K-Cup Packs, 6 Carafe Packs and a Water Filer Handle and Cartridge.

So, here’s my review: I actually have nothing bad to say about this model. It’s touch screen. It holds more water than the previous model. It can make a cup of a whole carafe. I never had use for the whole pot, but I imagine if I ever have overnight guests this would come in handy. Most people thought that they would not be able to use other brands of coffee since it had to have the official Keurig logo. Fact is that most brands carry the Keurig logo. I drink Foldger’s Black Silk. I haven’t found the K-Cups to be anymore expensive. They have an additional 8 K-cups in the package, so naturally it cost more but it balances out. You have more choices in how you want your coffee to brew, Strength, Size of Cups (4oz-10oz), or Carafe. You also have more choices as far as Set Up. You can choose your language, whether or not you want to keep it in Energy Saving Mode, your altitude, and even set a Water Filter Reminder.

If you are considering upgrading this Model gets the Stage Presents Stamp of Approval. For more information on this model, check it out here. Is Coffee an important part of your day too? Check out this My Blood Type is Coffee Print – Available for Instant Download in Our Etsy Store.

This is not a Sponsored Post and the Opinions contained herein are all my own.

#freebiefriday Mom We’re Out of … Shopping List

Posted on 14 August, 2015 by admin

Are you tired of going to the Refrigerator or Pantry and realizing that you are out of ……? It can’t be all that difficult for your family to tell you when they have finished the last of whatever it is. But, somehow it still keeps happening. If this scenario sounds familiar today’s #freebiefriday is for you. Download your FREE Mom We’re Out Of Shopping List here 5×7 or 8×10.

Happy Friday!! Enjoy The Weekend.

Polka Dots …. not just for kids (Trend Alert)

Posted on 12 August, 2015 by admin

From the moment that Mom and Dad introduced me to Mickey and Minnie, Polka Dots became a big part of my life. As I matured I started to think of polka dots as being juvenile. But, over the years they have become almost as main stream as stripes. I see Polka Dots everywhere now, and I must say it thrills me. To me, they give things a classic yet playful feel, no matter what room they are in. And, if you happen to be a Kate Spade New York fan like me, you know that she throws Polka Dots around like Confetti, which is A-OK with me.

Photo Credit: In Clickable Links Below (a-d)

Polka Dots can be used to add character and personality to every room from the Bathroom to the Kitchen. You will find them in pretty much everything Home Decor Related. They can be used as a way to add pattern, texture, and color to an otherwise neutral space. With the start of the Fall Semester being around the corner, Polka Dots are a definitely on trend in dorm decor. When you have a limited amount of space, or when you are renting and don’t want to make any real changes to the property it is a way to incorporate your style into your space.

Here are some of examples:

a. PBTowels – Dottie Bath Towel

b. Anthropologie – Colossal Dots Curtain

c. Kate Spade NY – Larabee Road Collection

d. Six2Eleven.net- Graham’s Gender Neutral Nursery

I am sure you could find some Polka Dots strewn around my home, and even in my Etsy Store(pictured below)

Do you use Polka Dots to decorate your home? What is your favorite Polka Dot piece? Consider telling us all about it in the comment section below.

Conquering Day One – First Day of School 2015-2016

Posted on 11 August, 2015 by admin

You would think that as a VETERAN PARENT, (meaning I have a 19 year old son), that the First Day of School wouldn’t be so daunting for me. But, every year I get anxiety and don’t get much sleep for the days leading up to it. This year was probably a little worst than the past years, because it was my baby’s First Day of Kindergarten. I kept watching her all morning to see signs of fear, but it wasn’t until we were already in the classroom that she showed her hand. I could see the tears right on the brink, and as I put my hand on her little chest in an attempt to calm her, I could feel her heart beating soo fast. For a moment, I wanted to grab her hand and run down the length of the hallway, throw her in the car and take her home with me, where I knew she would be safe. But, I steadied myself and diverted my eyes, so as not to burst into tears myself. Lucky for me, hubby took the day off to go with, and he was his usual Cool as a Cucumber self. After I dropped her off, I walked my oldest daughter to her fifth grade class with her supplies. Shes an old pro, so she was fine. Then, I immediately doubled back to check on baby girl, and even though she was a bit withdrawn and quiet, she was ok. The hours seemed to creep by today. I kept looking at my phone and my watch, even though I am not sure why. She made it through the day, and rode the bus home with her sister, as if she had been doing this all her life. So, I suppose all is well that ends well. There’s something about your last baby. It makes the firsts also the lasts, and, I suppose that can be a little somber. Now, that we have gotten past that part, I pray that the girls both have an amazing year, and wish the same for you and your little people. Let’s Get It!!

Looking for some tips on How to Talk to Your Kids About School check out this great blog on Scholastic.com. First Days are always filled with lots of emotion, consider sharing your first day stories with us in the comments below.

It’s #freebiefriday!!

Posted on 7 August, 2015 by admin

I have spent all week getting everything in order for the First Day of School on Monday. So, I am officially pooped. But, I still manged to squeeze in (2) Printables for Freebie Friday.

Hello Printable

Capture the Moments Printable

For Personal Use Only. Do not Alter or Redistribute on Any Other Sites.

To Download > Follow the Link – Right Click – Save As – Print. They can be used ANYWHERE. But, with the start of the Fall Semester Approaching for most colleges, I thought these would be cute, framed somewhere in a Dorm Room, or a Teen/Tween Bedroom. If you choose to print and display these, consider showing us where these landed by tagging us on Instagram @stagepresents.

First Day of School Instagram Printables

Posted on 5 August, 2015 by admin

In our house, the first day of school is a big deal. So each year I try to come up with fun ways to commemorate the end of summer and kick off the school year. As the kids get older, it gets harder to come up with new and innovative things we can do together and enjoy. But lucky for me, my girls share in my love of Scrap booking and Creating Photo Books. My kids enjoy scrolling through my Instagram Feed, but they are too young to have a page of their own. So, I came up with this fun Instagram Printable that I knew they would love. It was something that they could “make their own” by adding their own words and choosing a picture and then we could add it to our Yearly Family Photo Book. You can read more about this here.

Since we enjoyed it so much, I thought I would share Our Free Editable Instagram First Day of School Printable with all you Scrap booking and Shutterbug Moms, or anyone who just wants a keepsake to remember this Special Day. And, the best part is that you don’t need any fancy Photo Editing Software, you can edit it in Microsoft Word. But, feel free to edit it in ANY Software you choose.

Here’s What You Will Need:

Some of Your Own Creativity

Your Computer

Printer

Scissors

Scrap Booking Background Pages (Optional)

Embellishments (Optional)

It’s Super Easy!! Download Your Template Here. Open Your Document. Personalize your text. Add a 4×6 Picture. Fit Picture to the Available Space and Save. Print and Voila you have a Keepsake to Remember.

There are always a host of emotions that come with the first day of school, some good, some not so good. I think I probably think about it a lot more than the kids do. They are just excited to wear their new clothes and see their friends. Here’s to a GREAT 2015-2016 School Year.

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“You’re Off To Great Places. Today is Your Day. Your Mountain is Waiting, So Get On Your Way.” – Dr. Seuss

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