** Please note, I took my family to memberfest using my membership to get in. I was not compensated in any way for this post. Sharing the love. **

The Detroit Zoo just opened their new Polk Penguin Conservation Center to the public this month. We were so excited to see it and made sure to take advantage of the memberfest - nights when only members could enter the zoo and see the new habitat.

There was a lot of time and research that went into making this new penguin home. They observed how penguins live in their natural environment and made sure to give them a tank large enough for them to deep dive in. And that's just the beginning. Their design and finished product invite visitors to not just visit penguins, but to also embark on a journey to observe them in their natural habitat as explorers on a ship.

The ship was a part that stood out to Alex, my 9 year old. He loved reading the details on how people actually get to the antarctic in the first place and the danger involved for some explorers in the past. And as you descend to the bottom of the building, all around you is the scene of a boat in icy water, projected on the walls.

 Once you get "below deck", it's time to enjoy watching penguins swimming in front of you and over your head. It's so beautiful to see them glide along in the water. And honestly? Watching the wonder in my kiddos' eyes as they watch all around them come to life, is the best thing in the world.

On the other side of the tunnels, you'll find a wall that is ice cold. We loved putting our hands on the wall and talking about how a penguin's feet are designed to walk on ice and not freeze. Amazing! You'll also find your way back up to the ground level. Projected on the walls here is an avalanche. Move quickly! (tee hee)

On your way out, wave goodbye to the penguins and make a pledge to protect the earth by making a fun postcard. There's also a penguin-filled gift shop to enjoy. If you're a member, let them know so you can get a discount on your purchase.

Now let's check out a first-hand view of the center together! Join my family and I in this video.

 Have you visited yet? Will you be planning a visit? Tell me about it. :)

~Amy

Visit Detroit Zoo's New Polk Penguin Conservation Center

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Thanks to the company that sponsored this review. I was not compensated beyond the review item. All opinions are my own. Others may have a different opinion or experience.

The 3 kiddos and I had a weekend together while the hubster was away with a group of men from our church so this DVD arrived just in time. We decided to make our "movie night" a day of fun after our morning chores were finished.

What did we do? We made some Marshmallow and PopCorn SnowBalls! (these were sooooo tasty!) Let me Break down the recipe for you. 

Marshmallow & Popcorn Snowballs 

What you'll need:

• 1    20oz. bag of marshmallows
• 1/4 Cup stick margarine
• 1 bag popped popcorn
• Plastic Wrap (for your finished snowballs)

 Start by popping up your popcorn in the microwave. While you wait for it to pop, start setting out squares of plastic wrap to wrap your finished snowballs in. I ended up with 7 or 8, just to give you an idea of how many you'll need.

After the popcorn is popped, it's time to melt down your margarine! I popped this in my microwave for about 50 seconds.

Next, open up that bag of marshmallows and pour them into the same bowl you melted your margarine in. Put the bowl back in the microwave and melt them down. 

Stir your mallows and margarine together to make a fluffy, marshmallow cream. Then, spread out your popcorn on a baking sheet and pour the cream on top. 

Next comes the messy but fun part!  Before you do this, I recommend rubbing some margarine on your hands for an easier clean-up. Grab a handful of popcorn and start rolling it into a ball while in your hands. When you're done, stick it to one of the plastic wrap squares you set out and cover it up. 

My kiddos really enjoyed making these with me and we all thought they were super yummy. The best part? When it was time for the movie...

I brought this bowl downstairs and threw "snowballs" at my kiddos. We were laughing and excited for our movie night. 

We all settled in with our blankets and had a lights-off, movie night watching Norm of the North for the very first time. You guys, we laughed and laughed at this movie. Norm and his lemmings are hysterical as they work together to save their home from humans' condos being built. And Norm's dancing? Absolutely priceless. 

My kiddos enjoyed this movie and I thought it was good too. 

Check out this clip when of when Norm meets the lemmings for the first time. :D

This BluRay combo DVD just came out this past Tuesday, April 19th. Head out to your store and pick it up for your family! 

What kind of snacks do you make for your family movie nights? I'm always looking for yummy things to try. 

Norm Of the North And Our Movie Night Recipe {review}

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Years ago, when Alex was very small and making all sorts of finger prints and mouthy-slobbery-drooling baby marks all over my door wall, I couldn't take it. I honestly couldn't take it and I had to go back to that glass door and clean it on the daily. But this is the part where I kick myself and say "I wish I would have known a better way."

At that time I was using store-bought glass cleaner. You know the stuff. It comes in a spray bottle and has a completely unnatural blue color. What I hate is that I was using something loaded in chemicals on a window where my son put his mouth.  And I don't want to sound like a preachy mom. No. That's not my intention. I just want to spotlight this single scenario as an example. {AKA, I'm the bad guy here.}

So fast forward with me to last year. A friend of mine was raving, raving, raving about this chemical free household cleaner that was infused with essential oils. I honestly wanted to laugh at first. "How cute. I'll bet it smells great. But does it actually clean anything?"  She swore to me it was good for a number of things and it came in a bottle of concentrate so I could just dilute one capful for one spray bottle of water and get to cleaning.

Huh.

Y'all, I was a complete skeptic.   And yet, here I am a full year later about to tell you about the same stuff. It's my answer to most things "Spring Cleaning".  

I use this bottle of Thieves Household Cleaner made by Young Living. I promise you it's a game changer because it works and has cut out the household cleaner chemicals since I've started using it. It's also super cost effective since it's purchased as a concentrate, making it less than $1 per spray bottle I make!

If you read my post on the cleaning calendar I use, you'll see that Tuesday is the day I clean all windows and mirrors.   I grab 3 things.

1. My bottle of water + Thieves Household Cleaner
2. My squeegee
3. My microfiber cloth {to wipe the squeegee with and catch any drips on the edge of the window/mirrow}

I'm left with no streaks, no smudges left behind, no chemicals, and super clean surfaces! {And since it's infused with essential oils, my home is left with a light, cinnamon-ish smell.}

Check out my before and after from my chore day over spring break. You'll notice my son's legs across my bed. :)  

 I changed the "After" angle just a tad so you could see I was still taking a picture of a mirror and not a straight shot into my bedroom. The smudges on the "Before" picture are all thanks to my 4 year old. She simply loves to mess up the full length mirror in our hallway. Ha!

I did say earlier in this post that I use this cleaner for a lot of things. I'll be happy to show you how I use it around my home as we head into Spring Cleaning season, one job at a time.

Should you have any questions about how you can get your hands on this cleaner, please email me, comment below {and I'll get back to you} or click on the "Essential Oils" tab at the top of my page.

Bring on Spring and bring on Clean!

**Marketing disclaimer: The link I share may be an affiliate link. I may collect payment from purchases made.
**Essential Oil Disclaimer:  The info I shared is based on my own research and experience(s) with Young Living Essential Oils. I am not a doctor. The FDA has not evaluated my statements, the products I've mentioned, or even the technique I use. Therefore, these statements are not made with intent to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any kind of ailment or disease. Please have a conversation with your doctor before introducing these if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, and/or have any kind of medical condition. 
I'm simply sharing information and my personal story for readers to use as a reference in a "take it or leave it" fashion. My hope is to motivate you in learning more about essential oils as they may pertain to your own life and/or family. Please do your research as you see fit. 

Spring Cleaning - Let's Chat Chemical Free Glass Cleaner

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