Helpful Homework Activities

Getting over that hurdle is knowing how to make it fun. Students are gaining more curriculum than decades before, in keeping the essences of fun alive. Helpful homework activities keeps learning fun and full of use full ways to apply the knowledge gained at school.

Here's some tips;



Treasure Hunt Using a camera to find subjects to take pictures of will help bring familiarity of use of camera.

Creative writing Barns and Noble has a great tool for kids to create their own stories. This will bring organization, spelling and artwork all together. Feeling of accomplishment is always a good feeling for a young reader.

Counting money while shopping ask child how much does item cost? Multiply that by _ cans worth? This will increase decimals use as well as best buys.

Reading Sharing stories while you read and then ask questions on ~ what were the characters, what will happen next? Memorization skills involved asking more in depth questions will cultivate cognitive thinking skills.

Public speaking Getting your child involved in talking to an audience and organizing his presentation. This is used for many subjects so be creative and let your child passion flow. Here's my sons free channel PLEASE SUBSCRIBE

For more tips Read More

Creative Tips for Giving Gift Cards

What type of gift cards do you like to receive? What’s your favorite gift card to give a friend? Have you ever had any perks come with a gift card purchase? What’s the best gift you ever bought yourself with a gift card?

These are some questions about gift cards that may help with some creative tips so while Twittermoms has and Gift Cards Rock another blog, I got to thinking of all my passion for gift cards and creative ways for gifting gift cards.

Passion for giving gift card ideas
• Penny auctions are a great savings for a range of gift cards. Home depo, Chill’s Barns and Noble are just a few that I have won at QuickBids.com For just a penny and $2.50 for shipping and handling my cards have been for $20 to $50 that’s a great savings.
• Non taxable gifts are great vs cash. Cash can sometimes bring problems for those who are on assistance programs. This way you can help your loved ones out a little with a food, clothing, or entertainment gift card.
• Motivators give gift cards to those who need to go out and do something nice. Enjoy a good meal out on the town, take in a movie at the matinee, or just go out and enjoy some of the sights. Many businesses such as; history, art, sports, clubs all carry gift cards to check for availability try www.giftcardsrock.com
• Contests give away gift cards and the requirements are very simple the odds on the other hand maybe a little high. Free money is always worth a little effort and time. The rewards that I have seen lately have been $10 for Subway to a contest for photo’s for $1,000. WOW now that’s gift giving!!

My most memorable time using a gift cards was shortly after Christmas while going through Wal-Mart and getting huge savings on all my sons’ gifts. I have received a large gift card from a family member and decided to let my son pick out everything he wanted. Our shopping cart was chuck full of goodies we went home very satisfied and grateful.

I really enjoy those gift cards for fast foods too as with a young child these come in very handy while traveling we can stop for a quick drink and keep going until we make our destination. On hot summer days we would use our cards to get ice creams so for our $25 gift card we were able to go all summer long.

With many people having problems with credit and the banks it is a good idea to get a Visa gift card that can be just loaded with more money as time goes on and not have to carry cash. Most business do take Visa so, this is a very versatile gift card that can help pay the bills at home as well as shop.



Here are a few great ways gift cards can help you:
■Save at the pump – Consumers can earn significant fuel discounts when buying gift cards in grocery stores nationwide through fuel savings programs.
■Earn rewards - Many grocery stores offer rewards on your next shopping trip when purchasing gift cards.
■Save time - one of the most precious savings of all is your time. Gift cards are available at your grocery store offering a one-stop shopping experience with hundreds of top brands all in one place.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Gift Cards Rock blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Top Tips for Spreading Holiday Cheer

Looking for some great little stocking stuffers and ways to keep the holiday cheer bright. Well with Hasbro teaming up with Twittermoms.com providing you with some great ideas and Enter to win one of over 1,000 KRE-O Construction Sets in the Great Brick Giveaway

Holiday season is quickly approaching us and so is toy shopping. Transformers has been a big hit at my house and with a little builder that just loves blocks KRE-O will be a great under the tree.

• For those shorter days Transformers will keep hours of imagination alive. With these little blocks puzzle building will be great for helping with arithmetic in later years to come. Using these building skills your kids won’t even know your helping them with their future circumlunar.
• Since the first movie on Transformers came out a few years ago it’s been a hit. Back from the eighties this toy has made a huge comeback and kids as well as adults can enjoy hours of enjoyment together. Making a common ground and interests shared to bring together the past with the present.
• Hasbro has always picked up on some small toy that all enjoy. Transformers are just another one of those great toys that will be added. Transformers may even become another great collection for future trading.

For keeping everyone’s spirits bright during holiday gatherings
• Have some token for each guest, something special and meaningful. It’s helpful to keep extra’s as sometimes other’s bring someone special to dinner. This helps with keeping spirits bright.
• Seat people together who have common interests and can stimulate conversation amongst other guests. It’s helpful to make a cookie with names on them or a simple tag wrapped around the napkin holders at each seating.
• Games are a great for quick involment while used for all ages this helps build conversation and laughter. While adults pass the wine and unwind after dinner this is easy and relaxing. To building relationships for those who are new to the gathering simple trivia games work well.

• Making pot luck not only helps the hostess but, gives the guests a chance to share their favorite dishes as well. Clean up is a lot easier with many hands and gives time together in the kitchen.
• Sending out invitations two weeks early is very helpful in making plans. Planning the meals to buying presents with fewer surprises. Make your thank you cards out the day after this way things will be fresh in your mind.

Keeping everyone’s sprits bright during holiday gatherings is a great way to staying in touch. With busy lives and many miles between family’s and friend’s times like the holidays are very important to us all. For other great tips read more Twittermoms.com and join for other great opportunities.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hasbro blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points and a KRE-O gift. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Hasbro. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Real Moms Love to Eat and Food Affairiates

Building more great recipes and food trends for my family is an on going part of our kitchen and entertaining. While choosing foods to help with our body's in take of vitamins and minerals so that your family can achieve optimal use of brain function and emotions. Beth has some excellent tips for getting and making some great foods for your family. I have posted Beth's logo on my blog for over a year now and she's kept us on the go for a long life.

Looking for some great recipes, party ideas, or just some new ways to make foods? Well with the help of Twittermoms.com & Real Moms Love to Eat and the Food Affairiate your going to get that and a chance to win a digital book.


Do you like cereal in the morning? Finding new recipes from out dated books are great while you add new ideas to them. Almond cereal I know my family is eating well, while enjoying cooking for them this turns into an activity. While looking through some old books, magazines, and blogs there are all kinds of recipes to share, discover and inspire.

Seasonal foods is another great way to explore foods in stock. Checking to see what is being celebrated and some special activities to go along with those foods can be fun as well as nutritional. For example National Waffle Week there you'll find all kinds of foods and when they're most popular.

Lastly, finding great recipes where you least expect it. While looking for more info on fitness & wellness I purchased these two eBooks some time ago: Getting Pregnant Holistically better health. The examples with the excises were great and I really felt better and looked better too. Here's the link loosing that baby fat. Smoothies and Juicing is also another great way to making wise decisions. Watch some of KidsCornerVlog.com (it's moms link but, now he has his own channel PLEASE SUBSCRIBE)
Over time we collect allot of information and gadgets in our kitchens. Down sizing and getting some hero's that can really improve the way you cook to the taste is very important. Make some changes slowly and enjoy the changes so that you'll love the body your in for a longer life. Get on board with others to make the changes fun and be a Real Moms Love to Eat gal. Let the Food Affair begin!!

About Beth Aldrich
Real Moms Love to Eat was created with you in mind. It will lead you on a food journey of excitement, fun and new surprises, without pigeon-holing you into one eating style or another. Instead, you are free to experiment, get crazy and become more open-minded about the food you will soon discover. It’s a love affair like no other–with huge rewards of looking fabulous.

Real Moms Love to Eat will be your ONE source for tasty, fresh, whole food meals, creative recipes and food facts that will keep you looking fabulous and feeling energized and fulfilled.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Beth Aldrich - Real Moms Love to Eat blogging program, for a chance to get 3,000 My SocialMoms Rewards points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Nature Walks & Picnic's

Fall is a time to squeeze in as many outings as possible so, to add to our adventures we go for long walks. I love the idea of eating seasonal foods as well; pumpkin stew, pecan pie to mention a few, but meatloaf sandwich's are great for outings.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced small
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck (10 percent fat)
1 cup roughly crushed saltine crackers (about 15 crackers)
1 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar (3 ounces)
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Toasted country-style bread, lettuce, sliced dill pickles, and ketchup, for serving
by Martha Stewart


Marnia ted Olives
Prep Time:10 min
Start to Finish:2 days 10 min
makes:12 servings (about 6 olives each)
1 pound Kalamata or other Greek olives
1/4 cup canola or soybean oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
by eat better America


Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons brandy, or milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing, optional
by Martha Stewart
Apple Cider these can be in your own back yard, a trip to the local park or even to a beach. Be creative and enjoy!!

Helping Your Kids Make New Friends

Going to open house at the begging of this school year was all new and not knowing what to expect. While still going through the same motions of the last school district we lived at I found my son and myself nervous.

Look mom there's Curtis from Uhrich' he's in my class!

After the first two days my son came home not wanting to go to school. I asked why? He replied; mom I was teased at the desk they were laughing at me. I don't know if it was because of my hair or what? But, I don't want to go back there today...I won't take anymore days off but, please just this one.

I agreed and called his teacher to tell him about my son's situation. The teacher asked for students names and asked my child to tell him of future incidents to be told to the teacher immediately so, that this type of behavior could be corrected.

He's made one more friend since then...after four days of school. He's happy and that makes a mother happy too.

Here's a list of other great points for parents;

Acknowledge feelings Talking with them and asking who was their best friend that day. Giving support to situations by telling a story of how you experienced a similar situation too. This was your expressing that their not alone and you really do understand.

Keep communication open When your child wants to talk give them your attention by turning off the computer, phone, or just stop somewhere to just listen. Don't make too many rules on what should be said, and not said let them be open and honest.

Get acquainted with other parents
Join PTO, get involved with YMCA or some other active group that supports kids in your local area.

Tour the new surrounds
Go to the park, events that are held, festivals, check on line for schedules by just typing in county/events on google.

Find outlets that attract peers
Shop at kids local favorite shops, get attire of more popular items that other kids are wearing. To make the transition a little easier.

Seek activities that match your child's interests
Keep your child involved in the activities they enjoy most.

Help your kid blend in
Cloths, music, books, movies and activities. Go to the local football games, malls and check them out to find out more.

Provide tel phone book or an index cards

Teach friendship-making skills
Introductions such as Hi, my name is.. Saying yes to invites instead of no, Having 2 hour parties for the kids after school to meet and socialize.

Connect with teacher
Call your child's teacher and ask how things are going. If you have concerns talk about them.

Check into your child's emotional health
If there's anger, loss of appetite, loss of concentration Seek professional help!

All the best!

For a more in depth look; Read more

Downsizing; relief for kids

Downsizing kids room, toys, cloths, junk. We have the task of keeping a healthy, clean, functional environment for our children to grow up in. Downsizing gives freedom to be healthy. Downsizing a child's room makes cleaning a breeze. Downsizing makes rooms functional for organized effort as well as easy to live in.

While moving I realized I needed to downsize toys, cloths, and other miscellaneous things that brought clutter and an awful mess. When do you pull out old toys and cloths from your families rooms? For many years I would downsize just before Christmas just to make room for new toys and cloths.

Ecc. 2:26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spriit.

Trying to promote a healthy environment for my son and his play in his room, I find that many times having too many small toys are distracting, as well as bringing dysfunction in his play. Children need conditioning at an early age and in part making wise choices in toys. I've always looked at toys as a form of some type of lesson to be learned.
With broken, lost parts, or simply old toys there's no need to hang on to these. He feels entirely differently about this so, to remove toys is a whole new task.

Kids who get distracted easily might benefit from having fewer toys to work in conditioning as well as in keeping focused for a extended amount of time. Working with kids to improve length of focus time. Building up on following one direction at a time and adding to the list is one way to assure their ability to following directions.




Small toys for younger children are great for little hands and memorization skill building while there's still a freshness in the toys. Keeping a rotation on the toys keeps them new to the child. I still find myself rotating toys for my ten year old. He appreciates them and finds joy in them.

Organized effort in a child's mind is still being molded and to complete this process toys need to assist in this effort. If there's too many toys I find my self getting rid of many to cut down on the distractions so, he may complete tasks more easily. AD HA has been mentioned to many parents with today's higher education levels for our kids and the two parent working most of the time our kids are paying for it. As a parent I feel that I can assist him with proper diet as well as Alkaline water intake. I also continue research to look for ways to help with continued challenges of life.


Making a room as simple as possible, taking toys down to a minim. Also have a heavy burned lifted off of them as well and find that tasks and organized effort can be a part of your kids daily play.

It's less stressful while downsizing toys while children are out of the house, or occupied by playing games on Internet. How the simple things make our lives easier.