Cookie Butter Pretzel Dip (she: Cathy)
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Cookie Butter Pretzel Dip (she: Cathy)

Bycathy

Hello, Or So She Says readers!! It’s Cathy from Lemon Tree Dwelling, back with another fun recipe to share with you. This time, I’m using Cookie Butter! Anyone who has ever tasted Cookie Butter can tell you just how amazing it really is….so amazing that, once you’ve had it, you can’t stop thinking about it! Which leads you to do things like eat it by the spoonful straight from the jar, and tell everyone you know about it, and come up with as many different ways as you can to use it (mostly because eating it straight from the jar only feels acceptable for so long….)

Well, with the start of the school year rapidly approaching, I thought it might be time for me to start dreaming up some Cookie Butter after-school snacks. I have two kiddos in school this year – one starting kindergarten and another starting second grade, and both of them LOVE Cookie Butter!

snickerdoodle granola bars
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Snickerdoodle Granola Bar Recipe (she: Tanna)

ByTanna

Hello again!  I’m Tanna from The Hub of our Home.  I’m so excited to be back here at ‘Or so she says…’ sharing another recipe with you today, Snickerdoodle Granola Bars.  These granola bar recipe is amazing!  They have all the flavors of a great snickerdoodle cookie, but in a chewy granola bar form. My kids aren’t…

October is Kids Free Month in San Diego! (she: Kimberly)
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October is Kids Free Month in San Diego! (she: Kimberly)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

San Diego is one of my all-time favorite vacation destinations with so much to offer year round. I normally visit at least once a year and have visited San Diego during each of the four seasons. I honestly don’t know that there’s a “best” time of year to visit if you’re looking at weather, crowds and seasonal events, BUT if you have kids, I have a secret that will probably affect when you decide to vacation in San Diego. OK, it’s not necessarily my secret. I would say it’s San Diego’s Best Kept Secret… Each October the best San Diego attractions join forces and offer free admission for kids – ALL MONTH LONG! When you consider your kids get in to most attractions free and your school aged kids have a Fall Break scheduled, October seems like the perfect time for a San Diego vacation.

Each of the top attractions have different rules and ages, so here’s what you need to know:

‘Sweet Treat Hunt”, Fun Way to Cheer Up Kids ~ Giveaway Too! (she: Veronica)
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‘Sweet Treat Hunt”, Fun Way to Cheer Up Kids ~ Giveaway Too! (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Hello my friends!! Many of you are getting ready to start school, but here in Tennessee, school has been in session for two weeks. I know – CRAZY! So for us, the fun has begun. I think starting school is a mixed bag for most kids. It never seems to be the easiest transition for everyone. Some of my kids have not had the best beginning and have struggled for different reasons. Not everything has been school related. Some of it is just normal icky things that life throws your way. But a struggle is still a struggle. Needless to say, it’s been a tough couple of weeks. Watching them struggle has reminded me of the challenge of being a mom.

One of the hardest things about being a mom is knowing that we can’t fix EVERYTHING. We have to watch our kids face challenges, we see them struggle to make sense of things, we see their heartaches, and there’s only so much we can do. But, the key is that there ARE some things we can do.

Bosch Mixer & $100 Gift Cards Giveaway ~ Ruthie’s Birthday Bash!

Bosch Mixer & $100 Gift Cards Giveaway ~ Ruthie’s Birthday Bash!

ByMariel

Today is Whats Cooking with Ruthie’s 2nd Birthday! Nutrimill Bosch and some of your favorite bloggers have come together to make it an extra BIG party! We are celebrating in true blogger style with a huge giveaway- check out these awesome prizes…

Grand Prize: Bosch Universal Plus Mixer with Cookie Paddles, Blender, and Slicer Shredder additional attachments PLUS a $50.00 visa gift card to help start you baking right away!
Runner ups: 3 additional winners will each get a $100.00 gift card to one store of their choice William Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, or Target
PLUS all the winners will receive a copy of Whats Cooking with Ruthie Family Favorites Cookbook ebook that is set to release this week. Whooot-hoot!

Come on in to enter!!

10 Great Back to School Ideas (& Link Party!)

10 Great Back to School Ideas (& Link Party!)

ByMariel

Hello, weekend. How about 10 great Back to School ideas from ‘Or so she says…’?!? I say, ‘yes.’ Check them out… you’ll find printables, crafts, lunch box ideas, educational fun, and thoughts on bullying. Some good stuff! When you’re done, be sure to link up YOUR great ideas below. I love to see what y’all come up with and find fun new things to share on Pinterest! As a bonus, everything you link up will also be featured on two other really big blogs!

Apple Pie Enchiladas by www.whatscookingwithruthie.com
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Apple Pie Enchiladas (she: Ruthie)

Byruthie

Hi all my friends at Or so she says, it’s Ruthie from Whats Cooking with Ruthie and I’m so happy to be back to share a quick and easy dessert recipe with you all this month, Apple Pie Enchiladas! Can you all believe how fast the summer is flying by? My kids start back to school next week and I can hardly believe it! So, with fall coming right around the corner, I thought it’d be fun to share some delicious Apple Pie Enchiladas!

* Click ‘Full Article’ to read the rest of the post and print off Ruthie’s delicious recipe!

10 Favorite Household Tips (she: Rebecca)

10 Favorite Household Tips (she: Rebecca)

ByRebecca

Once upon a time, there was no Pinterest, or Facebook, or Internet and the only good household tips I knew were passed down from my mom or good friends. But not anymore! Now I’ve got a Pinterest board packed with cool household tips and tricks! I’ve tried many of them, and thought I’d share a few of my favorites … most are from Pinterest, but a few came to me the old fashioned way!

1. Clean Pee Stained Mattresses – This post has literally changed my life! I have three young children who manage to pee, poo and/or spew on their mattresses on the rare occasions they aren’t covered by their mattress covers. Right after the first major pee incident, I literally ran to the computer to see how we could salvage the mattress. The whole family sat around the mattress (after I applied the “magic” potion) and watched the yellow stain disappear. It is that good!

2. Get Grease Stains Out – This tip comes from one of our awesome ‘Or she she says …’ contributors, Veronica. She’s got nine kids, so she knows a thing or two about laundry. She promised me that if I rubbed Dawn (only use this brand) dish soap on the grease spot(s) and then sprayed it with my favorite stain remover that the stain would be gone, even if the item had been previously washed and dried. I have tried this trick on super old, set-in stains and it has yet to disappoint!

5 fun things to do in Carlsbad, California (she: Allison)

5 fun things to do in Carlsbad, California (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

Carlsbad, California is a family-friendly beach town located about 35 miles north of San Diego. Many families know it as the home of LEGOLAND California Resort. However, Carlsbad has lots of other fun activities too, making it worthwhile to make Carlsbad the base for your next Southern California vacation.

Here are five favorite family things to do in Carlsbad, California:

LEGOLAND California Resort was a slam dunk for my kids, ages 8 and 6. Its roller coasters, playgrounds and shows are perfect for kids their age. Teens and adults may find the rides tame, but anyone with any interest in LEGOS will likely get a kick out of the LEGO structures throughout the park. Don’t miss Miniland, where famous cities, the worlds of Star Wars, and busts of famous historical figures have been recreated entirely in LEGOS.

The Name Game ~ A Fun Group Game! (& Our Bear Lake Vacation)
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The Name Game ~ A Fun Group Game! (& Our Bear Lake Vacation)

ByMariel

So, we spent this past weekend with Dan’s family in Bear Lake, Utah/Idaho. Have you been there?? It’s soooo beautiful. A huge, amazingly turquoise lake, right in the middle of the desert. Every year, we rent a cabin up there and spend the time boating, swimming, eating raspberry shakes (they’re famous!), wrestling (tons of cousins!), and relaxing. After we got all the kids to bed, the adults stayed up late playing games …AND, I thought I would tell you about it. It’s called The Name Game and so much fun!

But, first …a handful of pictures from our trip…

Back to School Countdown (she: Brooke)
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Back to School Countdown (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Well, ready or not, school is just around the corner (a week from Tuesday for my boys- way too soon!). We just got back from a quick camping trip over the weekend. Apparently we aren’t the only ones who frantically rush out and try to fit in all the last-minute summer activities we can. It took us searching through four campgrounds to finally find a spot. It wasn’t our first choice, but ended up being the perfect little spot for our family!

I’m not sure if you’ve been counting down the days until school starts since the second week of June, or if you’re ignoring all the school supplies that are lining the shelves right now, and hoping the first day of school won’t happen. I have to say I’m a tad bit excited. I’ve LOVED every minute of our summer vacation, but there’s something rejuvenating about this time of year for me.

Ruler Frame Chalkboard Sign Tutorial by The Thinking Closet
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Vintage Ruler Frame Chalkboard Sign Tutorial (she: Lauren)

ByLauren

So, when Mariel told me that the blog hop theme for this month was chalkboard and asked if I wanted to tackle it, I jumped at the chance! I mean, chalkboard and I go together like Jackson Pollock and splatter paint, like Martha Stewart and apple pie, like Marilyn Monroe and subway grates. I’m sort of a chalkboard fanatic. And I had just the idea of what to create!

Here’s the tutorial, so you can play along at home! And I’m going to be sure to tell you what not to do…because this project definitely almost became a craft fail! *Click ‘Full Article’ to read more, discover 9 other fabulous chalkboard craft ideas, and enter this week’s ‘Your Great Idea’ link party!