Tuesday, February 22, 2011

February 25th Giveaway Contest Now Closed!

This Giveaway now has a winner, but don't worry, there's more to come!

A Giraffe Tag Blanket from




The tag blanket offered is very similar to the one above and comes with 10 matching tags, the reverse side is a very soft light brown minky. The top giraffe pattern fabric is made with poly fleece. The tag blanket measures 8.5" x 6" (not including tags).



These OH SO SOFT Blankets are the perfect gift for that new little miracle. Surprise any New Mommy with a customized tag baby blanket with baby's name in your choice of Minky colors (found at Blue Zoo Baby Boutique). Tag blankets are the perfect gift for toddlers to! Or maybe you know of a special autistic child that would love to fiddle with the tags while they cuddle with the blanket. No matter who you give it to, it will be a very treasured item...so much so, you might want to get 2. One for home & one to keep at preschool, Daycare or Grandma & Grandpa's house.


Tag Blankets are Machine Washable in Cold Water, Hang to Dry. Hand washing is recommended.


If you would like to enter this contest, please visit Blue Zoo Baby Boutique and post a comment below about this or another product and become a follower to this blog. (Contest is now closed).

Good luck!!


Congratulations Dawnmarie Huerta !!! Your are Fridays Contest Giveaway Winner!!





Monday, February 21, 2011

Car Seat Recall Notice!!

Recall issued by Health Canada: February 15, 2011

Full Product Description:

This recall involves certain Cosco, Safety 1st, Eddie Bauer, Schwinn and Maxi-Cosi branded child restraints manufactured from May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009. Some of the recalled child restraints were sold as part of a travel system, which includes a stroller, an infant car seat/carrier, and a car seat base. The stroller portion is not affected by this recall.The model number and date code can be found on a label on the back or the side of the child restraint. The following brands and model numbers are included in this recall.

Please visit the Health Canada Website to see a listing of Brands and Manufacturer's Numbers, steps to follow and for more information:

http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1271


Hazard Identified:

The harness adjustment strap can become loose during normal use. If the harness system loosens, the child or infant may not be fully protected in a motor vehicle collision. This could lead to serious injury. Transport Canada has received 10 complaints where the design's harness system would loosen during normal use, with no reported injuries.Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents or injuries to Canadians as related to the use of these car seats.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Beef Stew with Dumplings



Beef Stew with Dumplings

1 1/2lbs Stew beef cubed (if it's on sale I will use sirloin tip)
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
3 Cups Water
1 Can Beef Gravy (this is optional, but it sure adds alot of flavor, my kids love it)
1 Beef Bouillon cube
1/2 Sweet onion diced
6-8 Potatoes (I use russet and if it's just me & my dh eating I will leave the skin on)
3-4 Carrots
1/2 Cup of butter
3 Garlic Cloves
1 Bay Leaf


Dreading Mix:

1/2 Cup Flour
Pinch of Pepper
Pinch of Salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Salt
Pinch of Oregano


Directions:

1) Mix flour, pepper, salt, garlic salt & oregano to make dreading coating. Roll cubed beef in dread mix. Brown in skillet.

2) In large pot, combine 1/2 of beef mixture with 3 cups water, onion, garlic, bay leaf & bouillon cube. Simmer for 10 minutes, use this time to peel potatoes and carrots.

3) After peeling potatoes, cut into quarters and sit them in a large bowl of water so they retain their color.

4) Add remaining uncooked beef and cubed potatoes to stew pot, cook on med/low heat (light boil) for 10 minutes.


5) Peel carrots and cut into 3/4" sections, leaving the smaller end pieces slightly larger for a more uniform cook.

6) Stews can burn fast, so watch your water content in the pot, if you see it getting low add another 1/2 cup of water and keep adding 1/2 cup until liquid covers at least 1/2 the stew. Now is the time to add the optional can of beef gravy and/or bouillon cube.

5) Add carrots and cook another 20 minutes. Now start your dumplings following the recipe below.

6) Once dumplings are mixed add them by the spoonful and sit them on top of the stew (DO NOT MIX IN), cover pot with lid and let cook (simmer) a remaining 10 minutes. Check to see if dumplings are fully cooked by cutting one open. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley and serve.


Easy Dumpling Recipe

2 Cups of White Flour
4 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
Pinch of Pepper
Pinch of Garlic Powder
4 Tbsp Soft Butter or Margarine (room temperature)
1 Cup of Milk

Pinch of Parsley

Directions:

1) Mix flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl.

2) Cut in soft butter OR margarine.

3) Stir milk into flour mixture.




4) Bring stew mixture to a gentle simmer, do not let it get to a rapid boil.

5) Drop dumpling dough the size of a tablespoon onto stew. Cover pot with lid so that dumplings can steam. Dumplings will puff up as they cook.




6) After cooking for 10 minutes, check to see if dumplings are cooked inside. They should be moist but not doughy. If they are still doughy, cook another 5 minutes, keep an eye on the liquid content of your stew to make sure it does not burn. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.





YUM!

YUM!

THINGS TO DO IN BC

Visiting Beacon Hill Park in Victoria, is a must if you ever come to British Columbia. There's so much for the kids to see and do. One of the main attractions is the Beacon Hill Children's Farm, run by some fantastic volunteers. Admission is by donation and proceeds go directly to help care for the animals. I'm not really a big fan of Zoo's, but will endorse this one because I believe the animals are treated well here and it gives school groups an opportunity to learn about various animals. The main feature to this farm is the goat petting area, children have the chance to pet & brush the goats and you may get a glimpse of some new baby goats.






Here is a list of some of the animals you may see at the farm:

Alpacas
African Pygmy Goats
Pot Bellied Pigs
Ducks
Rabbits
Peacocks
Mice
Donkeys
Finch (kept in an estuary)
Guinea Pigs
Chickens
Miniature Horses
Shetland Sheep
And a few cats if you can spot them.




Here is my son and his new buddy trying to figure out what's going on in the Donkey section, how cute!






This Peacock finally decided to show off it's beautiful tail, the colors are spectacular!






Taking a little break from all the excitement.




First thing every morning during the spring and summer months, you can be part of the 'Goat Run'. The goats are let out of their evening sleeping area and stampede through the farm to the goat pen. If you miss it in the morning you can catch it again at night when they are led back through the farm to their sleeping quarters. Don't forget to bring your video camera, you'll want to catch the younger goats frolic around like little toddlers in a huge playground, maybe that's why they're called kids.

You can watch a video of the Daily Goat Stampede here on their main website:

http://www.beaconhillpark.ca/childrenspark/activities/index.html

Don't forget to bring your camera!

Another attraction in this big beautiful park (30 acres) is the Children's Playground. During the summer there is a wonderful underground water fountain that periodically shoots up water for the kids to play in. So be prepared and bring extra clothing, because chances are your kids are going to want to jump in!

Speaking of water there is a new children's area that was rebuilt in 2007 and features this giant sized watering can:



A wide variety of water sprays rain down on surprised onlookers and running children, including mist, a shower like downpour and large squirts into the air from the top of the structure. According to one of the city workers, there is a computer inside that allows random spray patterns to evolve, which in turn increases the play value of the spray park for the users by keeping them guessing where the next blast of water will come from! Maybe you should bring 2 sets of clothing along, 2 for your kids & 2 for yourselves, because some one's bound to get wet.

I could go on and on about the park and all it's attractions, but instead I'll list them here, there sure is alot!

- It boasts the World's Tallest Freestanding Totem Pole (carved by Mungo Martin) just off Dallas Road

- Free 18 Hole Putting Green (bring your own putter and ball)

- Many different Playgrounds, most with swings, Jungle Gym and some have access for Special Needs Children

- Beautiful Walking trails throughout the Park

- Lawn Bowling

- Cricket and Baseball Fields

- Gorgeous view of the ocean from the Look out Point with a trail to Mile 0

- Many, MANY places to sit & have a picnic

- Sit on one of the hundreds of benches and feed the ducks (please purchase duck seed only)

- Watch the Heron's sitting on their nests

Plan to spend the entire day there, pack plenty to drink & eat and don't forget the sunscreen, picnic blanket and your camera. Parking is free and there are a few bathrooms located in the park. I suggest driving around a few times to get your barrings and figure out where you want to go first.

Better yet, catch the Tally Ho Buggy from the inner harbor and view this Gorgeous city in Victorian style!

Last Chance To Enter Todays Giveaway!!

Today is your last chance to enter my first blog giveaway!!

http://adventuresinpixieland.blogspot.com/p/contest-giveaways.html

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Daycare 101 - 10 Things To Find Out Before Starting


Six years ago I retired from running our Family Daycare, for over 16 years I was honored with the task of caring for other people's children. Tears flowed on my last day and they didn't come from the children's eyes, they came from mine. I couldn't have imagined how much I would miss them, but I did and still do. Our little troupe of 7, were always busy doing something. They like most kids, were so eager to learn, they would surround me with their endless hugs, gooey hands, wet noses and millions of questions....."Monique, how do you make sand?", "Monique when is music time?", "Moneeeeque, can I use my banana like play-dough??". My brain would be saying...oh my, this will be interesting...and messy! My heart would say, "Sure, I have to clean up anyways and look at that enormous, adorable, smile." "And after all, he must be learning something... how it feels, the smell and oh, how easily banana's turn to mush!"


I also learned along the way, somethings I wished I had known before starting and that is my reason for today's blog. I hope to share a bit of my experiences to help you make the process of opening your own Daycare a fast and enjoyable one.

I thank you for reading and welcome your questions and comments any time.


Things you'll need to know before starting your Daycare:

1) - First, ask yourself, do I have the patience to care for other people's children? If you find yourself plugging your ears in the line up at the grocery store when you hear a child shrieking because mom or dad didn't let them put the eggs in the cart, then maybe Childcare is not your thing. If you find yourself thinking of funny ways to make that same child smile, then hop to your nearest Childcare Centre. Volunteering is a great way to see if it's something you might like doing.. Childcare is not for everyone, the current burn out rate is 2 years, so knowing in advance that it's something you really want to do, will help guide you to your new career.

2) Keep in mind Childcare does not pay much. There were days I was only making $2.25 an hour, so be prepared to set aside a small amount every month to help balance off the slow days and months. People who enter into Childcare definitely don't do it for the money.


I knew at an early age that carrying for children is what I wanted to do and made sure I learned as much as I could about child development and how to properly care for any baby or child. You could say I was a wee bit obsessed (no pun intended), but in a good way.


I gave it my all and enjoyed the ride, I think my own kids and those I cared for liked it to, because they still talk about their experiences and made me promise them that I'll start up again when they have their own children. Personally I think we had a wondrous 16 years because of them, their constant curiosity and imagination kept me wanting to do more, it made teaching them a fun and rewarding experience and I hope you experience the same.

So back to volunteering, most centres will probably say yes, (which business wouldn't like free labour). As long as you have your criminal records check, TB test, Dr's note (that states you're sane enough to care for children) and references, then they may say yes. If after your wonderful Childcare experience, you're still excited to start, then let the researching begin....

3) Next, ask your family how they would feel having other children in the home. Depending on the hours you choose to work, your significant other and your own children will be sharing their home, items and time with mommy for up to 12 hours a day (max. 13 hours - BC licensing regulations) with other children. They have a right to voice their opinion, some may say yeah and one or all may say no, as long as you are respectful of their feelings, listen to their concerns and spend some quality alone time with each family member, things should run relatively smoothly, cookies can help here to! = )

4) Set your families guidelines, what rooms will be off limits. If you can, I highly suggest having one room you can use for Daycare use only, that way, you can shut the door and leave work behind on those really hard days. Talk to your kids about sharing their toys and which are too special, it's a good idea to put those away until the end of the day. If they insist on bringing the items around their playmates, then they should be expected to share when they're done, which can be incredibly hard for some kids. That's why I had the rule, if it's here, it's here for all. Special toys were brought on 'Show and Share' days, I'll get into that subject in a future post.

Now is a good time to think about how many kids you want to care for. LNR or License Not Required Centres are allowed 2 children not related to you, so if you have 3 of your own children, then you can care for 5.

Each province has different regulations when it comes to Licensed Facilities, in some provinces Family Centres can have up to 8 children, but they have strict guidelines when it comes to ages. So make sure you are clear on the regulations, before welcoming your families otherwise you'll be forced to give notice because you're over your age numbers.


5) Find out from your city/municipality if you're zoned for a Family Daycare, some are not or have very strict bylaws and regulations. In our area, you must have at least 6 parking stalls on your property, which is very rare, luckily we had a long driveway on a culdesac and there were more than enough spots. Don't wait to find out until after you're all set up, because by then you'll have spent money you can't recoup and it's just not worth the heartache and stress.

6) If you are renting, double check with your landlord to see if it's ok with him, if he's ok with it, make sure you get that in writing. Most town house complexes, apartment buildings and co-ops do not allow Family Daycares.

7) Contact your local Fire Department, they will come and do a small preliminary inspection (make sure you get a copy of the written inspection to submit to your licensing officer). He/she will go over your home, ask you about your fire escape plans, make sure you have a working fire extinguisher (depending on the size of your home you may need 2). Each Fire Department will have rules regarding the preferred extinguisher size, most are 10lb, before buying any, check with them first as some are not CSA approved for a Daycare setting. Even if you decide not to go ahead with opening a Daycare, having at least one fire extinguisher on each floor is a good idea, you never know when you might need one.

8) Read your home owners insurance policy, some will not cover homes with Daycares. If you have a local Child Care Resource and Referral, they may have a list of places they can suggest. Phone around and make sure you understand their rules. Some Insurance carriers will only cover homes if you have 6 children or less and most Family Childcare settings have 7 - 8 children, so check with them first.

Vancouver Island CCRR - http://www.islandfamilyinfo.ca/

Mainland - http://www.ccrr.bc.ca/

9) Talk to your neighbors, I highly suggest baking them some yummy cookies and giving them while you tell them your plans. That way they won't find out the hard way (cars coming & going in the early morning and at dinner time). Most will be on board and support you, some may even ask you to watch their children. Personally I think it's what a respectful neighbor does, if they're not ok with it, then oh well, at least you asked and who knows you might have wooed them with your yummy cookies.


10) Once you've got the ok from all the important people, now it's time to contact your local Licensing Office, in our area it's known as VIHA (Vancouver Island Health Authority), they police both Group and Family Daycare Facilities and most have Childcare packages (last I checked they were $25.00). Inside you will find all the Daycare regulations and questions needed to open your Centre. You'll need copies of your Dr.s note, TB test results, criminal records check (which can take up to 2 months, sometimes longer) and reference letters.

They will want your emergency procedures written out along with a house map showing your emergency exits, square footage and room usage. It doesn't need to be fancy, just a basic drawing of the inside of your home.

I'll elaborate on Licensing Requirements on another day, for now I need some much needed shut eye.



Banana Bread

I love to bake and one of our families all time favorite lunch box must haves is my BANANA BREAD, I have three versions, Chocolate Chip, Cranberry Sauce and Mixed Berries. Today I will be sharing 2 versions with you. If there's interest for the mixed berries I can add that too!


Saturdays are usually my baking day and I always do two double batches once every 2 weeks, because my kids and hubby love to eat and well maybe I take a nibble here & there too. That gives me 6 loaves (I seperate the double batches into 3 seperate loaf pans). These recipes reflect one batch and one double batch.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread



Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening OR softened butter

1 cup mashed ripe banana (2 to 3 medium)

1 cup Chocolate chips (I use Hersey's Milk Chocolate or Semi-Sweet)


Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan (save the wrappers from the butter to coat the pans.

Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add bananas and mix. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and beat. Slowly add in chocolate chips. If you find the mixture to be a bit dry, add one more banana.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. 1 loaf (18 servings). I cut mine into individual peices and then freeze so that they come apart more easily.



Banana Cranberry Sauce Bread





Banana Cranberry Sauce Bread

1/2 cup shortening OR softened butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs

2 1/2 cups mashed bananas (3 - 4 bananas)

4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt

1 cup cranberry sauce (I use the frozen Ocean Spray Cranberries & Recipe that come with the bag.)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cream butter, sugar and eggs together. Add bananas and mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and beat. Slowly add in cranberry sauce. If you find the mixture to be dry, add one more banana or 1/4 cup more of cranberry sauce.

Bake 65-70 minutes in 2 greased loaf pans.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes 2 loaves (32-34 servings).

* I normally cook the above recipe in 3 loaf pans for a shorter amount of time (55-60 mins., so that the younger kids get a smaller sized piece as they eat a bit less than the rest).


Both these recipes freeze up well, happy baking!!http://adventuresinpixieland.blogspot.com/p/recipes_17.html

Family Daycare 101

It's been almost 6 years since I retired from running my Daycare. For 16 years I was so honored with the task of caring for other people's children. Tears flowed on my last day and they didn't come from the children's eyes, they were from mine. I couldn't have imagined how much I would miss them, but I did and still do. Our little troupe of 7, were always busy doing something. They like most kids, were so eager to learn, they would surround me with their endless hugs, gooey hands, wet noses and millions of questions....."Monique, how do you make sand?", "Monique when is music time?", "Moneeeeque, can I use my banana like play-dough??". My brain would be saying...oh my, this will be interesting...and messy! My heart would say, "Sure, I have to clean up anyways and look at that enormous, adorable, smile." "And after all, he must be learning something... how it feels, the smell and oh, how easily banana's turn to mush!"

There are so many things I also learned along the way, some I wish I had known before starting and that is my reason for today's blog. I hope to share a bit of what I learned to help make the process of opening your own Daycare a fast and enjoyable one.

I will be adding information in parts because there is just so much information to share, from how to write up a contract and policies handbook, to crafts, snacks, planning field trips, routines and more.

I thank you for reading and welcome your questions and comments any time.


Things you'll need to know before starting your Daycare:

- First, ask yourself, do I have the patience to care for other people's children? If you find yourself plugging your ears in the line up at the grocery store when you hear a child shrieking because mom or dad didn't let them put the eggs in the cart, then maybe Childcare is not your thing. If you find yourself thinking of funny ways to make that same child smile, then hop to your nearest Childcare Centre. Ummm maybe not too fast, first you might want to ask them if you can volunteer a few days. It's a great way to see if it's something you might like doing on a full or part time basis. Childcare is not for everyone, the current burn out rate is 2 years, so knowing in advance that it's something you really want to do, will help guide you to your new career.

Keep in mind Childcare does not pay much. There were days I was only making $2.25 an hour, so be prepared to set aside a small amount every month to help balance off the slow days and months, because chances are there will be months where you're not making a dime and having that back up cash will really help your family's financial planning. People who enter into Childcare definitely don't do it for the money, for most it's a way of staying at home and raising their own children, that's how I started many years ago and I'm so glad I made that decision. For me it was the right one, for other's it may not be, you need to find what makes you happy & go with it. As a child you would always find me around the nearest baby, I knew at an early age that carrying for children is what I wanted to do and made sure I learned as much as I could about child development and how to properly care for a baby. You could say I was a wee bit obsessed (no pun intended), but in a good way. I wanted to make sure I knew how to handle situations in a caring way, just like my grandmother who was an amazing roll model to her 12 children and many, many grand-kids. She nurtured with compassion and a constant gentle vibe, she listened to them, children were drawn to her caring nature. I'm very fortunate to have a mother who also has this gift and if I have even just 1/4 of what they have, those kids would be truly loved and well cared for. I gave it my all and enjoyed the ride, I think my own kids and those I cared for liked it as well, because they still talk about their experiences and asked me to promisse them that I'll start up again when they have their own children. Personally I think we had a wondrous 16 years because of the children, their constant curiosity and imagination kept me wanting to do more, it made teaching them a fun and rewarding experience and I hope you experience the same.
So back to volunteering, most centres will probably say yes, (which business wouldn't like free labour). As long as you have your criminal records check, TB test, Dr's note (that states you're sane enough to care for children) and references, then they may say yes. If after your wonderful Childcare experience, you're still excited to start, then let the researching begin....


- Next, ask your family how they would feel having other children in the home. Depending on the hours you choose to work, your significant other and your own children will be sharing their home, items and time with mommy for up to 12 hours a day (max. 13 hours - BC licensing regulations) with other children. They have a right to voice their opinion, some may say yeah and one or all may say no, as long as you are respectful of their feelings, listen to their concerns and spend some quality alone time with each family member, things should run relatively smoothly, cookies can help here to! = )

- Set your families guidelines, what rooms will be off limits. If you can, I highly suggest having one room you can use for Daycare use only, that way, you can shut the door and leave work behind on those really hard days. Talk to your kids about sharing their toys and which are too special, it's a good idea to put those away until the end of the day. If they insist on bringing the items around their playmates, then they should be expected to share when they're done, which can be incredibly hard for some kids. That's why I had the rule, if it's here, it's here for all. Special toys were brought on 'Show and Share' days, I'll get into that subject in a future post.

Now is a good time to think about how many kids you want to care for. LNR or License Not Required Centres are allowed 2 children not related to you, so if you have 3 of your own children, then you can care for 5.

Each province has different regulations when it comes to Licensed Facilities, in Ontario and British Columbia, Family Centres can have up to 8 children, but they have strict guidelines when it comes to ages. I will post more info and a link on this soon. Mske sure you are clear on the regulations, otherwise you'll be forced to give notice to a familly because you're over your age numbers.

- Find out from your city/municipality if you're zoned for a Family Daycare, some are not or have very strict bylaws and regulations. In our area, you must have at least 6 parking stalls on your property, which is very rare for most homes, luckily we had a long driveway on a culdesac and there were more than enough parking. I've known of a few ladies who were denied based just on that one regulation. Don't wait to find out until after you're all set up, because by then you'll have spent money you can't recoup and it's just not worth the heartache and stress.

- If you are renting, double check with your landlord to see if it's ok with him, if he's ok with it, make sure you get that in writing. Most town house complexs, apartment buildings and co-ops do not allow Family Daycares, so knowing in advance is critical.

- Check with your local Fire Department, they will come and do a small preliminary inspection (make sure you get a copy of the written inspection to submit to your licensing officer). He/she will go over your home, ask you about your fire escape plans, make sure you have a working fire extinguisher (depending on the size of your home you may need 2). Each Fire Department will have rules regarding the preferred extinguisher size, most are 10lb, before buying any, check with them first as some are not CSA approved for a Daycare setting. Even if you decide not to go ahead with opening a Daycare, having at least one fire extinguisher on each floor is a good idea, you never know when you might need one.

- Read your home owners insurance policy, some will not cover homes with Daycares. If you have a local Child Care Resource and Referral, they may have a list of places they can suggest. Phone around and make sure you understand their rules. Some Insurance carriers will only cover homes if you have 6 children or less and most Family Childcare settings have 7 - 8 children, so check with them first.

Vancouver Island CCRR - http://www.islandfamilyinfo.ca/
Mainland - http://www.ccrr.bc.ca/

- Talk to your neighbors, I highly suggest baking them some yummy cookies and giving them while you tell them your plans. That way they won't find out the hard way (cars coming & going in the early morning and at dinner time). Most will be on board and support you, some may even ask you to watch their children. Personally I think it's what a respectful neighbor does, if they're not ok with it, then oh well, at least you asked and who knows you might have wooed them with your yummy cookies.

Once you've got the ok from all the important people, now it's time to contact your local Licensing Office, in our area it's known as VIHA (Vancouver Island Health Authority), they police both Group and Family Daycare Facilities and most have Childcare packages (last I checked they were $25.00). Inside you will find all the Daycare regulations and questions needed to open your Centre. You'll need copies of your Dr.s note, TB test results, criminal records check (which can take up to 2 months, sometimes longer) and reference letters.

They will want your emergency procedures written out along with a house map showing your emergency exits, square footage and room usage. It doesn't need to be fancy, just a basic drawing of the inside of your home.

I'll elaborate on Licensing Requirements on another day, for now I need some much needed shut eye, tomorrow is my 17 year olds Winter Formal and I know I'll be up all night waiting for her to come home. So this is me planning on not getting any sleep and about to bank some sleep coinage.

Time for some shut eye.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Pixie Giveaway Contest

Alot has happened over the past year, we started renovating (still haven't finished), had family visit from far away, there were dance & choir recitals, celebrations, Christmas and the list goes on & on. I thought it might be a good idea to start blogging again since my friends keep asking me, "So what's new?" Hmmm not much comes to mind, but then I think more & WOW, we hardly ever stop, everyday there's a new adventure. This blog is about my adventures with family, friends (some I've met only online) and hopefully I can help my business and others along the way. = ) Welcome to Pixie Adventures!!


I'm starting things off with my very first product giveaway contest. It's something I love to hand make, baby hats! I currently sell them in my Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PixieProps .

Aviator Baby Hat
Made By Me, Pixie Props!



To enter please visit the 'GIVEAWAY' page for more info.


______________________________________________________________________________


Products wanted for reviews!!!

If you would like me to review one of your products, please email me the following info:

- Business name
- Product to be submitted
- Website URL

Chosen products will be featured on my blog and your business will also receive a free add that will stay on my blog for 2 months. Please see the Advertising page for more info.

Thank you for visiting!

Copyright © 2010, 2011 Pixie Adventures
All Rights Reserved

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Blogging on the go!

Life is sometimes just too busy to chat about, especially with 6 pixies (children) and a business to run, so you will find me writing when I can about things that are important in my life, I'm also a big advocate of small business's and handmade products, so you will find many featured here. If you have any submissions for recipes, crafts or how-to's, please feel free to email me any time. I am happy to give you credit and post your name along with your submission (if you choose). = )