Friday 5....including the giveaway WINNER!

Happy Friday!  Can you believe February is nearly HALF over?!  March brings about all sorts of happiness for me, so knowing that it's only 18 days away is pretty fab!  Also, both hubby and I have 4-day weekends this weekend.  Today is my comp day for two extra long days of Parent-Teacher Conferences, while Craig took a vacation day, and then on Monday, we are both off for President's Day.  Horray for 4-day weekends!

| one |

We're on the hunt for new light fixtures.  We've already replaced our above-island pendant lights and we want to swap out the builder grade fixtures in our dining room and breakfast nook area for something a little more fun.  I'm adamant about getting one of these spherical shaped globe/orb fixtures for our dining room (turned play room that will eventually function as it should as a dining room).  Maybe it's the math teacher in me, but I just love these fixtures!

1 / 2 / 3
4 / 5 / 6

For our breakfast nook, we want something with a similar style, but we're not exactly sure what.  Perhaps something like this?  Suggestions?  Opinions?  Advice?  Send them my way!  (I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best at home decorating!)

| two |

I've been wearing this color of nail polish on my nails for basically the entire month of January and February.  When I posted this picture on IG last week, my nail polish got compliments galore!  In my mind, this is the perfect wintery gray/purple neutral combo, but some friends referred to it as a springy color, so I guess it's a good transition color?  Which is perfect since the groundhog says it's going to be an early spring!

| three |

These Merona booties from Target are my go-to footwear lately!  They look great with dresses, with leggings, and with jeans.  I love that they are essentially flat, so they are super comfortable after a full day on my feet teaching, and they neutral color basically goes with everything!

| four |

These gas prices lately!  I filled up my car yesterday for just over $20 and felt as if I teleported back to high school!  Word on the street is that prices may drop to as low as $1 per gallon!!  I know that isn't the best thing for those in the oil industry, but it sure makes me happy!

| five |

And finally, I had so much fun hosting my first ever giveaway this week!  I was a tad nervous about a lack of entries (from all of my 15 followers), but to my surprise there have been over 200 entries from 59 different participants!  It was so much fun scrolling through the names of those who entered and seeing both real life and blogging friends who supported me and signed up!  I really wish I could do a giveaway every week, and I really, really wish I could give a set of MAGFORMERS® to each and every one of you.  If you're not the lucky winner, be sure to check out my favorite sets below.  They would sure make for a nice addition to those upcoming Easter baskets. ;)

MAGFORMERS® 14-Piece Set
MAGFORMERS® 30-Piece Set
MAGFORMERS® Inspire 14-Piece Set (for Girls)
MAGFORMERS® Inspire 30-Piece Set (for Girls)
MAGFORMERS® Inspire 62-Piece Set (for Girls) 
MAGFORMERS® Cruisers Car Set
MAGFORMERS® Dinosaur Set
MAGFORMERS® 112-Piece Challenge Set
MAGFORMERS® Power Construction Set

And now for the winner...

Congrats to Hannah K.!  You are the proud new owner of a MAGFORMERS® My First 54-Piece Set!  I'll be contacting you soon via email, so please be on the lookout for that!!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Linking Up With:

Momfessionals and A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites 

September F A R M for Oh, Hey Friday

A.Liz Adventures for Five on Friday

A Favorite Things Roundup

One of my favorite things about blogging is sharing with others.  I've always loved giving recommendations and sharing what works well for me in different areas of life.  Here is a round-up of all of my favorite things posts!  Follow the links for the original post and description/link to my favorite items!

My Favorite Things: Baby Edition #1

 My Favorite Things: Baby Edition #2

 My Favorite Things: Baby Edition #3

My Favorite Things: Baby Edition #4 

 

My Favorite Things: Kitchen Edition

 My Favorite Things: Pregnancy Edition

Potty Training Favorites 

 

 Things My Kids Love

Our Favorite Toddler/Preschool-Aged Books

Valentine's Day - As Seen on Pinterest

The month of love is upon us and though we treat February 14 like any other day in our house, that doesn't mean I can't swoon over all of the pink!  I shared a few of my favorite Pinterest Valentine finds a couple of weeks ago, but I thought I'd expand on that today.  Thank goodness for Pinterest and for people who are more creative than I!

1 // 2 // 3

4 // 5 // 6 // 7

8 // 9 // 10

11 // 12 // 13

Will You Be My Valentine Blogger Exchange

This year, we were lucky enough to participate in a Valentine exchange with some of my favorite bloggers across the country.  The boys loved getting mail ("Balentines" according to Brantley) on a consistent basis and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just as excited to see a fun envelope grace our mailbox each day!

I debated what kind of Valentine to send to our virtual friends (there are so many cute ideas on Pinterest), but in the end, I decided to repeat last year's DIY heart-shaped crayon Valentine.  After all, we hadn't used the idea on our blogger friends and it is just too cute (and too easy) to pass up!

 You can find instructions for the DIY Valenetine here, but this year I decided to include a free printable (here) for anyone who wants to recreate the idea.

Both boys got to help this year and both were near pros at breaking the crayons into pieces.  Imagine that.  #allboy

As for the Valentines we received, here are 12 of the 18.  I hung them as garland from our fireplace mantel, using mini red/pink/white painted clothes pins from--where else--Target's dollar spot! 

Many of the Valentines had trinkets attached (heart-shaped glasses, glow sticks, mini dinosaurs), some included candy/treats, and some were too big to hang as garland, but they were all so adorable and so fun to receive in the mail.  It definitely made this blah time of year a little bit more exciting for this mama!

Be sure to check out the other bloggers' posts and Valentine creations!  And a special thanks to Meghan for organizing!

Tawnya, Scarlett, & Bodhi @ All of Life's Little Adventures

Jennifer & Hattie @ And Hattie Makes Three

Ashley, Waverly, & Avalon @ Being Brickner

Jess & Abbie @ Being Mrs. Beer

Elizabeth & Mason @ Chasin' Mason

Liz & Jude @ Ellie and Addie

Crystal & Mason @ Hall Around Texas

Desiree, Marcus, & Julia @ Macke Monologues

Natalie & Blair @ Nat Your Average Girl

Sara, Mac, & Mim @ Running From the Law

Jess, Cameron, & Louise @ Scott Family of Maine
Jessica, Cameron, & Emerson @ Secrets of a Stay at Home Mom
Sarah, Brantley, & Holden @ Seeing All Sides
Karli, Kaye, & Sawyer @ September Farm
Chrissy & Elin @ Simple Joys Blog
Courtney & Aria @ Sweet Turtle Soup
Meghan & Noah @ The Adventure Starts Here
Stephanie & Connor @ Wife Mommy Me
Whitney, Kinsey, & Brielana @ Work It Mommy

Magformers Monday (Pssssst - A Giveaway!)

Happy Monday after the Super Bowl!  I've always wondered why the Super Bowl continues to be played on a Sunday.  I mean, Super Bowl Sunday is basically a holiday, right?  Yet, most of us have to resume normal life again just 12 hours later.  There isn't much we can change about having to go back to work on this extra dreadful Monday morning, so how about a little giveaway to make it a little more bearable?  (P.S. It's my first giveaway.  How exciting is that?!)

I've professed my love for MAGFORMERS® a time or two.  We first encountered them last summer when Brantley received a 30-piece set for his third birthday.  As a math teacher, I was quickly--and I mean quickly--in love!!  The shapes polygons spoke to my heart and I immediately started thinking about all of their applications to my geometry class (faces, edges, vertices, nets, Euler's Formula...ahhhh!).  I even took them to use as a demonstration when introducing polyhedrons in November.  Pretty sure my students decided right then and there that I am cray cray, but anything in the name of education, right?!  In all seriousness though, MAGFORMERS® are fantastic!  Not only are they my favorite toy, but both of the boys love them, too!

What exactly are MAGFORMERS®, you ask?  I would describe them as brightly colored, plastic toys in various shapes that include magnets so that the pieces can be stacked, built with, you name it!  The magnets inside are very strong and the MAGFORMERS® don't appear to be cheaply made in the least bit!  Founded with the Architects of the future in mind, MAGFORMERS® have won all kinds of educational toy awards and MAGFORMERS® is of the world’s leading manufacturer of magnetic children’s toys.  They are marketed for kids age three and above, but even at 21 months, Holden loves to sit and play with them.  Don't believe me and my love for these things?  Check the Amazon reviews.  Turns out, I'm not the only one who is gaga over these toys!

Recently, we received a MAGFORMERS® My First 54-Piece Set.  I already knew we loved the toys, but what I didn't expect from this My First set was the different activity/learning cards.  The cards can be used to match shapes and colors (perfect for Holden) or provide a guide for building both two and three-dimensional figures (perfect for Brantley).

Or, of course, you can just let their imaginations run wild and they can build from scratch.  Here is Brantley building a "geese pond".  We've also built many a football/baseball stadiums in this house.

This has been my go-to gift for all of the 3-year old boys we know, but they would be perfect for girls, too!  In fact, as a female math teacher, I love that MAGFORMERS® makes sets (the Inspire series) that are specifically geared towards young girls.  Here are a few of those options, as well as some other favorite sets!

MAGFORMERS® 14-Piece Set
MAGFORMERS® 30-Piece Set
MAGFORMERS® Inspire 14-Piece Set (for Girls)
MAGFORMERS® Inspire 30-Piece Set (for Girls)
MAGFORMERS® Inspire 62-Piece Set (for Girls) 
MAGFORMERS® Cruisers Car Set
MAGFORMERS® Dinosaur Set
MAGFORMERS® 112-Piece Challenge Set
MAGFORMERS® Power Construction Set

And now for my favorite part.  MAGFORMERS® has agreed to give away one My First 54-Piece Set to one lucky reader.  This is the exact set the boys are playing with above--activity cards and all.  The contest is open through Thursday night and a winner will be announced on Friday!  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below!  Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends Thursday, February 11th at 11:59 PM CST. Open to Residents of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. I will contact the sponsor (MAGFORMERS®) regarding your prize. The sponsor will be shipping the item to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you in obtaining your prize; however, if there is an issue, please notify me  for assistance within 30 days. After that, I may be unable to assist you. Please note that Sarah @ Seeing All Sides is not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prizes. The product provided for the review was free of charge from the the sponsor. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bloglovin' are in no way associated with this giveaway.  By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone.  I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.

We were gifted a set of MAGFORMERS® in exchange for a blog review.  However, all opinions--including my mad love for these things--are my own!

Affiliate links used.

BYFP Party

The Super Bowl is this weekend, and I think we can all agree that, whether your in it for the football, the commercials, or the food, it's a good excuse to gather with friends.  A few weeks ago, I offered to host a neighborhood watch party.  You know, so the guys could get together and watch football and the girls could be responsible for the kids.  Kidding.  Sort of.  Anyway, I typically love hosting parties--and all that they entail.  But then I got sick.  And then Craig was out of town for four days.  And as this weekend drew nearer, hosting a party sounded like the last thing I wanted to take on.  I mentioned this to one of my friends and she suggested a BYFP party.  Bring your favorite pizza.  Each family brings a pizza of their choosing so that the host isn't left to prepare mounds and mounds of food.  There are so many options when it comes to pizza (kinds, restaurants, styles, etc.), so when asking each family to bring their favorite, you usually end up with 1) a nice variety and 2) enough to feed the bunch!  Genius?  I think so.  I wish I could take credit, but rarely is that the case when it comes to great ideas!  My friend didn't have to do much convincing and luckily, my neighbors were quick to agree!  I plan on ordering a cream cheese pizza from Minksy's (it's as delicious as it sounds, promise!) or a Pretzel Piggy from Pizza Hut.

So perhaps you offered to host a Super Bowl party and have since regretted it?  Or maybe you want to host a gathering, but you're intimated by the food prep?  May I suggest you go the BYFP route like myself!  Want to ensure your party's a hit?  How about planning a Super Bowl Squares game (explained here) for an added layer of competition fun.  No knowledge of football/the teams required, as I won $85 in a similar game three years ago!

Happy Super Bowl weekend, friends!

Foodie for a Year | February

Welcome to our first of six link-ups!  Courtney, Jamie, Jamie, Liz, Whitney are I are super excited and can't wait to see all of your amazing love-related creations!  The link-up will be open through the month of February, so if you forgot to post today, no big deal; add your link later!  If you join us, we'd also love for you to share a photo on Instagram using the hashtag #foodieforayear.

For some reason, this category was the most difficult for me!  I had an idea from the get-go, but I really wanted to make something with my heart-shaped molds instead.  So I attempted mini heart-shaped red velvet cakes, which actually turned out okay, but then I tried to make them into whoopie pies, which was a big ole mistake.  Pretty?  Yes.  Tasty.  No.  It may have had to do with my 3-year old Crisco...who uses that stuff on the reg anyway??

So back to my first idea.  Red hot jello salad.  A recipe made famous in my world by one of my bestie's mamas.  It's super easy and oh so tasty!

What You'll Need:
1/4 cup of red hots
1 cup water
1 small box of cherry jello
1 cup of applesauce

What You Do:

1 | Boil together red hots and water until dissolved.

2 | Add package of jello and stir until dissolved.

3 | Stir in applesauce.

4 | Pour into a bowl or single serve dishes/cups; chill for 6-8 hours to let set and then enjoy!

That's all there is to it!  I'll be the first to admit, it's a weird{cinnamon/cherry/apple) combo and it may take a time or two to get used to the texture, but it is super delicious if you ask me!

Note: A single batch makes only 4 servings.  You may want to double (or triple) the recipe if for a large group!

An InLinkz Link-up