{Babycakes Cake Pop Maker }

One thing I love to do with my kids is bake. Often in our free time you will find us in the kitchen whipping something up. My kids really love the sweets and have tons of fun helping mom. This last weekend we were able to create cake pops with our new Babycakes Cake Pop Maker. I had never made anything like this before so we were very excited to try it out. It did not take us long to make our first batch of cake pops. They turned out wonderful, soft, moist and delicious. The maker was really easy to use and the best part is that it cooks them in 4-5 minutes. After they are made then the real fun begins. The toppings were the most fun for my kids. They were able to make them how they wanted. With frosting, glazes and sprinkles they each had the flavors they wanted. My whole family loved the results and had fun trying all the different kinds we made. This is a really fun addition to our kitchen and we will be using it often. The maker comes with recipes a cake pop stand, cake pop sticks. You will also love how easy it is to clean. You can find it on the Babycakes website.

{Emjoi® Micro-Pedi}

Every year I get so excited for summer. Flip-flop weather is something I excitedly wait for every year. But every year my feet get so dry from the non stop wearing of flip-flops. It can really make summer not that much fun for me. I have tried many products including buffers, lotions, you name it I have tried it. I have spent lots of money on products that claim to work. Some products seem to smooth but generally I will end up with dry scratchy feet only days later. My husband also has really dry feet and gets really annoyed by it and often looks to me to find what works and what doesn't.

Hapari Swimwear Model Contest

We love Hapari swimwear. They make beautiful modest swimwear that you can feel great wearing!  While running around with the kids, I love being able to feel comfortable in my swimwear, but I also like to look nice too. Hapari's suits are perfect for that. They cover well but not too much, stay in place, have cute patterns, and as they say on their website, their swimwear "enhances the curves you love and hides the curves you don't."  Yay!

{Earthbound Farms Prize Pack Giveaway (ARV $100)}

One thing I love to do is cook for my family. I am no expert but am always on the look-out for great fresh organic items that I can add to my meals. We have slowly been trying to eat as many organics as possible. I have had to learn which products you can buy organically and which ones you cannot. I often go online to find great information and recipes for our meals. One of the places I now love is Earthbound Farms. They are a grower of organic produce, and their website if full of information. I am very excited to receive a copy of the Earthbound Cookbook so be on the look-out for that review. You can read more below about Earthbound Farm and be sure to enter the giveaway below!

{Paper Jamz Pro Microphone Giveaway}

My kids love anything that has to do with music. My girls will often put on little singing and dance shows for me and we have a blast. They also love instruments but they are a little younger and spending big money just isn't a good idea right now. But did you know that you do not have to spend big money for your kids to let their musical talents shine through. Because Paper Jamz has you covered. Their products can make your kids feel like real rockstars and are really affordable. They have everything your aspiring musician will need to put on a great show while having tons of fun. They have guitars, drums and more. One of their newest products is the Pro Series Microphone. You can read about some of the features below. And be on the look out for our review of their drums, microphone and guitar. You can find Paper Jamz on Facebook and Twitter!

{CONAN THE ADVENTURER: Season One on DVD Giveaway}

It has been a while since my brother was running around the house like he was Conan. That was a long time ago and I was just a kid but I remember how much the boys in family loved Conan. Conan The Adventurer originally aired in Saturday morning syndication beginning in 1992 transitioning to a daily airing throughout 1993 in the second season.When I learned that they were releasing it to DVD I knew my son would also love it. When we got it my son wasted no time in watching it. He loved it and totally laughs when I tell him that show was one when I was a kid. Best yet my husband turned into a 10 year old boy glued to the DVD with my son. Really cute watching them together. I love how they bring back old school cartoons and characters for my kids to see. And you can have the DVD to. It will be released July 26,2011 and is jam packed with 13 episodes.You can read more about the DVD and enter to win your own copy!

{ Primo Jewels $25 Gift Certificate Giveaway }

If there is one thing I like more than jewelry that would be affordable jewelry. Finding a great new piece of jewelry to add to my collection always makes my day. Jewelry can be so much fun and bring any outfit together. When getting dressed I often pick my jewelry first then find clothes to make that special piece stand out. I am always on the look for the next great item I can add to my collection. For that I will now turn to Primo Jewels. They have an amazing collection of designer inspired jewelry. I could spend hours on their site and would love just about one of everything.

{ Vedette Shapewear Giveaway 2 Winners}

I never really imagined myself really needing shapewear. But after three kids, lack of exercise I do not look or feel as I once did. I do have my areas that I would like to smooth out or enhance. Finding a great shapewear piece should not only help you to look better but make you feel great as well. For me the durability and affordability and comfort are also very important. I have found just that with Vedette Shapewear. They have a really amazing selection that I have not found elsewhere.

Common Sense Media

This is an awesome site for parents.  As my kids are getting a little bit older and more influenced by friends, the things that they hear about and want to watch, play or read are not always the things that they should be watching, playing, or reading.  I like to know what my kids are watching, reading or listening to, and I don’t have time or desire to pre-screen everything.  This is where Common Sense Media comes in.

{ Modern-twist }

Keeping the kids busy at the dinner table can be a challenge in my house. I often will set them down with books, puzzles, crayons you name it, anything to keep them busy. Most times it ends up with a huge mess that I have to clean up before we can eat. I am all about keeping the kids busy and letting them be creative. That is why I love the kidz placemats from Modern-twist. They are made from silky food-grade, hand silk-screened silicone and are really unique.

{Women's Scala Ribbon Sun Hat}

I love spending much of my day outside . During the summer you can find me gardening or sitting poolside with my kids. With so much time outside I love wearing a sun hat. Finding one that is comfortable, pretty but also durable is super important. I want to be able to stuff it in a bag and still have it look great while protecting my face from the sun. I was able to try a really great sun hat from WomensHats.com. The Women's Scala Ribbon Sun Hat is the perfect example of a great sun hat. It looks great with the bow and ric-rac ribbon design. This crush-able and packable hat can go with you everywhere and still looks great. It is available in 4 great color choices and has a sun-protection value of UPF 50+. Overall I loved this hat. You can find this hat on their website for $30.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Never miss a post-Subscribe by Reader or Email!Smart and Trendy Moms finds products, ideas, projects, recipes, and other information that we have personally found helpful or interesting.  As always, it is up to you to determine what is appropriate for you, your children, and your situation.  See our Disclosure

{Walmart Box Tops for Education $25 Walmart Card Giveaway}

My kids schools have collected box tops for all the years they have attended. My kids love finding items that have the Box Tops and love it even better when they can take a bunch of them in to their school. My kids school often has contests for parties and stuff for the class that brings in the most Box Tops. They have a lot of fun doing it and also earning money for their school. We have been collecting them all summer and are gearing for a new school year.

{Fun Kid Pictures and the Stories Behind Them}

Thanks to Plum Organics for sponsoring my post about fun kid photos and the stories behind them. Enter Plum's "Babies for Yum Caption Contest" on Facebook and you could win a $100 gift card or Plum goodies.
As a mom of three I have tons and tons of great pictures of the kids doing just about everything. I try and take my camera with me everywhere we go. Some of the pictures I take are like making the kids smile and stand together quietly while I get that one shot of everyone smiling (this is few and far between with my three). So more often then not I just point the camera and shoot! I can just about remember what we were doing in every picture I have taken. Pictures for me are like a physical reminder of the memories and the stories behind each photo. We have captured some really great things and we enjoy looking at our family photos.

{HAVE A LAUGH: Volumes 3 & 4 on DVD}

What kid doesn't like watching cartoons? My kids sure do! One thing I have totally loved about them is their ability to enjoy some of the older classic cartoons. It seems like Mickey Mouse and his pals have been around forever and I totally remember enjoying them when I was a kid. Recently Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released HAVE A LAUGH: Volumes 3 & 4 on DVD! Classic shorts featuring Mickey, Donald, Goofy & Pluto. When my kids watched them and all I could hear was laughing, lots of laughing. My 3 year old especially loved these DVD's. Mickey has been his favorite for a long time.

{Cheerios Prize Pack Giveaway}

My kids love cereal! They eat it everyday for breakfast and are almost always willing to have it as a midday snack. One of their very favorites has always been Cheerios. Since they were very little you could always find my kids running around with a snack container full of Cheerios. And lord knows how many I have vacuumed out of the family car;) My husband and I have always liked to enjoy cereal as a late night snack. And Cheerios is perfect for that. He loves regular and I love Honey Nut. They have always been a family favorite.

{ Kim & Scott's Gourmet Stuffed Pretzels }

What is not to love about pretzels? My family and I enjoy them so much and they are available just about anywhere. But a pretzel is just a pretzel until you have had a gourmet pretzel. We were able to try out Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels over the last few weeks and loved them. I had no idea that someone could be so creative with an item that we already know and love. Each one of their pretzels are hand twisted and made from scratch. They use all natural ingredients in each one. Not only did I love that but the amazing selection they have was just awesome.

{When Life Gives You O.J. Prize Pack Giveaway}

It's summertime!  Every year, my children's teachers say that it's important that kids continue reading over the summer so that they don't end up loosing ground with their reading skills by the time they get back to school in the fall.  Yet, it can be tough to get kids to read when beautiful weather, sprinklers, and pools are competing for attention.  We got the chance to read the book "When Life Gives You OJ" by Erica S. Perl and it's such a cute and enjoyable book that it can make getting kids to read easy.

{flipflop Wines }

I try to take advantage of every relaxing moment that I can. I am super busy being a mother and wife and really enjoy my down time. After the chores and care taking are done for the day you can usually find me in a patio chair with my feet kicked up and an adult beverage in hand. One of things I really have learned to enjoy is wine. A nice glass of wine and some relaxation seems to always do the trick for me to unwind.