Field Trip Mom

The weather outside is pretty chilly. Sweaters, jackets, gloves and scarfs are out of storage and being worn to keep from freezing. This holiday season stay warm with this tasty beverage that will make you smile.     All you need is some delicious ingredients from your pantry. I used caramel from Mrs. Calls, because I had that on hand, but you may use any caramel candy that is at your local grocery store such as Brach's, Smucker's or Bequet Caramel ( adjust cooking time for the softer caramel).   Click on the image below to get your free printable. (Thank you Jill from Sandy Toes and Popsicles  for making this beautiful printable.)   Directions: Unwrap the caramel candy and pour into the cup you will be using for the final product.  Melt the caramel in the microwave by heating it for 5 seconds (time may vary depending on the caramel. Less time for Soft Caramel and for a more thick caramel add 5 seconds.) Then  pour the milk over the caramel and add the Hershey

My family and I have been regular customers of Ikea for several years. We love their food, furniture, soft toys, art supplies and live plants. Shopping at their stores is a happy adventure. From the time we walk in until the time we check out, we find new and unique items for the entire home. For years we have been shopping during the holidays at Ikea to support education. During the shopping season, they offer extreme discounts and that is an added bonus to our experience.  This holiday season, shop and help education through the purchase of a soft toy. For every toy you buy, Ikea will donate to UNICEF and SAVE The Children. Shopping and helping education all at the same time is made easy.  "The Ikea Foundation has donated more than $51 million to UNICEF's education programs for children in Africa and Asia," said Caryl Stern. President and CEO of the U.S. fund for UNICEF ." Help continue supporting children throughout the world without leaving your backyar

The great people of Post-it Brand mailed me this great ruby red Pop-up note dispenser to try out. I am completely over the moon about it. I do have to say it made me laugh, because I had been wishing for a diamond and God sent me this gorgeous Ruby Red diamond desk dispenser. I do love paper and pencils, so I was very grateful for the diamond dispenser. To make the gift even more special the Post-it Brand are sponsoring a holiday package that includes  a chance to win Assorted Post-it products including: Post-it Super Sticky Notes,  block Note Holder, Full Adhesive Roll, and post-it Pockets.    Courtesy Post-it   Let me just tell you a little about what great gifts you can find with Post-it brand. This holiday season they are introducing the Post-it Ruby Pop-up Note dispenser along with Post-it Note Holder and Picture frame, Post-it Jax Pop-up Note Dispenser and Post-it Pop-up Note Karate Dispenser. These items will make a great gift for co-workers, teachers, and family.

  Last week, I made my first edible art Turkey project for a party decoration.  It is cute in it's own funny way and I wanted to share it with my readers. The best part of this project is that it was super easy and you can eat the fruit after it's been used as your table decoration.  For this project, I used a melon, a Bosc pear, bell peppers, grapes, blueberries and Gala apples.  I had also purchased strawberries to add to my turkey but the kids ate them before I had the chance to decorate with them.  I had to use what was left over and this is what it looked like after I was done.  There are many fruits and vegetables you can use to make your own edible art however my supply list and instructions on how to make it are below.  This is just in time for Thanksgiving and won't take you away from all of the other cooking for too long.   You will need a few things to get started. Different size skewers and one mallet (hammer). I used toothpicks, apple skewers and th

Disclaimer: Thank you to Knott's Berry Farm for inviting us to media day. Thank you GigaSavvy for supplying a photo and details on the entertainment. All thoughts and opinions are all my own.   Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! and Happy New Year! Yes, it is that time of the year, when we all celebrate the holidays and gather with our loved ones. We have been going to Knott's Berry Farm since we were little kids to celebrate this joyous time. It is a great way for us to enjoy the season with our friends and family.  As you can tell by the picture above, we had a great time with Snoopy last year. So naturally, we are going this year to see all the new shows Knott's Berry Farm has and have some amazing fun. We have heard that this holiday season, Knott's will have several incredible attractions including Santa's Christmas Cabin, Snoopy's Merriest Tree Lighting and Snoopy's Magical Nights of Lights. There will lots of fun, entertainment and holiday cheer

Want to get healthy and make a change in how you cook. Choose healthy ingredients like Raw Honey, Almonds, Cinnamon, Vanilla Extra and Almond flour for your pancakes, cupcakes, breakfast foods and yummy sweet treats. To get you started on a healthy holiday season the people at Puritan's Pride have offered to host a giveaway package to FieldTripMom.com readers. Here is what you will receive: Raw Honey Raw Honey is sweeter and denser than white sugar, so you may find yourself using less.    Almonds Almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts. A 1 oz. serving of almonds provides a good source of Vitamin E and Magnesium.  Yummy and delicious, a handful will ward off hunger and tastes great, too!    Cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice with a sweet and warm fragrance and is great for use on desserts during the holidays—especially apple and pumpkin-infused dishes.  Cinnamon is an ancient herb that has been referenced in Chinese texts dating back thousands of years. Vanil

Photo credit: Irvine Park Railroad It is that time of the year when Santa Claus comes to the Irvine Park Railroad. This is a great experience that reminds me of the movie Polar Express. The train takes you to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus on the other side of the park every evening starting November 29th.  A rrive early to make sure you find parking and don't miss your time. This is a popular event and sometimes there is a crowd. Wear comfortable shoes and bring your fun side. I recommend you dress in warm clothing because it gets very cold once the sun goes down. If you have never been, this is an event you will enjoy. The Irvine Park brings Christmas to life in the middle of nature. Before you ride the train, they also have plenty of activities for the kids. Photos with Santa Claus $10.00 per photo - $6.00 for each additional photo. Picture Stands Free for all visitors. Story Time with Mrs. Claus Free for all visitors Christmas Coloring Corner Free for all

Yes, I am crafter. I make Tulle Tutu's for Sale. This holiday season I will be making these beautiful tutu gift packages for sale. I have been cutting and knotting to make beautiful pink girly tutu's for ages zero months up to adult size. Selling these handmade items will help me continue to fund family field trips and this blog. I traditional make them every year around this same time and I sell them around town. This year I am going to sell them online. My hope is to sell enough to help me save for a few want items that are on my wish list. But for now I will be happy if I just sell a few a week.   To get everyone excited about my tutu's I am giving one away this week to a lucky reader. All you have to do is tell me why you want to win one and what size you need it in.   I will randomly pick a winner. Tutu Lengths 0-3 months--- 5 inches 3-6 months--- 6 inches 6-12 months--- 8 inches 12-18 months---8.5 inches 2t------------------10 inches 3t----

Six weeks ago, I began a testing of a new cream for bruised skin. DerMend is a moisturizing cream.   The ingredients include Arnica oil, cermides, retinol, glycolic acid according to their website. The cream was created to help heal and improve the appearance of a bruise. I was curious because of one of the main ingredients, Arnica oil. Arnica in my family is a must use for bruises and scrapes on the skin. I remember as a young child getting hurt very badly and my parents rushing to rub Arnica cream on my injury. The smell was so vivid that I tried avoiding getting it on my body. This time, I was pleasantly surprised that DerMend did not have a heavy scent. As I rubbed it on my arm, I could feel a silky blanket protecting my skin. It felt great to my skin. Recently, my son fell down and bruised his knee which I felt confident and applied it on his knee. He doesn’t like creams with strong scent either but since there was no smell, he did not complain about using the product.

Sunday is the best day for getting your travel quotes. Here are a few of my favorite that I am taking to heart. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.  “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." Saint Augustine A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu “We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” – John Hope Franklin "I am a passionate traveler, and from the time I was a child, travel formed me as much as my formal education.” – David Rockefeller "I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or