After school snacking made easy

I spent the day getting stuff done. But the kids are done with school and in the midst of being overwhelmed, I have to get a snack ready so I'm not hearing "Mom, I'm hungry" every 5 minutes before I make dinner. 

Today's choice is cupcake pizzas. It's quick and tasty. 

You will need: 

1 can of pillsbury biscuit dough

1 pack of pepperoni 

Shredded cheese

Pizza or even spaghetti sauce

Remember, you're making pizza. You can add whatever you like. 

Pop open your dough. Knead it out in your hands until you have a flat round piece. Lay it out in your muffin pan.

Once each on is flattened and laid out, it's time to put sauce in each one. Spread just enough to cover the muffin circle like you were making a mini pizza.

Add your toppings and put them in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until the dough is a golden brown. Even if you don't want them in cupcake shape, you can flatten the dough and make mini pizzas. My kids preferred the pizza shape but still weren't that into them. 

Which brings me to another alternative in the snacking realm. Mediterranean Snacks! They sent me another case of their latest product, the Beanstalks.

My kids and I love these! Three flavors of crunchy that are packed with fiber.

These are straw-like chips made from beans! Extra crunchy with that salty flavor that is still better than your leading brand chips. Plus the beans give these snacks added fiber value which is better for your digestion. You won't have colorful fingertips for your kids to decorate the furniture or their clothing with either. They use cannellini, green and pinto beans to make these. There are three flavors; BBQ, cheddar, and sea salt.

My kids definitely devoured the BBQ and cheddar ones first. I love the crunchy and flavorful addition they bring to our snacking habits. They have 50% less fat than regular chips. This is how its put when you pose the question, Why beans? 

"Beans have been a staple in the Mediterranean region for centuries, packed with protein and nutrients our bodies crave.

This modern day super food, allows us to create better-for-you snacks with simple, ancient ingredients."

So check them out and look for them in a local store as there are many that carry the Mediterranean Snacks. 

Swingline Electric Stapler review

I'm a little surprised by this product. I don't recall being asked to do a review for it. But it arrived in the mail and a review it shall receive.

This is the Swingline Speed Pro 25 electric stapler. Its supposed to be jam free guaranteed and three times faster than your standard stapler (I'm guessing). It takes standard staples though. I like the fact it has suction cups on the bottom to hold it steady on your desk as you use it.

There is a button on the back that ejects the staple tray so you can reload. 

The first time it stapled something, it scared me.

Its loud and delivers high powered action much like a staple gun. There are pros and cons to having something like this. 
Yay! Its safer than a manual one as kids (or absentminded adults) can't get their fingers caught and stapled. 
Grr... Its bigger than a manual stapler though and takes up a little more room on your desk. Not much, but enough to be noticed. Its also heavier which can make it cumbersome.
Yay! Its able to stick to your desk so there is no struggle to hold it in place while getting those papers stapled. 
Grr... If you have to move it, you have to un-stick it first. 

There is a light on the back button that will alert you when it needs more staples added. Or when the loader is open. 

While it is supposed to be jam free, there is the possibility of a staple getting bent and thus blocking the exit for the following staples. To me, this sounds like a jam... but I'm just reading the manual. 
I'd love to tell you where to get these, but like I said... Don't remember being asked to review it to begin with. So until I find some more info, I can only say that its a toss up as to whether I like this or a manual one better. They both have perks and uses unique to themselves. 

Discount offer from the Container Store!

I received some information about discounts from the Container Store. Whether you are getting organized in time for fall or just want to get that last minute school shopping done, The Container Store has so many options to assist you with! Use the following code by August 29th to get 15% off your order. TCSLOVE is the code. It works in store or online. 
Also check the website as I saw 25% off everything Elfa. Also, you can get free shipping on orders over $75. 
And if you are a teacher, here's some news you might want to check out! 
"Teachers are getting extra credit with a 20% offer to get their classrooms in tip top shape for the school year.  All they have to do is present their valid teacher ID in-store now through September 7^th."
Check them out! And don't forget to share your organization tips and tricks. 

First day of school has arrived!

Time to cry tears of joy! Freedom from the munchkins for 8 hours!!! Okay not really. Tears of bittersweet. I'm proud of my boys getting an education. I'm sad that I have been unable to provide it all myself. But this will work for the better for our family. 

I stayed up after they went to bed to make sure all the school uniforms were clean and paired together. 

Yes, I even had fresh underwear set out. I made their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with plenty of snack-like foods to keep them full today. I froze their fruit flavored waters so that they would slowly defrost and provide something cold to drink. 

To save time, I also laid out their socks in their shoes. Moms and dads know how hard multiple shoes and socks can be to keep together. This is why larger families don't fly. 

My oldest wanted to be a butt about getting his picture taken, but at the last minute made this face. My younger son was super excited. That is until we got to the school. 

His dad had to push him along to class. It's going to be quite interesting when we finally pick them up later today. I have a feeling it will look something like this when we get home...