The little one turned 3 on New Years Eve … and how did she wish to celebrate? With her favorite color, of course – PINK. She specifically requested a PINK PARTY and even chose the dress that the theme was centered around (a multi-pink ruffly number from Gap Kids). We put pink everywhere – pink lemonade, pink cups, pink candy-filled jars with pink rock candy arrangements, pink balloons and pink tissue paper flowers, pink cake, pink dress, pink wand and crown, and even a pink-iced cookie tree. I had pinned a pink ruffly cake a while back on Pinterest, but she saw another pink cake I pinned and decided at the last moment that she wanted it instead. That exact cake. And she got it. The only way it could have gotten any pinker was if I’d painted the walls. She absolutely adored it, as did I, so I wanted to share a few pics with y’all.

The summer before our oldest was going into kindergarten, she expressed a BIG interest in reading. Never having taught someone to read before, we were at a loss as to what to do. Lucky for us, a college nearby was hosting a reading program for different age groups, beginning with 4yo and rising kindergarteners. And so we signed up.

It was a 5 or 6 week program. We spent maybe 2 hours on a Saturday morning there. They provided the materials and a cd. We showed up, paid attention, and practiced during the week. After the class and continued practice, she was reading before she ever went to kindergarten. She was 4 years old. Not only did the class help us work with her, but it sparked in her a love of reading that she continues to possess today.

I hope that if you, or someone you know, has a little one that wants to read – or even an older child that needs or wants help with reading and reading comprehension – you will check out the Institute of Reading Development website and find a class near you. No matter how hurried you may be, the few hours of work that this takes have a lifetime of positive results!

Hurried Homemaker was in no way compensated for this post.

One of my favorite brands for my kids is definitely Tea Collection! Matter of fact, Tea makes up somewhere between 1/2 – 2/3 of my 2yo’s wardrobe. It is stylish, unique, and well-made. So, when Tea approached me about reviewing something from their Women’s Spring Collection, I was thrilled! I had never thought about buying Tea for me … I never left the pages of kid clothes! How had I not shopped their women’s line?

First off, their customer service is AWESOME! I am probably one of the pickiest people in the world about customer service, and yet they WOWed me from the beginning. I was unsure of what size to buy and the lovely lady at Tea walked me through each garment I had chosen to help me select the right size for me. She was patient, kind, and a great salesperson (I ended up buying an additional piece that wasn’t included in my gift certificate).

I chose the Modernista Tee in 2 different colors, and added on the Hojas del Mar Tunic. The tees are a cool dolmen style and are so soft that my husband couldn’t stop rubbing my back when I wore one the other day (no complaints here). The best part about these is that they go with everything! I’ve worn them with yoga pants and tennis shoes; jeans, a beaded necklace, and a pair of sandals; and even slacks, nice jewelry, and high heels. I am a lover of the tunic-style, so the Hojas del Mar was the perfect item to add to my wardrobe. I wore it for the first time at our anniversary dinner in Disney World – it was comfy, cute, and fun.

Tea has added a few cool spring dresses that I have my eye on, too. There is one thing that I wish they had, but didn’t … wide-leg trousers. All their pants were of the skinny variety, and I don’t love that style.

And, although I was only asked to write about Women’s, I will add that they have the cutest summer dresses for girls right now – under $30! [I just ordered some for each of my girls.] Have boys? No worries! Tea has some great new arrivals for boys, too!

Hurried Homemaker was provided with a gift certificate to purchase items of my choosing to review. While some of the products mentioned in this post were received for free, this did not affect the opinions reflected in this post.

About two weeks ago, I got an invitation to check out the premier of Country Dance for Wii here in Nashville. The invite was noted for “media and industry” so, naturally, I asked about bringing the hub (a singer/songwriter, performer, and record exec) and my kids. Luckily, it was cool. So …

The next week, I loaded the girls up and headed into town to pick up the hubs. We made the short drive over to the Country Music Hall of Fame to check out this new game.

Keep in mind, we do did not own a Wii (more on this in a minute). But the kiddo had played at friends’ houses (since pretty much all of them have one). I just have never been convinced why we needed to own one.

First off, it was a small and intimate presentation with demonstrations by girls who make a mom of 2 try to remember the last time she could wear jeans that tight (and look good in them). It looked like lots of fun, but then again those girls would make anything look fun – the question was, could I do it?

Then, they got the kiddo up to try it out with the PR gal and 2 other volunteers. She did great and then asked me to join in on the next one. I reluctantly agreed. But the baby had other plans – crying for Mommy. And so, I did it … while holding my 2 yo.

Um … Best. workout. in a LONG. time. No joke. (And I only partially say that because I was holding the babe.)

Not only was it a terrific workout, but it was a BLAST! We ALL had so much fun.

They gave us a free copy of the game and we left. What did I do? Dropped the hubs back off at his office, took the kids to Target, and yes … I bought a Wii. Seriously.

I play by myself after the kids have gone to bed as my “workout”. I have seriously already lost a little weight and have begun toning – just from this game!

Here’s a quick video out about the game:

It is LOADS of FUN (and I’m not just saying that because I got a free copy of the game)! It will be available March 29, 2011 in stores – and WalMart will carry a special copy with a bonus track (Alan Jackson’s “Good Time”).

QUICK NOTES:

• Songs are great – everything from “Achy Breaky Heart” to “Cowboy Casanova”
• Songs are ranked with 1-3 stars for difficulty level
• Lyrics are displayed so you can sing along
• Up to 4 players can “compete”

Learn more on the Country Dance Facebook page or by following Country Dance on Twitter.

Hurried Homemaker was not compensated for this post. We did receive a free game, but this is no way affected or swayed our opinions.

As you probably know, we recently moved to another state. The house came together pretty quickly. Sure we still need some art in a few places, but overall it’s not bad. The kids rooms are still in progress. The oldest only needs a rug, but lately I’ve been in the process of decorating the toddler’s room.

Since she has always slept with us, it is really important for me to make sure this is a room she LOVES. That way, she’ll get more excited about transitioning to her own space. Her favorite colors are orange and turquoise. This has been the basis of the room. I found a cheap toddler bed on Craigslist – last weekend we sanded and painted it turquoise. I still need to add a little art and a rug, some curtains and a quilt.

Once it is done I’m looking forward to sharing it with you. Until then, I’d love for you to share your toddler rooms by emailing or commenting with a link. I can’t wait to see them!

Hubs sanding down the Craigslist toddler bed

Cute new bed after several coats of turquoise