It’s Almost National Learn to Swim Day!

May 14, 2013 By 1 Comment

Today, when Justin got home from work, he immediately turned down the air conditioning, took off his overshirt &grabbed a large glass of water. He told me that on the way home, his car’s temperature gauge said it was 104 degrees outside. In mid-May.

Summer is upon us & with Memorial Day only a couple of weeks away, it’s almost “official”! Before the 3-day weekend & BBQ’s though, there’s a lesser-known holiday that I’m excited for- National Learn to Swim Day!

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This Saturday, May 18th, is the big day. On this day, Swimways encourages families to sign their kids up for swimming lessons, hosting a National Learn to Swim Day event or just by committing to learning to swim this summer. We don’t quite have access to a pool yet, so we’ll be celebrating in spirit & will be working on the cute coloring sheets that Swimways has made!

All summer long, Swimways will be working with Mario Vittone, former Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer and instructor and water safety expert, to bring expert water safety tips to Swim Steps’ dedicated website TeachMeToSwim.com. In addition to these tips, families can download free materials and resources on the site, including a swimming certificate, National Learn to Swim Day party invitation, coloring sheets and more.

Last week, my Mother-in-Law & I went to Toys R Us with Shane to let him pick out some pool toys.  He’s already excited about swimming & has been for over a month but now that he has those toys he can’t wait to get in the pool! If you’re looking for some new swimming gear or pool toys, be sure to download the Swimways coupon for $5 off!

How will you be celebrating National Learn to Swim Day?


Note: I am a Swimways ambassador & will be receiving tools this summer to help me teach my son to swim. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: ambassador, Summer Tagged With: , , , ,

Getting Ready to Kick Off the Summer!

May 2, 2013 By 32 Comments

It’s starting to heat up here in Vegas- it’s been in the 70’s & 80’s for the last few weeks & it’s supposed to hit the 90’s next week! Naturally, that means I’ve been begging my In-Laws to heat up their pool so we can come over for a swim!

You may remember that I have a mission this summer: to teach Shane to swim. He is so excited to learn & asks almost every day if the pool is ready yet- especially since we got a box of goodies from Swimways last week!

Swimways Swim Vest

Swimways has a Swim Steps system & each of their products corresponds with a level of swimming ability. Step 1 is Water Introduction, when baby can’t quite learn to swim and is just getting used to the water. Step 2 is Water Exploration, where toddlers and young children can learn to balance and paddle. Step 3 is Swim Training, where kids can really learn to swim.

Shane is currently in the second step, where he knows basic kicking but is still working on swimming. But with the help of his new Swim Vest & Swim Sweater, I know he’ll be learning the rest in no time.

Swim Sweater

Swimways Swim Sweater

-Stable, circular torso design rides high on child’s chest for extra stability.
-Sun sleeves add extra sun protection.
-Helps kids learn to paddle and balance in the pool – important pre-swimming skills.
-Great for use during potty training.
-Assorted colors to choose from.

swim vest

Swimways Swim Vest

-Sturdy foam inserts provide balanced flotation.
-Front zipper with safety closure for easy on and off.
-Sleeves offer added sun protection.
-Available in a variety of contemporary designs and stylish colors.

Shane loves both of them because we happened to get them in his favorite color {green} & I love that they are not only very durable products, but add extra sun protection. The water in the pool is still a bit too cold to test these out first hand, but we’ll be putting them to good use in just a few short weeks!

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In fact, we’ll definitely be getting in the pool on May 18th, which is National Learn to Swim Day! I’ll be sharing more about this special day & what you can do to celebrate soon so keep an eye out. In the meantime, we are digging out our sunscreen, pool toys & bathing suits and gearing up to start swimming!

How did you teach your kids how to swim?

Note: I was given the swim products listed above to facilitate this feature. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: ambassador, reviews, Summer Tagged With: , , , ,

Be Summer Smart with GrUVyWear!

July 1, 2012 By 5 Comments

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot outside. A lot of the country is facing heat waves & some cities are even reaching record highs. We haven’t had a day below 100 degrees in weeks &it doesn’t look like we’ll have any in the near future. So we have been keeping cool by staying wet!

Whether we’re hitting my in-law’s pool or running through a splash pad, Shane’s been in the water a lot lately. But being outside in the middle of summer comes with the risk of too much sun exposure. So in addition to using sun screen, we’ve added a UV protective outfit from GrUVyWear to help block out 97.5% of the sun’s harmful rays.

Shane in grUVywear

Before we got the outfit, I would put sunscreen on Shane & then just put a t-shirt & traditional swim shorts on him. But did you know that the average t-shirt only has an SPF of 7? &Even worse, when that t-shirt gets wet, that SPF drops down to only 2. The GrUVyWear outfit Shane now wears has an SPF of 50+. That’s a HUGE difference.

Playing in grUVywear

I love the outfit because it’s comfortable & he can move easily in it, which makes it ideal not only for running around the splash pad or kicking in the pool but also just general play!

Running in grUVywear

The outfit is made of a lycra nylon blend that dries really fast, so he was able to play on the equipment minutes after getting wet without the outfit sticking to him or skidding on the slide. &It didn’t soak through my car seat on the way home, which was a big plus.

Running in the splash pad

GrUVyWear has a lot of cute options- they have solid shirts & bottoms like Shane has, print shirts and bottoms and even ones with rhinestones & decals! I like Shane’s plain one for now because his tastes change every day, but they have something for any kid’s personality!

Toddler wearing grUVywear

I was very impressed with the outfit we received. It’s very durable & I know that it will last until Shane outgrows it {and probably longer}. &It fills a need that we definitely had before without sacrificing his comfort or interfereing with his play. I highly recommend GrUVyWear UV Wear to anyone who spends time in the sun!

Buy It: You can find GrUVyWear outfits for everyone in the family- even baby & the grown-ups! Purchase it from their website and use code SAVE1545 through July 15, 2012 to save 15%!

Note: I received a complimentary outfit from GrUVyWear in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: kids, reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Summer Entertaining Tips from Chef Stephen Kalil & Chef Jody Denton!

May 28, 2012 By 6 Comments

Well, today is Memorial Day, which is the unofficial kick off to Summer! So today, I wanted to share with you an interview with Chef Stephen Kalil & Chef Jody Denton, corporate chefs for Frito Lay, straight from the Frito Lay Flavor Kitchen!

The questions discussed are:

-While I spend countless hours thinking about the details of a party, I always feel like I am working up until the minute the guests arrive. Do you have any advice for making party prep easier?

-Where do you get your inspiration for the recipes & flavors you come up with?

-What is your go-to advice for picky guests?

&Here are the yummy recipes they shared in the video!

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Ruffles® Potato Chip Stuffed Gorgonzola Bacon Slider Burgers

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs 80/20 ground chuck
  • ½ lb gorgonzola cheese
  • 16 potato rolls
  • 16 slides thick bacon, cooked
  • 2 red onions, sliced ¼” think
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bag Ruffles® Loaded Bacon & Cheddar Potato Skins flavored potato chips

Directions

  1. Divide the ground beef into 32 one ounce balls.
  2. Flatten the meat balls between two pieces of plastic wrap into 2 1/2 to 3 inch thin rounds.
  3. Divide the gorgonzola into the center of half of the burger rounds, then place another round on top and press down evenly to form the slider burgers.
  4. Toss the sliced red onions with the vinegar, oil and a little salt and pepper and place on a hot grill for about 3 or 4 minutes, then turn over and cook 3 or 4 minutes more. Remove from the grill and set aside.
  5. Season each slider patty with salt and pepper and place on the grill for about 5 minutes, then flip over and grill 3 or 4 minutes more.
  6. Split and toast the potato rolls and spread with your favorite burger condiments, place one patty on the bottom bun, then top with bacon and a few Ruffles® chips and cap with the top bun and serve.
http://www.notquitesusie.com/2012/05/summer-entertaining-tips-from-chef-stephen-kalil-chef-jody-denton.html

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Five Finger Shrimp Ceviche

Ingredients

  • 1 15.5 oz jar of Tostitos® All Natural Chunky Salsa
  • ½ cup cucumber (peeled, seeded and diced in ¼” pieces)
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1 cup shrimp (cooked, peeled, diced into bite-size pieces)

Directions

  1. Pour the contents of one 15.5 oz. jar of Tostitos® All Natural Chunky Salsa into a large bowl
  2. Add in 1 cup of cooked, peeled and diced shrimp
  3. Add in ½ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced into ¼” pieces
  4. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime
  5. Fold in 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
  6. Mix contents and transfer to serving bowl(s)
http://www.notquitesusie.com/2012/05/summer-entertaining-tips-from-chef-stephen-kalil-chef-jody-denton.html

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Five Finger Sushi Ranch

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz. jar of Lay’s® Smooth Ranch dip
  • 2 tbsp minced pickled ginger
  • 1 tbsp wasabi paste
  • 1 tsp finely-minced toasted seaweed
  • 1 tsp soy sauce

Directions

  1. Pour the contents of one 15 oz. jar of Lay’s® Smooth Ranch dip into a large bowl
  2. Add in the pickled ginger, wasabi paste and toasted seaweed
  3. Stir in the soy sauce
  4. Mix contents and transfer to serving bowl(s)
http://www.notquitesusie.com/2012/05/summer-entertaining-tips-from-chef-stephen-kalil-chef-jody-denton.html

{A special thank you to the Chefs for taking the time to answer my questions!}

What are your Summer Entertaining tips?

Susie’s Note: I was sent samples as a thank you for conducting this interview. All experiences are authentic & all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: food, holidays, recipes, Summer Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Update Your Décor with #KmartOutdoor!

May 21, 2012 By 12 Comments

I’ve caught the redecorating bug. Bad. I have plans to do Shane’s bathroom and well, ALL of the bedrooms, but since I’m having my parents & my in-laws over for a BBQ this weekend, I decided to start with the back patio! We’ve never really done anything to decorate it- we just had old furniture & nothing else. I wanted to get a few items to really spruce the area up but didn’t want to spend too much, so we headed to Kmart!

First I visited Kmart online to get a preview of their selection, but once I saw how much stuff they had that I was absolutely in love with, I knew I was better off going to the store to buy it because otherwise I’d go a little overboard!

Kmart always has great deals & I love their décor! &They had SO much stuff for the patio, it was hard to narrow it down!

I was totally tempted to get this to pay homage to The Bloggess- a metal chicken!

&They had LOTS of other stuff- &almost all of it was on sale! {You can check out the rest of my shop on Google+!}

In the end, instead of doing something big {we DO need a new patio set}, we just got some little items that make a difference! We went from having literally nothing but the table & chairs to having:

A cute {and efficient} citronella candle…

This to-die-for pillow: Seriously, I want matching ones for the living room couch!

A squirrel friend, which I HAD to have since I love squirrels & we don’t have any in Vegas…

Four Tiki torches that Justin wanted that I have to admit look WAY better than I expected!

An adorable chair that’s just the right size for Shane…

&These string lights that I am incapable of hanging myself but that Justin didn’t want to hang up last night, so, well, there ya go.

All in all, I got all of this for $100! &I saved a lot, too:

Now I’m excited to have my parents & in-laws over to check out our new décor! It’s definitely inspired me to have some BBQ’s at our house this Summer! &We were checking out patio sets while we were at Kmart and they were so reasonably priced, I get the feeling we’ll be making a trip back there before the Summer is over!

If you’re looking to update your patio or pool area, check out all of the great deals at Kmart this week:

  • 5% Off Layaway purchases valid through 5/26/12
  • 15% off all patio cushions and umbrellas
  • Decorative Planters sale for $19.99 each, regularly $29.99
  • Hanging basket plant stand sale for $14.99, regularly $24.99
  • Earn bonus points and save with Kmart Shop Your Way Rewards. Membership is Free
  • All Kmart grills, patio furniture and outdoor decor on sale
  • 15% off all folding lawn furniture
  • Use your qualifying Sears card and save 5% or pay no interest for 12 months on any grills or patio furniture over $299
  • Lock in today’s low prices for all of your upcoming events with Kmart layaway

 {&Be sure to check out Kmart on Twitter & Facebook, Follow the Shop Your Way Rewards program on Twitter, and view the Kmart Weekly Deals to get even more for less!}

What’s on your outdoor makeover wishlist?

Susie’s Note: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric All experiences are authentic & all opinions are my own.

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