It was like Oprah’s birthday weekend. Except Natalie turned five not fifty.

This all started when I told Natalie she could play hookie from day camp on Friday.

Missing camp is not something she’s interested in.

Which is a good thing. Believe me.

Promised her she’d have afternoon tea with her good friend.

It was my plan to take her to see Miley Cyrus since she’s been bitten by the Hannah Montana bug thanks to a classmate of hers.

But I didn’t tell her. It was supposed to be a surprise.

The day should have started with us at the Miley Cyrus GMA concert in Bryant Park but when I woke up early I saw this crowd

Common sense said… stay away.

So instead she woke up and watched it on the living room TV as she ate breakfast.

Not a birthday breakfast. Just a plain old ordinary breakfast.

Then I went to work. Had to. And then ran late.

So her dad brought her to her surprise lunch with both of her grandmothers and an uncle!

But he forgot to comb or brush her hair. Oh my!

We sang Happy Birthday for the first time. She declared she was now six.

Nat’s going through a marshmallow stage so the campfire cupcake from Big Daddy’s was a big hit.

Then back to the house to comb her hair and then take her to American Girl Place for afternoon tea.

The girls did a race to see who could drink their pink lemonade faster. Very lady like I think.

And then they made plans to have a play date next weekend.

The next morning Luke and Nat headed off to gardening class and then visited my grandmother.

Soon after we were on the road to Montauk and enjoying birthday cake ice cream and Pez on her real birthday!

And today, her camp counselor helped celebrate her birthday again with the 20 girls in her group.

Look at the fun birthday hat they gave her.

Happy Birthday Natalie. Savvy Mommy started all because of you!

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And one of the top summer treats for the entire family is ice cream!

Helping us celebrate National Ice Cream Month (and day – July 20^th) is Laloo’s artisan ice creams!

Laloo’s goat milk ice creams and frozen yogurts are naturally low in lactose and have more calcium and vitamins than other premium brands.

They are offering you the chance to win a gourmet ice cream party featuring Laloo’s artisan ice creams with 15 deliciously creamy low-fat, low-cal flavors, so you can indulge all your ice cream cravings!

Your ice cream party basket is filled with coupons to redeem for free Laloo’s Spoonlickin’ All-Natural Flavors plus your very own Classic Ice Cream Scoop, and all the ice cream party supplies - spoons and cups and napkins and sprinkles!

Want to win? Post a comment below that shares if you’ve ever tried to make ice cream at home or if you are like most of us who go to the store and pick up a pint. J

Give it Away Wednesday giveaway sponsor Laloos would like you to be sure to check out Laloo’s new flavors coming this summer …Choc-O-L’Orange: Laloo’s sinfully luxurious artisan blend of Scharffen Berger chocolates with just a hint of orange zest, Cherries Tuilerie: Tiles of dark chocolate complement beautiful blackheart cherries in a probiotic rich and creamy frozen yogurt and Cajeta: Mexican Caramel and Texas Toffee—think Dulce de Leche with a sweet crunch that will remind you of a trip to an old-fashioned candy store!

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And taking the kids out to one of the other 14 Wolfgang Puck restaurants can be a major undertaking.

What’s a gourmet pizza loving gal to do?

Head over to the freezer section of Whole Foods, Shop Rite or Kroger of course.

70% of Americans do just that each year.

Post a comment below about your funniest supermarket experience with your kids in tow and you could win 1 of 10 Wolfgang Puck All-Natural Pizzas!

Yup, just think… telling the funny story that happened in aisle 5 could result in a free dinner…. Yea!

Give it Away Wednesday giveaway sponsor Wolfgang Puck would like you to know that The Wolfgang Puck line of all-natural pizzas raises the bar on traditional frozen pizzas by offering restaurant-quality pizza varieties that will please even the most sophisticated palates. The five earth-friendly varieties have ingredients like whole sliced tomatoes, uncured pepperoni, fresh herbs and fontina cheese that make these pizzas heat up the freezer aisle. Choose from Four-Cheese, Uncured Pepperoni, Barbecue Chicken, Margherita and Cheese. In grocery stores nationwide: $5.99.

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Say what?!

OK, it wasn’t a shot of wheat grass juice cut straight from a grass sod on my window sill. But it was in the juice.

Which they drank.

8 whole ounces.

The geniuses at Sunkist Naturals are the fine individuals to thank for my kids drinking something other than apple juice or milk this morning.

They drank something without a fight. Without the words “I don’t want..” or “I don’t like” coming out of their mouth.

They enjoyed Glorious Greens which according to the bottle and the Sunkist Naturals website is a combo of apple, kiwi and 15 essential greens, including broccoli, cabbage, kale, wheat grass, flax seed and spirulina green (rich in heart healthy Omega 3!)

My kids are going to rock today at camp.

Thanks Sunkist!

Now if only I could drink something that would get the 308 things on today’s to-do list done.

Sigh. It was worth a shot.

(And in case you’re wondering… I was not paid by anyone to talking about Sunkist in this post. I just had to share.)

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I spent the time she was away, playing with the boys and cleaning the apartment.

And now I may be in love with OxiClean. Seriously.

The PR firm for OxiClean sent me some for a segment I did this week. But I couldn’t include it.

(Showed it last year at the same station and I don’t feature the same products over and over.)

So I opened the OxiClean tub at home and started cleaning up.

Now my whites are whiter. My bathroom is spotless, kitchen counters are sparkling.

I’m addicted. I feel like I live like a hotel.

Someone dialed housekeeping; OxiClean swooped in and did everything but leave me a mint on my pillow.

Unfortunately this “mess free state” will only last for a short time after Nat gets home.

When she walks in the door, she will team up with her brothers to play their favorite game.

“Take out all the toys we own and make sure they cover every inch of the floor”.

It’s every mom’s favorite game to watch being played.

Well, at least all three of them will be home.

 (And in case you’re wondering… I was not paid by anyone to talking about OxiClean in this post. I just had to share.)

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