Children's Place Photo Opportunity

I'm not much into kid's modeling, but submit you kids photo, vote and possibly win $500 (toward's Children's Place).  Not a bad deal for a one time opportunity.  You could win your kid's wardrobe for the next few years.  Click here to go to the link for this opportunity.

Jello Orange Tutorial

from: http://sugarsoiree.deviantart.com/art/Jell-o-Oranges-Tutorial-208112749

The tutorial can be found at the link above.  Pretty creative and fun for a new kiddo snack.  Please tell us how it goes if you try this out.

Water Bottle Penguins

from:  Pinterest (Could not locate original source)

So, again, I've tried to locate the source of another craft, unsuccessfully.  I've even gone through every blogpost in the linking site.  I'll do my best to give you a guideline of what would be needed for these water bottle penguins.  And, again, feel free to leave follow up in the "Comments" section below.  You may have a better way of crafting this as these are not the actual instructions.

WHAT'S NEEDED:

• Water Bottles
• Eyes
• Orange Felt or Construction Paper
• Cotton Balls
• Glue
• Black Feathers
• Black Construction Paper
• Permanent Black Marker

HOW TO:

• Piece of black construction paper inserted into back half of water bottle
• Infront of paper, cotton balls are inserted and cap is put on
• Color top of cap with a permanent black marker
• Feathers are glued to back of cap
• Cap and stem of feathers are covered with black construction paper
• Eyes and beak are glued on
• Wings and feet glued on
  
  (Of course, you'll also need to cut these pieces as needed.)

Baked Mozarella Sticks

from:  justaddasliceoflove.blogspot.com

BAKED MOZARELLA STICKS

Ingredients:
     * String Cheese
     * Milk
     * Bread Crumbs
     * Marinara Sauce

Directions:

String cheese chopped into bite size pieces, then dipped in milk and bread crumbs. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes and serve with marinara sauce. It's baked not fried!

I see some spices on these, anyone want to take a guess at what combination would make these great?  Please share in the comment field below, to help us out.  (My first thought was Basil, Oregano, or Italian Seasoning.)

Next Bake Sale

from: birdonacake.blogspot.com

Hey moms!  Here's an idea for the next bake sale you help with.  Put cupcakes in short, clear cups.  So cute and mess free.  Why didn't I think of this on my own?

Free 8x10 Canvas Print (Just pay shipping)

(Note:  This is not hassle free)

Click here to get your free 8x10 canvas print.

Alright, after an hour plus, I officially ordered our free canvas by only paying for shipping.  I must tell you it was an extreme hassle as their website is on overload.  I kept getting "Error" screens.  As a result, I found in my email that they were not errors and I've ordered multiple of one canvas.  I don't know that you should really call this a bargain.

If you want a print, I suggest, once entering your card information; wait at least a half hour before checking your email to see if the order processed.  You may have to start the whole ordeal over multiple times, it just matters how much you want your print.

Their customer service is on overload, as is their website, so I will not know if I get a refund for at least 48 hours.  And, it appears if it prints and was a free print before your request is processed, you will not be refunded.  All to say, I think I lost money instead of getting a great bargain.  Make sure you check your email after submitting your card number.  Do NOT think "error" means your payment was not processed.

Worst case scenario, I have gifts for Riley's grandparents this Christmas!

Free Carseat Canopy (Just pay shipping)

from:  ad found at http://babycouponsandstuff.com/2012/09/18/free-carseat-caopy-just-pay-shipping/
(ad found separate from website giving item away)

Use code MYSAVINGS to score a free carseat canopy from CarseatCanapy.com ($50 value)!  Just pay $12.95 shipping and handling which is still a great price for these.  Or take $50 off The Whole Caboodle (just $42.90 with code and shipping).

The Whole Caboodle is a complete matching set of all five Carseat Canopy™ products! Each Whole Caboodle fits most makes and models of infant car seats*

• Slip Cover
• Head Support Pillow
• Baby Lap Blanket with matching Underside
• Replacement Umbrella with matching Lining
• Car Seat Canopy with matching Interior and 100% Cotton Outer

Click here to claim your carseat canopy. (I do not know how long this ad is good for, but I tried it the evening of 9/23/2012 and it worked fine.  Enjoy!)

The Very Hungry Catepillar

from:  picture and instructions from http://www.crafts-for-preschool-kids.com/more-crafts.html

If you love the book, why not make the craft!  If you've not read the book, it is also a good read.

How To:

• Paint 6 small paper plates green and one paper plate red (or just by colored dessert plates).
• Attach using a hole puncher and yarn.
• Add legs made from brown construction paper, googly eyes, pom pom for nose and a pipe cleaner for the antennaes.
• You can have children draw the food the caterpillar ate through, have them color and cut out food and glue onto the caterpillar like shown in the picture below.

Teaching Time: 

• Take it a step further and teach your child about catepillars.  If you have the book, this is a helpful and fun source to do just that.

Green Grape Catepillars

from: picture from princessandthefrogblog.blogspot.com

I could not find the recipe, but I am only assuming the following would be the ingredients needed for this kids snack...

• Green Grapes
• Chocolate Chips
• Tube of White Frosting
• Kabob Sticks

If you try this and have feedback; I love to hear it!  Just leave a comment in the "Comment" field below for the benefit of others, as well.

10 Recipes for Homemade Art Supplies

from: photo from Stock Xchange

The following recipes can be found by clicking here.

• Fingerpaint
• Watercolor paint
• Puffy paint
• Playdough
• Flubber
• Bath crayons
• Lick & stick stickers
• Bubble mix
• Sidewalk chalk
• Chalkboard paint

2013 Healthcare Changes: What this Means for You

A long awaited, restful Friday evening was brought to an abrupt halt when my husband showed me an email from his employer.  Due to the healthcare reform, his employer is trying to find ways to make the additional costs more absorbable.  And what we read made our spirits drop.

But first, I want to say that we completely support our employer.  I believe the are doing what they can to afford these new costs.  I am just expressing the difficulty this healthcare plan will cause our family and many others, and that it would be wise to do your research so you can prepare for the upcoming future, especially if you are a mom on a budget.

Now, back to our Friday night wake up call.  Rather than celebrating Friday, we were dwelling upon the fact that we are already struggling to make it when emergencies hit, but thinking about tax hikes or additional out-of-pocket medical expenses are more than we can handle (especially wanting another child sometime soon).  The email from my husband's employer outlined the new insurance policy starting January 2013, just a few months away.  It shows that our out-of-pocket expenses will double due to healthcare reform.  There are other changes as well that make it appear as if the "almost doubled" deductible and "doubled" out-of-pocket expenses will be met much quicker, since the plan will not cover as much as before. (Note:  This is how our insurance benefits change, not necessarily yours.)

If you are pregnant, hoping to have a child or thinking this reform is free, you are in for a surprise.  I would encourage you to check with your or your spouses employer to see what changes they intend to make to your insurance plan come 2013.  Another item to check is if your baby's shots are covered or if they fall under your out-of-pocket expenses.  I'm not clear on how this affects us, but I know some of our daughter's well child check-ups with shots can quickly run a few hundred dollars.  This is a scary thought, especially if you will have a newborn getting frequent immunizations.  Again, I do not know how your insurance plan will change, which is why it is important for you to ask how the healthcare bill will affect you.

Help Childhood Hunger: Dine Out!

from: http://join.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GADO_homepage

The "2012 Dine Out For No Kid Hungry" is September 16-22, 2012.

Click on the link above, which will take you to the homepage.  If you go to the "Find a Restaurant" tab, it will give you a number of restaurants in your area.  If you live in Williamsburg, the only restaurant within a half hour is Arby's in Jellico.  If you go to Knoxville on a "Date Night", you'll have a few more options.

Ask the restaurant about the "No Kid Hungry" opportunity.  I am not sure if this includes buying certain items and am having trouble finding more specifics.  If you are aware of more details, please share in the comment field below.

Contact Paper & Tissue Paper Craft

from:  preschool-learning-and-crafts.com

With your Toddler:

1. Place 1 piece of contact paper sticky side up in front of your toddler
2. Allow toddler to stick paper, confetti, or tissue paper on the contact paper (without moving any of it!!)
3. When he is finished, place the second piece of contact paper onto the first
4. Trace or draw desired shape onto contact paper and cut it out

Homemade Bread in a Crockpot

from:  article and picture from artisanbreadinfive.com

Form 1 lb of pre-made dough into a ball and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Lower the dough into the Crock-Pot (Slow Cooker), mine is a 4-quart, but I think it will work in any size.

(Update:  I just mixed up a fresh batch of Peasant Bread Dough, let it rise for the two hours in the bucket, then formed a 1-pound loaf and stuck it in the crock pot.  So, you can use fresh or refrigerated dough.)

Turn the temperature to high and put on the cover. (Not all crock pots behave the same, so you should keep an eye on the loaf after about 45 minutes to make sure it is not over browning on the bottom or not browning at all. You may need to adjust the time according to your machine.)

Bake for 1 hour (this will depend on your crock pot, you may need to increase or decrease the time. If you are using a 100% whole grain dough, you may want to go for a bit longer as well). You will have a fully baked loaf of bread, but the crust is very soft, almost like a steamed bun. To check for doneness I poked the top of the loaf and it felt firm. Before it is fully baked it felt soft and almost mushy when I gently pressed the top.

The bottom crust should be nice and crisp, but the top of the loaf will be quite soft. Some folks desire a softer crust, so you will love this loaf. If you want a darker or crisper crust…

Stick the bread under the broiler for 5 minutes or until it is the color you like, with the rack positioned in the middle of the oven.

Free Personalized Calendars

So, I know I have posted a lot of coupons lately, but do not be dismayed.  This is not converting into a coupon blog, I've just had not seen many great ones lately and here are a few.  This one is for a free calendar from Vista Print.  All you have to pay is shipping.  Click here for more details and the link to get your calendar!  This is also a good idea for Christmas, think ahead for the grandparents.

Free Chili's Kid's Meal & Chips and Queso

Click here for the details and link to the coupon for a free Chili's kid's meal and chips and queso.



This coupon is only good for 2 days, through September 12, 2012.

Want to become a "Mom Tester"?

I have not personally been a "Mom Tester", but I know of moms that save a bit of money by doing this.  You may not receive the diapers you prefer, but you could cut costs a little by getting a few free samples.  I wish I could tell you a little more about the specifics... I have joined the Facebook group that lists testing opportunities.  It looks like the most recent was for a razor, before that to have a will written for your family...  So, you sign up for opportunities as they come.

If you have been a "Mom Tester", please give us new moms advice or insight in the comment section below.  If you know of other websites that allow you do test products, please share so we can double up on the benefit.

This specific link will take you to the Facebook, directly to their "Mom Tester" page.  Sign up with me today and let us know how it goes!  Click here if you want to become a "Mom Tester".

Also, if you want to jump on their offer of 2 years free, you'll find that Parenting.com.  However, as long as I have been a mom, I think this offer has stayed the same.  If I am correct, you have to pay for one year to get the 2 free years.  It is still a pretty decent rate.

Synonym Sun

from:  hsclassroom.net

Here  is one of many uses for paint strips.  I have seen many and I'll be posting more on these later.  For those of you with older kids, here is a fun way to learn synonyms.  (I did not see this exact post on the link above, so if you want more detail you can go search on your own!) 

As always, if you find any new information on this, or if you try it on your own, us moms would love your feedback in the "Comment" field below.

Favorite Kid's Book: Click, Clack, Moo

This book was, so sweetly, given to Riley when we moved to Kentucky.  At the time, she was too young to enjoy it, but I wasn't!  I found myself reading this book, just because I loved it so.  I would read it multiple times a day because it was just too cute.

I've looked at some of the other books by this author and this is my favorite, still.  This buy is worth it!

Go to your local library to try this book out, or just go straight to Amazon to buy it.  I'll let you make the call, but know it has my thumbs up!

"Good Girl": A Remedy to Tantrums

So we have been facing tantrum zone with our gal, who is going on two.  Sadly, it seems that instead of getting better, they are getting worse.  She is a delightful little angel with company, but leave Dad and I alone with girl and a monster emerges.

When we try to discipline or change a diaper, we are hit, scratched and hair is pulled.  As a mom, I sometimes don't have the strength to control these tantrums.  In effort to help the munchkin, we tried to not say, "No" as often, instead finding other ways to help her adjust her behavior.  While we are not against firm discipline, we have found Riley imitates us and often responds with the same disposition.

One morning I stepped out of the room and heard a cringing crash.  Our daughter had knocked over our computer.  I calmed myself and very seriously said, "Never, ever touch that again."  She glared me in the eye, pointed and said, "Don't!".  I realized in effort of avoiding the word, "No", I'd simply reverted to the word, "Don't".

Still, we have a child throwing tantrums and we feel even more helpless to stopping them.  So we have tried to focus on the positive moments more often.  We have been affirming our child, telling her she is a "good girl".  And even more precious, is that she can now say the phrase on her own.

This morning I was getting ready, before getting her up for the day, and heard her rummaging around her room.  I asked her if she was being a "good girl".  Without hesitation or emotion, she said, "No".

Just a few days ago, I was cooking dinner and the rascal was awful quiet.  Again, I posed a question, "What are you doing?"  She emphatically chimed in, "Good girl!"  She will even copy me when I affirm our dog, with the infamous phrase.

While the tantrum problem is not solved, helping our daughter focus on a more positive state helps her revert to a more gentle nature.  We are all learning and laughing along the way.  And while our sinful nature is not so attractive, even in little ones, it is just a reminder of how human we all are.


(If you have any advice on how to help little ones work through tantrums, please share in the comment field below.)

10 Free Pamper Points

from: http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/10-free-pampers-gifts-to-grow-points/



Earn 10 Points with the following code.  (It works, I just entered it!)

CODE:  FB9TLABDAXB3912

Paper Plate Watermelon (End of Summer Fun!)

from:  picture from easypreschoolcraft.blogspot.jp

Help your child experience through various avenues.  You must first enjoy a watermelon!

SUPPLIES:
     * Paper Plate
     * Red & Green Crayons
     * Watermelon Seeds
     * Glue

DIRECTIONS:
     * Cut the paper plate in half

     * Color watermelon
     * Glue on watermelon seeds

Hotdogs & Spaghetti

from:  picture from Pinterest

So, the first time I saw this picture, I thought this surely wouldn't be that great.  What goes with hotdogs and spaghetti noodles.  However, the light went on and I thought, "Why not a little cheese sauce?"  What kid doesn't like mac and cheese with hotdogs.  So I would recommend the following ingredients.  It doesn't get much easier than this either!

INGREDIENTS:    
     * Hotdogs
     * Spaghetti
     * Cheese Sauce