Monday, September 19, 2011

X-Men First Class Now Available on DVD | Review

I am a huge movie buff, I will admit it but if the movie doesn't grab me within the first 10 minutes it's over for me. I have seen all of the X-men movies and loved them all; some more than others, my fiancée is a huge fan of X-men so he's a bit partial. I originally saw the trailer for this movie on television when it was first being released in theaters and it didn't thrill me at all so we never went to see it in theaters. I had the chance to review the movie and I must say it was much better than I expected it would be from the trailer. The one thing I really didn't like about this movie was the beginning of it, because it skipped back and forth between Professor X and Magneto before they met which lead up to how they met. I understand why they needed to put that in there but it was very confusing to me. At first I didn't know who was who or what was going on until I caught on a bit later after all the bouncing around was finished.

Overall I loved the movie, while I could have done without the bouncing back and forth in the beginning the movie was amazing. The characters had wonderful interactions between each other and the movie flowed very well. The plot was interesting and it was a great way to fill in everyone on how Professor X and Magneto came to be and their relationship which really isn't touched on much in the other movies. If you have not seen any of the X-men movies I highly recommend starting with this movie and then moving forward to the other X-men movies. X-men First Class is an amazing addition to the X-men movie collection and a must see for any Marvel Comic fan or if you love action adventure movies this one will not disappoint.



Jinkies! Scooby Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur Review

Scooby doo has always been a family favorite of ours; I loved it growing up as a kid and even now love it. All of my kids love Scooby Doo just as much as I did when I was younger. With Halloween coming up it’s one of our favorite movies to watch around Halloween. The best part is that it doesn’t scare my children like some ghost cartoons do. The kids love it and laugh so hard at Scooby and Shaggy that they don’t have time to be scared. They love participating in the movie as well. Big K and J love trying to solve the mystery before Scooby and the gang do that they try and make a game out of it. Big J loves dinosaurs and this movie was perfect for him. He loved that he got to learn about a dig site with Scooby and the gang along. Scooby-Doo Legend of the Phantosaur is a fun movie for everyone.



Monday, September 12, 2011

Our Adoption Story

As most of you know we have 4 children. Our oldest 2 children are adopted through fostering. What is that? We first became foster parents to Big K and J. They are biological brother and sister with Big K being the oldest. When they arrived at our house they were 3 and 1 years old.



Recipe: Italian Mama's Lasagna


One of my favorite things to make during the colder months is lasagna. My family loves Italian food and this recipe is a favorite of mine. The changes to the recipe that I make are in red. You can try it with the normal recipe or try it with my edits. It’s up to you either way this recipe is delicious. 


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Home Decor Reviews

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Kid's Storytime Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site Review

Do you have trouble getting your little one to sleep at night? Do they have a tough time staying asleep? Reading to them is a great way to relax them before bed and with a wonderful book like Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Dusky Rinker and Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld it is sure to get children off to dream land.



Friday, September 9, 2011

Augie The Alligator Sleeping Bag from Melissa and Doug {Review}


I have fond memories growing up and going to sleepovers or on camping trips with Girl Scouts. It was always a really fun time staying up late, eating snack and treats, and watching movies. I guess it is a little different for girls than boys but not less exciting. Recently Big J went on his first sleepover and the one thing that he didn’t have is a sleeping bag. Sure, we have gone camping before but we always have airbeds they lay on or in the camper. 



Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz Available on DVD now Review


I am a huge fan of Tom & Jerry as well as the Wizard of Oz. I call myself a Wizard of Oz collector seeing as I have a bunch of memorabilia from the movie so when I saw this was coming out on DVD I knew I had to have it. I will admit I was a bit excited and so were the kids when it arrived and we popped it in. 



Thursday, June 30, 2011

Kid Friendly Travel- Chicago- Brookfield Zoo

Traveling with kids can be difficult especially when it’s with 4 of them. One of the things I love is kid friendly places that are fun for adults as well. Since we are unable to take a family vacation this year I have been thinking of fun places to go that are local to us. Being from Chicago I can honestly say that we have two of the best zoo’s. I like both Lincoln Park and Brookfield Zoo. Both have a lot to offer however I find Brookfield Zoo more enjoyable for the whole family.



Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Banana Bread Recipe

One thing my family always enjoys is when I make Banana Bread. There is nothing like the smell of it filling the house. This recipe was one I got on the food networked but I have tweaked it to my families taste so this is the tweaked version of it.The ingredients marked in red are my changes.

Photo Courtesy of Food Network




Monday, June 13, 2011

Adoption Series: Thing's To Consider

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Friday, June 10, 2011

Contact Me




About My Family

Welcome to Baby T Explores. Where Baby T and the older 3 explore new things including places, products, as well as people. My name is Liz and I am the owner and writer here at Baby T Explores. 

I am a girlfriend, mother, daughter, granddaughter, as well as a cloth diapering, monster chaser, spit up cleaning, errand running, and eco-friendly mother of 4 wonderful children. My children are 7, 5, 2 and a 4 month old. 


My boyfriend, J, and I have been together for the past 5 years and living together for 4 years. He is one of the most wonderful I have ever known, aside from my grandfather and dad. He is kind, caring, generous as well as kind hearted. He is a tech geek! We have been planning our wedding for next year so expect some updates on it as time progresses. 


My oldest is Big Sis K who loves animals that furry as well as anything princess or doll related. She is feisty, rambunctious, opinionated and very much a mommies girl. 

Then there is Big J is 5 years old and is my science and discovery child. He loves learning new things about the world and loves to read. He is very creative, quiet and sometimes shy, he loves anything that has to deal with science or dinosaurs. He loves playing outdoors and is very big into sports. 


Both Big Sis K and Big J are biological brother and sister. They started off as foster children in my home and I knew from the moment I met them I wanted to adopt them. Their adoption became final in 2009 and they have been the most wonderful blessings in the world. Both of them are one of the reasons that I write about adoption on my blog. There are so many things that I learned about the process that I love to share with others. 


My youngest daughter is Little Sis T, she is very much a toddler, always running around everywhere, and getting into everything. She is very independent, rambunctious, strong willed, caring, and kind hearted. She loves animals just like her older sister and loves being outside like her older brother. She loves playing with new toys, like any child, and loves playing dress up. She is just starting to become her own person and I can tell each and every day I look at her. 


Last but not least is Baby T, who my blog is named after, he is still a bit young but I can already tell that he loves exploring. He is constantly in awe of the world around him. He enjoys seeing new things around him and discovering new things that he can do. He is full of energy as well as drool! He is a big cuddle bug and a total mommies boy. He is also a giggle monster. He loves to giggle and laugh.


We also have a bunch of little babies, pets, running around our house. Our main pet is our dog Buddy; he is a beagle and loves the outdoors. He keeps us on our toes and likes to wear out the kids. 


We have frogs, lizards, fish, a turtle and anything else my children bring home with them. 


I love to blog and share wonderful products as well as tips, recipes and crafts with everyone I know or meet. Aside from blogging I love to bake and create new things in the kitchen.

I love animals as well as the outdoors. I believe this stems from my degree in Biology and my previous career as a zookeeper. I left my job, which I loved, to raise and give my attention to my two oldest shortly after we started the adoption process. I love being a stay at home mom. 


I believe in Family Movie Nights as well. Each week we watch a movie together as a family. Our lives can get hectic at times and I believe this brings my family closer together. We love going to the zoo as well as the park and swimming. I love trying new things whether it is recipes, places, or products. I also believe in giving back to my community which is why my family has been part of many programs helping children, bake sales, or adopting a family for Christmas. I am also creative. I love crafting and crafting with my children. Currently I am teaching Big Sis K to crochet. 


That's my family in a nutshell. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.