Glee Gum {Review & Giveaway}- CLOSED

WINNER: Comment #1 Nadell

Glee Gum has 3 great kits to help you turn treats into science projects as well :)  You get to make your own chocolate, gummies or chewing gum!  How fun is that!?

"Connect kids to the global community by tracing the origins of raw materials we encounter in our daily lives. Our gum kit uses natural chicle. Our chocolate kit includes organic cocoa butter from Costa Rica, and the gummy kit contains carrageenan made from seaweed from the Philippines.

Create something exciting and delicious. At Verve, we believe people learn by doing. By creating delicious edible treats with our kits, kids also create connections to each other, between various fields of studies, and to other communities and cultures.
Captivate kids' interest. Kids have always loved to stir, mix, touch and taste our great activity kits. Now children can make yummy treats while learning about: the rainforest, ethnobotany, chemistry, mathematics and measurement, ecology and environmental issues, home economics, nutrition, the oceans and more!"

Here are my neice and nephew in action reviewing the Make Your Own Chocolate kit! 

Our Review:
It was fun to read about the history of chocolate and see a cacao bean.  We used it as part of our history lesson for the day.  The kids had fun peeling apart the bean and tasting what a real cacao bean tastes like.  We liked mixing up the chocolate and really thought that our temperature guage was broken all though the instructions assured us that it was not.  Well, it wasn't we just had to be patient.  We also thought that we somehow had ruined it because our chocolate was not going to be pourable but then we added the last ingredient the starter crystals to temper it and it changed it to a chocolate that we could pour.  The kids loved adding m&m's, marshmellows, raisins, peanut butter, graham cracker, and pretzels to the chocolate.  The chocolate that it makes it a real dark chocolate and has that bitter taste.  This didn't affect my youngest he chowed down the chocolate and loved it. 

Glee Gum is offering one lucky winner a kit of your choice!

How to Enter:

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment and your email telling me your favorite thing to make with your kids

 Additional Entries: (must do mantatory entry first!)

•  Follow Savvy Moms Save
•  Follow SMS on Facebook AND Update your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway
• Follow Glee Gum on Facebook - say Hi from SMS!
•  Follow SMS on Twitter-  plus 1 entry/day for Daily tweets
• Glee Gum on Twitter
• One additional entry for each of our other giveaways you enter.
• Subscribe to our SMS newsletter
• Grab our button (2 bonus entries, leave a link)
• Rate me on Alexa.com  (3 bonus entries)
• Blog about this giveaway (3 bonus entries)

Giveaway ends 12/8 at Midnight (Pacific Time). Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Winner will be posted on this post- if an email is given, they will be contacted.. Open to contential US contestants only. 

Disclosure: This review is based on my own honest unbiased opinion of   Glee Gum  .  You may or may not agree with my opinion. I was sent product free of charge to review. No one from   Glee Gum was involved in the writing of this post.
 

Python Christmas Printable Games {Review}

If you are hosting some Christmas/Holiday get togethers or wondering what creative gift you could give to friends and family this product is great way to ease some of the stress that goes along with the Holidays!

Python Printable Games has games you can download and print from Trivia games to paper dolls to scavenger hunt activites. When you buy the Christmas Games Mega Pack of 70+ games the possibilites are endless. 

Styles of game you get with the Mega Pack of 70+:
Mad Libs, Gift Exchange, Trivia, Ice-breakers, Christian games, Coloring, Scavenger hunts, Office Party, Spot the Difference, Left-Right, Paper dolls, Crosswords, Synonyms, Word searches, Mazes, Newlywed, Letter from Santa, Printable thank-you notes

Here are some things I'm doing with the printables I downloaded:

-Crazy Christmas Drawing Game and print all 4 pages on one. Cut up cards and include markers, crayons and drawing pad for a fun friend/kid gift!

-Reindeer Games Right Left: we are going to play this game Christmas morning and start a fun tradition with this download!  

-A Paper doll download for my daughter, there is black and white or color.(only available in the mega pack)

-My personal favorite is the Clean-up Scavenger Hunt that is a game to have all the kids help with the Christmas clean-up!

So don't waste anymore time fretting about what you will do with the family or friends when they come for your Christmas parties, get the Mega Pack deal, print to your hearts delight, and enjoy the memories you will be making!

You can go HERE to download some free printable games.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

DIFC Idea #3: Homemade finger paints!

DIFC (Do it for Cheap) Idea #3

Homemade Fingerpaints

This is great for your kids, cousins, neices, nephews, husbands... :)

I just LOVE Keep Home Simple!  My Friend Robin is a genius and I wish I could be just like her.  But alas you'll have to manage with me just being me :)
Anyways-- for the recipe and more great pictures of this project go HERE

CSN Puerto Rico Game {Review}

Once again I have been able to review a fabulous product from CSN.  We have played San Juan which is a similar game to Puerto Rico prior to getting this game and are HUGE FANS!!!  We were super excited to get this:

Prospector, captain, mayor, trader, settler, craftsman, or builder? Which roles will you play in the new world? Will you own the most prosperous plantations? Will you build the most valuable buildings? You have but one goal: achieve the greatest prosperity and highest respect! This is shown by the player who earns the most victory points. He will win the game! Andreas Seyfarth is the author of Puerto Rico. It is for 3-5 players aged 12 and up. Length of a typical game is 90-150 minutes.

My thoughts: Awesome game!  Great strategy and plot behind the game.  I am excited to share it with my family for the holidays!  If you are a game addict like me-- you need to add this to your Holiday list!

 Thanks CSN for another fabulous product! 

Do you want a CSN GIVEAWAY?  Leave a comment if you do! :)

 Disclosure: This review is based on my own honest unbiased opinion of CSN . You may or may not agree with my opinion. I was sent product free of charge to review. No one from CSN was involved in the writing of this post.

 

CSN {Review}

CSN is one of my new favorite places to shop!  This last time I got a new game to play with my husband.  I LOVE Rio Grande Games!  Carcassonne is one of our favorites since it is a two player game.  I didn't realize when I got the traders and builders edition that it wasn't a complete game but actually adds on to the original Carcassonne (we have another version of Carcassonne) luckily my sister had the original so we borrowed it from her so we could play this.  I guess I will have to make my next CSN purchase the original Carcassonne :)

If you are looking for a great game this is a 2-6 player game!!  I love it! 

I also had to get this sequencing game for my daughter and to do during my preschool day. 

My daughter LOVES it!  It has 126 double sided cards and fits nicely with the 741 standard size and 742 midsize pocket charts.  It would be great for your preschool age child.

Once again some fabulous products from CSN.  Thanks!

Disclosure: This review is based on my own honest unbiased opinion of CSN . You may or may not agree with my opinion. I was sent product free of charge to review. No one from CSN was involved in the writing of this post.

Gardening: Square Foot Gardening

I came across Square Foot Gardening about 3 years ago (soon after I got married and we moved into our house) and totally love it!  It is SO much easier to do than have a HUGE area to till, weed and... weed!  You can buy the book HERE. 

 

This is the basics:

You create a 4x4 square foot garden bed

We did 4 basic squares and used a drip system to water them.  Then we nailed nails onto the inside of the boards to use to tie string to for our grids. 

Each square is a square foot (hence the name... square foot gardening!)

Here is where I tried to do the vining peas.... so far that hasn't worked out so well for me...

Here are some pictures of my garden after a few things grew:

It was fun to mix flowers and vegetables.

My harvest towards the end of the season.

I soon learned that regular tomatoes do not have enough time to get red in my area, so now I just plant cherry or roma tomatoes.

That was my first year doing square foot gardening!  You can go to their website for more tips and also to buy boxes!  This is new since I did my boxes- it would probably be easier to just buy from them (but probably not cheaper...)

Anyways-- How do you garden!?  What has worked for you?  If you have any other questions feel free to email me or leave a comment and I will try to answer it next week or via email.  Enjoy your gardens!

TOTTV - St. Patrick's Day (Part 2)

It's Tuesday and time to Turn Off the T.V. (TOTTV) and spend some quality time with our children (or other loved ones!) Since St. Patrick's Day is just 2 days away, here are some great things you can do together to celebrate "the luck 'o the irish"!

FOOD:

~Make an Irish meal: Corned beef, steamed cabbage, roasted or mashed potatoes

~Make a "Green" meal: Green mashed potatoes, broccoli (or other green vegetable), stuffed green peppers, green salad, key lime pie, etc.

~Make some fun St. Patrick's Day treats; Rainbow cupcakes, Shamrock Cupcakes, potato candy, etc.

~(For more fun St. Patrick's Day snack ideas, visit Family Fun or Preschool Education)

GAMES/ACTIVITIES:

~Traditional Gaelic Games

~Try to catch Leprechauns

~Treasure Hunts

~Leprechaun Relay

CRAFTS:

~Cardboard tube Leprechaun

~Potato stamp shamrock

CULTURE:

Take this opportunity to learn more about the Irish culture; people, traditions, food, clothing, music, etc! Check out some books from the library, talk to some Irish people you know, research Ireland on the computer, etc.

**Remember, turning off the T.V. can leave so much more time for you and your children (or other loved ones) to enjoy quality time together!

~Sarah

TOTTV - St. Patrick's Day WITH ENDING

It's Tuesday and Time To Turn off the T.V. and spend time with our children and other loved ones!

Today's Topic: St. Patrick's Day! (part 1)

St. Patrick's Day is such a fun holiday to celebrate together! There are so many fun things to do that I've decided to devote not one but TWO posts to it! (I've also done this in order to give you a bit more time for advance preparation, since next week's post is just the day before St. Paddy's day!)

One of my favorite activities to do with my kids on St. Patrick's Day is a Leprechaun Treasure Hunt! If you know anything about leprechauns, you know they are super sneaky and never get caught! But it's so much fun to try to catch them as they lead you on a magical treasure hunt with little clues! Clues will vary depending on the age of your child(ren). For instance:

~a very young child will need just a picture of where the next clue can be found

~toddler/preschool children will like to figure out simple clues (e.g. "Where do leprechauns brush their teeth?" (the bathroom) or "Where does a leprechaun put his dirty laundry?" (in the hamper))

~school age and older children will need 'trickier' clues and you may need to get creative (e.g. 'codes' where everything is written in symbols that correspond to letters, or written backwards, upside down, etc.)

Once you get the clues done, you need to decide what's going to be in your "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow" (I like to use a gold pot (many party stores carry these in March) or even an old witch's cauldron leftover from Halloween would work great!). In the pot you can put one (or any) of the following:

~Pistachio Pudding Mix (this is my all time favorite because it's so magical to the kids!) Take the package of mix out of the box and label it "Magic Leprechaun Dust". Attach a note that says "Pour magic leprechaun dust into a mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of milk and mix well. Watch as the dust magically transforms and gold nuggets appear." (If you want to do individual bags for each child, you can put 1 Tablespoon of powder and mix with 1/4 cup milk). The kids LOVE watching the white powder 'magically' turn green!

~Gold covered chocolate coins

~Gold $1 coins (you can get these at most banks)

~Lucky charms

Throughout your treasure hunt, make sure to watch for leprechauns....you never know when you might catch one! :)

For help creating your treasure hunt and more great St. Patrick's Day ideas, check out these great links!

Creative Treasure Hunts

JesseKate Designs

Earthy Family

Have Fun! And remember to check back next week for more fun ways to celebrate the Luck 'O The Irish! :)

~Sarah

TOTTV - Service

It's Tuesday and time to Turn Off the T.V. (TOTTV) and spend some quality time with our children and other loved ones.

Today's Topic: Service

In my opinion, there is almost no better way in which to spend your time than serving others! Serving not only helps others, but it helps you too! It gladdens your heart, helps you forget your worries, helps you feel good about yourself and realize how much you can do, and, if done with children, teaches them valuable lessons about compassion, charity and kindness!

Before you start making excuses such as "I don't have time" or "We just don't have the money" or "I don't know anyone who needs service", consider this: There are COUNTLESS ways to serve, at least one of which you can do, no matter what your current circumstances! And there are ALWAYS people nearby who could use a small, random act of kindness, whether it's the 'worst day of their life' or not! :)

~Smile. This seems simple, yet it can work wonders. Have a contest with your children; go to a public place (ie - shopping, to a park, the zoo, a restaurant, etc) and see who can smile at the most strangers...or who can be the first to elicit a smile from a stranger. This might force you out of your 'comfort zone' but you'll be surprised at how fun it can be!!

~Love notes. Make small, simple notes to place in inconspicuous places (in your home for loved ones to find, or in public places for strangers to find). (Examples include: "You are loved" "Have a great day!" "Someone's thinking of you!" "Someday cares!" etc)

~Bake goodies to take to a new neighbor, someone who has had a hard day, lost a loved one, is ill, etc. Nothing says "Cheer Up" or "We're thinking of you!" like a plate of chocolate chip cookies!!!

~Cook or serve a meal at a homeless shelter or non-profit organization, such as YWCA, Ronald McDonald House, Halfway House, etc.

~Especially in the winter, pass out hot cocoa (or other warm drinks), hot baked potatoes, or other warm treats to homeless people on the streets or at parks. (Be sure to exercise good safety measures - go in a large group during well-lit daytime hours in public places.)

~Knit or tie blankets for shelters or hospitals

~Donate extra clothing/books/stuffed animals/toys to local shelters

~Visit hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers - most of these people will love having a visit, even if it's someone they don't know; in many cases it will make their whole week!

Take some time today planning and/or performing service for someone - anyone! You and your kids will enjoy it, and it will be quality time together well spent!

~Sarah

TOTTV - Cleaning with your Kids

It's Tuesday and time to Turn Off The T.V. (TOTTV) and spend some quality time with our children (and/or other loved ones). (To read why we're doing this, go here.)

Today's Topic: Cleaning With your Kids

I know, this may not seem like the most exciting topic, but before you stop reading, hear me out! :) In trying to raise my children "TV-free" (we limit screen time to 1 hr/week in our house) the thing I initially struggled with most was how to clean my house! Many people I know clean their house while their kids watch T.V. and, since that wasn't an option for me, I had to get creative! At first I thought I'd just have to do all the cleaning when they were in bed, but I soon realized that that solution left me with NO FREE TIME to do things I wanted to do...so I finally got smart and started making cleaning a family ordeal! At first, my kids were SO excited they honestly didn't want to stop cleaning. When the novelty of it wore off, they were slightly less enthused, but they have really impressed me with their willingness (and even eagerness) to help clean, their motivation to get the job done, and at how fun it is when we're all working together!

If you think your children are too young to help, you definitely need to keep reading! OK, if your baby can't even sit up yet, then you may be right, but as soon as your child can sit, you can put them to work. :) (Keep in mind - cleaning does take longer, is less-efficient, and is slightly-less-than-perfect when done with children, but remember, it's about spending quality time together! If you need to 'fix things' later, that's fine, but you've spent time with your child and have taught them valuable life skills in the process - all while keeping your family's screen time down! Yay!)

Children of all ages can help with cleaning! For instance: a baby who just sits (can't walk,etc) can put toys in toy bins, "help" do dishes (play in the bubbles while you wash), wash windows (help spray and wipe), load/unload the dishwasher, etc. Toddlers can do things like wipe the table, wash windows (with supervision), sort laundry by color, help switch laundry from washer to dryer and remove from dryer, help fold laundry, set/clear the table, etc. Preschools can start doing more things independently like putting laundry away, sweeping, mopping, etc. And school-aged children can do almost any type of cleaning, with a little tutorial and some help and superivision! You will actually be very surprised at what your kids can do! I've also been impressed with how, since my children started helping with the cleaning, they've become much more careful not to make messes (ie - my son told my daughter "please don't touch the windows with your sticky hands, I just washed those!)

There are many ways to go about cleaning with kids! Here are just a few ideas to get you started, but I highly recommend the books listed at the end of this post as well!

~Motivation - kids get excited about little things like stickers on a chart or pennies in a jar!

~Incentive - a reward to look forward to such as, "if we get the whole (room/downstairs/house/etc) clean by (some certain time) we'll have time to go out for pizza for lunch"

~Break things up: rather than trying to clean the whole house at once, try cleaning together for one job per day or one hour per day, etc. Remember, children's attention spans are usually shorter than ours!

~Have a contest - race eachother or try to 'beat the clock' by getting something done by a certain time (ie - I bet I can pick up 20 legos before you do! or Do you think we can get the kitchen swept and mopped before lunch??)

~Give kids choices - rather than say "You need to clean the bathroom" offer a list of options such as "Would you like to be in charge of the bathroom, the living room, or the kitchen?" (or smaller jobs such as picking up toys, sweeping, or mopping...etc.)

~NEVER criticize or scold a child who is trying to learn to clean - try very hard not to be too picky, but if they are doing a particularly careless job, try constructive comments such as "Can I show you how I like to do that?" or "It seems to work well if you do this..." Remember: they are just learning, and this is about quality time together, not having a picture-perfect home every moment. You don't want them to associate cleaning with an impatient/nagging mother! :)

Books to Help Inspire Your (younger) Children:

• The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• Little Critter's Just A Mess by Mercer Mayer
• The Berenstain Bears and the Mama's Day Surprise by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• Time to Fly by Barbara Lanza
• Bedroom Cleaning for Kids by Jennie von Eggers

Books to Help Inspire You:

• Mrs. Cleanjeans' Housekeeping With Kids by Tara Aronson
• Speed Cleaning by Jeff Campbell and The Clean Team Staff

Quality Time With Each Child...

Most couples have more than one child in their family. In our family, we spend most of our quality time with "everyone" together.

I am starting to realize the importance of spending quality time with each child in the family separately. I wanted to give you some ideas for how you can make a morning, afternoon or day truly special and memorable for you and your child. The ideas I am giving

It also helps to plan it ahead of time, so your child can look on the calendar and get excited about the outing well in advance!

For moms & girls:

~Have Tea Together-Go someplace where you can get dressed up and have tea together. In my town, we have a cute place called Teapots and Treasures which is decorated with teapots and frilly things...perfect for two girls to have an outing.

~ Get your nails done. Many manicure salons will have special deals for children, and it might be fun to get matching colors!

For Dads & Girls:

~Go to a movie together. My daughter has been begging me to go to a movie, and making it a special occasion is perfect "together" time.

~Go out to lunch. From my previous post, you could choose a restaurant where kids eat free. This would be a pretty cheap date with your and your child!

~ Make a meal together or bake some treats. Most girls love to be in the kitchen, and being with their daddy in the kitchen is twice as great!

For Moms & Boys:

~Go out for ice cream or a milkshake...if you live close, ride your bike there for some added exercise and quality time.

~ Go out on a nature hike. Most areas have local or state parks that have great nature trails. You can go here to find the state park nearest to you.

For Dads & Boys:

~ Go to a Baseball Game. Most areas are only a short drive away from a minor league team. In our area, kids can get in fairly cheap, and an adult ticket is only a few dollars more than a movie ticket

~ Get out some energy. Head to the batting range or play some mini golf...if its too cold for outside, go to a skate rink or play some basketball at the local rec center.

These are just a few ideas off the top of my head. If you aren't already spending individual time with your children....keep it up! Its worth the investment of your time. If you aren't yet doing so, I want to encourage you to try to schedule time in once a month for some great bonding time!

Thanks!

TOTTV - Baking Day

It's Tuesday and Time to Turn off the T.V. (TOTTV) and spend some quality time with our loved ones! (To see why we're doing this, go here.)

Todays Topic: Baking Together

Regardless of your child(ren)'s age(s), baking is a super fun way to spend a little time together! Baking together fits into any schedule/budget/family dynamic/skill level; you can devote anywhere from 5 minutes to an entire day baking together! Whether you're a professional baker or have never set foot in a kitchen, you can do this; you can make it as simple or as complex as you wish (ie- pillsbury pre-made cookie dough ready to pop into the oven vs. homemade creme brulee or anything in between). You can get creative with items you already have in your pantry (and spend no money!) or purchase special ingredients....baking together really can work for anyone!

To make it work for you, here are a few helpful pointers:

~Safety first - direct supervision is a MUST when baking with children!

~The kitchen is always an excellent place to teach children proper hygeine!

~Start simple - if you or your child haven't spent much time baking before, try a simpler (ie - fewer than 5 steps) recipe on your first go around (e.g. If you are a professional baker but this is your child's first time baking, take things down a notch the first time to gauge how your child does - you can always try something more complicated next time!)

~Remember that baking is not for sweets alone; there are plenty of healthy recipes you can bake (think breads, muffins, biscuits, rolls, etc)

~Allow more time than the recipe calls for, when cooking with children. To make this enjoyable, plenty of patience is required, particularly if your children are young or inexperienced! Allow your children to take their time with the egg-cracking, mixing, shaping, etc. Remember, this is about TIME TOGETHER, not about checking "baking" off our to-do list or a race against the clock. If you have more time left over at the end, you can chat together while waiting for your masterpiece to bake!

~If you're pressed for time, even something as simple as buying cookies from a bakery and then decorating them together is a fun activity for kids!

~Anticipate a mess. Even if mess-making weren't fun for kids, baking is no clean job. Egg-cracking, flour mixing and liquid pouring aren't easy jobs for anyone, let alone little ones who are barely learning how to use their hands! Wearing aprons is always fun, but if you're worried, wear 'play clothes', put a towel down, and take whatever precautions you wish to create an environment where a little mess won't hurt, and then relax about the mess - you don't want to be nagging about cleanliness throughout your entire togetherness time! Remember; don't cry over spilled milk and a little mess never hurt anyone!

~Relax - don't worry as much about the finished product as about having fun and spending quality time together! This isn't a contest or a bake-off and if it doesn't turn out exactly like you planned, at least you had fun together!

~HAVE FUN! Remember, this is a journey, not a destination!

Ideas to 'mix things up' a bit:

~Have a family baking contest (e.g. the boys against the girls, the kids against the parents, etc)

~Try a new recipe

~Bake something related to a season or holiday (ie - shamrock cookies for St. Patrick's Day, kitty litter cake for April Fools Day, etc)

~Share your baked goods with a neighbor, friend, or someone who could use a pick-me-up

~Find something in your cupboard or refrigerator that needs to be used and bake something using it (ie - bananas - banana muffins, apples - apple cake, canned pumpkin - make a pumpkin roll, cream cheese - make cheese cake, etc)

~Bake in the dark, by candlelight

Fun Kid-Friendly Recipes:

Breads, etc:

Pretzels (fun to make shapes, alphabet, etc. out of)

Banana bread

Zucchini bread

Blue berry muffins

Oatmeal muffins

Biscuits

Pizza dough

No-fuss rolls

Desserts:

Classic sugar cookie cutouts

Home-made Oreos

Playdough cookies

Brownies

No-bake cookies

7 layer bars

Lemon bars

*Remember: if you are short on time or inexperienced, there are TONS of baking mixes available - just check the baking section at your local grocery store for brownie mix, cake mix, cornbread mix, cookie mix, pumpkin bread mix, etc - or the refrigerated section for ready-made cookie and brownie dough. They are slightly more expensive but cost-effective if you don't already have all the ingredients you'll need (flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cocoa, etc.).

~Sarah

Family Time is For the Birds!

This Friday, February 12th, kicks off the start of the Great Backyard Bird Count!

This is a great opportunity to get involved as a family, spend some quality time together and be a part of something bigger.

Great Blue Heron by Lynne Marsho, Illinois (Overall Photo Winner last year)

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. (Excerpt from their site)

All it takes is 15 minutes together counting the birds you see in your back yard. This is a great teaching opportunity, as well as learning for yourself! They even have a site that shows you your regional bird checklist (with pictures too)...to help!

I recommend clicking on the GBBC for Kids page to start, and get your kids excited about counting and finding the birds. This would be a great time get out the camera and possibly have your children learn about taking great photo's of birds.

This is a great opportunity to think outside of the box to kickstart quality family time in your home....happy birdwatching!

Thanks!

TOTTV - Sharing the Love

It's Tuesday and Time to Turn off the T.V. (TOTTV) and spend some quality time with our loved ones! (To see why we're doing this, go here.)

Todays Topic: Sharing the Love

With Valentine's Day approaching, what a perfect opportunity to teach our children about service and "sharing love" with those who may not be feeling an abundance of love (e.g. widowers, those who are sick, those who have lost or are missing a loved one, the elderly, etc). Reaching out to others is so much fun and such a great way to teach our children compassion!

If you have already made valentines (previous post here), now it's time to distribute them!

First, make a list of at least 2 people (the more, the better!) you think could use a little love. Think of someone who may be having a difficult time (e.g. a new neighbor who has just moved in, someone who has lost a loved one, someone who has been ill, someone who has lost their job, someone who is lonely, etc.) If you're having a difficult time thinking of people, consider this: you don't even need to know them - nursing homes/retirement centers, charitable organizations such as a local YWCA or Ronald McDonald House, and hospitals are a perfect place to spread a little cheer! If those aren't options and you are feeling desperate (or adventurous), you could even go on a 'hunt' at the store or other public place for people looking sad, disheartened, etc - especially if your children will be delivering the valentines - most anyone will happily accept it and will be pleasantly surprised by your kindness!

Second, choose a day to distribute the Valentines. Valentine's Day is one option, of course, but if you have other plans or another day works better, any day will do! Decide whether you want to deliver them anonymously or hand them directly to the person - both are fun options (although keep in mind that many people - especially the lonely/elderly - will often enjoy your visit even more than the valentine!)

Finally, it's time! Help your children distribute valentines and share the love!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

~Sarah

Have some Sweet Family Time around Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a time to show someone you love them.... why not use this opportunity to show your entire family that you love them!

Here are some activities you can do with your children to celebrate Valentine's Day as a Family:

~ Make it a movie night. Almost everyone loves a good movie. Kaboose has a list of the top ten Valentine's Day movies for families.

~Have each family member make cards for someone else in the family. Here is a list of great card ideas. by Family Fun. You can have a family craft night, to make them all together, or have a nice dinner and present them then.

Source

~Everyone loves a good sweet now and then. Why not take advantage of Valentine's Day and makes some treats to make your "home sweet home". Family time in the kitchen can be great time spent together. Here are some "Sweet Recipes" from Family Corner that are kid friendly.

~ Set up a family photo shoot and use some of these Photography Tips from About.com.

~ Save the nightime for your hubby, and make the morning time well spent with family. Family Fun has some great "heart" ideas for a Valentine's Day Special Breakfast.

Whatever you decide, any excuse to tell your family you love them and to spend quality time together to create memories is always worth your while....why not start planning now?

TOTTV - Valentine's Day!

It's Tuesday and Time to Turn off the T.V. (TOTTV) and spend some quality time with our loved ones! (To see why we're doing this, go here.)

Todays Topic: Valentine's Day!

Yes, Valentine's Day is upon us - less than 2 weeks away! So today we're going to work on creating Valentines! (If it seems too early to you to start thinking about it, just remember that 1) you may need to go shopping or at least collect some supplies from around your house, 2) most things take longer with children...and 3) next week we'll be talking about "Sharing The Love" where we share our creations with others who could use a little love right now, so we need to plan ahead...)

Valentine's Day is such a fun holiday because you can really personalize Valentines to your and your children's ages, interests, likes, abilities, etc! You can make super-simple valentines that are still thoughtful and sweet, or go-all-out with ultra fancy ones; the choice is yours. The sky is really your limit - get creative, think about what you/your kids like/enjoy, and go for it!

Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Homemade Heart Crayon - "Valentine, you COLOR my world" or "I melt for you!"
Homemade Playdough Heart - "Dough-n't you want to be mine?"
Heart-shaped Popcorn balls - "Just Poppin' by to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!"
Paper Airplane "You're just plane awesome"
Glow Stick "You make my heart glow"
Valentine Blossoms (lollipop flowers) "Let's watch our friendship bloom"
Thumbprint Bunnies "Somebunny loves you!"
Butterfly Card "You make my heart flutter"
Animal Lover Cards

*Most of these ideas were found at Family Fun - for more great ideas click here , here or here!

Happy Valentines Crafting!!!

~Sarah

Best Frugal Family Restaurants

Inspired by a previous post about the best restaurant deals for date nights, I thought it would be fun to do a little research on the best family 'budget' friendly restaurants for a night out with the kids. Here is what I found:

There is a GREAT website called KidsMealDeals.com where you put in your zip code and it pulls up any restaurants that have kids deals in your area...love it!

Frugal Living TV has an amazing list of Kids Eat Free restaurants categorized by day...I can't believe I am just now finding these!

Parents Magazine has a great article about the 10 Best Family Restaurants.

• Claim Jumper- Their number one restaurant in the Claim Jumper who give kids under 2 a huge plate of food, and for older children, they have over 15 entrees to choose from. (Also, if you join the CJ club, you get a free dessert on your birthday) This restaurant is in about 10 states so far, but is expanding to other states.

Click on the Parent Magazine article to see the other top 10 picks.

I think my favorite restaurant deals for each day would have to be:

MONDAY- Moe's Southwest Grill- Kids eat free with purchase of adult entree.

TUESDAY- Chick-Fil-A -1 free kids meal with per combo meal purchased. 5:30-7:30pm Family Fun Night.

WEDNESDAY- Rainforest Cafe- Kids eat for $1.99 on Wednesday evenings.

THURSDAY- Carrow's -Kids 10 and under eat free after 4pm. One kids meal per adult entree purchased.

FRIDAY- O'Charlies- Kids eat free Monday – Friday at select O’Charley’s locations.

SATURDAY- Steak N Shake- Kids Eat Free Saturday and Sunday- One kids combo free when adult entree of $9 or more purchased (excludes drink/shake). Dine In Only.

SUNDAY- Tropical Smoothie Cafe'- One Big Kahuna Combo Free w/ the purcahse of each regularly priced Paradise Combo. 12 and under, child must be present.

Just for fun...the most entertaining information I found out was that Hooter's has free meals for kids on Sundays....go figure!

Happy Eating!

TOTTV - Record Keeping

It's Tuesday and Time to Turn off the T.V. (TOTTV) and spend some quality time with our loved ones! (To see why we're doing this, go here.)

Todays Topic: RECORD KEEPING


Have you ever noticed that, the older you get, the faster time seems to fly by? (is it just me who feels that way?!) Time never flew so quickly as the day I became a mother - and since then, I am constantly asking myself "Where have the past few (days/weeks/months/years...) gone??!" I've noticed that, if I don't keep a record of some sort, time seems to sort of disappear into that black hole called "The Past" where it is quickly forgotten and retrieved only with great difficulty (if at all). Any records I DO keep, though, become Treasures - priceless moments for me to remember right now, in the Present, and which will hopefully be even more meaningful in the Future.

Recording memories may seem like a "no brainer" and I'm sure many of you are already pros at it....I mean, look at all the scrapbooking companies, photo developers and websites, online/digital scrapbooks, blogs, cameras, video cameras, etc....these are all methods people have developed for recording memories.

But, how consistent are we? And, how much do we involve our children? Before I had kids, I was an avid scrapbooker! I LOVED scrapbooking and much of my time (and money) was devoted to it. Now, years later, I enjoy looking back on my scrapbooks (my kids LOVE it!!!) Unfortunately, once I had kids, I believed I no longer had the time (or the money) to keep it up, and my record-keeping took the back burner for far too long. Finally, one day I realized that my children were growing up, and that I would NEVER get these moments back...and I knew my brain couldn't keep track of everything on it's own! So, I made a goal to become a better record-keeper, and, furthermore, to involve my kids! In truth, involving them has made all the difference because 1) they love doing it, 2) it's something we can do together (instead of me having to find time to do it on my own!) and 3) if I slack off, they are right there to keep me in line!

If you're already an excellent record-keeper, GOOD FOR YOU! Share some tips with the rest of us, will you? For the rest of us: If you're great at this on your own, make a goal to involve your kids. If you are good at keeping records sometimes, work on your consistency. Wherever you are, think of someway you could improve. If you've never kept records before, it's the perfect time to start! Don't get overwhelmed, just start from today and work forward! Set a goal to work on it at least once a month (once a week is even better if you can manage!)

Here are just a few methods of record keeping, and some helpful hints:

• Photographs (film - develop a system for developing/printing, organizing prints, and filing/storing/preserving them - e.g. in scrapbooks or albums. Digital - regularly upload and organize, develop a system for printing some, storing/preserving them - e.g. on computer, on CDs, online/digital scrapbooks, online albums such as flickr, shutterfly, winkflash, snapfish or artscow, to name just a few - there are hundreds of sites you can use!) (Remember, you don't have to be a professional photographer - you can take great pictures on your own, that you will look back on and love! For some photo-taking tips click here.)
  

• Lists - one thing I've found helpful in record keeping is keeping an ongoing list; for instance, I have a 3 year old son that says the most hilarious things, many of which I never want to forget (and some of which, I desperately want to, but that's another story...) I keep a cute little notepad on the fridge for those moments when he blurts something out that I want to make sure I remember...and then I write it in my journal later, when I have the chance.

• Calendar/Planner - I've known a few people who use their calendar or planner as a journal - they will jot down events, thoughts or feelings they've had, milestones in their children's lives, special moments, etc on their calendar. If you're the type to carry a planner with you everywhere you go, this could be perfect. (Just be sure you don't lose it...or write very personal thoughts inside lest it fall into the wrong hands. :) )
  

• Journal/Diary - one of the most common methods of record keeping is to have some sort of book - a notebook, a locked diary, a leatherbound journal - even a simple spiral or 3-ring binder will do - in which to record your thoughts/feelings/momentous occasions/etc. It can be fun to add momentos such as pictures, ticket stubs, souveniors, etc (nothing bulky, of course) to the pages as appropriate. Journals are an easy way to involve your kids - my 3 and 5 year old children each have a journal (a little notebook they've decorated) in which they write each Sunday - something that happened that week, something they're thinking about, or something they like - and then they draw a related picture. They enjoy doing it, and it's so much fun looking back on them later!

• Scrapbook - scrapbooks are about as versatile as you can get! You can do the traditional "paper" scrapbook with prints, embellishments, ribbons, etc, or digital/online scrapbooks (ie - shutterfly, winkflash, snapfish or artscow. A scrapbooks can be simple (just pictures and some labels or captions) or elaborate (plenty of embellishments, frills, etc.)- to anywhere in between. Whatever suits your fancy - find your style, and how much time/effort/money/etc you want to invest in it.
  

• Keepsake Box - any box will do as long as it is accessible (ie on your dresser, in your closet, under your bed, etc) - large or small, a shoe box, a photo box, a rubbermaid container, a box you've decorated...(the benefit of a "cute" box is that it can double as a decoration for your house - as long as it's somewhere safe and out of reach of little hands!) Keep small items you want to remember which won't fit in a journal or book (e.g. the first clay pot your child made, a souvenior from a fun family vacation, etc.) A variation on this is the Shadow Box or Display Case - frames which hold, display and protect special keepsakes.

• Blog/website - if you're reading this, you obviously know about blogs! But have you started your own? And, if you have, does it serve as a means of recording thoughts/feelings/events you'd like to remember? Even if you aren't super computer savvy, setting up a blog of your own is FREE, VERY user-friendly, and quick and easy to maintain! Again, there are many different blog options - Blogger, TypePad, Experience Project and Blog.com are just a few!

• Camcorder - investing in a camcorder can be a great way to record events such as your child's first words or steps, first play or performance, and other momentous occasions such as birthdays, weddings, etc - moments a few snapshots just wouldn't do justice! This doesn't have to break the bank - you can get inexpensive digital camcorders for under $100 and now that digital camcorders are so popular you can get a video camcorder for next to nothing!

• Voice recorder - recording your voice can be a fun activity - especially for children whose voices change so much as they grow! Traditionally, this is done with a tape recorder or digital recorder, but there are so many other fun ways of doing this, such as; stuffed animals (i.e. Build-a-Bear), ornaments, and even many children's toy.
  

The most important points to remember: START NOW, BE CONSISTENT, INVOLVE the KIDS. Even just a few moments here and there is a great start - but, if you can, commit to at least one day each month (ie the first Tuesday) to record memories. I find that the biggest reason most people resist scrapbooks or record keeping is they worry it will take too much time when, really, you can do a simple project in much less time than you spend on the computer or watching T.V. :)...and, since we're turning screens off today, you'll have plenty of time!

~Sarah