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May is Family Travel Month – Best Vacation Specials (she: Kimberly)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

Hey Everyone, it’s Kimberly from Packed with Fun, the official blog for Get Away Today. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but May is Family Travel Month. Since family travel is our specialty at Get Away Today, I wanted to share some of the very best vacation specials out there right now. I honestly can say that I have NEVER seen this many deals for so many places all at the same time – and I’ve been in the travel industry for 13 years! I can’t list all of the specials, but I did pick some of my favorites to share. I hope there’s one that helps you plan your family vacation!

Dinosaur Destinations
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8 Dinosaur Destinations in Utah for Families (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

It’s Allison from Tips for Family Trips with another monthly dose of travel inspiration. Does anyone in your family love dinosaurs? If so, it’s hard to find a better place than Utah for dinosaur destinations.

Paleontologists recently discovered several new dinosaur species in Utah, and you can find out more about them in the May 2014 issue of National Geographic magazine. These new species, along with (really) old favorites, are on display in Utah museums. There are also plenty of places in Utah where you can still see evidence of ancient life in nature.

Here are my favorite Utah dinosaur destinations for families.

Chocolate Hazelnut Streusel Bread with Salted Caramel Drizzle | Baking a Moment
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Chocolate Hazelnut Streusel Bread with Salted Caramel Drizzle (she: Allie)

ByAllie

Hola, Or So She Says readers! Allie here, from Baking a Moment. How are you all doing? Did you have a fabulous Mother’s Day weekend? Are you enjoying the glorious Spring weather? We sure are, here at the Baking a Moment household. All our bulbs are popping up, the trees are in full flower, and the grass is coming in green and lush. My two little ones are in little league and so Mr. Allie and I are getting lots of down time and fresh air, watching them at the fields in the evenings. 😀

As I was looking over the recipes I’ve created here for you guys, I couldn’t help but notice a glaring omission. I don’t know how this slipped through the cracks, but somehow, after being a contributor for 5 months now, I have neglected to share a single chocolate recipe! What kind of dessert blogger am I???

favorite garden books for kids
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Favorite Garden Books for Kids (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Hey! It’s Brooke from Blissful Roots. Summertime means garden time for our family. My husband and I both grew up in families that planted a garden every summer (which I am very grateful for!). I guess you can say it’s in our blood. Do you garden? I don’t want to spend this entire post on a gardening soap box, but I can’t tell you the number of benefits that come from having your own garden. My boys (and myself) have learned work, patience, you reap what you sow, the miracle of a tiny seed, the beauty of nature, enjoying the fruits of your labor, living off the land, being self-sufficient, and much, much more. It’s work, but magical!

Okay, enough of my gardening soap box! What I’d really like to share today are some of our favorite garden books for kids. I can’t say I really plan out themes for my boys all summer long, but I do like to build upon what we’re already doing. I love having great books to go along with the summer activities we do. And let me tell you, gardening takes the whole summer. Not all day, every day, but once again, you reap what you sow.

Galaxy Tablet Giveaway!

Galaxy Tablet Giveaway!

ByMariel

So, my cute friend, Mandy of Mandy’s Recipe Box, is having a birthday! If you haven’t been to her blog, you must… heavenly recipes await you. How about a little Creamy Prosciutto Tortellini and Mint Oreo Dessert??

To help celebrate Mandy’s special day, we wanted to join with her and some friends for a giveaway celebration. Who wants a Galaxy Tablet? Spending money? Let’s get this party started!

DIY Flower Gifts and Favors in 10 Minutes (she: Mel)
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DIY Flower Gifts and Favors in 10 Minutes (she: Mel)

ByMelissa Sunday

Spring has definitely sprung and the abundance of beautiful flowers in the garden is proof! Appropriately enough, our theme this month is flowers and we’ve got 10 amazing flower theme ideas. There are ways to display your flowers, ways to make flowers, quotes about flowers and more! Get ready to pin away and then continue…

frosted brownies
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Mom’s #1 Frosted Brownies (she: Jana)

ByJana

Hello friends! It’s Jana from Double the Deliciousness with a perfect dessert for your Mother’s Day weekend! I figured I’d share a great recipe that you Dads, sons and daughters (or whoever!) can easily throw together for the Mom in your life! Chocolate is what speaks to my heart, so I figured we couldn’t go wrong with some brownies. What Mom wouldn’t love a beautiful, chocolaty brownie for dessert? And help her feel your love with a cute powdered sugar heart on her piece!
I’m married to a brownie connoisseur. Thus, I have tried more brownie recipes than I can count in search for the perfect brownie that meets his expectations. (I personally haven’t met a brownie I didn’t like!) Keep reading to see which recipe the official brownie connoisseur chose!

DIY painted family name art
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Family Name Art – Learn This Easy DIY Transfer Trick!

ByCarmella

Hey there! It’s Carmella from the Creative Carmella blog and I am happy to be back here at Or So She Says with another easy craft idea for you! It’s DIY painted family name art, which is so nice to have in your home, or to make for someone else as an inexpensive, custom gift.

Today I am going to teach you a transfer trick that will have you painting these like a pro!

play time with toddlers
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Tips for Surviving Play Time With Toddlers (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Happy Mother’s Day to you, and to all the special moms in your life. It’s Heather, back to share a few ideas to help you as you play with your young children.

Spend a few minutes with your little ones and you realize how much they love to play. Play is vital to their emotional, physical, and social growth. It helps them build confidence, self esteem, and even teaches them to control their emotions. But… their games and activities can start to grate on moms. The next time you wonder if you can spend one more minute playing kitchen or Candy Land, remember all the benefits that come to kids from playing. And use the following suggestions to make things a little easier during play time with toddlers. Remember, you are not alone. These feelings are very normal.

Matcha Shake from Gina @ Kleinworth & Co.
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Matcha Shake … A Healthy but Delicious Dessert (she: Gina)

ByGina Kleinworth

Hi there! It’s Gina from Kleinworth & Co. Are you all enjoying the longer days & warmer weather? I am! I love it when the weather is just sunny & glorious & the days seem to go on forever. Sure makes me want to get out of the house & enjoy the local sights. We like to head out for family bike rides or visit one of the 17 surrounding lakes in our area. I definitely love taking in all the scenery & getting out to spend time together as a family. Because it seems we are always on the go this time of year, we are always looking for quick & easy ways to eat & go. Sometimes that means a shake or smoothie to fill us up, pack in all those nutrients & keep us going all day long. One of my absolute favorites is this Matcha Shake. It’s healthy & yet absolutely delicious. I feel like I’m drinking a dessert- but zero guilt.

DIY Geometric Wall Art Using Paper Scraps (she: Anne)
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DIY Geometric Wall Art Using Paper Scraps (she: Anne)

ByAnne

Hey everyone, and happy May. It’s Anne here, from Circus Berry, sharing a great DIY home decor idea with you. This geometric wall art is a little bit inspired by the Mid-Century Modern, a little bit by a pure need to use up some scraps of paper. (God forbid I actually just toss them…gasp!).
I have been a fan of the geometric fad for a little while now, using simple shapes to add flair to some home decor, create stationary, and even build an original party around. Also, I love the various types of specimen art out there and have been wanting to give it a go. So, put all of those together and you get a fairly simple, fairly inexpensive DIY project for adding some trendiness to your home decor.