Thanksgiving Break Family Fun List!
I don’t know why but summer seems to fill up with fun activities and things to do so quickly yet when fall and thanksgiving break comes around I draw a blank. It’s like I’m burnt out all my fun ideas for the kids over the summer and am still recovering when Thanksgiving rolls around. So before it’s here and we’re trying to find some last minute ideas of what to do, I’ve put together a fun list of things we can do while the kids are out of school this Thanksgiving!
- Thanksgiving crafts – there’s ton on Pinterest but since the kids are out a few days before Thanksgiving we’re going to pull out the craft supplies. My favorite is pictured above. I love how simple it is and something we can go out for a walk to collect our supplies.
- A Nature Walk – it’s great weather to head out on a walk. We love hitting the trails around our home.
- Pumpkin Waffles – I wanted to find some sort food project to make and bake with this kids and figured they’d love to make waffles together.
- Thankful Tree – this is going on all month but we’ll keep adding our leaves until the last day of November. I simple draw a tree on large paper and then we glue on leaves that have things we’re thankful for written on them.
- Hot Chocolate and Christmas Movies – after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to turn on your favorite Christmas movie and heat up some hot chocolate.
- Feed the Ducks – we love to go to our local duck pond with some seeds and feed the ducks! I’ll usually buy a big bag of bird food and take it down there with us. (I found one at the dollar store so it’s a cheap activity)
- Start Christmas Gifts – my kids each make their friends gifts so usually we’ll get started making those and I’ll work on our neighbor gifts. That way come Christmas week we’re not running around trying to get everything finished at ones.
- Read-a-ton – the cold weather always has me wanting to grab a good book and curl up on the couch. So bake some treats, pop some popcorn and gather the kids for a read-a-ton.
- Stem Activity – my 3rd and 4th grader loved this activity when we did it closer to Valentine’s day. And with Halloween past us, you should be able to find these on clearance for a killer price.
- If it snows over the break we’ll be making Snow Cones! It’s our favorite thing to do on the first “go” snow of the year.
What’s your family’s plan for Thanksgiving break? I hope you enjoy the time you do get with your friends and family and are able to make lots of memories.
5 Tips for Learning How to Be More Productive
Are you struggling with productivity? As a work at home mom (WAHM) I absolutely understand this struggle. For me, it is hard to be productive when I have so many things pulling me in different directions.
Don’t worry, my friend! There are things that can help us develop our productivity skills better and help us to be more successful in our day to day lives.
5 Tips for Learning How to Be More Productive
If you are ready to start gettting stuff done, you can do it! You just need to be ready to make a change and oh my goodness, what a change it will make. Becoming more productive in life can drastically alter many things that you do! Here we go, here are my top 5 Tips for Learning How to Be More Productive.
- Keep a calendar – Keeping a calendar is an imperative step in increasing your productivity. You need to know what you have coming in order to know how to dedicate your time.
- Write out a list – A to-do list has been a game changer for me in increasing my productivity. I tried a to-do list app on my phone, it really did nothing for me. So I literally keep a notebook of paper with me all day and in the morning I write down my to-do list for that day. Being able to strike though the jobs done helps to motivate me to get more accomplished.
- Be realistic – C’mon, you aren’t a superhero. Be realistic with the stuff that you can actually accomplish in one day. I’m not saying don’t push yourself (definitely push yourself!) I’m just saying, recognize that there are only 24 hours in a day.
- Focus on the positive – If you sit down and think negative thoughts about what you need to accomplish (example “this task is too difficult” or, “I probably won’t get them done so why even try”), you aren’t going to go very far. Try to brush the negative thoughts aside, they are going to destroy your productivity.
One Super Easy Way to Score Free Gift Cards
If you are anything like me (you are…why else would you be here reading this website?), you love to save money. Better yet, you love to get free stuff! I am happy to work hard to score some free stuff!
It recently occurred to me that I score at least 1-2 free gift cards every single month and I don’t think we have talked about it at all! I mean, these are usually in the $5-$10 range, but hey..free stuff is free stuff, am I right? So, how do I score these free gift cards? I will tell you right now!
One Super Easy Way to Score Free Gift Cards each and every month
How do I score free gift cards each month? With my cell phone, of course!
Do you have a cell phone? Go online and check out your account. See if your account qualifies for rewards. I know that Verizon and Tmobile offer them…I haven’t found out if other plans do as well.
I use Verizon and have signed up for Verizon Up Rewards. Every month when I pay my bill, I get a free credit to buy one of the offered deals of the month. This month I got a $5 Starbucks Gift Card, last month, I got a $5 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.
Additionally, Verizon Up Rewards members are often offered bonus rewards. For example, yesterday was National Sandwich day and members were being offered a free $5 Panera Gift Card.
I mean, I have to pay my bill anyway. Why not be rewarded for doing so, am I right? Are you signed up for a rewards program with your cell phone company? What kind of free stuff have you gotten? Do you have any other rewards programs that I am forgetting about, or not yet aware of? I want more free stuff! 
How to Make a Christmas Countdown Chain Using Your Halloween Candy
Now that Halloween is over, do you have a TON of candy? What do you do with it? How do you minimize the intake of sugar for your kids? Here is a great way to solve all of your questions- Make a Christmas Countdown Chain! This chain seriously saves me from kid tantrums and tears. Instead of them asking every 10 minutes if they can have another piece of candy, they know that they get one piece a day and each day means it’s closer to Christmas! It does take some time, but the kids can help you out! Here’s how you do it:
Supplies you need:
Plastic Wrap
Ribbon or Yarn- cut into strips long enough to tie
Scissors
Halloween Candy (# depending on when you start your chain-days to Christmas.)
Directions:
Stretch your Plastic Wrap out and keep it straight. Don’t cut it off until you are completely done. Tie Ribbon on the end and add in your first piece of candy. Next you’ll want to wrap the plastic wrap around the candy and twist the end a few times so the candy doesn’t fall out. Then add another ribbon. Repeat this step until you have all of your pieces in your plastic wrap. End the chain with another ribbon-twisting before you tie. That’s it!
Tips:
#1: If you have more than one child, consider using different colors of ribbon or yarn for each kid. That way they know which chain is theirs just by looking at the color.
#2: Remember to twist the wrap after each candy, otherwise they tend to fall out.
#3 If you don’t have enough pieces to go all the way until Christmas, consider going until Thanksgiving or even through the month of November. There can be different ending times, depending on the amount of candy you have.
Our Favorite Quick & SUPER EASY Chili Recipe!
Happy Halloween! Sure hope everyone has a fun and safe time! I wanted to share one of our family traditions, we always head out trick or treating after we’ve had a warm bowl of soup! And it the super cold temperatures I thought it was fitting to share our favorite and SUPER EASY recipe with you. Plus when it’s a special occasion like today, I’ll snag soup bowls to put it in. Enjoy!
Jody’s Chili
2 Chili Mild Seasoning Packets
1 Big Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Big Can Tomato Sauce
2 Cans Black Beans
2 Cans Pinto Beans
2 Cans White Beans
1 Pound Hamburger
Simple brown your hamburger and combine everything in your pot (we’ll even throw it all in the crock pot before we head out too). Warm and serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.
Make the Mornings Easier with These Tips
Do you struggle to get the family going in the morning? Regardless of if you are a stay at home parent, or you work outside the home, it is so so hard to get the entire family ready, fed and out the door each and every day. Are you ready to make it a little bit easier?
Make the Mornings Easier with These Tips
Go to bed earlier
I know you want to squeeze every extra minute out of the day, but maybe you are struggling with your mornings because you are so tired. Even an extra half an hour during the day can make a huge difference for you.
Set clothes out in advance
It doesn’t even matter who we are talking about here. It can be a 40 year old woman heading off to work or a 5 year old child prepping for kindergarten, having your kids laid out in advance will save a lot of time each and every morning. I highly suggest trying this out!
Wake up earlier
I know we all want those last couple of minutes of sleep, but the reality is, your day could go completely better if you just had a few more minutes in the morning so you didn’t have to rush things. How much of a difference would 20 minutes make in your day?
Opt for easy breakfasts
You know what? It is absolutely and totally fine for the kids to grab a frozen waffle, a container of yogurt, a bowl of cereal or even a granola bar for breakfast. Don’t let the parent shamers of this world make you think that this isn’t okay. What is most important is that they are fed. Leaving the house with an empty stomach will not help your kids have a successful day, so just make sure they eat something. Don’t assume you need to create a fancy breakfast every day.
You’ve got this!
Bedroom Decor tips for Little Kids
Do you have a little kid at home? Are you desperately searching for what to do for decorating their room? It’s so hard to know exactly what to do and when to go from little kid room, to more big kid decor, but the truth is, you can easily do a mix of the two.
I have a 3 year old son and I am right in the middle of this, I also have two older kids (12 and 15) and have been through it before, so I can help you get a start on how to do it. Of course, all of this is up to personal opinion, I just personally don’t like to have to completely redesign spaces every couple of years, so I follow some tips that have helped me create a great space, without making it too much work later.
Here are my favorite bedroom decor tips for little kids:
- Skip the Character Decor. Yeah, maybe I am a little picky, but this kind of decor rarely lasts long because the kids grow out of it. Maybe do a base color and designs, and just stick with a small character rug or maybe comforter.
- Make it fun. No need to act like they are adults. Let them have fun in their rooms. Add colors, do fun comforters or lamps, etc.
- LOTS of storage. Kids have so much stuff. SO. MUCH. STUFF. Make sure that it doesn’t overtake the room. To do this, you just need to make sure and have lots of storage available for toys, books, etc.
- Minimize. Speaking of too much stuff, why not take the time to get rid of some of it. How often do they play with all of it after all? Most of it they probably won’t even notice if it were gone, so minimizing the amount of stuff they had isn’t a terrible idea.
- Skip the TV. Kids are bombarded with screen time all the time anyway. They don’t need one more. Besides, that’s just one more thing to clutter up their space.
5 Tips to Host a Halloween Party on a Budget
Every year my husband and I host an adult Halloween party. It’s seriously a blast. However, it could get out of control budget wise if I’m not careful. I get sucked into Pinterest and hundreds of dollars later I’m wondering what happened! Here are 5 tips that I’ve learned over the years that have helped me stay on budget and also throw an amazing party.
- Invites. If you haven’t used Evite before, then you totally should. It has free options to make a cute Halloween Party invite and then you can also add in sign ups too! This is much cheaper and quicker than printing out you own invites and passing them around. Embrace the digital age and send a free digital invite!
- Food. This can be the most expensive part of your party if you don’t plan right. If you have a large group coming, then your first goal will be to make a list of what you will be having. Then delegate! I noticed on Evite that you can make a sign up with all of the items you need. This is what I do and it’s super simple. This way you won’t be buying everything for the meal. Most of your guests will be happy to help!
- Dinnerware/Utensils. Depending on your theme, you can go as fancy or as simply as you want. Most years I do get out my nice dinner set and use that. Then I grab some paper plates from the dollar store for dessert. This is super cheap way to do it. You can use your utensils on hand too. That’s free! If you are worrying about the clean up, then do a game to get it done while the party is going on. We do this every Thanksgiving and it works wonders. We go around the room and one person is “it”. They pick a number 1-100. Then you go around the room and take turns guessing. The one that gets it starts washing the dishes. We actually start with someone and then add the next person so there are two people washing and drying at a time. Then the next person to guess the right number relives one of the dish washers. The kitchen gets clean and you have fun!
- Decorations. I’ll tell you, the best way to buy Halloween decor is AFTER Halloween. I’ve done this the past few years and have a nice collection now. If you need some before then check out the dollar store or your local Lowe’s for clearance items. You could also borrow items from neighbors and friends.
- Activities. I like to use what we have on hand for these games. We play a lot of games that just involve paper and pencils. I’m pretty sure you have them in your home, so that would be free. If you check Pinterest for game ideas, then be on the look out for the materials you need well in advance. Buying items the day of will most likely mean you’ll pay full price.
Halloween FREEBIES Roundup!
Holiday freebies are the best! Especially Halloween freebies, because we get to dress up in fun costumes! If you’re looking for a little extra treat with the kiddos this Halloween, lots of businesses and restaurants offer great freebies and deals for you and the little monsters!
Here are a few great freebies you might be interested in before or after trick-or-treating this year…
- 50 Free Tickets for Kids in Costume at Chuck E Cheese
- Free Doughnut for Kids in Costume at Krispy Creme (October 31st)
- Free Scary Face Pancakes for Kids at IHOP (October 31st)
- Free Halloween Event at Bass Pro Shops (October 31st)
- Free Kids Meal for Kids in Costume at Sizzler
A couple other Halloween deals worth mentioning include:
- $1.31 Ice Cream Scoops at Baskin-Robbins (October 31st)
- $.50 Corn Dogs at Sonic (October 31st)
Help Your Children Save their Money with These Tips
Are you trying to get your kids into the habit of saving their money? I sure wish my parents would have done this for me. They did not and while my financial life is not their problem, it would have been nice to have a good idea of what money was all about when I became an adult. I would have loved to know the true importance of saving money too.
Anyway…let me get off my soap box for just a moment to give you all some tips on how you can help your children save their money, in case you find yourself looking for ideas on how to be do this.
- Start with a piggy bank Piggy banks are where it’s at when it comes to laying the foundation of childhood savings habits. Watching that stash of money grow higher and higher is a great motivation.
- Offer rewards. Just like with us adults, sometimes we need a reward to continue trying to reach our goals. This reward can be anything that is motivational. Maybe once they reach a certain amount of $ you take them out to pizza, or maybe when the piggy bank gets full they get to buy a toy. The rewards will likely be different for everyone, but they often help.
- Set a good example. Setting a good example is the best way to teach your kids most things in life, saving is no different. When you say things one way and act completely different, they are going to realize that you don’t necessarily believe in what you are saying.
- Don’t be secretive about money. Money is a reality in life. Money struggles included. While we don’t want to stress our children out and make them worry, we also can’t let them think that everything in life is easy. Make sure they understand what is required for day to day life. They can’t just think that all money goes to fun stuff. Let them in on family budget meetings. Let them watch you pay bills. It may seem silly, but it helps.
What are your best tips for teaching your kids how to save their money?
Halloween Classroom Party Ideas that are Easy & Fun
Halloween is just a few short weeks away. My kids are already counting down the days until their school Halloween party. If you are in charge, you may need some ideas to keep these kids entertained. I love a good Halloween game, but I don’t like spending a ton of money or time on every game/craft/treat. I’ve found 5 fun and easy party games/treats that the kids are sure to enjoy, and you won’t be spending a ton of money either. I also love these ideas because they don’t require a ton of supplies or sugar!
- Halloween Bingo: This game is a classic, every kid will LOVE it! The best part? It’s super easy. Check out the free printable you can get here too.
- Easy String Cheese Ghosts: If you’re trying to find a good alternative to sugar and candy, what about having the kids draw and create their own ghosts? Then after they make a fun face, show them to their friends and then let them eat it!
- Candy Corn Toss. Who doesn’t love a little candy corn? This candy corn toss game is super easy and the kids all love to see how many they can get in the cups. You can let the kids eat them after they are finished too. Yum.
- Spider Races. Here is another super simple game that doesn’t take a lot of time to put together and one that the kids would love to do. See how far the kids can get their spiders and then let them keep their souvenirs.
- Eyeball Halloween Slime. This would definitely be a crowd pleaser. Let the kids help you make their own slime. Then they get to take it home too. You can find all the instructions here.
My Favorite Grab and Go Keto Snacks!
Wither you’re eating Keto or not it can be hard to come up with healthier options for grab and go snacks. We’re busy and many times don’t have time to put together something fancy so I wanted to give you my top favorite grab and go snacks I keep on hand.
- Nuts – pecans are a great options if you’re doing Keto
- Beef Jerky – It’s not just for road trips, snag some to snack on when you’re trying to curve the cravings.
- Meat and Cheese Rollups – although not a grab and go, they’re quick to throw together
- String Cheese – We always have these on hand and the kids love them too
- Pickles – these are my favorite to snack on
- Hard Boiled Eggs – there’s so many different things you can do with hard boiled eggs
- Whisps – I find these at Walmart and they have a few different flavors, Bacon BBQ is my favorite
- Pepperoni Slices – I’ll pair this with a string cheese for another quite option
- Sugar Free Jello – when I’m feeling up for it I’ll make up some little cups ahead of time for a grab and go option
Tips to Help you Save the Most on Ski & Snowboard Equipment-Now is the Time to Buy!
If you love to ski and snowboard, then now is the time to grab those skis and snowboards at discounted prices. So how do you do that? To save the most money you’ll have to do a little research. Choose 3-4 locations that are close to you and have a good variety of ski equipment. You’ll want to ask each place the following questions:
- What deals or early-bird promotions do you have going on right now? How long will that be going on? **I know some places do cheap tuning before November.
- Do you have any used items for sale? What are the cost for each? **Some places sell used poles and helmets for only $5! If you are okay with used, then you will save a ton of money on everything you need.
- What packages or bundles do you offer? **If you need skis, boots, helmet and poles, then getting a package will save you money in the long run.
- What is your return policy? **My package came with a guarantee to return before Dec. 31st. That means I have a few months to test them out. If I don’t like them, I can return with a full refund. It’s good to know this just in case.
The way you can save the most money is to buy your equipment right now! For example, we just bought two ski packages for $99 each- that included skis and boots in each package. They were used, but still in good condition. Once they sell out of these packages then they are gone. So get out and grab those skis and snowboards and be ready for your winter adventures.
Fun kids crafts for Halloween
Do you have any crafting plans with the kiddos for Halloween? If you are anything like me, you need to look for crafty ideas to do with your kids. I’ll admit it, I am the furthest thing from crafty or artistic, but I do enjoy that kind of time spent with my children.
That’s why I love it when I find roundups like the one I am about to present you that are full of fun ideas of crafts to do! No searching site to site for ideas. Just a fun list and the kids and I can chose form that what we are going to create.
If you are ready to get crafty with them, here you go!
Fun kids crafts for Halloween
Popsicle Stick Monsters – Even as an adult I love popsicle stick crafts. They remind me of my childhood arts and crafts in elementary school. I always loved those and these look cute!
Disney Halloween Frankenstein Craft – As mentioned, I’m not very crafty, so I love crafts that come pre-made for me! This one is really easy to create!
Printable Haunted House Craft – Another awesome printable craft! The best part? It’s FREE!
Halloween Party Favors Surprise Balls – If you have plans of handing out gifts to friends or family, use these awesomely fun surprise balls to wrap them in!
Monster Slime – My kids love slime! This monster slime might just be the perfect Halloween Kid Craft.
Oozing Blood Slime – Another creepy slime recipe. This one looks like oozing blood though. I’m appalled, but intrigued.
Pumpkin Foam Faces Fridge Magnets – This might be the best Halloween Kid Craft yet for little ones. Plus, you can proudly display their work on the fridge! They will love that!
Mummy Candy Cans – Arts and crafts can do wonders when it comes to teaching our children to care for the environment. That’s because some crafts are the best way to repurpose old items, like the cans needed for these Mummy Candy Cans.
Throwing up Pumpkin Centerpieces – Oh, these look fun! My older kids are going to love these.
Halloween Tic Tac Toe – If you aren’t feeling crafty, but still want your kids to do something for Halloween, try out this free Halloween Tic Tac Toe game.
5 Favorite Fall Foods You’ve Got to Try
I love Fall. Not only for the crisp air and the beautiful color changing leaves, I love fall for the food. It’s true. It’s that time of year that apple and pumpkin everything make life that much sweeter. There are a few recipes that I make every fall and I had to share them with you. Enjoy!
Doesn’t this make your mouth water? If you want the best apple crisp, then here you go. Check out I am Baker and you will never regret it.
Nothing is better than sitting in your comfy clothes, eating a hot bowl of soup and watching the leaves change, or dare I say the snow fall. If you haven’t checked out Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, then you totally have to. Head here to see a lot of her famous soups. Choose one to make this week. Yum!
I’m all for made from scratch recipes. Have you made a homemade hot chocolate? The Food Nanny has Everyday Hot Chocolate that you’ve got to try. Your family will thank you.
Pumpkin Cake is a tradition that even my husband enjoys (he’s not big into sweets). It’s moist and the perfect blend of spice and sweet. Check out Live Well Bake Often’s recipe. It’s perfection.
Comfort food also is very common during the fall and winter months. A homemade chicken pot pie is a family favorite during this time of year. Check out TAK to grab a great recipe.