Mommy Deals: Free American Girl Doll Dress Pattern

Get a Free American Girl Doll Dress Pattern from Designer Micah Caitlin, for your favorite American Girl. All you have to do is go to the page, once it loads click the "Alternate link to download free dress pattern" to get your Free Doll Dress Pattern.

Homemade Nutella Recipe from Kidspot Kitchen

I found this cool homemade nutella recipe, while browsing for new family friendly recipes to try at home. This recipe caught my attention because I thought of the money that could be saved by making homemade products, instead of always buying reliable store brands. I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it seems like an easy one to follow. I guess it's time for me to invest in a food processor soon, so I can try cool recipes like this one. Check out the recipe below:

Homemade Nutella Recipe:

• 2 cups of roasted hazelnuts without the skins
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 1/4 cup of cocoa
• 1/4 cup of almond or vegetable oil (I wonder if coconut oil would work)
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Method: 

In a food processor, process the hazelnuts until they turn to powder and then liquify. Add the sugar, cocoa and vanilla to the bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil with the food processor running until you have a smooth consistency.

Notes:

• The natural oils in the nuts activates to make hazelnut butter in this recipe.
• Make sure that you only add the oil half a teaspoon at a time and you stop the food processor to check the consistency.
• You can use this to fill yummy cupcakes or just spread it on fresh bread or brioche.
• Your end product may be a little grainy. No matter how much I processed this I couldn't make it entirely smooth.
• This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australia's best recipe finder.

For more family friendly recipes, go to http://www.kidspot.com.au/index.asp.

if you have any family friendly recipes to share, please send them to Doublestuffplus1@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to post them.

Time Flies!

It's been a long time since updated this blog. It's not because I don't enjoy blogging about all things in Mommyville, it's just that life has kept me way too busy to keep up. As you can see, the children have grown too much and too fast over the past few months. When I browse through some of their pictures over the past, I can't believe how fast time flies by.

It's like the twins went from newborn to 18 months overnight, and my baby girl is three and a true social butterfly. She has no problem with making friends at the park, and teaching her brothers new things. I love to hear them sing their ABC's in unison, it's the cutest thing ever!

Being a student, and being home with the kids everyday can have it's frustrating moments, but I'm aware that it won't last forever. That's why I'm trying to enjoy it, even though I'm currently looking for a job in my field. I'm sure that I will miss these days when the time comes for me to punch in on somebody's clock everyday, that's why I'm cherishing the time that I have with them.

Freebies and Coupons: Nutrition for Kids

The Cancer Project’s new free booklet, Nutrition for Your Kids: A Dietary Approach to Cancer Prevention, provides information on how diet affects cancer risk. It also includes nutrition information for children in every age group, delicious recipes, and tips on how to instill healthful eating and exercise habits in kids.

To request you free booklet, click here.

Product Recalls: Fisher-Price Toddler Trikes and Tough Trikes

Fisher-Price has announced a voluntary recall of their Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricylces. The popular trikes, which encourage a toddler's motor skills, are being recalled due to serious injury concerns mainly to little girls.   

About 7 million Trikes and Tough Trikes have been recalled due to risk of serious injury after 10 injuries were reported. 6 injuries required medical attention. The injuries were to little girls between the ages of 2 and 3 due to them falling on the plastic pretend key that is sticking up out of the trike. Some of the children also experienced genital bleeding from their falls. The recall includes trikes with a plastic disc shaped or D shaped pretend key. The key is located about 3 inches from the seat. Model numbers of the recalled toys are J72633, 72639, 72642, 72643, 72644, 72792, B8775, B8776, K6672, K6673, M5727, N6021, T6209, V4270. These models include some featuring popular characters such as Barbie, Dora, and Diego. Model numbers can be found under the seats in the storage compartments. Models that include flattened D shaped keys are not included in this recall. Models with numbers higher than 1670Q2 are aslo not included in this recall. The trikes are intended for ages 2-5. The models that are being recalled were manufactured between January 1997 and September 2010. The trikes were sold in Raleigh area Target, Walmart, and ToysRus stores for about $25.Parents can contact Fisher-Price at (800) 432-5437 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday-Friday to obtain a free replacement key. Parents can also visit the firm's website at www.service.mattel.com for more information.

Source: Examiner.com/Raleigh

Freebies and Coupons: Free Beech Nut Next Step Kit

Beech Nut is offer a free next step kit for moms. All you have to do is fill out your basic mailing information, and sign up for their newsletter. By signing up for the newsletter, you will receive coupons for Beech Nut right in your inbox. You will also be up to date on the latest Beech Nut products.

To sign up for the newsletter and get your free next step kit, Click Here.

Get a Free Child Safety ID Kit from Gerber

Gerber is offering free child safety ID kits for parents. It's really easy to get your free kit. All you need to do is fill out your basic mailing information, and your kit should arrive in 4-6 weeks. 

To request your free ID safety kit from Gerber, click here.

Teething Twins

The past few nights have not been fun for me at all. The boys are teething again, and this time it's their top front teeth coming in. Omg! Malc started first about five days ago, with both front teeth coming in at the same time. Needless to say, he was not a happy camper at all. He was super cranky and super fussy. He ended up with a fever that was pretty stubborn for a few hours there, but it eventually went away. As a parent, it's tough not being able to help your baby when they feel pain. Yes, the Anbesol and generic Tylenol works, but it doesn't take away the fact that I felt powerless as a parent. 

Made for Multiples: Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes

The best baby wipes that I have ever used, has to be Huggies Natural Care. I started using them after my daughter was born two years ago, and I continued to use them when the twins were born. I like them because of they are the thickest baby wipes out of the three major brands, and they have the perfect amount of moisture for cleaning up messy little ones. Any busy mom can tell you that it sucks to have a baby wipe break in middle of cleaning up a mess. 

Product Recalls: 11,000 Baby Bottle Warmers

• By: Colin McDermott

A recall is in effect for baby bottles warmers that can burn babies and their parents. 

Williams-Sonoma is recalling about 11,000 Beaba Express Steam Bottle Warmers. They were sold at stores nationwide, online, and through catalogs from June 2010 through July 2010 for $65.

The company has got 10 reports of bottles overheating. In one case, an adult got a finger burn from touching a hot bottle.

The Beara Express Steam Bottles Warmers are used to heat baby bottles or baby food. The warmer is green with an orange temperature dial. “Beaba” is printed on the base and model number 9602 is printed on the underside of the warmer.

Customers should stop using the bottle warmers and call Williams-Sonoma to learn how to return the product for a full refund. Customers who return the product will get a $25 Williams-Sonoma gift card.

For more information, call Williams-Sonoma at 877-548-0850 or visit their website at www.williams-sonoma.com.

Source: newsnet5.com

Made for Multiples: Pampers Pocket Bibsters

Have you had a chance to try, Pampers Bibsters? Being that I have two babies and a two year old in the house, these disposable bibs have saved the day more than once. I used to pack what felt like a million bibs in my diaper bag, and I've always hated having to separate the dirty ones in a plastic bag. I was randomly searching for baby needs on Amazon.com, when I came across these disposable bibs from Pampers. At first, I was a little skeptical about the bibs because I know how messy my little ones can get. I couldn't help but wonder how they would hold up to my two year and her infamous spaghetti disasters.

Random Twin and Toddler Pics

Here's a few random pics of the twins, and my two year old toddler (who thinks she's a photographer already). The last two pics of her at the bottom, were taken by her. She even yells out cheese, before she takes her own snap shots. These pics show how much the kids have grown, over the past two months. As much as I love playing, singing, and dancing with the three of them, I can't help but feel like they are growing way too fast!

Skinny Jeans for Tots

First it was denim diapers. Now, providing your baby is watching his or her carbs, can toddle around in skinny jeans.

Luckily, these trendy tot pants are stretchy enough to accommodate a diaper.

The jeans are turning up in stores like American Eagle and J. Crew’s Crewcuts, according to the Wall Street Journal.  Gap, denim maker True Religion Apparel Inc and Levis are also embracing the trend by stocking skinny jeans for the tiniest fashionistas.

Gap is reporting that skinny jeans now comprise 40 percent of its jeans  for infant and toddler girls. For children’s apparel makers, kids’clothing sales are a positive sign in an otherwise dismal retail period. While parents have reduced the amount they spend on their own wardrobe in the recession, they’re still shelling out for cute outfits for their kids.

Made for Multiples: Diapers.com Brand Diapers

If your a mom of multiples like me, your probably looking for ways to save a buck on the things your family needs. One of the ways that I found to save some cash, is by ordering diapers in bulk. When Diapers.com introduced their own premium brand of diapers, I was reluctant to buy them  at first because I was a loyal Pampers customer. Huggies was always my second choice in diaper brands, and off brands were completely off of my radar. What intrigued me about the Diapers.com brand, was the number diapers offered for $40.99. A box of size 3 diapers comes with 200 diapers in the box, and the size 5 box comes with 156 diapers in it. I had to try the diapers out because if the diapers were good, my monthly diaper budget would be cut in half. 

Malcolm & Marcus, The First Weeks

I would like to introduce our twin sons Malcolm Valentino and Marcus Raymond to the world. These two little guys were born on 11/24/09, exactly 10 minutes apart at 12:16 and 12:26pm. Malcolm weighed 5 lbs. 1 oz. at birth, and Marcus weighed 4 lbs. and 7 oz. at birth. My full birth story and hospital pics will be posted soon. In the meantime, here are some random pics from their first few weeks at home.

Malcolm and Marcus 1st & 2nd Week

Twins and More Twins!

I hate aging myself, so I'll use estimates within this post when it comes to years. My bestie and I have been friends for a super long time. We have been through so many stages in life together, and we've always been supportive of each other. I remember how shocked she was, when she found out that she would be having twins. I never thought that I would experience the same shock myself some years later. My bestie delivered two beautiful twin girls, and I delivered two adorable (if I must say so myself) twin boys. 

Family Visits and a Happy Birthday

Summer always brings good times with family. Last month, my mom and my brother came to visit me and my family, as well as my sister and her family. We all met up in Jersey, and had an awesome time! My sister threw a great birthday party for my two year old that was also a family BBQ. We held the party a month or so after my daughters birthday because we wanted mom to be there. My mother got to meet all three of her new grandchildren, see how much her older grandchildren grew, and enjoy some quality time with her children. We had a great weekend overall, and Mima had a great birthday party! Check out these pics.

Black and White Newborn Twins?

I'm all about seeing the beauty of your babies, looking at them and thinking they are the most beautiful and unique and special beings in this world. But one mom -- Carole Fraser -- might be treating her twin babies like the oddities they are not. They are twins. Rejoice! I love twins -- I have twins. But get this (drum roll please): One is black and one is white.

The Joovy Big Caboose

The Joovy Big Caboose is the stroller that I thought was best for my children. I searched for a stroller for several months during my pregnancy, and there weren't many strollers available for my special circumstances. I knew that a regular twin stroller would be insufficient, because my two year old was only 16 months at the time that the boys were born. I wanted a stroller that provided a comfortable space for all three of my little ones, without necessarily being a full triple stroller. My price limit was $500, not a dollar more. That narrowed down my search to a sparse number of strollers available. The two that I was most interested in was the Joovy Big Caboose, and a triple jogging stroller from another brand.

Double Stuff Plus 1 Updates

As many of you know, I recently made a return to work full time. As a result, the past three weeks have been pretty hectic for my family. Between the new job, moving, assignments for class, and being a hands on full time mother, life gets pretty tough around here. The new changes in my life are keeping pretty busy, and made me realize the fact that I needed to tighten my schedule in every way. My blogs have been placed on a once a week schedule for updates. My natural Hair blog (Natural Nina) will be updated every Sunday, and this blog for mom of multiples (Double Stuff Plus 1) will now be updated on Mondays. These minor changes will allow me to keep an organized schedule, for every aspect of my life. With that said, I would like to thank you all for your support, and I look forward to sharing my mom of multiples experiences with you all.