We met MICKEY MOUSE!

We finally did it! The thing that I've dreamed about more than 

anything since that first little 2nd line appeared on a pregnancy test. 

WE WENT TO DISNEY! 

It was absolutely amazing, a perfect vacation. (I would only wish is longer :D) I can't wait to plan another visit to the Mouse in a few years, but until then, enjoy some PHOTOS! 

and a Happy New Year!

Happy 2016!!

Merry EVERYTHING!

Merry Christmas from my wonderful family to yours! 

Summer Time!

I cannot believe that the boys are heading to school in one month. I feel like they just started summer break yesterday! That's probably thanks to all the rain though. I swear t ball/lob ball was jinxed... every time a game was scheduled it rained! 

But here's a few highlights from Summer so far!

C learned how to ride a bike!  P is almost there too!

Baseball season ended short of games because of rain... but we got TROPHIES!

Fourth of July FUN!

We're going to...

DISNEY WORLD!

Come November, the four of us, plus my parents, 3 siblings, brother-in-law, and 2 nieces will be rubbing elbows with the Disney character elite! WE CAN'T WAIT!

P is most excited about this guy...

 C is most excited about this...

and MOMMA can't wait for Splash Mountain!!

Stay tuned for more posts with tips, reviews, and hopefully a couple giveaways 

that all have to do with the land of the mouse!

Momma's gotta new job!

It's official... I'm switching jobs! 

You are looking at the new Community Manager of my area's 

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk!

 I'm so excited to be in a position to help others!

Giveaway: Get rewarded this Halloween when you shop using Swagbucks!

  It's that sugar filled time of year again, when kids don costumes and masks, pull their cases off their pillows, and storm the sidewalks in search of as much candy as their little stomachs can handle. (and often times, more candy than it can!)


  So what's that mean for you and me? That feeling of spending (what seems like) hundreds on costumes, personalized candy buckets, and mountains of candy to hand out at every "trick or treat, smell my feet". Lucky for you, I'm letting you in on a little secret, just in time for you to open your Halloween wallet.


 Swagbucks (www.swagbucks.com), the web’s largest rewards site, would like to scare up some savings for your Halloween shopping needs this month with up to 14% cash back from some of your favorite retailers including Groupon, Target, BuyCostumes.com, Costume Supercenter, Living Social and much more.

 

 

http://blog.swagbucks.com/2014/10/swagbucks-tips-tricks-treats-get-scary-good-deals-this-halloween.html


Also, for all purchases over $75, Swagbucks Halloween shoppers will also receive an additional $5 gift card to the retailer of their choice (or cash!) direct to their Swagbucks account!! (Um how awesome is that?)


To help celebrate this promotion, one Chasing Dandelions reader will win a $50 gift card just for entering on this post and answering the following question: “What do you – or your kids – want to dress up as for Halloween this year?” Please also leave your Swagbucks username if you are a Swagbucks member and your email! Want 3 extra chances to win?? Become a follower of this blog and post that you have to done so, follow me on Twitter and post that you have done so, and follow me on Facebook and post that you have done so! Winner will be chosen on Friday, October 24th at 6 pm ESTand notified via email. Winner must claim prize within 48 hours.

*le sigh* October Goals

I couldn't say it better myself. I love fall, it's definitely my favorite season. I'll take boots, hoodies, and pumpkin spice lattes over shorts and sweating any day! It doesn't help that fall clothes are just so ME as well. I really feel myself in the 50 degree weather ;) But I digress... On to the important stuff!

I'm starting monthly goals. I'm trying to work on me. For a long time, everything was about everyone else, and I did whatever made them happy. While I still live for my family, Z and I have realized that you can't let go of yourself in the process, so we've been working at doing things that make US happy too! One thing that I had stopped doing that I enjoy is reading. There's something about a great book that whisks you away to a new place. I truly enjoy it. So that's the first goal, and there's a few more to follow!

 

1.) Read 1 book in the month of October.

 

2.) Finish HALF of my Christmas shopping.

My total goal is to be done by the beginning of December!

 

3.) Find a perfect fall nail color!

and then move on to finding a perfect Holiday lacquer as well.

 

4.) Exercise 3 days a week.

 

5.) One down day a week.

Our August and September were INSANE. Our family needs some quiet time to recoup!  

 

 

So there you have it, folks! I will follow up with you at the beginning of November to let you know how it went down!



C is in KINDERGARTEN

What, what?!?! Two post in one day. Overkill right? But I have to share...

 

C is in KINDERGARTEN!

He started 6 weeks ago. (Wow, time flies!) He loves it. His teacher, Mrs. B, is awesome with him. I'm amazed at all he is learning compared to the NOTHING he learned in preschool last year. I was already disappointed in some things with his preschool, but now I can't believe I wasted the money sending him. P will definitely go somewhere else.

BUT, back to Kindergarten! He's doing great, always excited to go. His favorite parts are recess and library. Poor guy was already sick one day, which happened to be library day, and he had a meltdown. Awesome teacher that Mrs. B is, okayed taking him down another day to turn in his book and pick out a new one. He is in love with books and reading. I'm so excited about that. Reading has always been one of my favorite things to do, so I'm glad to be able to share that with C.

Upcoming in school news, he has his first fieldtrip this Friday and 2nd next Friday. Stay tuned for photos!

While we are on the subject of photos, here are the Kindergarten photos my sister did for us! (Actual school photos are being taken today!)

 

And one of both boys! Who can believe that P is almost 4?!?! (excuse C's smile. It was a phase...)

 

and one last one of my boys and niece!

 

Sometimes it's hard...

Every once in a while, I think about my blog, and decide to hop back in. Five minutes later, I'm looking at a blank screen, trying to figure out what thought that is swirling around my head I want to let out to the world. Trying to screen what I think others will be okay with hearing. Do I want to voice my opinion on the SAHM vs Working Mom debate? Do I talk about my desire to lose weight but lack of motivation to ACTUALLY lose it? Do I just go back to the constant reviews? (the answer is NO on that one, by the way.) So here is where I think I'm at and where I am going.

I'm going to write about whatever I'm passionate about in that moment. I'm going to look at the blogs around me and draw inspiration from them. I'm going to see a great deal and share it with you all. I am going to find a makeup that I love and tell you to buy it. I'm going to have a great day with my family and show you the pictures. I don't want to be only a review blog. I've done that, it was messy. Do I still want to review things and give things away? Of course, so it will be included. But I also want to get to know you all, learn new things, and share myself with you.

My new goal is 3 posts a week. I'll use this space as a place to share (my life, your life, thoughts, products... it all!), reflect, and to capture memories (because my kids are in their funny years!). Let me know if there is something you want to see, I am to please!

Cassidy OUT!

 

IPSY- My newest LOVE

New Cassidy fact- I love makeup. I love fashion. I love pampering. AND most of all I love new things, which comes attached to my love for shopping.

One day recently (ok like 4 months ago...) I stumbled across IPSY. IPSY is a subscription service that sends out a monthly makeup bag filled with goodies for $10 shipped. $10 you say? YEP, $10!! So what did I have to lose, right?

I had NOTHING to lose. Best $10 I spend a month (well after I buy coffee... but that's a necessity.) IPSY bag day is my favorite day of the month. It's like a birthday gift every 30 days. That bright pink bubble mailer is PURE happiness. You get my excitement right?

This post is not sponsored, IPSY isn't waiving my $10 of hard earned moolah. I love it enough to tell you all about it all on my own. $10 for a makeup bag of makeup. 'Nough said. Seriously though, there are typically 4 to 6 items in each bag. Some of it is samples but a lot of the items that I've gotten so far are full sized. Which makes it totally worth it, and I haven't even brought up brands yet. I've gotten items from Benefits, Moxie, Be a bombshell, Big Sexy Hair... just to name a few. This is one monthly bill I'm not giving up anytime soon!!

Halloween-ween

Yesterday was Halloween and of course we celebrated! Caden was a pirate, while Parker was his parrot! I got Caden's Children's Place costume at a garage sale for $5, and Parker's was a $6 Gymboree score!

Check out these two! 

She's a WINNER

Today is the day! It's WINNER picking time! 

The winner of the Tiny Print's $50 giftcard is...

COMMENT #4!

Congrat's to Rianna, who likes the Pointedly Happy Holiday Cards! 

Tiny Prints Christmas Cards

Can you believe it's nearing that time again? Our family photos are done, the Christmas gift closet (garage...) is quickly filling, and the kids are asking for every other thing on TV. I'm worrying about what to buy the new nephew, what the kids can make for Grandma, and how many Skylander's characters can fit in one stocking.

But one thing that has not made the worry list........ our Holiday Cards. 

I never have to worry much about those, because each year I know exactly who I will entrust with this beautiful keepsake, the one piece of me that I can send out to everyone I want to send my love to at Christmas time. For three years now, I've turned to Tiny Prints, and this year will be no different. The cards are ALWAYS beautiful and the photos so crisp and clear. I can't say enough GREAT things about them, the compliments are never ending. (and heck, a few of  our friends still have last years hanging on their fridges!)

There are so many options to choose from, sometime it gets difficult to pick JUST ONE! There are a broad range of designs based on how many photos you want to include, which colors you want to incorporate, the price that fits your budget best, and even the layout that you like the most! Another two option that they've added for the 2013 Holiday season a new trim options (square, rounded, bracket, ticket, and scalloped) as well as new design styles (contemporary, classic, vintage, full bleed photos, all that glitters, bold expressions, simply chic, woodland wonders, and the new tradition)! 

As I've wondered the card section, I've come upon a few favorites, one of which will wind up in my mail. Can you guess which one I will pick? 

1. Will it be this romantic yet trendy gray option? 

2. Or will I send out another bright and cheery card, like last year?

3. I love the tri-fold of this beauty...

4. While this one would go lovely with our photos. 

5. A classic card is always one to consider!

From these five cards alone, you can see the beauty of Tiny Prints, add in the awesome photo gifts (HELLO ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CALENDARS!), and the fact that you can order matching address labels and envelope liners, and Tiny Prints is DEFINITELY my favorite photo site of ALL time! 

Want a reason to add Tiny Prints to your Holiday List? How about a $50 giftcard?

There are two ways to enter, so make sure to do both before the giveaway ends on October 23rd, 2013!

1. Visit the Holiday Cards on Tiny Prints, pick out your FAVORITE card, and come back and tell me about it!

2. Pin that awesome favorite of yours on Pinterest with the hashtag #TinyPrintsCheer

The giveaway ends on October 23rd, 2013 at 10 pm EST, so don't delay, get your entries in TODAY! ;)

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS...

IN MY GARAGE! or as I'm currently calling it, The Gift Closet.

I've decided this year that I'm going to finish early. No more last minute hoopla. I'm going to be doing my last bit of madness on Black Friday. Heck, I'm even considering starting to wrap it all. Your all probably ready to start strangling me, the crazy mad women. It's not even Halloween! But by starting early (I bought my first gifts in JULY) I'm able to slowly gather and buy great DEALS! Of course, almost everything I have is for the boys, so far. I've also grabbed Z a few things along the way.

So on the topic of Christmas gifts, what have you purchased so far? What are you planning to purchase? Have you even thought about it yet? CHRISTMAS IS ONLY 70 DAYS AWAY!

Here is some of the awesome finds I've found for the boys:

I scored this beauty for $85 shipped on Ruelala. It currently retails for $129.99 at Toys R Us!

Target is currently selling this Imaginext Dinosaur for $35. I score both boys one each during Target's July clearance for $12 each!

We are trying out actual Lego sets this year for the first time. I grabbed these for 50% off during Target's July toy clearance. C gets the Power Ranger, and P gets the circus!

Lord, help us. We are also trying Play-Doh for the first time in our home! Any tips on keeping it clean?