My Bantams Have a New Home

As many of you know I have been raising chickens for some time, and we have pretty much stuck to standard breed chicks up until this year.  We decided to add some little bantams to our backyard flock this past spring but we wanted to keep them separate from our standards.  I knew we always had the option of building the second chicken coop, but between not being sure about size and style, as well as not having any free time as it is PLUS the hassle of buying all the materials, finding a pre-made coop was exactly the right choice for us.  Horizon Structures generously offered to send me one of their amazing coops and I was so excited when it arrived!

There were actually two more coops at the other end of this trailer and I thought they looked so cute pulling up to the house.  The driver was really helpful with unloading and helping us get it to the right spot in the back yard.  Since all of Horizon Structure's coops come fully assembled, it was only a matter of getting it to where we wanted it.

The coop is perfectly adorable and I love it! This is called the 5 x 6 chicken coop and is designed to house up to 15 birds.  The ground where we set it up was not level so we had to put something under one side, but I have already started planting hostas and ferns around it to make it even more cute.  Horizon Structures offers many options and add ons to their coops, everything from paint colors to dawn to dusk doors, you can even put it on wheels so that it can be moved easily.  I chose the colors on my coop as well as the color of the shingles on the roof.

Someone could not wait to get it ready and more the chickens in.  She even asked if she could sleep in there!

Here is a picture of the inside (with a handful of straw lol).  There are two windows that open and close on the right, underneath those there are nesting boxes that are also accessible from the outside of the coop.  To the left is their little roosting area and above that is an additional ventilation window that can open and close.  I will have to do a full video tour to show all the great features that this coop has.  I love that it is raised off of the ground, it makes it much easier to clean in there.  

Here they all are checking out their new home, aren't they cute?  My bantams are still pretty small, and won't be nearly as big as standard chickens, this makes them an easier target for predators.  This chicken coop is completely predator safe.  We added a small run on the outside, but will have to replace it with a bigger one once these guys grow up.  

I am so happy with our new coop and it looks so nice in our yard, I'm glad we did not attempt to build something ourselves.  You will have to stay tuned for a little video tour and some live footage of this cute little rooster crowing.

Disclosure:  I was sent this beautiful coop by the generous people of Horizon Structures, all opinions and photos are my own. 

NOVICA is the Place for Special Gifts {Giveaway}

Spring and summer are a busy time for us with birthdays, not to mention Mother's and Father's days, anniversaries and so on.  I have a hard time picking out meaningful gifts because the stores around here really don't carry anything that catches my eye.  Shopping at NOVICA has become my life saver.  NOVICA, who is in association with National Geographic, is giving artisans around the world a way to share their craft and it is providing us with amazing products.  The site is easy to navigate and you can search for products by categories such as jewelry, furniture, and clothing or by price range or person you are buying for.

I adore all the treasures that I find on there and really have a hard time choosing what to buy.  Anytime I buy something from NOVICA, it comes beautifully wrapped and usually has some sort of post card from whatever country the piece is from.

One of my readers will win a $40 gift code to use on NOVICA.com, on any item they choose, but good luck trying to figure out what item is your favorite!  All you have to do to enter the giveaway is follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget below.

Due to the extreme amounts of entries that have not followed directions, I will be verifying each and every entry to make sure it is valid.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  I received a gift code from NOVICA, all opinions are my own

Take Them Out to a Ball Game #FamilySunday

One of Americas favorite past times has always been baseball and nothing is better than spending a Sunday afternoon with your family watching a game.  We took a little trip into the city, Chicago of course, and spent a beautiful Sunday at US Cellular Field watching the White Sox Play.  This was our first time at US Cellular and it was such a positive experience.  We got there a little early so that the kids could watch batting practice and get some autographs.

If you thought taking your family to a game was out of your budget, you really have to check out the Sox Family Sundays.  Tickets start as low as $5 for the upper level and $15 for the lower.  Parking is a breeze and is only $10.  You can get autographs from current and former players as well as broadcasters.  After the game the kids can also run the bases.

We got treated to an extra special day where we got to talk to some of the White Sox staff about all the great happenings with the team.   Brooks Boyer, the White Sox senior vice president of sales and marketing welcomed us to the game and shared with us details about this awesome Family Sunday promotion.

“For many years, we have worked hard to create one of the very best family environments in all of baseball."  said Brooks Boyer, "As we continue to closely listen to fans regarding the cost of the ballpark experience, the Family Sunday promotion is our next move in creating affordable seating options in both the lower and upper levels of the park.  Welcoming fans of all ages on a day that is traditionally dedicated to family time, we hope Family Sundays become a popular way for fans to share a baseball experience together.”

The White Sox are passionate about giving back to their community and love to involve their fans.  They created their Volunteer Corps to better their communities and have already had a great response with over 5,400 fans joining them on their mission.  You can learn more about how to join by clicking HERE.

We got to hang out with Southpaw as well.  

The White Sox have an awesome kids club (free and paid options), membership includes coupons for tickets to games!

Look what I got to try on!

We had an amazing day, the staff was so friendly and the ball park was amazing.  This will be something that we will continue to do as a family for years to come.

I want to thank the White Sox staff, Brooks Boyer and everyone else we met for the great experience at US Cellular field.  

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own, we were invited to a complementary game at US Cellular, which we enjoyed very much.

Monday Morning Winner Announcement

Good Morning!  I have winners to announce today, Yay!  Ok first is the winner of the Origami Owl giveaway for the $40 Gift Certificate

#284 Linda Garland, congrats Linda

Next is the winner of the Real Kids Shades, right in time for sunny weather

#10 Janet Watson, Congrats Janet

The winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to reply, thanks to all who entered there will be more giveaways coming soon.

I Had a House Full of Boys for an #XtremeCustomzParty

Little boys love to play with cars and we were so excited to find out that we would be hosting an Xtreme Customz party for my son and his friends.  Xtreme Customz let you customize your ride any way you like.

There were lots of excited boys here for the party, they could hardly wait to get started putting together their Batman Ridez.

I was worried when I saw the pieces that it might be difficult to assemble the cars, but everything snaps in an out very easily and they had no trouble at all.

The quality of the cars and parts was great, which made me happy because boys tend to be rough with their toys.

They were so proud of their creations!  We had a blast and the boys were so excited to find out that they would be taking their cars home.

Thank you to MommyParties and Ridemakerz Extreme Customz for sending us this awesome party pack, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this post.

Photo Ready Giveaway Event

Welcome to the Photo Ready Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media

Please take a moment to say hello to our sponsor: Giveaway Booster

Have a giveaway? Great! Now, how do you get the word out about your giveaway? Of course you want to reach more than just your audience right?!  Giveaway Booster was created to help you reach a larger audience to promote your giveaways. Give your giveaway a BOOST through email, blogs, and all forms of social media!

Giveaway Booster offers several services:

Promote Your Giveaway - Submit your giveaway, sweepstakes or contests and they will promote them! You can even have your giveaway promoted on several sites! List Your Giveaway Event - Bloggers do you need more bloggers to help you promote an event you are planning? List your giveaway for other bloggers to sign up. Join Giveaway Events - Are you a blogger looking to join all these great events? Sign-up to offer your readers these great giveaways and grow your social media in the process. Fans Enter Giveaways - Do you love to enter giveaways? Enter to win!!

Now let's talk about the fabulous prize package which includes:

Canon EOS REBEL T4i 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 3-inch Touchscreen and Full HD Movie Mode (Body) - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II SLR Zoom Lens - Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens - Telephoto & Wide Angle Lens Set - 3 pc Filter Kit: UV/ Polarizing filter/Fluorescent correction & Case - 32 Gigabyte SDHC Secure Digital Memory Card - Secure Digital USB Card Reader - Universal Memory Card Wallet - Pack of LCD Screen Protectors - Additional LP-E8 Rechargeable Lithium-ion Replacement Battery Pack - Well Protective SLR Camera Gadget Bag w/Pockets & Strap - Full Size 59" Tripod W/Case - Focus DVD Guide to Digital SLR Cameras - Focus Digital Grey Card Set for color correction - Focus 5pc Deluxe Lens Care & Cleaning Kit - HDMI cable

Special thank you to our lovely co-hosts {make sure to stop by and say hello}: Thinking Outside The Sandbox, Tiny Tidbits of an NC Diva, What's Up Reviews and Giveaways, 3 Boys and a Dog, Panlasang Pinoy Filipino Recipes, Mom to Bed by 8, Baby Costcutters and Powered By Mom.

One lucky winner will receive the Canon EOS REBEL T4i Prize Package {detailed above}!

Giveaway ends May 14th at 11:59pm, open worldwide residents, ages 18+. Residents outside of the US will receive a $750 Amazon GC instead. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Diary of a Stay at Home Mom is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Grilling up Something Healthy

Many of you know my husband and I have really changed the way we eat, our diet consist of mainly lean proteins and fruits and veggies.  I wanted to come up with a grill recipe that incorporated mainly fruits and vegetables but would be filling enough for a man's appetite.  We went to Mariano's in Hoffman Estates because they have huge selection of fresh produce, some even locally sourced, at amazing prices.  Buying locally sourced produce keeps money within your community and brings you the freshest produce you can get.

I love shopping here because everything looks and tastes like its been just picked from a garden.  They have a very large selection of organics which is important to us and their prices are really unbeatable.

The store is clean and modern and makes shopping for groceries fun and not a hassle.  Even my kids love bagging up the fruits and veggies.  There was also live music played on a piano which I thought was a really nice touch!  Mariano's also offers a rewards card to give their shoppers even more ways to save.

Since it was snowing/sleeting outside, I could not use our outdoor grill so I used my handy dandy stovetop grill.  I always use coconut oil when I cook, its a healthy alternative to other oils.

Portabella mushrooms are a nice alternative to meat, they're filling and delicious.  I grilled these with the zucchini while I prepared the rest of my ingredients.

I am currently obsessed with fresh pineapple (this is NOT canned) and have been eating a lot of it.  I have a pineapple cutter that cores and cuts my pineapple into these perfect slices, making it even easier for me to love this fruit.  If you want to see step by step instructions for this recipe, you can check out my Google+ album by clicking HERE.  Each picture has a caption and you can create this meal at home too.

Here is the complete meal, a large portabella mushroom cap filled with spinach, topped with tomato and cheese, served with grilled pineapple and zucchini.  It was delicious, healthy and totally guilt free.

You can also check out Mariano's Facebook page or follow them on Twitter to keep up with all of their in store specials, recipes and more.

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Mariano’s #cbias #SocialFabric #MyMarianos

All Aboard The Great Chicago Kiddie Express! #Chicago

Want to make your child's next birthday party memorable? If you are looking for some great entertainment for a birthday party, family reunion, company picnic or any other gathering, then hop on board The Great Chicago Kiddie Express, a ride that is perfect for everyone from kids to adults.

Kids will love riding the trackless train as it chugs around taking them for a ride. The trackless train, as the name says, requires no tracks.  It is a realistic version of a real train. Since this train is "trackless", it can go just about everywhere! The train can ride on cement, asphalt, or pavement surfaces. An ideal location would be a parking lot or a residential street.  The train can carry 15 to 20 children in its 4 cars, or a reduced number of adults.  For everyone's safety there are also nets between cars and double latched doors.  Train whistles and hats are also available for the complete train experience.

 Present the coupon below for $50 off your spring or summer rental.

Every little kid dreams of going on a train ride, and now they can enjoy their very own train at on their special day.  This is the perfect entertainment for every train themed birthday party, 4th of July party, or special event and after looking at your kids face once they go for a ride, you'll be in choo choo heaven!

Visit  www.ChicagoKiddieTrain.com for more information

Matchbox Heroes Wanted College Scholarship Sweepstakes

Every child has a hero and weather that hero is an imaginary character like Super Man, or a real life hero like a fire fighter, your child can enter an awesome $60,000 college scholarship sweepstakes from Matchbox.

“Since its launch, Matchbox has enabled kids to live out their own adventures with inspiration from the many community heroes they see and interact with every day,” said Matt Petersen, vice president of North America boys marketing, Mattel. “Sixty years later, Matchbox continues to fuel the imagination of kids around the world through heroic vehicle play.”

The Matchbox Heroes Wanted Sweepstakes is asking parents to submit a picture and caption of their little hero-in-training dressed as their favorite real-life hero.  All submissions will be displayed on the Matchbox Heroes Wanted facebook gallery and will be entered to win the grand prize of a $60,000 college scholarship.

Maddox dressed as his favorite real-life hero, his Super Dad!

If you have a child between the ages of 3 and 10, they can be entered in to the contest anytime between now and May 13th, 2013.

There will be 60 prize packs given away weekly, they include a Matchbox gift box, personalized photo-frame thank you card and 4 heroic Matchbox vehicles.  To learn more about the contest and read stories from the heroes that inspired Matchbox vehicles, visit www.Matchbox.com/Heroes.

**This post was part of a sponsored campaign with MomSelect**

Bloggers Wanted for Giveaway Event

Photo Ready Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media

Prize: Canon EOS REBEL T4i 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Camera Prize Package {RV$950+}

Event dates: 4/23 - 5/14

SIGN-UP HERE!