Salad Recipes that are Perfect for Spring

Are you looking for the perfect salad for Springtime? One that's not too heavy, not too filling, but is light, colorful and just right? I just curated a post over at Blissfully Domestic that I think you'll find to be the solution to your Spring salad woes! Click here to check it out!

All-American Apple Crisp #CookingWithGerber

This post is sponsored by Megaphone Influence/The Women Bloggers, LLC, a #SoapboxInfluence Project. All opinions are mine alone.

Do you know how long it's been since I had a jar of Gerber baby food or a box of Gerber baby cereal in my kitchen pantry? Approximately 21 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, and 12 hours. [So long, apparently, that they were still packaged in jars and boxes. Ha!] It's been a long time since I fed a baby of mine baby food.

Before creating this recipe, I had never even thought of using baby food for anything other than feeding babies. But, after giving it a little thought, I came up with this delicious Apple Crisp recipe, that uses Gerber Oatmeal Cereal and Gerber Apples baby food. It's going to be perfect for Summer picnics and barbeques. Best part, all ingredients are found at Walmart, so no running around town searching for this or that. 

Easy Apple Crisp with Gerber Oatmeal Cereal

You'll need:

For the crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup Gerber Oatmeal Cereal
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash of salt
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon of water

For the filling:

• 6 gala apples - peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 ounce "jar" of Gerber Apples

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup Gerber Oatmeal Cereal
• 1/4 brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine crust ingredients, press into bottom of 9 inch pie dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
2. Put filling ingredients into saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir for 10 minutes, or so, until apples begin to soften. Pour into crust.
3. Combine topping ingredients, sprinkle evenly over filling. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Lower oven to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 10-12 more minutes. 
4. Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a heaping scoop of whipped cream. 
5. Ask yourself why you've never thought to use Gerber Oatmeal Cereal before.

Are you brave enough to Cook with Gerber?? Imagine the possibilities. You can sneak veggies and fruits into recipes, and you're kids won't suspect a thing. After all, they won't see them. 

Head over to Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram, and see who else has been cooking with Gerber. Search the hashtag #CookingWithGerber. You'll be astonished at the creative recipes you find! 

But wait, there's more!! Now, enter to win a $50 gift card!! One of you will win $50 to go buy lots and lots of Gerber baby cereal...or, whatever you choose. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

#GerberCereal

As Seen on Blissfully Domestic {June/July}

Blissfully Domestic is ALWAYS on fire but, MY favorite time to write is End-of-Summer/Back-to-School season! With four kids in school full-time this year, I feel like these topics speak volumes for me. The last few weeks have been especially fun for me! I've gathered a bunch of ideas and recipes for Blissfully Domestic readers AND myself!

Here are a few of my most recent posts.

• 7 Back-to-School Teacher's Gifts
• 7 Healthy Back-to-School Lunch Ideas
• 10 DIY Craft Ideas to Relive Summer

• 7 Back-to-School Organization Ideas
• DIY Beach Bags for Every Budget
• Fruit Infused Water Recipes for Summer

Which of these posts are your favorite? What would you like to see me write about next? Tell me in the comments.

Aladdin Mason Tumblers {a Summer Essential}

I live in the South. I wear flip-flops, eat fried chicken, and drink sweet tea...from a mason jar. This summer I discovered Aladdin Mason Tumblers. They are everything I've grown to love from the traditional canning jars, only in a non-breakable version.

Sold at Walmart and on Amazon, these tumblers are perfect for everyday.

Hosting an outdoor BBQ? Serve your guests with Aladdin Mason's.

Need to increase your water intake? Add fresh sliced lemon to a pitcher of ice cold H2O and serve it in an Aladdin Mason Pitcher. Or, make a refreshing batch of lemonade. {Available in multiple colors, at WalMart}
My most favorite, well, one of my most favorite features of these tumblers is that they have lids and straws {sold separately}. Never again will I go to take a sip of my drink and there be a pesky fly floating on top. 

This pitcher comes in a multitude of fun colors. Clear is good for everyday but, I think I need a pink one for Mabry's 1st birthday shindig! {which is coming way sooner than I'd like. Where'd my baby go?}

Now, when I'm outside with the kids on a hot summer's day, I fill up the Aladdin Pitcher with a fruit-infused water, get everyone an Aladdin Tumbler of their own and set up a beverage table. Everyone stays hydrated and looks cute while doing so. 
What's your favorite beverage to drink from a mason jar??
Disclosure: The Aladdin products shown in this post were sent to me from Aladdin but, as always, the opinions are my own. Also, affiliate links are used within this post.

Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy {Coming Soon to Theaters}

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” finds space adventurer Peter Quill the object of a bounty hunt after stealing an orb coveted by a treacherous villain, but when Quill discovers the power it holds, he must find a way to rally the quartet of ragtag rivals hot on his trail to save the universe.
Have you seen the trailer for the upcoming movie Guardians of the Galaxy? If you're a fan of super heroes, you're going to love it! Even if super heroes aren't your thing, I think you're going to enjoy it. {I'll tell you for sure after July 24 when I go see it at a media screening.}
Here's the official trailer.


From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy's fate in the balance.

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which first appeared in comic books in Marvel Super-Heroes, Issue #18 (Jan. 1969), stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime Rael and Benicio Del Toro as The Collector.

James Gunn is the director of the film with Kevin Feige, p.g.a., producing. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Alan Fine and Stan Lee serve as executive producers. Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” is written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman and releases in U.S. theaters on August 1, 2014.

Here's a fun extended look video.


Do you plan on going to the theater on August 1? I can't wait to hear what you think of Guardians of the Galaxy!
Disclosure: The information and videos in this post were provided to me from Disney. I was not given any compensation to share it with you. I do so because I think you will enjoy the movie. 

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Looking for an action-packed weekend of fun for the whole family? Head to your local IMAX® Theater for the premiere of How to Train Your Dragon 2!

My family is a huge fan of the first How to Train Your Dragon. We are so excited to see this sure-to-be-great sequel! {There's a LOT of great new movies this summer!}

Starting this Friday, June 13th, the second chapter of DreamWorks Animation's beloved How to Train Your Dragon franchise is soaring to all IMAX theatres domestically in select engagements. The IMAX 3D release will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience®, creating a unique environment that will make audiences feel as though they are flying alongside heroic Viking Hiccup and his faithful dragon, Toothless.

Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristen Wiig reprise their respective voice roles, joined this time by Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett, Djimon Honsou and Kit Harington.

Will your family be going to see Hiccup, the viking  and Toothless, the dragon again??


**Information above provided by IMAX.

Summer Fun {put together a puzzle}

This Summer I'm starting a series of Summer fun activities that you can do with your kids to keep them busy and prevent you from hearing "I'm bored!" over and over. Do you have any ideas? Let me know in the comments to be featured!

One thing McKinley loves to do is PUZZLES. Every time I'm at the Dollar Tree or at the Target One Spot I check for a new puzzle. For only $1 a piece I buy them often. These puzzles usually have between 24 and 36 pieces and are pretty easy for her.



Many people have suggested I frame her puzzles when she finishes one. Two things that keep me from framing them; I would have more framed puzzles than one person should ever have AND she likes to put her puzzles together over and over again.

Like any other kid though, she gets bored of doing the same puzzles over and over again. I knew I would need to give her a couple of puzzles she had never seen before if I wanted this Summer Fun activity to be, well, FUN.

Have you looked at puzzles at WalMart or Target lately. There's a LOT to choose from. Some of them have 1000 pieces! While I know she's a master of 24-36 piece puzzles, I didn't want to overwhelm her right off the bat. So, I got her a 300 piece Cinderella puzzle from the Thomas Kinkade Disney Collection. 

It'll take us a few days to put it together. After all, she's 5 and her attention span will not keep for hours on one thing. {Unless it's Elsa and Anna PlayDoh videos. Don't ask.} But, that's okay. When she comes to me saying "I'm bored", I can pull the puzzle down and we can work on it some more. {I bought a piece of foam board large enough to hold the puzzle and the extra pieces while we put it together. No, I won't be framing it.}

When we finish with this one, I plan to buy the others in the collection. There's Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Pinocchio, Bambi, and Snow White.

What are your favorite puzzles to put together?


Affiliate links are within this post. 

Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing {a Recipe}

I found this salad recipe a couple of weeks ago on Meg Duerksen's blog. I didn't even have to see the list of ingredients to know I'd love it. The photo and the words Southwest and Cilantro reeled me right in.

It took a little time to prepare but, I'm telling you, it's worth every minute of prep time! It's best you go ahead and prep enough for two or three salads because you'll be wanting this for lunch again tomorrow. And the next day.

Gather your ingredients.


Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

For the salad, you'll need:

5 C chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 C cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 C canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 C corn kernels, draines
2 Tlbs. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
1/4 C tortilla strips, for garnish

For the Cilantro Lime dressing, you'll need:

1 C loosely packed cilantro, stems removed
1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves of garlic
the juice from one lime
pinch of salt
1/4 C olive oil
2 Tbls apple cider vinegar

How-to:

• Combine your cilantro, Greek yogurt, garlic, lime juice and salt in a food processor. Slowly add olive oil and vinegar in a slow stream, while food processor is running, until emulsified: set aside.
• To assemble the salad, top romaine lettuce with all of your fresh ingredients.
• Pour dressing on top and gently toss. 
• Garnish with tortilla strips, if desired.
• Enjoy!

{you wanna stick your fork right into your computer screen, don't you?!}

Tips from the kitchen:

• Find tortilla strips in the salad dressing section of your local grocery store.
• Chill dressing for a bit if you prefer a really cold dressing, like me.

Adapted from ____ Delicious. {There's a line there because the first word is a bad word. I like to keep things PG around here.}

Summer Fun {Build a Fort}

My kids get out of school this coming Friday. Since Summer camps are probably not going to happen this Summer, I need to get creative in keeping 5 kids busy all day for the next two months. If I hear "I'm bored" even one time I'm handing that particular child a bottle of spray cleaner and paper towels and sending them to clean the baseboards! {I've done it before. I do it often. As a result, I just might have the cleanest baseboards on the block!}

I have a few ideas up my sleeve. I plan to start a little Summer Fun series here at jonahbonah to share them with you. My hope is that it'll save you also from hearing "I'm bored."

Idea #1. Build a fort.



When I was a kid I loved building a fort. Either in my bedroom or under the dining room table. There was something about being hidden behind those sheets or blankets with my favorite toys or dolls and playing all by myself. Truth be told, if I could build a fort now and hide in it for even 5 minutes, I would do it. Momma needs a break. :o)

Now, my kids love for me to build them a fort. Sometimes we bring the dining room table chairs into the living room and drape blankets over them to make a huge fort for either playing in or watching a movie.

The other day the boys leaned four landscaping timbers up against a tree in the backyard and left them. I'm not sure what their original intentions were but, when I saw them there the next day I knew they were the perfect "bones" to make a great fort. While McKinley was busy playing with her brothers Lego bricks I snuck outside with a few vintage sheets and tied them to the timbers.

I laid a sheet on the ground and fixed her a portable lunch. We took the toys outside that she was playing with. She was all set to go have an afternoon alone within the walls of those sheets. It came as no surprise that she loved it!



Unfortunately, it rained the next day so the fort had to come down. But, I know now that if I build a fort, they will come. And have fun! We will FOR SURE be making more forts this summer!



Do you have any Summer Fun Ideas? I'd love to hear them! I just might recreate your idea and feature it here on jonahbonah.

Wyman's of Maine Blueberries {and a recipe}

When Wyman's of Maine contacted me to try their frozen blueberries I knew right away I wanted in! My kids LOVE fruit. More specifically, BLUEBERRIES! McKinley and Jett will sit and eat a pint of blueberries in one sitting. They absolutley love them.

Why are Wyman's so good??
In August, during the short harvest season of wild blueberries, Wyman’s of Maine freezes their crop within 24 hours of picking to offer the freshest wild blueberries year round. Wyman’s has 10,000 lush acres of wild blueberries where they grow this antioxidant-packed, flavorful fruit and transport it from farm to freezer to table.

When I received my blueberry coupons in the mail I went right away to Publix and found them in the freezer section right next to the store brand frozen fruit. Easy-peasy to find, right?! {you can also find Wyman's of Maine Blueberries at WalMart}

Little did I know, after being married to him for almost 12 years, my husband loves blueberry pancakes. For real?? Who is this man? {I think I was scarred for life when I was forced to eat blueberry pecan pancakes as a kid at a friend's house. Or maybe, I felt obligated to eat them. Either way I am not a fan of them in my pancakes. But, as I say to my kids, don't yuck someone else's yum.}

Since Hubs is the breakfast maker in our home he got up early one morning and surprised the kids with blueberry pancakes {and me a few without}. I make a mean bowl of cereal...he makes fresh pancakes and waffles. They LOVED them. Each became a member of the Clean Plate Club that morning. They were GOOOD!!! Or, so I was told.

Of course, I couldn't write this big long post about Wyman's of Maine Blueberries without having tried them for myself.

Last week I set out to make the best Blueberry Cake of all time! Ellie's Famous Blueberry Cake, that is. And it was yummmmy! {you can click the recipe name for the recipe itself}


{I wish you could smell it...It smelled amazing!}

While I was mixing all of the ingredients together McKinley came over and swiped the bag of remaining blueberries and finished them! There was a good cup or more still in there. When the bag was empty she asked if I could go to the store and get more Wyman's of Maine Blueberries. {I will for sure be buying these in the future!}

Did you know blueberries were good for you? I mean, aside from being fruit. They're a REALLY good fruit for you to eat!

Out of 40 different fruits and vegetables tested, wild blueberries take first prize in the antioxidant category, even more than cultivated, fresh blueberries from the produce aisle. Antioxidants aid in fighting free radicals that can cause cell damage leading to cancer, heart disease and other age-related conditions. Wild blueberries also have a number of other significant health benefits, including:

• High in fiber - One cup of wild blueberries contains 6.2 grams of dietary fiber. That is 25% of your recommended Daily Value (DV). Fiber reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. It also regulates blood cholesterol levels.
• High in manganese - One cup of wild blueberries provides 200% DV of manganese, a trace mineral that helps bones develop.
• Relieves eye strain - Some European and Asian countries call wild blueberries the “vision fruit,” importing millions of pounds of wild blueberries a year.
• High in potassium - This vitamin is important in helping combat high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. It may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help decrease bone loss.
• High in vitamin C - Vitamin C is important for growth and repair of all body tissues and helps to keep teeth and gums healthy.
• High in folate (folic acid) - The folate in wild blueberries helps the body form red blood cells and helps reduce the risk of birth defects.



So, tell me, do you buy frozen fruit? It's the best way to get all of those delicious berries that we love in the summer, in the winter. I'd love to hear what you make with your frozen fruit. Tell me in the comments!



Disclosure: Wyman's of Maine sent me coupons to get free product. The opinions in this post are my own. 

Blissfully Domestic Happenings {June}

You won't want to miss these June posts I wrote for Blissfully Domestic.  You'll find a plethora of information for summer grilling and Fourth of July party prepping.  And a few other fun tidbits of info too!

• Easy Fourth of July Crafts for the Entire Family
• Easy Patriotic Wreath {a tutorial}
• Festive Fourth of July Recipes

• Create a Summer Bucket List {free printable}
• Savory Summer Grilling Recipes
• Must-Have Fourth of July Party Supplies

Hubs made it clear today that should we have a party for the Fourth of July I better not be serving our guests with Dixie cups and paper plates.  {practice what you preach kind of thinking, ya know?}  :o)  To him I say, grill me that Portabella Mushroom goodness I share in the Summer Grilling post! 

AMF Summer Unplugged (FREE Bowling for the kiddos!}

School is out.  The Summer Bucket List is made.  Now, it's time to start crossing activities off of that list!

AMF Bowling Centers near you are helping make that happen {there are hundreds of locations nationwide}.  That's right,  FREE bowling for kids all summer long! 

Summer Unplugged- Spare your kids from boredom {and the heat}! Two free games every day for each child ages 15 and under registered in the Summer Unplugged program* (Shoe rental not included, but they’re worth paying for.) Sign-up here for free bowling all summer long!

*You can register up to six children in the program. If you would like to add more children, you will need to create a new account using an alternate email address.

Summer Pass- Adults won't be left melting in the heat! An AMF Summer Pass is just $34.95 and includes two games per day for the pass owner and up to three guests ages 16 and up. (Shoe rental not included, but they’re worth paying for.) Sign-up here for AMF's Summer Pass! 

New for 2013:

• One simple sign-up, no coupons to be emailed or printed! Simply present your membership card or your name at your local AMF center and you're all set to go!
• Also new this year for Summer Unplugged members is the "Stay and Play" option. Additional games can be added for just $1.49! So if the competition is hot and the weather is hotter, you can keep the strikes coming and stay cool for less!

The Summer Unplugged and Summer Pass programs run May 13, 2013 through September 2, 2013. Members can redeem their bowling games every day from open until 8pm using their membership pass, member ID, first name or other unique identifier. 

What is YOUR family's favorite summer activity to stave off boredom??  


I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated in this post are my own.

Create a Summer Bucket List {free printable}

This week on Blissfully Domestic I'm sharing how to create a summer bucket list for you and your family {with a little help from Lindsey of Pen and Paint.}. This is a super easy craft that the entire family can help with!  I'd love for you to go have a look-see.


{click over to Blissfully Domestic for the link to download and print your own Summer Bucket List printable}

summer boredom buster. {a crayola and myblogspark giveaway}

*****GIVEAWAY CLOSED*****



our family has always been lovers of all things crayola.

i refuse to buy any other brand of crayons and markers.
it's just my opinion but, the colors are more vivid and they color more evenly.

i do believe my kids are turning into crayola crayon snobs, too.
and i'm ok with that.




As Crayola helps keep your kids occupied in the backseat this summer, you can enjoy the ride because Crayola Color Wonder products are made to let kids express themselves without making a mess.

*With over 10 feet of coloring, the compact Color Wonder On the Go Tiny Tube lets kids tear off a perforated activity page for magical coloring fun at home or on the road. The tube fits in the cup holder of a car and can store the included markers inside, making it a perfect on-the-go activity. Adhesive-backing allows paper to stay in place while coloring so kids can easily create anything imaginable. Bring your friends on the road with the Disney and Barbie Crayola Color Wonder Mini Coloring Pad and Markers. With more pages than ever, kids will enjoy coloring a variety of pictures featuring some of their favorite characters. These fun coloring pads are also available in mini sizes that are perfect for tucking into a bag and bring them with you wherever you go.

*Get back to basics and allow kids to draw what they see outside their car window or daydream and draw whatever they imagine with the Color Wonder Coloring Pad. Kids will be entertained in the back seat with 5 sheets of Color Wonder paper and 2 Color Wonder Markers that only leave a mark on special Color Wonder paper. Create, erase, and create again with Crayola Dry Erase products that allow kids to unleash their inner artist over and over without carrying around hundreds of sheets of paper.

*You’ll be all packed up and ready to go with the Crayola Dry Erase Travel Pack that features a dry erase surface, along with dry erase crayons, an eraser and a sharpener to help sustain hours of fun. Take out the game and activity templates and let kids challenge each other to different games using vibrant, washable markers.

*Everyone can get in the game with the Crayola Dry Erase Zany Play that comes with four bullet tip dry erase markers and boards that your family can use to play games like tic-tac-toe, the dot game and mazes.


who's ready to win???
dontcha wanna see what you'll win?

you will get one of each of everything pictured here.
what is it, you ask?

Crayola Color Wonder On the Go Tiny Tube
Color Wonder Coloring Pad
Color Wonder Barbie Mini Coloring Pad and Markers
Color Wonder Drawing Pad and Markers
Dry Erase Travel Pack
Dry Erase Zany Play
Princess and the Frog Mess Free Color Wonder Activity Sets

here's how you enter...

leave a comment on this post giving me a summer activity that will bust boredom.

want additional entries? {leave a seperate comment for each you complete}

follow me on twitter @jonahbonah
follow me on instagram @jonahbonah
follow my blog via google friend connect

that's it!
there's four entries towards a great big box of crayola goodness!

good luck!
giveaway ends on july 11.


disclosure: the information, products and additional crayola summer fun gift pack was provided by crayola® through myblogspark.

insta-friday.

jake made it home from camp wednesday evening.
it's amazing how much a kid can change in only five days.
he responded to all of my questions with "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am."
i mean, we've taught our children to respond that way...but they often need reminding.
not him.
not on wednesday evening.
he was all manners.

before he went to bed he asked hubs to have quiet time in the bible with him.
camp'll change a kids heart.

thursday, we got up early and by noon he was passed out in the chair.
camp'll slap wear. you. out.


kinley and i had some snuggle time.
she was pretending to be shy.
truth is, she loves the camera.


granny and grandaddy came and spent time with the kiddos.
i'm so thankful for them.
they are truly amazing grandparents.


look at how sweet grandaddy is holding kinley while she shells peas.
love him.


i love onion.


and i love him.


i don't love doughnuts but this special delivery made me smile.


my wednesday afternoon lunch dates.
love.

this has turned into a "things i love" post.


i am the absolute worst at picking out a watermelon at the grocery.
seriously, the worst.
i brought home a watermelon the other day that was squishy.
watermelon picking is not my strength.
so, i stopped at a road side produce stand and had the lady choose one for me.
she thumped on about twenty before she found just the right one.
it was delish.
loved it.


these kiddos playing together quietly, for more than two minutes.
love.


guess what?


momma got a new haircut.
love!

the end.

sunflowers and letters and crafts.

since i left my sunflowers to grow at home...
i was on the search when we got to florida.
found them.






*********************************************************************************

we're marking off a few activities on our list too.
writing letters.

jonah wrote a postcard to aj.
i wrote one to jamie.


we've also been crafting.














i'm off to enjoy more summer.