This post brought to you by Pearachute and Red Tricycle.
The cooler fall and winter months will eventually land in Texas. If you and your kids like to stay active throughout the year, I have a great option for you!
Safari Run – Get Active with the Kids This Summer…Indoors! {giveaway closed}
Safari Run – Get Active with the Kids This Summer…Indoors!
I received free tickets and an opportunity to check out Safari Run. All opinions are mine.
The hot summer temps have hit Texas and unfortunately, they're here to stay until September. Thankfully there is a brand new place to take the kids! Opening June 19th, Safari Run is an air-conditioned, indoor activity and entertainment center for kids of all ages.
Simple Easter Bunny Wreath DIY – Made Out of Pruned Grapevines
Simple Easter Bunny Wreath DIY
A while back, I noticed that our grapevine was out of control. It grows on the fence between our garden and carport, and it was so out of control that the boys had to push them back if they go out of Daddy’s car. It was almost like a jungle! I enlisted the help of the Captain and D to prune the grapevine, which apparently you are supposed to do in the winter, anyway, to encourage new growth in the spring.
I taught the boys how to use the loppers to carefully trim the old vines that were growing right into the carport and our garden. Traditional pruners would have worked too, but well, loppers are more fun to use and to say. The Captain would prune off a few vines, then D would. My little boys LOVE to cut things, especially big things like a grapevine! After a lesson in where to cut, I let the Captain get a bit too comfortable and he lopped off a huge part of the vine, but hey, it happens. It will grow again!
All About Disney World! 50+ Tips, Tricks, Recipes and More From The Happiest Place On Earth
All About Disney World! 50+ Tips, Tricks, Recipes, and More From The Happiest Place on Earth
It has been almost a year since our first trip to Walt Disney World. We still talk about it all of the time and cannot wait until we can go again.
I have turned to some of my favorite bloggers and compiled an extensive list of everything about the happiest place on earth! I even included some fun recipes and crafts that you can create at home to make it feel more like the happiest place on earth at your house!
Make Sure That Your Kids Get Proper Nutrition and Vitamins…Without a Fight
Make Sure That Your Kids Get Proper Nutrition and Vitamins…Without a Fight
This post was brought to you by alternaVites. All opinions are mine. Contains affiliate link
We all face different challenges with our kids, and if you have more than one child, you know that every child is different. We did just about the same thing in regards to feeding the boys with our older two, and somehow, D is the better eater. He will try almost anything once, loves broccoli, milk, salmon, and kefir, and I feel like he is getting the nutrition and vitamins that his body needs to grow healthy and strong. The Captain, on the other hand, is not likely to try new things, turns up his nose at food often, and would live off of bread and sweets if we let him. I do not want to label him as "picky," but he is definitely a food snubber.
What happened and why are they so different? I am not sure, so I cannot tell you, in all honesty! We served them both pureed baby foods, both were breastfed and formula fed, both had a sensitivity to milk that they have seemed to grow out of, and they turned out completely different. (While the verdict is still out with Baby Brother, I tried a different approach with him, baby-led weaning, to try to avoid the food snubbing as his oldest brother does. I'll fill you in when he's 5. ha!)
Throw a #StickAPic Photo Party for Teens!
As an HP Smart Mom Panel member, I received products at no cost in order to host the HP #StickAPic party. The opinions expressed here are my own. contains affiliate links, check my disclosure for more information
Throwing a Photo Party for Teens
Hubby is a youth minister and has events for the youth group often. Yesterday, he threw a big area wide event for our youth group and five other churches. Over 80 teens and pre-teens joined together to eat, worship, and have fun together! Events like this are always a huge undertaking, but so much fun and well worth it. I received a great StickAPic party supply box around the time he was planning the event, so we planned a fun photo party for the teens! In the party box was HP ink, HP social media snapshots sticky photo paper, glue, decorations, plates, napkins, snacks, craft supplies and embellishments, and a Michael's gift card for purchasing extra craft supplies.
At first, I was not sure that the teens would be up for this idea, but it turned out great and they LOVED it! I mean really, what teen doesn't love taking pictures? The theme of the night was "Not Alone," about how even when we aren't with anyone, God is with us. So the instructions were simple…find a friend or more and I'll take your picture for you. (No selfies!) We got a few props, which some used and some didn't:
A friend made a vibrant backdrop out of PVC pipe, colored tablecloths, and decorations:
Make Lunch Special with a DIY Lunchbox Note Holder
This DIY lunchbox note holder post and shop have been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HorizonLunch #CollectiveBias
Packing cute lunches with foods that I feel good about the boys eating is really difficult sometimes. We are not early morning people, so I like to have foods already available and lunches ready to assemble when I wake up. I love packing lunches that the boys will enjoy, but it can be hard to find the right balance between what the boys want and what Mommy wants them to be eating.
Tackle The Sports Stains with ESPRO {giveaway closed}
This sports stain post has been brought to you by ESPRO. All opinions are mine.
The Captain is almost 7, and L-O-V-E-S sports. He started playing soccer when he was almost 4 and he is currently on his 5th season. He played his first season of baseball and basketball this year, too, and loves his gymnastics class, as well. We have found that it is impossible to slow him down! D loves being active, too, but the competition bug hasn't seemed to bite him yet. He played one season of soccer last year and liked it, but he says he would rather run, and that's fine with us…whatever helps keep him active and have fun.
Washing sports clothes has become more difficult as the boys get older. Soccer and basketball clothes rarely are difficult to clean, but baseball clothes…oh my! There is no telling what stains the Captain would come home with when he was playing baseball, and of COURSE his team had to have white pants! 
The funny thing about kids' sports clothes is, to me at least, trying to decode the different stains. Grass, dirt, clay, red sports drink, mustard from the hamburger he ate after the game….ha! Having a stain remover that works on different stains is essential, and I'm happy to say that ESPRO sports cleaner does just that.
Raise A Hand For Teachers
This Raise A Hand For Teachers post has been brought to you by ThredUp. All opinions are mine.
Teachers' jobs are getting increasingly harder by the day. Things have changed so much since I was in school, but even since I was a kindergarten teacher seven years ago. We all know that teachers work diligently to prepare for, educate, and care for kids of all ages, but teachers also have a daunting task to encourage, love, build character, and protect. Teachers have more and more things to worry about while trying to get their job done, all with a small paycheck and trying to take care of their own families.
I have known of teachers that have bought their students school supplies and had to purchase their own classroom supplies. They need specific things to enrich their classroom that their school doesn't have the funds for, so they purchase it. It's a labor of love. He or she sees that a student doesn't have the right school supplies and the parents don't have enough money to buy them, so out of his or her own pocket, the school supplies are bought, all while salvaging the pride of the student and family. Quietly, lovingly, teachers take care of their students and make their classroom an environment that is ready for learning, so all of the students can succeed.
Beyond the basics, however, there are many teachers who are buying food for their hungry students and clothes for their students who need them. According to AdoptAClassroom.com, teachers spend an average of $500 of their own money each year to make their classroom ready for learning. 70% of teachers have purchased apparel like jackets, socks, and shoes for their students that were in need.
Fashion resale site thredUP.com has partnered with AdoptAClassroom.org to recognize and thank teachers for their hard work and the positive impact they make each day on our children’s lives. thredUP.com has popular kids brands including GapKids, Janie and Jack, Lilly Pulitzer, Mini Boden, Zara Kids, and many more. We have used thredUP.com in the past and have always been pleased with the exceptional quality. It's the best of the best, at affordable resale prices, up to 90% off of retail. thredUP is a one-stop shop, with all of the top brands in one place at thredUP.com/Back-To-School or on the mobile app. It's so convenient and stress-free!
Raise A Hand for Teachers Program:
Nomination period is July 15 – August 23
Three teachers each win $2,500 for classroom supplies and $500 to thredUP. 50 runner-up winners receive $100 to thredUP.
Winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 8 (following Labor Day weekend)
Visit Raise A Hand For Teachers to nominate your favorite teacher!
I'm nominating a teacher I know who brings home very little cash, because she spends so much on her students. Who will you nominate?
Summer Sports and Dental Injuries
This dental injuries post was brought to you by Jefferson Dental Clinics. All opinions are mine.
We are taking a break from team sports this summer, but our kids are playing some sort of sport every day! This helpful infographic from Jefferson Dental Clinics is very eye opening as to what dangers lie ahead for many kids' mouths and teeth this summer. Sports injuries are common and we try to prepare for them, but how many parents plan for the best care of our children's teeth? I am always scared that the boys are going to knock a tooth out, and yes, it would be traumatic if that happened, but there's also jaw dislocation, root fracture, or crown displacement. Proper fitting of mouthguards and helmets is essential for the safety of your child's teeth! Check with your child's dentist before they start practicing for any sport to make sure that their teeth are going to be protected during the season.
