Game Day!!

Tomorrow's the big day, Super Bowl Sunday!!! Yay! I'm so excited! I've pretty much always loved football, and seeing as i was born in Alaska, Seattle is like my team. So i'm super extra excited they have made it to the Super Bowl AGAIN!! Let's go Seahawks!! :)

Anyways, I thought i would share some of the things Our Family is going to do for the big game!!

GAMES: This year, as we are not having anyone over for the game, we thought we would go all out for the kiddos! To make it extra fun for them, we plan on playing games. Here are a few games that we are going to try out.

1. Pin the football for a field goal. - Some tape, a few paper footballs, and a blindfold should make for some fun!! I got the idea from HERE.

2. Bingo - Why didn't i think of this before?! My kiddos love bingo and this super bowl one should be extra fun!

3. Score-It Game - An activity that sneaks in some learning? Yes, Please! In this game the kids will have to use paper footballs to score touchdowns and field goals, then they will have to add up their scores at the end! I found this awesome game HERE.

FOOD: Seriously, you absolutely CAN NOT watch the big game without food!! Here is what we plan on making for the game...

1. Nachos - I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it was brilliant! Who wouldn't love a nacho bar?!

2. Football Pizza Pockets - For the people who don't like nachos. I also got this idea on Pinterest and i think they will be extra cute for the game!



3. Sugar Cookies - I'm going to make some sugar cookies and decorate them in our team colors! The ones on Bake Me Happy will most definitely put mine to shame, But hopefully they will taste good!

DECORATIONS: My kids always love decorations! Here is what I've got planned for the game...

1. Football Lanterns - These looks awesome, but i'm really nervous about making them! (I'm really not that super crafty, AT ALL). I know they are going to be trickier then they look! I'll let you know how they turn out!

2. Streamers - I found some blue, green and white streamers at the store. So i'm going to hang them up throughout the house! These, Tissue Poms, would also be a cool idea too! I know there are a lot of 'how to make tissue poms' on Pinterest. Just use your teams colors to make it for the big game!




3. Paper Chains - I used to make these for Christmas time! These would be fun for the kids to make with you. I think i'm going to do them in our teams colors! I like the idea on Catch My Party, to add yard lines and such to them!

So, that's all we have planned for the game, how do you plan on celebrating?!

February 2015 Holidays/Events

There's only 3 more days until it's February, so i thought today would be a prefect day to share with you my printable list of events in February!

You can use this in your homeschool to help plan out your school days, OR you could hang this up as a poster too!

However you choose to use it, you can download it for yourself in my TpT Store, or HERE.

What's In The Bible {Deal}

*Some posts on my blog may contain affiliate links (mostly Amazon), which means i am paid a small commission fee whenever a product is purchased through these links. This in no way affects your price! Thank You for your support!*

Hey Everyone!!

I wanted just to take a minute to tell you about a great deal going on right now at "What's In The Bible?"!

Today is the last day to take advantage of their 30% off orders over $30!!

Our Family LOVES "What's In The Bible?", my kiddos especially enjoyed their Christmas one! These movies are great to watch anytime, but they also make a great addition to any Homeschool or Sunday school!!

You can order by clicking this link, HERE!!

Valentine's Day Pack {Freebie}

I had such a fun time making my Groundhog Day Pack, i decided to make a Valentine's Day Pack!! :)

It is packed with over 15 pages of fun!! I created it for PreK-1st Grade in mind!

Included in the Valentine's Day Pack:

• 4 Bingo Boards w/ Calling Cards
• Math Color By Code
• Sight Words Color By Code
• Color to Match (2 pages)
• 4 Piece Puzzle
• 3 Piece Puzzle
• Do-a-dot (3 pages)

Here are a few pictures of my Valentine's Day Pack...

BINGO

Math Color By Code

You Can download it for yourself in my TpT Store, HERE.

Groundhog Day Pack {Freebie}

Hi Homeschoolers,

Groundhog Day is coming up, so I've been busy working on some printables for my kids and i thought maybe some of you might be able to use them too!

My Groundhog Day Pack is over 20 pages and is for kindergarten/1st Graders!

Included in my Groundhog Day Pack:

• Math Color by Code (Example of how it works: 1+1 = 2, so then i would color that area whatever the answer color key says, for this one it would be 2=Black, I would then color it black.)
• Sight Word Color by Code
• Do-A-Dot (4 pages) - These would be great for Tot School too!
• 3 Piece Puzzle
• 4 Piece Puzzle
• Number 1-10 Puzzle
• An Early Reader book
• Bingo with Calling Cards (4 different bingo boards)
• Color to match (2 pages)
• Will the Groundhog see his shadow? Prediction page.

Here are a few pictures of the Groundhog Day Pack...

Math Color by Code

Sight Words Color by Code

Bingo

4 Piece Puzzle

I made this pack with my son (1st grade) in mind. However, it really could be used for lots of different ages!

I will also be using this with my daughter (who is in Tot School/Preschool), she  will be doing some of these pages, such as; the puzzles, do-a-dot pages, coloring pages, and Bingo! 

And my oldest son (4th grade) will also do some of these pages, such as; bingo, color to match and the prediction page!

Whoever you use it with, i just hope it is a blessing to you and your family!

You can download it for yourself, HERE

Also,  you can  find my Groundhog Day Pack in my TpT Store, HERE.

Mega Fitness Post {and Giveaway!} - Winner Update

UPDATE: The contest is now over. Thank you to all who participated!!! Congratulations to the winner, Natasha!! :-) You have 48 hours to claim your prize before a new winner is drawn.

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*Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Affiliate, that means if you click on the link and buy the product I'm paid a small commission fee (This in no way affects YOUR price). Which helps support my family. Thank you for your support!*

Remember my January Health and Fitness bundle i posted back a few weeks ago? Anyways, I talked about my goal to get into shape for my 30th Birthday (which is in June) and so far i'm doing pretty good keeping up with it (I've lost 6 lbs so far!!)!

Saturday was national "Ditch New Years Resolutions Day", but i have no intention of ditching this one. In case you also made the goal to get in shape this year, i want to help motivate you not to ditch your resolution.

So, in what i'm calling my "Mega Fitness Post" i'm going to be sharing with you; my favorite healthy recipes, workouts, music to listen to while working out and more. We can do this together!! And at the end of this post is an AWESOME giveaway, so keep reading!

Let's get started!

Diet:

Let's face it, diet is key in losing weight. You can work your butt off, but if you are eating junk you will NEVER lose the weight! This has always been the hardest part for me, as i wasn't really taught growing up that you should be eating healthy foods to keep your body going. I've always turned to food to comfort me, when i'm sad, stressed or lonely food was there. Trust me, during the past 3 years there has been MANY sad/stressed/lonely moments for me.

I did it though, i have overcome this! For the past several weeks (ever since i started my healthy journey) I've only been eating fresh foods. Fruits, veggies, and lean meats. I've also only been drinking water. Well except for my morning cup of coffee, i can't give that up just yet, but a few months ago i gave up the  sugar in my coffee and have only been using half-n-half.

Here are some of my new favorite healthy recipes to help you with your diet:

1. Cauliflower Chowder from Damn Delicious - This is packed with veggies and tastes delicious (my oldest son would disagree, but you can't always please everyone)! It calls for bacon, but I don't add the bacon.

2. Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Tetrazzini from Bless This Mess  - My family loved this dish!

3. Homemade Healthy Granola from Bless This Mess - I've made 2 batches of this so far this month and both batches were gone in a few days!! Needless to say, my family LOVES this stuff!! We put it in plain yogurt with some raspberries and we also ate it as cereal (meaning we poured some into a bowl and covered it in milk).

4. Baked Sweet Potato Fries - I love sweet potato fries! I cut up a sweet potato into fries, drizzle with olive oil and kosher sea salt. Then bake in oven at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes. This recipe on Six Sisters Stuff looks good too!

5. Salads - I love salads! I'm really trying to branch out and try new ones. This one from Cafe Johnsonia looks good!

Music

Music keeps me going while i workout. Here is my top 10 list of songs to listen to while working out. (Note - Some of these songs i would not listen to around kids.)

1. Love The Way You Lie by Eminem ft. Rihanna
2. Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake
3. Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke
4. Roar by Katy Perry
5. California Love by 2-Pac
6. I Got a Feeling by Black Eyed Peas
7. Fergalicious by Fergie
8. Maneater by Nelly Furtado
9. Timber by Pitbull
10. Problem by Ariana Grande

Workouts

Before the new year, i was on Amazon just looking around, when i came across P90X and it was one of their lightning deals. So i ordered it because i couldn't pass up the amazing price. That was my plan going into the new year, i was going to do P90X for my workout routine. Then Hubby surprised me with an elliptical!! Which i couldn't be more happier about, because it turns out i'm not really a P90X person. I just couldn't get into the workouts!

Here is what I've been doing for working out.

Elliptical - I get on this thing pretty much every single day, it's a great workout!! Lately I've been doing 2 miles each day on it!

Turbo Jam - The 20 minute workout is a great workout for when i don't have that much time!

Random workouts - Sit ups, crunches, jumping jacks, lunges, squats, push ups. I do all of these! I do sit ups and crunches every day, but on my off days on the elliptical is when i do the others.

Food Journal/ Weight Tracker

So like i said the P90X was my plan, so once it arrived i created a P90X journal (for writing down my daily weight and food intake). Even though the P90X didn't work out for me, in case you are also doing P90X i thought i would share what i created with you.

You can download my P90X journal, HERE.

Giveaway Time!!

Whoa, we finally made it through all that, now for the fun part!  Since i'm not using the P90X and instead of it just sitting around collecting dust, i thought i would give it away to someone who could use it/need it!! Right now, if you were to buy it on Amazon, it would cost you $139.80!! I only used it 2 times (i watch 2 different videos each one time).

Complete P90X DVD Workout - Base Kit (opened)

Included in this kit:

12 DVD workouts, a comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide packed with valuable information on how to get the most from your program, a How to Bring It DVD that provides a quick overview of the system, and a calendar to track your progress.

Want to win it?! Enter the giveaway below!!!

Click Here! ------------> Complete P90X DVD Workout Base Kit Giveaway <---------------- click="" here="" nbsp="" strong="">

Good Luck!!

Note: Giveaway ends January 28nd at 11:59 PM GMT. Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

Unit Study Planner {Freebie}

We just started a new theme this week and although i had written it down weeks ago, i only came to realize yesterday that i didn't have anything i would need for this theme (i.e. no books, movies, activities, etc.). That's when i knew i needed some sort of planner to get things more organized, and so hopefully this won't happen to me again.

So i got right to work creating one. Check it out!

Now i'll have a place to write down;  theme ideas, books that would be needed for that theme, possible field trip ideas and also assignments to go along with it. (I also added some cute graphics to the brainstorming pages to get the creative juices flowing!)

Included in this planner are:

• 4 Brainstorming Pages
• 4 Reading List Pages
• 2 Movie/Video List Pages
• 4 Field Trip Pages
• 7 Assignment Pages

You can download my Unit Study Planner, HERE

Themed Learning {Winter}

Right before our Christmas school break i was having a hard time focusing on our daily assignments. I just couldn't stand to look at another textbook. I'm pretty sure my kids were feeling the same way too. So over the break, i decided we needed to add some fun to our work. That's when i started looking into themed learning. It seemed like the perfect solution to our problem.

Last week we started with our first theme, Winter. Today i thought i would share with you how our week went, in case you are also looking to add something fun to your homeschool. (This would also work for non-homeschoolers, as some fun weekend projects to do with your kids!)

Books we read:

• One Mitten by Kristine O'Connell George
• If It's Snowy and You Know It, Clap Your Paws! by Kim Norman
• Sneezy The Snowman by Maureen Wright (This one was by far our favorite book!! I highly recommend it!!!)
• There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow by Lucille Colandro
• Ten on the Sled by Kim Norman
• December Dog by Ronald Roy

Fun Stuff We Did:

#1 - Snow Paint

This didn't turn out that great, in my opinion. I found the idea on pinterest. I recipe is easy; 1 cup each of flour, salt and water. The salt makes it all glittery looking, which you can't really tell in this picture but it was. The thing that didn't impress me was the thickness of it, that made it hard to paint with. My older kiddos didn't like that either, but my daughter was just happy she was able to get messy!

#2 - Snow Dough

This one turned out great! It was light and flaky like snow, but then once you rolled it together in your hands, it would form a "snow" ball. I got the idea from HERE. All it takes is 3 ingredients, which i had on hand.  I adjusted the quantities though, because i didn't have enough of the cornstarch on hand.  The kids liked this one a lot!

#3 - Lego Ice Excavation

My kids love Lego's so when i found this idea, i knew my kids would love it!! And i was right!! This one was a HUGE success!! I asked my son for a few Lego men and then i filled a ziploc bag with some water and added the Lego man to the water. Then i froze it overnight. I wish i would have taken a few more pictures of this project, but i guess i got caught up in the fun and completely forgot.

Hubby was home for this project, so i was able to catch him taking out the big guns to excavate his Lego man and when i mean big guns, i mean, well you'll see...

Do NOT try this at home!!!

That's right, Hubby grabbed his drill and tried to use it excavate his Lego man. Crazy, huh?!

Anyways, we all had a great time with this project and all the Lego Men eventually got rescued!

Food We Ate:

Penguin Shaped Sandwiches -

These were very cute! The kiddos ate them up fast! I got the sandwich cutter, HERE. I made grilled cheese sandwiches, cause that's all i had on hand, but you could make any kind you like!

I really didn't make a lot of fun winter themed foods for this week. In fact, aside from the sandwiches, i only made one other special thing, 'Frozen' themed hot chocolate and i didn't even take a picture of it! But you can find that recipe/idea HERE. The kids loved it!

That's it for our Winter Themed Learning week! I hope you enjoyed it!

And if you want more winter themed learning ideas, be sure to check out my Homeschool - Winter Theme Pinterest page!

*This post may contain affiliate links.*

500th Blog Post Giveaway!!! - Winner Update

UPDATE: The contest is now over. Thank you to all who participated!! Congratulations to the winner, Andrea!! :-) You have 48 hours to claim your prize before a new winner is drawn. 

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I'm so excited!! Last month, I posted my 500th blog Post!! WOO-HOO!!

And because i think this is such an awesome milestone, i thought i would have a celebration!!

What better way to celebrate, than to host a Giveaway for all my readers?! (I don't know about you, but I LOVE getting stuff for free!!)

This giveaway is packed with all the products i adore and it's worth over $150!!

One person will win:

•  Washi Tape (6 pieces) - One of my newest obsessions, Pinterest has TONS of ideas on how to use it! 
• Sharpie Markers fine point (12) - Love, Love, Love Sharpie markers!! I use them daily!
• Coffee Mugs (set of 2) - Perfect for Valentine's Day! These cups are so adorable!
• EOS organic lip balm (5 pack) - This is my favorite lip balm EVER! 
• Sinful Colors nail polish (2 colors; Purple Diamond & Pink Forever) - I love sinful colors nail polish! It goes on so smooth!
• 5 Cary Grant movies ("The Bishops Wife", "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House", "My Favorite Wife", "Night and Day", and "The Bacholor and The Bobby-Soxer") - I absolutely LOVE Cary Grant!! 
• $25 Starbucks Gift Card - If you've read my blog before, you know i'm absolutely addicted to Coffee!
• $25 Amazon Gift Card - What more is there to say about Amazon, they are amazing!! 
• 2 Votive size Yankee Candles (Cinnamon & Spice, and Island Getaway) - My house smells so amazing every time i light these candles! 

Ready to win it??

Click the link below to enter to win!!

CLICK HERE--------> 500th Blog Post Giveaway! <--------- strong=""> CLICK HERE




Good Luck!

**Rules: Giveaway ends January 22nd at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Facebook and Pinterest are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.** (Disclosure: All items in this giveaway were purchased by myself.)

"The Identical" Movie Review {and DVD Giveaway!} - WINNER UPDATE

I just love Ashley Judd, she is such a wonderful actress, so when i was asked to review "The Identical" starring her and Ray Liotta, I jumped at the chance!

About the film:

Rated PG / Approx. 107 minutes

The Identical, starring; Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Seth Green, and Blake Rayne is a redemptive movie about a young man, the son of a preacher, who rejects his father’s desire for him to join the ministry and instead embarks on a career as a rock singer. As he struggles to pursue his dream and rise to stardom, he finds love, pain, success, failure and ultimately uncovers a hidden family secret that reveals who he really is. The Identical is a captivating story about a family restored and a life discovered that lifts your soul and warms your heart.

My thoughts on the film:

I really enjoyed this movie, so did my kiddos! The powerful story line, the great music and the focus on God kept me wanting more!  It starts out during the great depression and one family has a horribly tough decision to make. (My 3 year old started crying at this part, so be prepared if your little ones are watching this with you!) It then goes on to follow these 2 boys as they grow up and they find out who they are. I don't want to give too much away, so i'll just say it's definitely a heart-warming story!

Visit The Identical Website

Visit The Identical Facebook Page

Giveaway Time!!!

One lucky reader will win a free copy of "The Identical" on DVD!!!

Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner. Giveaway Ends Tuesday January 20th, 2015 at 12:00 pm (Mountain Standard Time).

Enter the Giveaway HERE!-----------> "The Identical" DVD Giveaway <---------------- enter="" giveaway="" here="" strong="" the="">

Disclosure (In accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post and this post contains affiliate links.

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UPDATE: The contest is now over!! Congratulations to the winner, Sydney!! And a BIG Thanks to all who participated!! :-)

Scholastic Books for January

As you all probably know by now, i love books! I've shared on my blog; reading lists, book recommendations, etc. etc. In fact most of the Christmas gifts i received were books!! Anyways, so it should come as no shock when i say, each month i get really excited to see what books have been put into Scholastic's flyers!

In case there are other book lovers out there, i thought i would share what books i'm most excited about this month!!

Early Childhood:

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? by Jane Yolen - $1

Happy New Year Family Library - 15 books for $20 (some of the titles included are: "Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type" and "A Pocket Full of Kisses")

There Was An Old Lady... - 8 books for $20 (some of the titles included are: "... Who Swallowed a Chick", "...Who Swallowed a Rose", and "...Who Swallowed a Clover")

Ten Grouchy Groundhogs by Kathryn Heling - $2

Bedtime Little Ones by Claire Freedman - $3

Kindergarten:

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon - $1

Lego Ninjago: The Titanium Ninja - $4

Kindergarten Valentine Reader Pack - 8 books for $8 (some of the titles included are: "Clifford's Valentines" and "Dixie Loves School Pet Day")

Happy Valentine's Day 2015 Pack - 4 books for $8 (some of the titles included are: "Happy Valentine's Day Mouse" and "The Night Before Valentine's Day")

Kindergarten Favorites Collection - 10 books for $20 (some of the titles included are: "Bear Snores On" and "Snow Day For Mouse")

1st Grade:

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel - $1

The Tooth Fairy Wars by Kate Coombs - $4

1st Grade Friends Reader Pack - 8 books for $10 (some of the titles included are: "Pete the Cat Play Ball" and "The Berenstain Bears Out West")

Robin Hill School Winter Pack - 5 books for $10 (some of the titles included are: "Too Many Valentines" and "A Tooth Story")

Lego Ninjago Reader Pack - 5 books for $10 (some of the titles included are: "Way of the Ninja" and "Rise of the Snakes")

2nd Grade:

Second Grade is Super: Snowball Trouble by Kate Howard - $1

Calendar Mysteries Collection - 12 books for $12 (some of the titles included are: "May Magic" and "December Dog")

Groundhog Day from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler - $3

Magic Tree House #49: Stallion by Starlight by Mary Pope Osborne - $3

What if You Had Animal Feet!? by Sandra Markle - $4

3rd Grade:

My Weirder School #12: Mrs. Lane is a Pain! by Dan Gutman - $1

Big Bad Detective Agency by Bruce Hale - $4

Thea Stilton Mouseford Academy: The Secret Invention by Thea Stilton - $5

Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures Egypt and China Pack  - 2 books for $5

Spirit Animals #1: Wild Born - $5

4th Grade:

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar - $1

The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail by Richard Peck - $4

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd - $4

Swashbuckling Adventure Pack - 2 books for $8

The Rookie Bookie by L. Jon Wertheim - $4

5th Grade:

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson - $1

The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blakemore - $5

Newsberry Winners Pack - 5 books for $10

The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis - $4

Wings of Fire #5: The Brightest Night by Tui T. Sutherland - $4

If you are a homeschooler and you haven't signed up for Scholastic Reading Club, What are you waiting for?! Now is a great time! Especially with rewards like these, this month:

Happy Reading!! :)