It might be fall, but that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to ice cream till next summer. Cold Stone Creamery has turned its classic cake batter flavor jet black and it’s the perfect Halloween treat.
For a limited time you can score the new Boo Batter ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery locations. It’s the same flavor as their cake batter, but with a much spookier color to help celebrate the season.
You can kick things up a notch by ordering the Trick Or Treat Creation, which mixes in some of your favorite Halloween treats, like Halloween Oreos, Kit Kats and M&Ms, with the Boo Batter. Complete the entire dish by ordering it in an orange or black waffle cone.
Don’t wait if you want to get a taste of this sweet treat. It’s only around for the month of October at Cold Stone Creamery locations.
As our kids begin their second consecutive pandemic-impacted school year, the Delta Variant is threatening the chances of a “normal” school experience, parenting can feel more stressful than ever.
With all this uncertainty, it’s important that we continue to foster meaningful conversations with our kids to help them feel secure, grounded and connected, despite feelings of fear, anxiety and confusion. One topic families may be reluctant to discuss? Money. According to a recent survey by T. Rowe Price, 69% of parents are reluctant to talk with their kids about money, and only 23% of kids reported talking with their parents about money on a regular basis. It may seem like a strange time to talk about money with everything happening in the world, but this conversation can be an important part of daily interactions with your child to help build a strong foundation during times of uncertainty.
Demystifying money, by making it a regular topic of discussion, is crucial to helping your kids develop smart money habits later in life. And its not just talking about money, but giving kids exposure to money decisions: what to buy, what not to buy and how to make those tradeoffs is an important muscle for them to start flexing while still at home. Without a solid financial foundation, based on conversations and experience, kids will be unprepared to function as successful economic actors when they leave the nest.
The first step for empowering kids to be smarter spenders is collaboration. Encourage your kids to ask questions by including them in spending decisions. Shopping, whether for back to school supplies or for a hobby, is a great opportunity to give your kids a budget and allow them to buy items that will directly impact their daily experience.
The next step: Make a plan around spending. Sit down with your kids and break down their expenses into different buckets: wants vs. needs, fixed vs. variable expenses. This is a great way to help kids visualize money and gain a firmer understanding of their financial situations. After making a plan, the final steps are to set goals and prioritize. Ask your kids what short and long term purchases they want to make and use the plan from earlier to evaluate how close they are to achieving their spending and saving goals. For example, do your kids want to save up for a new gaming console? If so, they might want to take fewer trips to the ice cream shop.
While these steps are a great way to get kids thinking about smart money habits, tools like Till give kids hands-on spending experience by putting the power in their hands. Till is an app and debit card combo designed to encourage collaboration between parents and kids. Unlike other apps that focus on saving or investing, Till’s #1 priority is teaching kids to be smarter spenders. The reality is that we are living in a spending economy, and without developing the ability to spend effectively, kids will have a very difficult transition once they leave the nest.
On average, each kid in the US influences family purchases of $6,000 a year. That equates to a lot of opportunities to teach them about how to spend wisely. Imagine if instead of putting some of those expenses on a credit card auto-pay, you use the opportunity to talk with your kid on a monthly basis about if it’s a worthwhile expense, and better yet, give them the exposure and the opportunity to pay the bill themselves (even if you subsidize it). Paying bills is a very real part of life that kids should have exposure to before they’re out on their own and potentially caught off guard.
We all want our kids to grow up to be strong, educated financial actors. Taking the time to teach your kids smart money habits will benefit them for the rest of their lives. No one knows what this next year will bring, but one thing you can control is planting the seeds for your kids’ long-term financial success.
Taylor Burton is the co-founder of Till Financial, the first app and debit card that empowers the next generation of smarter spenders, helping families find teachable moments to learn financial literacy and demystify money management for kids. He is a proud father of two girls and lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife.
June 4th is National Donut Day! That means it’s time to get your donut on and we’ve got your ultimate list for you to enjoy free donuts for National Donut Day all day long. Grab your coffee and get ready to hit the road to snag your very own delicious fried dough…all for free!
Our fav day, your fav deal! Both will be back this National Doughnut Day, FRIDAY JUNE 4 – come in for a FREE doughnut of your choice🍩🎉
Get your hands on the best glazed donuts around when you hit up Krispy Kreme. No purchase is necessary and you get a choice any donut! One per customer.
Enjoy a free donut from Dunkin Donuts when you purchase any beverage! Snag a frosty drink and relax with your fave chocolate glazed, jelly or Boston creme.
Who's joining us for #NationalDonutDay this Friday?! A free bare, cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar donut for each guest who visits us in-store. No purchase necessary! 🥳 https://t.co/03UN8eK70B
Enjoy a classic donut when you visit your local Duck Donuts today. No purchase is necessary to grab a free bare, cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar donut.
If you find yourself in Texas, head to Shipley Do-Nuts for a hot glazed donut. You’ll get one for free with any purchase.
We are one week away from #nationaldonutday! Stop by your local LaMar's Donuts on Friday, June 4 for one free Glazed Donut and to support The Salvation Army. Learn more about National Donut Day and how you could win free donuts for a year! – https://t.co/DxZcHMUk9npic.twitter.com/TQUPwqnfoo
— LaMar's Donuts & Coffee (@LaMarsDonuts) May 29, 2021
5. Lamar’s Donuts
With 25 locations, we’re hoping you can find a Lamar’s Donuts near you. Visit your local shop to get a free glazed donut with no purchase necessary (but don’t get crazy––the offer is not good for specialty donuts!).
It’s the day you’ve all been waiting for… 🥁 [dramatic drum roll]#NationalDonutDay is almost here! Stop by any of our shops on 6/4 to receive a FREE Glazed Cake Donut with any purchase!
— Stan's Donuts & Coffee (@StansDonutsCHI) June 1, 2021
6. Stan’s Donuts
Chicago residents! Head to Stan’s Donuts to grab a free glazed cake donut with that coffee purchase! We can think of no better combo than a good cup of Joe and a donut, can you?
When it’s cold outside you turn to soup. The next time you need to warm up make this Kale, White Bean & Sausage Soup that comes to us from Simran and Stacie at a Little Yumminess. The versatile and easy soup rocks the veggies and serves 12-14, which means there’s almost always leftovers to slurp up the next day.
Kale, White Bean & Sausage Soup adapted from Frances Mayes from Everyday in Tuscany (Zuppa di Cavolo Nero, Cannellini e Salsicce)
Serves 12 to 14 (half it if required)
Ingredients
2 Italian sausages, skins removed and meat crumbled
4 tbsps olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 quarts chicken stock
6 thyme sprigs
1 bunch of dinosaur kale
4 cups cooked cannellini beans (dried beans best but I often use canned)
Method
1. Saute the crumbled sausage in the olive oil till browned and remove from pan.
2. In the same pan, saute the onions, thyme and garlic until softened
3. Add the chicken stock to a big pot. Bring to a boil and add the kale and cover and simmer for 15 minutes
4. Add the cooked sausage and beans and simmer for another 15 minutes
5. Ta Da!
This is a guest post from our friends Simran and Stacie at a Little Yumminess. Photo courtesy of Little Yumminess. Be sure to visit their blog for more fab, kid-friendly recipes!
Hours later Carter tweeted a birth announcement, writing, “We are proud to announce that our baby has officially arrived.” The Backstreet Boy continued, “But as a parent knows all to very well, sometimes things don’t turn out the way you plan it. We have been experiencing some minor complications but things are looking a little better after the first night.”
Earlier this year Carter’s wife Lauren opened up to PEOPLE about the road to this pregnancy and the couple’s multiple miscarriages, “I was fully set on just having two children and I had prepared for that and made arrangements for that.” Lauren added, “We were going to have two children and it was a surprise. I didn’t find out I was pregnant till I was about five-and-a-half months pregnant. I didn’t have any symptoms; I didn’t have anything indicating that I was pregnant.”
The newest baby joins the couple’s five-year-old son Odin Reign and 18-month-old daughter Saoirse.
On a hot summer day, Nixon was born a tiny baby fighting his emergency entrance into this world—a warrior brought into the world early. On that day, I worried that we both would lose a fighting battle against our bodies. He was whisked away to the NICU, hooked up to monitors, under lights, and the protective glass sheltering him from the scary outside world. Me, recovering as my body failed me, not strong enough to hold or see my tiny baby.
I wondered if he would miss me being there, his mother, the person who should be the first person to shelter him from the outside world. Was he as scared as I was?
Nora was born on a brisk day in December, I held her shortly after birth. She healed my wounded heart from her brother’s birth experience. I worried that my emotions from our NICU experience would cast a dark shadow on this tiny baby. That I would miss all the special moments as I sat in that worry.
I wondered if she would feel my heart reaching out to her as I held her in my arms. Would she know that the love I felt for her was deep to my core?
Our son has always had a sweet open spirit. He is the type of boy to share his last cracker, to wrap you in a long hug after he has faced his day. His jokes, sometimes unintentional, make me laugh till tears roll down my cheek. I worry that the people outside our front door won’t see what a truly magically spirit he is.
I wonder if he will find a special connection to another how I share one with his father.
With her fierce embrace of the room, our daughter takes in the world with a breathtaking magnification. She draws you into her space with simple hand gestures and her full spirit. I worry that she will dive into that space a little too deep as time goes on.
I wonder if she will move mountains and make waves in a world that needs her embrace. If she will make her mark like fierce women who I admire and have come before her.
I worry that I will make a mistake parenting both of these beautiful souls.
I worry that I will, in some way, push what I want on them too powerfully.
I wonder what qualities they will grasp onto from both their father and me.
I wonder if they will speak of us in a way that I cannot see from this side.
I know that the worry will often shift to wondering. That the mountain of fears will change to mountains of success, the sadness will be reshaped to alternate expectations.
I hope that we all can shine our light with who we are, what type of people we want to be, and are embraced with a clear understanding by others.
That they will surround themselves with people who want to know them as much as we do.
I will continue to worry, and I will continue to wonder as we walk this path together.
Tabitha Cabrera, lives in Arizona with her husband, and two beautiful children. She works as an Attorney and enjoys spending her time in a public service role. The family loves nature and ventures outdoors as much possible. Come check out her little nature babies
The Amazon Echo Wall Clock just got a new Disney look that might remind you of your first watch as a kid.
If you grew up in the ’80s, chances are you sported a Mickey Mouse watch or wished you had one like your friends. Now you can get that same awesome design that features Mickey’s arms as the clock arms! Disney’s Mickey Mouse Edition Echo Wall Clock is a little smarter than the Mickey wristwatch, however.
Just like the original Amazon Echo Wall Clock, the smart clock is compatible with Echo devices and includes features like countdown animations and the ability to set multiple timers. All you have to do is ask Alexa.
The clever device can help you with everything from timing your dinner in the oven to giving kids a countdown till it’s time to go––all without lifting a finger. Even the setup is a breeze. Just say, “Alexa, set up my Echo Wall Clock,” and you’re ready to go.
You can score the Disney’s Mickey Mouse Edition of the Echo Wall Clock on Amazon for $34.99 during Amazon Prime Days!
Hello Bello is known for their family friendly and affordable products. Now they have just launched an adorable new collection of summer diaper designs, introducing over 10 new summer prints. This latest collection features designs such as Li’l Floaters, Tiny Turdles and Blooming Booties.
Hello Bello’s diapers are super soft, stretchy, snug and comfy. Stretchy side panels allow freedom of movement, while the diaper’s inner and outer layers are super soft, with a snug fit, for supreme comfort. Hello Bello’s diapers are made without lotion, fragrance, phthalates and latex making them hypoallergenic, eco-friendly and effective. Their cutting-edge, plant-derived absorbent core line is super absorbent to help protect against any leakage.
Blooming Booties: A diaper garden ready for all your baby’s watering and soiling.
Goin’ Bananas: Extra absorbency for little monkeys, wild monkeys, dirty monkeys… all the monkeys.
Tiny Turdles: Turtle shells and Hello Bello diapers, the perfect 1-2 combo for total booty protection.
Monster Squad: If you think the monsters are scary, wait till you see what’s inside.
Tooty Tweets: Squawk, squawk. A little tropical delight to wrap up baby’s next surprise.
Snacktime: Pack up the picnic basket, load up the kiddos, we’ll handle the leak protection.
Pretty in Pink: It’s a dirty business, we’re just trying to make it a little prettier.
Li’l Floaters: The pool party is starting and your baby’s got the freshest wrappers around.
Colorful Summer: All the colors of summer in a soft, comfy wrapper.
Rainbow Sherbert: Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection, the diapers, the blowouts, the poo.
Hear Our Roars: When there’s a roar under those diapers, Hello Bello brings the protection.
You can find these new designs at Hello Bello or at your local Walmart.
Olaf has a new song to share with kids around the world. In a new song released online by Diney, Olaf, voiced by Josh Gad, send a special message to his friends amid the coronavirus pandemic while he is staying at his home, Arendelle Castle. As he looks down at the empty streets, he writes a new song, “I Am With You.”
“I am with you with this letter / I am with you with this song / I am with you when you laugh at something silly I did wrong / Who cares about our whereabouts / I’m here and you are there/ But I’m with you / And I care,” he sings.
Clips from classic Disney movies flash on the screen as Olaf sings.
“I wish there was a looking glass that we could see each other through / Maybe one day they’ll discover it / And you’ll see me and I’ll see you,” Olaf sings. “But ’till they do / I am with you with this music / I am with you with this rhyme / I am with you if you need me / Any moment / Any time / I am with you / And you’re with me.”
After Olaf signs the letter, Olaf asks Gale, the elemental spirit of wind that dwells within the Enchanted Forest, “Would you please deliver this to me?” adding, “I’ll see you soon.”
You won’t remember these days the same way as we, adults, do.
You won’t remember being cooped up in the house.
You won’t remember not being able to have playdates.
You won’t remember Mom and Dad scrambling to come up with activities to do besides watching TV.
You won’t remember how stressed Mom and Dad were as they tried to balance work and taking care of you.
You won’t remember your Mom being worried about what will happen if she runs out of milk and eggs for you.
You won’t remember all of the financial stress your parents felt as they saw the economy on its way to collapse.
You won’t remember how scared your Mom and Dad were that they may get and spread the virus to the most vulnerable, including your favorite grandparents.
No, you won’t remember any of this…
You will remember how much time you got to spend with Mom, Dad and siblings in the house and all of the family fun, snuggle parties and love.
You will remember all of the creative games and shows you came up with and how you utilized all of your toys.
You will remember learning new skills.
You will remember spending time in nature.
You will remember finding new ways to connect with people. You will remember being kind and the kindness of others.
You will remember staying in your PJs till noon and eating all of your favorite foods.
You will remember FaceTiming with your grandparents and aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, on a daily basis, seeing more of them than you usually do and taking turns “pushing the red button”.
You will remember how much love you felt when no one from the outside world was allowed into your home.
Remember: this too shall pass. We need to keep a positive attitude and appreciate the silver lining that comes from this time of social isolation.
Marissa Goldstein is a mama to two sets of twins, blogger behind @TwinsonthegoX2, & Founder of Rafi Nova (www.rafinova.com), a sustainable fashion brand that unites parents through thoughtful and ethically made bags and accessories. Marissa, her husband, and their 4 kids under 4, split their time between Boston and Vietnam.