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Morgan Manages Mommyhood

making being a mom simple and being a kid memorable

10 Awesome Truck Books for Kids

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Truck books for kids are the perfect solution for a truck loving kiddo who doesn’t like to read. By giving them a book about trucks for kids, you’re bringing reading and their interests together. These childrens books about transportation and trucks are sure to be a hit with your little mechanic to be. Any truck loving kid would love to find these books in their pile of birthday gifts or under a Christmas tree this year.

A few weeks ago I went to pick up Ryan at school – he was sitting at his favorite table reading a book about trucks. He immediately asked if he could bring it home which I immediately declined, explaining to his sweet teacher who was definitely going to offer to let us borrow it that we had 28 truck books at home.

Literally. I counted – we have 28 truck books for kids.

a big stack of books in the dump of a red and yellow toy dump truck with the words 10 best truck books for kids

It’s no surprise to anyone who knows Ryan that we have a lot of truck books for kids – he’s genuinely obsessed. He also is the kind of kid I can not get to sit still for the life of me, so anything that encourages him to sit for a while and read a book sounds like heave for this tired, book lovin’ momma.

That being said, those books get old. You know what I mean – by the 15th read in 3 days of the same. dang. book you would rather start reading the encyclopedia on trucks than subject yourself to a 16th read.

So I’m here today with my top 10 truck books for kids – books that you might not have at home already, but your kids are going to adore. You’re welcome!

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The Best Ways to Relax in NJ

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Living in New Jersey can be awesome and terrible – I’m not a fan of the weather or how many people my introverted self has to see on a daily basis (hello, highest density in the US) but I LOVE that there is so much offered here. What I find I most need though, is ways to relax and destress. As a work at home mom of 2 under 5, I always am looking for ways to easily and quickly relax in NJ.

If you find yourself in the same position: I’ve got you. Here are my FAVORITE tips for how to relax in New Jersey with little effort. 

This is a sponsored post written by me in partnership with the Spa at Little River. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Morgan Manages Mommyhood!

The Best Ways to Relax in NJ

  • Go visit a park

New Jersey has so many gorgeous and well maintained parks that it would be a crime not to mention them. From our favorite close park – Schooley’s Mountain, which I also grew up visiting – to places like Duke Island State Park and Hacklebarney, you would be remiss if you didn’t head to an NJ park to relax. Try just taking a quiet, peaceful walk around one of your local parks and see how much it helps!

 

  • Wander through a mall

If you grew up in New Jersey, chances are you know about the luxury of the many malls our great state offers. In most cases, you’ll be located within 20 minutes of at least 3 different malls. While heading there with kiddos in tow is a unique brand of torture, wandering through the shopping area, grabbing a drink at Starbucks and maybe even an Auntie Anne’s pretzel on a non busy day (IE: while kids are at school!) can be super relaxing! Whether you go in on a mission to buy a new outfit of maybe some comfy pajamas or just to window shop, you’ll leave a little less stressed out.

  • Grab a slice – or another Jersey specialty.

The beauty of the NY and NJ area is the ability to “grab a slice” of pizza without having to eat a entire pie. Bask in the joy of grabbing lunch alone and not having to share with your kids or stop to take them to the bathroom, leaving you with cold, soggy pizza that you haven’t even touched by the time the kiddos declare they absolutely MUST leave.

While I am usually all for going the healthy route but truth be told, when I’m stressed and want to relax, enjoying some good old fashioned comfort food will always help. Other acceptable Jersey indulgences include: pork roll, egg and cheese, cookies from an Italian bakery, or meal at a diner.

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  • Head to a luxurious spa!

Okay, so this is an obvious, but the BEST part about Jersey is that because we’re so densely populated, everything is pretty close and you can find some REALLY awesome places in normal towns. From salons with hair dressers straight from the city to hidden gems of authentic food to some of the coolest events for kids, NJ has it.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Spa at Little River and experience all they had to offer, which is a lot!

The Spa at Little River is located in an old, beautifully restored house and is the epitome of relaxation and rejuvenation. Offering services like a charming hair studio with talented stylists, luxurious salt scrubs, and the most amazing massages and facials, you’ll want to stay there all day.

I arrived early and was seated in the cutest little waiting area and given lime(!) water before I was whisked to upstairs where I received a salt glow body scrub (the super sweet lady giving it to recommended doing one seasonally to slough and prepare your skin and I totally buy it!) and then I took a quick shower in a private bathroom. After I went back to my room and receive the most amazing therapeutic massage ever. The music was low, the blankets were heated (!!!!) and best of all for this momma who never gets silence, the masseuse didn’t try to talk my ear off. Holla.

Last, I went downstairs to eat a delicious lunch they ordered for me (YES. These people rock, guys.) before heading into another gorgeously decorated room where I had my first facial. The facialist was so nice and pleasant and even got me to admit that I am in fact a pimple popper (oops) and gave me some tips. After I told Alex that I wanted one every week because my face felt SO good!

Honestly, I went in a super stressed mess and left a totally new woman. The Spa at Little River was able to turn me in a relaxed, happy momma in just a few hours and I swear, it totally lasted into the next few weeks!

The Spa at Little River is now the place I recommend to ALL of my friends – be the mommas to be or new brides or just a normal ol’ stressed out momma. PSSST – If you purchase a group of 5 of the same service, you’ll get the 6th free which is really just a wonderful excuse to tell my husband to buy me 6 months worth of massages, right? RIGHT.

Okay, so tell me – how do you relax as a mom?! Let me know in the comments!

You may also enjoy:

Self Care Tips for Moms

The Ultimate Guide to Getting More Done with a Kid on Your Hip

4 Tips When Losing Patience with Kids

DIY Edible Eyeballs for Fun Food

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Looking to add some fun to your food? Edible eyeballs are the way to go! Make homemade edible eyeballs to add to lunches, snacks, and desserts!

It’s probably no shock by now that I love adding eyeballs to food. Not only is it fun and interesting, but in my experience it really helps kids get excited to try new food and eat – a feat that sometimes feels impossible for moms of picky eaters.

But the big problem is that edible eyes typically some in a sugarly candy that is meant to be added to thinks like cupcakes and other treats. Not only are these choking hazards for littles, but honestly they aren’t very appetizing and they aren’t cheap.

Over the years I’ve posted many posts of fun kid food using eyeballs and I always get messages from moms saying they never thought of using cucumbers, crackers, or mozzarella to make eyeballs. So today I’m compiling all of my favorite ways to make edible eyeballs and sharing them here! Here’s to looking boring food in the eye and changing it up!

How to make Edible Eyeballs

The key to edible eyeballs is simple – one round over another. There are lots of ways to make this happen for both sweet and savory foods, but when it comes down to it we just want multiple rounds in different colors (usually white and black) in order to make little eyeballs and add some fun. Here are my favorite ways to add edible eyeballs to food in both sweet and savory applications.

DIY Eyeballs for sweet food

White chocolate chips

There’s a few ways to do this, but my favorite is the easiest way – line a bunch of white chocolate chips on a parchment lines cookie sheet, flat base down. Put the pan in a warm oven until the chips start to soften. (you don’t want them to actually melt, just become soft enough to squish.) Grab a handful of mini chocolate chips and gently press them, tip down into the tip of the white chocolate chip. Allow them to cool and set before removing from the parchment and placing into a tupperware to store. You can also use white melting chips an normal chocolate chips for larger eyes.

Chocolate chips

Let’s face it – most of the time, you just need two dots to make a set of ‘eyes’. I love pressing chocolate chips tip down into snacks to make simple eyes on just about everything.

Raisins

Trying to keep away from the candy? Try raisins! If they look a little bit too oval, press them length wise to turn the raisins into perfectly round edible eyeballs.

(I used this method on these Teddy Bear Lunch Box and Forest Friends Lunch Boxes!)

Fruit

Slice any round fruit – everything from bananas to apples to strawberries – into rounds and add a raisin or chocolate chip to make a healthier eyeball for a tasty snack.

*If using a fruit like apples, pears, or bananas, make sure you dip in a lemon water solution to prevent browning – usually 1 tbs of lemon to 1 cup of water works perfectly. 

Sandwich cookies

The simplest sweet eyeball is definitely an Oreo – twist or use a paring knife to seperate the top cookie from the cream and add a chocolate chip or a brown candy as a pupil and you’ve got eyes perfect for cupcakes, cakes, and other treats.

a silver fork holding a mozzarella eyeball on a black plate filled with green halloween pasta

DIY Edible Eyeballs for Savory food

Mozzarella and olives

My favorite way to make eyes is to use fresh mozzarella balls and top with a slice of black olive. It makes for a fun snack or addition to a dinner to lunch. I used them in my eyeball pesto Halloween pasta.

Stuffed green olives

You know those green olives stuffed with peppers? They make awesome spooky eyes! Slice them to lay them on a snack or leave them whole and use a toothpick to secure. Perfect for dragon or monster eyes!

I use this method on these Easy Halloween Lunch Boxes

Cream cheese and olives

Another option is to slice a black olive and layer on top of some cream cheese or ricotta cheese. You’ll get that eye look with less work.

Cucumbers

One of my favorites for adding to sandwiches and snacks, a slice of cucumber topped with anything from a raisin to a black bean or a small slice of carrot makes a fun, healthy eyeball!

Crackers

Grab a round cracker and top with a round slice of cheese, sliced vegetables, or cream cheese and olives.

There you have it – 10 different ways to make edible eyeballs and add some fun to everyday food! I hope you try them out on some of your kids food – if you do, post it on Instagram and tag me, @morganmanages so I can see!

Okay so tell me – which of these eyeballs would your kids like best? Let me know in the comments!

 

Pesto Eyeball Halloween Pasta Recipe

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This Halloween pasta recipe is spooky, fun, and the perfect Halloween dinner. An easy dinner to serve before going trick or treating, you can whip it up in just a few minutes. Feel free to add some hidden veggies to your pesto! Kids will love eating the spooky Halloween pasta and mozzarella eyeballs while you’ll love knowing that they’re getting in a good meal before inhaling all of that candy!

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30+ Halloween Dinners That Are Scary Good Fun!

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Halloween dinners are a fun way to celebrate the holiday before going out trick or treating. Get some real food into your kids before they gorge on candy with these Halloween meals. While these spooky dinners would be great for your own family, they also would make perfect Halloween main dishes for a potluck. A Halloween dinner party will be extra scary fun with these fun halloween dinners.

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