Posts Tagged ‘Kids Belts’
Not Cool, Robert Frost…
It’s Friday, y’all! I’m in the south, I have to fit in, so y’all, it is! Anyway, Friday means it’s “Random Topic Day…” on the kids belts blog which means I can say what I want! I know what you are thinking, “But Chelle, it’s your blog can’t you say whatever you want whenever you want?” Well… true, but I have schedule of topics and there is some cosmic force that keeps me bound to that schedule. So, you see, my hands are tied.
Since it is Friday, I felt like a little encouragement for the weekend would be nice. My assistant, Jen, showed me this Kid President video and I fell in love with this kid. He’s got character, moxie… and I like it!
Plus, there are so many quotable quotes! I’ll list my favorite ones after you watch it (seriously, watch it, your life will be better for it!):
Favorite Quotes from Kid President:
- “This is life people… you got air coming through your nose… you got a heart beat… it’s time to do something”
- “Not cool, Robert Frost”
- “It’s like the dude, Journey said: “Don’t stop believing.” unless your dream is stupid. Then you should get a better dream. I think that’s how it goes.”
- “The world needs you so stop being boring. Ya- you! Boring is easy everybody can be boring.”
- “Life is not a game people. Life isn’t a cereal either. Well, it is a cereal.”
- “But what if there really were two paths. I want the one that leads to awesome.”
- “I don’t know everything, I’m just a kid. But I know this, its everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance.”
Have I said, “I love this kid”? He’s got other videos, but this one is just so spot on…
So I’ll leave you with this, what will you create to make the world more awesome?
PS Here is a little bit about Kid President: “Robby, age 9, is my little brother-in-law. He’s full of life and ideas. Robby has Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) a brittle bone condition which has resulted in him having over 70 breaks since birth. What’s inspiring about Robby isn’t his condition, but the fact that his condition doesn’t define who he is. In spite of all he’s been through he not only keeps going – he dances.”
Blessings,
A Word to the Wise
Here at the kids belts factory, we have a love/hate relationship with Amazon. We have some amazing retailers who sell on Amazon and we love them to death, but there are always one or two who spoil the pot.
We are very protective of our brand and our image. “Why?” you ask? Well, partly because this business and this piece of elastic with snaps is my baby. I feel like I literally birthed it with the amount of blood, sweat and tears that has gone into it! And, partly because that’s just good business. Imagine what Disney or Coca Cola would be today if they didn’t protect their brand and the value of their product. I know we are a young company and nowhere near as big as those companies (one day… you just wait), but if we don’t protect it now, it will only get harder. That’s where Amazon is making it difficult, and not just for us.
Like I said, we love the great majority of our Amazon retailers, but lately there has been one specifically (and I won’t mention names) that has blatantly been violating our pricing policies. We have been in contact with them through Amazon and they refuse to comply. I know that’s not Amazon’s fault, but here is where they come in… Amazon sellers are completely anonymous. Amazon won’t even talk about their 3rd party sellers. That makes it difficult for wholesalers and distributors like us to track down who is actually selling our product. We aren’t the only one. Once we started having this problem, we googled the issue (cause that’s what you do when you have a problem, right, google it?) and there are huge companies having the same problem. So much so, that they even dedicate a whole page on their website listing the companies who are not authorized sellers and warning that their warranties are voided if their product was purchased from any of those retailers.
The problem is, when you sell a product for under the minimum advertised price, you cheapen the brand and make it harder for smaller stores to sell the product because they have to make a certain amount on the sale to justify keeping in inventory. Keep that in mind when you purchase any product. The cheapest price might seem like a deal, but it might also be forcing someone else to close their doors or not carry a product because they can not compete.
Blessings,
Chicken & Dumplings Simple Recipe
Are you looking for a hearty, filling, delicious and EASY dinner idea? I know I always am. Especially after a long day of working on kids belts and running around with the kids. So, who do I turn to? My assistant, Jen. Why? Because she is always cooking and is very good at pulling meals together, quickly!
She is part of a meal ministry at her church which provides meals for new moms as well as those recovering from illnesses and such. This is her go to meal. She swears that everyone loves it and asks for the recipe. It looks really easy so I’m ready to give it a try.
Here you go!
Chicken & Dumplings
1 or 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (if you like dark meat better, use boneless chicken thighs) one breast actually goes much farther than you would think
1 Package of Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers it has to be the flaky ones, they help the broth thicken
32 oz Low Sodium Chicken Broth (may need more or to add water, you need plenty) low sodium keeps you in control of how salty it gets
Salt & Pepper to taste
Place the chicken breasts (thawed works best, but you can use frozen) in a large pot and fill the pot at least halfway. Turn the burner on high, until water boils. Turn down to med high and let the chicken boil. While the chicken is boiling, pop open the biscuits and cut them up into cubes (they don’t have to be uniform in size). They should look something like this…
I put a little flour on my board, but you don't have to.
Once the chicken is done (cut a piece open to make sure there is no pink). Remove it from the broth to cool down. Bring the broth back up to a rolling boil and drop all of the biscuit cubes in and stir. Turn the burner down to medium or med low. Don’t stir too much or too hard or they will break apart. Now just shred the chicken and add back to the pot. Stir again and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are done to your liking! For a variation, you could throw in a bag of frozen mixed veggies.
Not bad, huh? It definitely beats mixing the dough and rolling it out! This gives you fluffy dumplings and the flaky biscuits come apart enough to thicken the broth! As much as Jen has talked these up, I can’t wait to try it out!
Blessings,
Painting
I decided to take a break from the ever demanding world of kids belts to focus on our house. You know, that thing we live in, eat in, sleep in, shower in, rest in, etc… If you are like me, you take it for granted. “Oh, we have a roof over our head, that’s all we need.” In the mean time, the walls have little finger print smudges, stray crayon marks and what appears to be traces of splattered drinks from days long past.
I really got to looking at our walls the other day and I thought, “gross! How did I not notice this before?” So, I did what anyone would do. I immediately went out and got numerous paint samples to test out. That’s right, I went around my house painting little swatches to see what would work. Now, I know what you are thinking, “That’s smart, that way she’s not stuck with a hideous color.” While that’s true, the hubby didn’t appreciate me painting several swatches of the same color all over the living room and bedroom so that I could see how the color looked in different lighting.
I would like to say that it looked similar to this…
Realistically, it was probably more like this…
Ok, maybe not my best idea, but I did find the color I love for the bedroom and I even got it all painted while hubby was away so he came home to a freshly painted room! I love how clean and crisp the room looks. Painting really is the cheapest way to redecorate a room. It took maybe $40 in paint and our room looks completely different. The best part? Hubby loved it, too, and he REALLY loved that he didn’t have to do it!
Now on to the living room. I still have about 25 colors to narrow down… where did I put that paint brush???
Blessings,
Dapper Snappers Reviewed By MamaBreak
Dapper Snapper Review (as reviewed by MamaBreak)
Dapper Snappers are the perfect solution for your kids’ baggy pants. I was introduced to Dapper Snappers kids belts on Baby Steals about 4-5 years ago, and just love them! They come in a variety of colors and are super easy to use! We have had some of our Dapper Snappers for 2 years and they work as good as the first day we purchased them!
Watch below for our demonstration of how easy they are to use!
You can purchase them at: http://dappersnappers.com/
Thanks, MamaBreak!!
Blessings,
Soy Butter Basil Baked Chicken Wings
Baked, yes, not fried chicken wings. Why not make such a potentially unhealthy meal, a little healthier?? My wonderful kids belts assistant, Jen, shared this recipe (her original recipe) on her personal blog and she said I could share it here. I tried them and let me tell you, they are amazing.
My family loves wings, but all that fried food is too much so I thought I’d try this recipe. The wings still come out crispy and a lot of the fat boils off (yes, boils, I’ll explain in a minute). What’s really great about this recipe is the preparation. Even if you don’t like the soy butter basil (but why wouldn’t you?) you can sauce them however you like. If you have a traditional hot sauce you like, great! Use that. Teriyaki more your cup of tea, then use that. This preparation can be very versatile.
SBB Wings
20 wings (give or take)
1 Stick of Melted Butter (or the equivalent in margarine)
3 Cloves of minced Garlic
2 Tbsp chopped fresh Basil (or the equivalent in the squeeze basil that you get in the produce section)
Soy sauce to taste
Salt & Pepper
Preheat the oven to 375. In a large pot, fill half way with water and salt to taste. Add the wings and bring them to a boil. Boil them until they are almost done. While those are cooking, mix the rest of the ingredients together (minus the salt). Keep tasting until you get the soy to mixture ratio to your liking. When the wings are almost done, but still a little pink, pull them out of the water and add them to the marinade. Mix it up until all the wings are coated. let sit for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place the wings on a lined baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and brush with extra marinade. Bake until the wings brown and the skin crisps. Turn halfway through.
I love the soy, butter and basil combination. They just compliment each other so well. You have to try these. Let me know what you think!
Blessings,
Huggies Mom Inspired
We have plans and ideas, big plans and ideas. We have goals, big goals! What hinders our ideas, plans and goals?? Money, of course! So, this year we have decided to take a run at the Huggies Mom Inspired Grant Program with our kids belts. Have you heard of it? Here’s how their site explains it.
“The Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program is awarding up to $15,000 to further the development of innovative products inspired by the joys of motherhood. At Huggies® we recognize that there is a dynamic and talented community of moms who strive to make life as a parent easier and more enjoyable every day. It’s what we strive for too. That’s why we want to inspire moms from all walks of life to channel some of their best moments of ingenuity into products that help improve the lives of all moms.”
This is an amazing program for Huggies to offer. This is great advertising for smaller companies like ours. Plus, we would love to align ourselves with a big name like “Huggies”. I mean, really, doesn’t it just make sense? Dapper Snappers are perfect “fit” for toddlers with diapers. (ha ha, you like that?)
On top of that, the money would be nice. I know that we would only get a portion of the $15,000 that they are giving away, but we could put it to such good use. We could go to more trade shows to help up get in front of some of the bigger box stores. We could use it to help us revamp our packaging. So many idea, I have!
So, wish us luck, and pray that I get over my writers block so I can finish filling out the application. Why is it so hard to sing your own praises?? “What is something that you like to do? What is unique to you?” Uhhh…. I’m pretty good at killing house plants… Somehow I don’t think that’s what they are looking for, though.
Blessings,
Quoth the Raven…
Ah, that Lincoln, such a visionary… He knew even back then that we would have trouble differentiating actual quotes with made up ones on the internet. Plus, he knew we would have the internet, and he was a vampire slayer and something about being a president and abolishing slavery… What a man!
Anyway, as I was taking a break from designing new packaging for our kids belts, I saw that picture on my favorite website, Pinterest, and I laughed. Then I started really paying attention to the quotes and realized, that’s so true. How do we know that Marilyn Monroe said “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” While I like that quote, I generally won’t repin quotes who give credit to who said it, just because I don’t know if it’s true. And lets face it, I don’t want to look like an idiot. 
If you judge Benjamin Franklin by the things he is quoted with saying on Pinterest, you would think he may have had a problem.
Like this quote, I really like it, but I don’t know if he said it. So if I repin it do I look silly if he, in fact, didn’t say it?
Am I the only one concerned with this? Does it really matter or will someone just look at this quote and think “That’s nice”. I’m over-thinking, I know. It’s what I do and because of that, you will rarely, if ever, see me pin a quote that actually lists a name on it.
Hows that for our “Random” blog topic??
Blessings,
Dapper Snapper Review by Simply Sherryl
Here’s a blog review from Simply Sherryl raving about Dapper Snappers kids belts!
Dapper Snapper Review
I was excited when I received a Dapper Snapper to review. My grandson is a tank. He suffers from “toddler belly”. That is when your shirt rides up and your pants ride down, leaving the belly exposed! His parents can fix the shirt by just putting on a larger size, but the pants, well… larger just means larger! They still don’t fit but now the problem is that they are just too big and fall off. This is where Dapper Snapper comes to the rescue.
I love that Dapper Snappers are adjustable and since they are placed in the back, they do not interfere with a child dressing themselves, potty training or diapering. Once in place, the child will likely forget they even have it on.
What is so nice about this product, is whether your child is skinny and their pants are the right length but too big in the waist or have a more solid child and need the extra in the waist, Dapper Snapper belts will be a lifesaver!
Dapper Snapper toddler belt is not like any other belt, it is actually a sturdy piece of elastic with snaps on it.
Dapper Snappers are not just for toddlers! They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes – from toddlers to adults – they even have belts that will allow you to stay in your regular clothes longer when expecting.
To use a Dapper Snapper, simply slip each end of the belt through a couple of belt loops on any pair of pants. Fold back over the loop and snap long the line making the waist as snug as needed.
If your child like pants without belt loops, Dapper Snappers Clips will attach to the belts and you can still have the fit needed.
Dapper Snappers are available in Toddler Belts, Kids Belts, Boys Belts, Girls Belts, Clips for pants without loops, and even for men and women. This is truly a product that works for just about everyone!
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Thanks for the great review!! We love hearing what fans have to say!
Blessings,
3 Easy Healthy Recipes
When I actually have time to plan it out and think about it, I really do like to cook. The problem is, most days I am rushed to get something on the plate (or *gulp* we eat out) before we fly out the door to either Bug’s or Super Dude’s practices or games. That means that I fall into a food rut. I end up cooking the same dishes over and over again, but now I am vowing to change. As I sit here in my kids belts office, I vow to prepare and cook at least one new (healthier) dish a week. I don’t think that’s too unreasonable.
So, where do I go to find healthy recipes? Why, Pinterest, of course! So here are 3 recipes I came across to start out with. I thought I’d share them with you as well!
1. Chicken Tacos
Makes:1 serving (just multiply to your needs)
Ingredients
3 oz grilled skinless chicken breast (seasoned with chili powder, garlic salt and cumin)
Two 6” corn tortillas
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 rice, brown or Spanish
1/4 cup avocado, cubed
Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray
Shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, salsa
Preparation
Use extra virgin olive oil cooking spray to grill chicken. Wrap grilled chicken breast into warm tortilla stuffed with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and salsa. Enjoy with black beans and rice on the side. *Can swap chicken for shrimp or fish.
Nutrition facts:377 calories, 28 grams protein, 50 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fat
Broccoli with Fusilli and Red Pepper (courtesy culinary.net/)
2. Broccoli with Fusilli and Red Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of broccoli florets
- 3 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1/2 pound fusilli pasta
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into long thin strips
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lemon zest
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Preparation
- Cook broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt. Remove from water with slotted spoon. Place in large bowl and set aside.
- In same water, cook pasta according to package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain well and add to broccoli.
- While pasta is cooking, in small sauté pan, heat oil and cook sliced red pepper, garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 3 minutes.
- Off heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, red pepper flakes, pepper and lemon juice. Mix and pour this over broccoli and pasta. Toss well.
- Season to taste, sprinkle with cheese (if using), and serve.
- For added protein, shred 1/2 of a cooked store-bought roasted chicken, then toss with pasta and serve.
Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup (courtesy kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/)
3. Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup
vegan, makes about 5 large bowls
2 large russet potatoes, peeled/roughly chopped
4-5 cups broccoli (mostly florets)
1 cup almond or soy milk unsweetened/plain
1 cup+ vegetable broth
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 cup+ nutritional yeast (a must for the ‘cheezy’ flavor)
fresh black pepper to taste
toppings:
1 red onion, chopped
1 small tomato, diced
Directions:
1. Boil a large pot of water + a few pinches of salt. enough water to cover the potatoes and broccoli.
2. Prep your veggies. Toss your potato into the boiling water. Cover.
3. After about 5 minutes, add in the broccoli and continue boiling until veggies are tender. Remove from heat. Drain water.
4. Saute the chopped onion until it caramelizes – add some salt and pepper and optional spices to enhance the flavor. Toss in the tomato. Add the Daiya cheese over top to melt. Turn off heat. (Saute in oil if desired – I just used a splash of water to keep oil free.)
5. Add the potato, broccoli, non-dairy milk, veggie broth and nutritional yeast to a blender, like a Vitamix. (Immersion blenders also work.) Blend from low to high until smooth. Blend with extreme caution since contents will be quite hot.
6. Add a few scoops of sauteed onion to the blender and blend. Do a taste test and add in the spices, optional flavor enhancers and salt to taste. Add in more liquid for a creamier or thinner texture.
7. You can serve warm from the blender or simmer in a pot on the stove until ready to serve. To serve, add tomato, onions, melted vegan cheese, tempeh bacon bits and whatever else you’d like to “load” your soup with. Serve with some crusty bread or sprouted grain toast. Vegenaise on toast is a nice accent too. Store covered in the fridge and eat within a few days.
Hopefully, I can get the kiddos to eat these as well. Let me know what you think! I’ll try to give you my reviews of these as well!
Blessings.,