Community Colleges/University Kids Summer Programs

I was very lucky growing up to be in a town with a college.  It was small, but they had a wonderful College for Kids Program that I participated in.  I was in late elementary school and I go to take summer classes on chemistry, literature, etc.  It was fun and I learned a lot.  Local Community Colleges are also a great resource that a lot of people forget about!  Here locally we are lucky enough to have St. Charles Community College a short distance away.  My oldest son went to daycare there a couple days a week when I was still working outside the home.  It was a great program!  They  have classes through out the year for music, theater, etc.  For Spring Break and the Summer they offer a wide variety of classes! Something to check out in your area, or click on the link below if you are local!


St. Charles Community College Summer Classes

Sound Bot

My kiddos really only take showers now, which is great.  My older two take them in the morning and I have found it is a great way to wake them up and it seems to make the morning much easier getting ready for school.  They both like music along with my husband so I got them this for Valentines Day.  It is called SoundBot and suctions to the shower wall.  It plays our Iphone music through blue tooth.  It sounds much better than just having the phone on speaker in the bathroom and you can change songs if you want.  You can also answer a phone call.  Could be great for boring morning conference calls when you need to multi-task.  Just sayin! They are on sale for $11 on Amazon so it was a steal.  

Amazon Sound Bot

No Time, No Effort Dinner

Some nights, I don't feel like cooking.  Who am I kidding, I never feel like cooking.  Not because I don't like cooking, but cooking for the taste buds of three kids under 8 is not all that enjoyable.  I want spicy weird food and they want pizza and chicken nuggets every night.  So on the nights we have something going on or I know I don't have prep time I make Tater Tot casserole.  This was a staple at my house growing up. 


1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 can Campbells Cheddar cheese soup
1 can french green beans
1 bag of tater tots


You just slap the ground beef (uncooked) on the bottom of a 9x9 pan.  Put the french green beans evenly on top, then the cheddar cheese soup and last the tater tots.  Throw it in the oven uncovered at 350 for about an hour and 15 min (Its done as long as the beef is cooked) and you are good to go!   

Bissell Cordless Vacuum- Moms Best Friend

Do you have a favorite appliance?  Mine has to be my Bissell Vacuum.  When I was prego with my 2nd baby my husband got me a vacuum like this so I wouldn't be using our hand vac on my hands and knees.  My kids are messy eaters :)  One of the biggest challenges to staying home is fixing 3 meals a day and cleaning up.  Sometimes I feel like I am making a the next meal or snack before the first is finished :)  We have tile floors in our kitchen, but our last house had wood and it was great for that too.  I really feel like vacuuming up after every "food encounter" really helps from tracking on the carpet and prevents me from having to mop as much.  Also works great for small scraps from craft projects, kinetic sand, etc. etc.  I have a great regular vacuum, but it is big and not something I want to drag around.  The best part, is the Bissell is cordless.  I can run upstairs, down to the basement, etc and its light.  I use it on the carpet sometimes when I just have something I see and don't want to bring out the big dog.

These vacuums are not going to last 10 years, at least with family wear and tear.  I also find it works the best if you clean out the "bag area" regularly.  The new one I have was a little pricier, but I am sure their are other models.  Happy Vacuuming! 

Bissell Cordless Vacuum

Charging Basket

Here is a quick and easy win against counter clutter!  Like many families we have tablets and phones.  I really disliked having them laying on the counter in the kitchen to charge.  This basket is amazing.  It holds an Ipad, Kindle, Nook and two phones easy.  You can force the cords through the back if you want so you have a super clean look.  I got this one at Target, but Home Goods and other stores carry lots of other types.  You could get a wood one and drill holes in the back, but I was looking for something easy and went with this.  It's also a great place to just store them.  No one has to spend time looking for them and I can keep an eye on them since we have a tablet rule of only using them Friday-Sunday.  By the way, that works awesome!  I got so sick of being asked if they could use their tablets and monitoring time and now they know not to even ask unless it is the weekend.  (I do make some exceptions if we have appointments or long drives)  Happy Hump Day!

Target Charging Basket

Arugula

I have been slacking.  :)  I enjoyed some R&R time with some of my favorite ladies in one of my favorite places, North Carolina!  I am back at it though and have a crazy spring, which really is when I feel I am at my best.  Too much time seems to make me lazy!

So enough about that.  One of my favorite foods this last year has been Arugula.  My aunt introduced it to me and now I use every excuse to incorporate it in my meal.  Arugula is a very flavorful leafy vegetable and I feel that most people will either love it or hate it.  The other thing to remember about it, is that it is a delicate vegetable and spoils somewhat easy.  I always check the dates, you will know if it isn't good, it smells BAD!

So how do you eat it?  I love it for breakfast.  I put it on a plate, put a piece of plain toast and then an over easy egg.  You can add anything else you want.  I just use what I have around, grape tomatoes, green peppers, onion, etc.  I let the egg run out and act as the "dressing" so I don't add any calories to it.  It is super yummy and I always feel good when I eat it since there isn't a lot of sugar etc. like most breakfast foods!

Click below to see the recipe for my favorite dinner with Arugula.  Super easy and yummy.  You can cut out the goat cheese if you want. 
Chicken Orzo Salad

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Its cold so I thought I would make my first recipe a Soup.  This chili is a nice change from my standard red/beef option.  Not to brag but I did win a Chili contest at Justin's work one year with this.  It is a little spicy, but super yummy!

1 lb chicken breast, cut in small cubes or shredded)
1 small onion chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cans white beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Chicken Broth
2 (4oz) cans chopped green chilis
3 carrots sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream


Saute chicken in oil w/onion & garlic powder
Boil carrots for 8 min
In a large saucepan add chicken, broth, chilies, beans, carrots and spices
Bring to a Boil
Reduce heat and simmer 30 min
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream

Takes about 40 min.  I know this will serve a 4-5 person family (with small kids), but I typically double so that I have left overs. 

Iphone Emergency Medical ID

There is always new and useful ways to use our phones, but when I saw this and started using it I had to share.  As a mom, often on my own with my kids I have wondered how someone would get a hold of someone if something happened to me.   Like most people my Iphone is locked.  Iphone emergency ID is a great tool that everyone should consider.  Police, Medics, Random Person helping etc. will be able to see whatever information you want to share.  You can enter; medical conditions, allergies, emergency contacts, blood type and more.  In a life and death situation this could make the difference.   

Below are the steps to enter your information:

• Go to the Health Application on your phone, this is a standard application and looks like a red heart.  
• At the bottom, you will see on the far right, Medical ID.  Click on this.
• Click on Edit on the top right to begin entering your data.
• Make sure you click to "Show When Locked"
• Click Done

Once set up you can go to the Black password page page shown above, hit Emergency, and hit Medical ID  on the grey screen and see what anyone could see without getting into your actual phone.

Take time to tell your kids, so in an emergency they could tell a first responder and better yet tell your friends so they can do this too if they have an Iphone.

Baby/Toddler Magazines- Great Gift Idea

If you are looking for a gift that keeps on giving, magazines are a great idea.  Children love getting mail, so that is a second bonus!  My mom gets credit for this post, since she was the one who started getting my kids hooked.  This is now on my list for friends birthdays, but also a wonderful baby gift! All in all my kiddos have had about 9 magazine subscriptions so I thought I would break this down into two posts, the first being centered on Baby/Toddler Magazines. These range from $20-$40 for a year subscription, but sign up for their emails or check for specials and you can usually get them cheaper.  I have kept all of the ones we have gotten and my oldest son is 7.  They hold up and can then be used for subsequent children.  Here are my top 3 picks!

Highlights Hello     Age 0-2
You may have heard of Highlights.  They have been around for a long time, but now they make a magazine for babies.  This is my favorite as a newborn baby gift.  The magazine is made with safety in mind. No sharp corners, no staples and a material that holds up to mouths!  The size is great too, easy to throw in a diaper bag or purse as a quiet activity.  The magazine is focused on great visuals, short rhymes, and stories.  Because of the great pictures, it is fun to read to even an infant.  My youngest daughter has always loved doing the "Find It" section.  I think the age on this is accurate.  I wouldn't start a subscription for anyone older than 2.   

BabyBug        Age 6 months-3 years
BabyBug is produced by Cricket Media who puts out a ton of kids magazines.  I like this option because the stories are a bit longer, making the magazine as a whole longer than Highlights Hello.  Babybug has stories and rhymes, but also starts introducing the ideas of Letters.  (Pictured below)  There are no staples in this magazine either and the pages are very sturdy. Babybug can be fun for a early reader sibling to read to a toddler too.
 

Wild Animal Baby       Ages 2-4
Produced by the National Wildlife Federation, Wild Animal Baby is the first stage of the Ranger Rick magazine series.  As a nature lover this is a big favorite in my house.  One unique feature is it's wildlife photos, sure to be great fun for any child.  Through animals the magazine features learning about shapes, numbers, letters, rhymes, nature and there is always a short story.  This one comes in at only $19.99 for the year with 10 mailings, making it pretty affordable.

Reading, Learning, Spending time with your child all add up to a great gift in my book!  Let me know if you have any other baby/toddler magazines we should check out!   

Paperwork- "Initial Intake"

Paperwork is always a struggle, the first phase is the "initial intake".  The mail comes in, lots of papers from school etc.  I really can't stand having papers on my counters.  Plus if things aren't kept in some sort of organized fashion it is almost guaranteed that homework, or bills will be lost.  My son gets a packet of homework from his teacher each week and has the week to complete it.  This is great, but means we aren't doing a worksheet and sending it right back.  This wall organizer is perfect for the initial paperwork drop!  We also keep the kids school library books in it so they don't get mixed up with our public library books.  I got this at Home Goods (my favorite place) but they sell them at Hobby Lobby and other stores.  They also have them in all kinds of material if metal, etc. is more your look.  Each of us has a bin.  (If you don't have kids at home anymore you could create categories such as Bills, Magazines, etc.)  The kids know that they have to put papers in their bin and that is where they find their homework.  We have once a week that my husband and I go through the bins if we need to discuss any of the paperwork.  It works great and the bins are small enough that you can't let it get out of control!  Phase 2 coming soon!


P.S.  I need to work on my photography :)  My laundry room where this resides is my least favorite room in the house and I am working to tackle that this spring!  Stay tuned!

Kids Masterpieces, Take a Photo and Purge!

When your first child starts Preschool they start bringing home beautiful works of macaroni art.  You Ooh and Aah over each one and if you are like me, you start saving them.  Goodness who knew they would have a masterpiece EVERYDAY!  So everything starts collecting.  Then you have child 2 and then 3.  They go to elementary school and it slows down but there are still awards, etc.  I could be buried in a pile of "keepsakes".  I am sentimental, but if you know me I am a realist.  Seriously people, no 30 something your old really cares about their macaroni art from when they were 3. Ok, so you still want to keep some stuff and so did I.  So here is my trick.

• I collected all the preschool art I liked.  Each of my kids gets one Rubbermaid Bin.  Once they were done with Preschool I took pics of each piece I really liked.  I threw everything away once I took the pics.  Then I made a Shutterfly book with a pic of their preschool at the beginning, a pic of them and then all their art.  (Shh, I haven't ordered them yet)
• I still keep a Rubbermaid bin for each of them, but if it ever gets full, that is it, so it will force me to continue to purge.   
• If you are truly good, you can take pics and purge as you go and just keep an album on your photo site until you are ready to make the book.

Remember you love your child and what they did,  not pieces of paper!  Happy Saturday!

Green Toys

Toys, ahhh a necassary evil.  Ok, they aren't that bad, but for this OCD mom the last thing I want is a ton of them laying around.  So I try to find toys that are fun, HAVE NO BATTERIES, maybe a little creative, and if I am super lucky educational.  I mean if a toy isn't fun though they won't play with it.  So in this day in age there aren't a lot worth talking about, but I do love Green Toys.  They make toys out of recycled plastic.  Most if not all are BPA free.  They are also made in the USA.  This little flower garden set gets a lot of play time at my house.  My 5 year old still likes to create pretty flowers with it and my 2 year old also adores it.  Great fine motor working to put the small flowers into the stems too.  Its simple but great!  We also have their dish and gardening set.  They have some pretty awesome boy trucks, trains and rockets too!  Check them out for your next toddler birthday!

Green Toys 

FYI Amazon also carries these, a little cheaper and Free Shipping with PRIME!

Cozi

Organization is what really spurred on this blog to begin with, so Cozi is my new partner! A former co-worker and friend introduced me to it over lunch a couple of weeks ago.  Cozi is an app that you can put on your phone and really anyone in your family, a nanny, grandparent etc. can be a part of it.  You have one log in for the app and you share it so you are all seeing the same "site".  So what does it do?  I am using it for To Do lists, Shopping lists, Shared Calendar and more.

Early in our marriage it became clear that my husband is a huge help around the house and with the kids, but he doesn't "anticipate" or "see" what needs to be done.  We both agreed that he just wanted a list.  So I had a paper list on the counter that I would add to when ever I had something for him to do.  This is great until it is phone calls, etc that would be easier for him to do on his drive or at work.  It is also a little frustrating because there are some To Dos that need to be done today and some that could be done this season.  Same goes for shopping, I might have a Target list and need dish soap today, but also need a lamp for one of the kids rooms.  I dont need that today, but I would like to remember when I go to Target to watch for it.  This is where having it on a phone vs. a piece of paper really comes in handy.

So here is the run down of what I love about the Cozi App.

• Its FREE.  You can get an upgraded version if you pay, but I haven't found that necessary. 
• Its easy!  I wasn't looking for something too complicated to start with.  I didn't want too many functions.  
• I can make multiple To Do lists.  We have one for each of us and a shared one of projects we would like to accomplish.
• I can do the same for Shopping Lists.  I have Grocery, Target, Ikea, and a general Home list.  My Ikea and Home lists are ones where I might not be shopping for something today, but it sure is nice when you finally find yourself at that place to know what you thought of 3 months ago that you would like to pick up.
• Calendar, my husband doesn't like having personal stuff on his work Outlook.  I totally get this, but he constantly wants to know for his work travel if we have something going on for such and such date.  I can now have everything on Cozi for him.  I see this being great if you have older kids with phones too!  (downside, I haven't found a way to upload my outlook to it so I am doing double entry right now)
• I used to write my grocery shopping down in sections for where the items were in the store, and I havent found a way to do that with the app.  It hasn't really been a problem though and it sure beats juggling a pen and paper.

So check it out.  I am sure there are tons of other organizing apps out there so let me know if you have one you like to use!

Books on CD

We drive a lot!  It might be to activities, grandparents houses, etc.  My kids have tablets, watch shows etc.  I am not too proud to admit that, but sometimes they even get sick of the gadgets and they were always wanting me to read.  Well if I am driving that is not an option and plus I get car sick super easy these days.  So, when another great neighbor (See a theme here) told me her son was really into listening to books on CD, I thought BINGO!  I got the kids some of their favorite book series (another post for later on) and thought we would try it out.  You have to love this because it is free if you get them at the library!  The kids loved it and were even listening to them in a big CD player we had upstairs before bed.  However, my husband was a little less than thrilled that we had to listen along with them.  So I did some checking on BestBuy and they actually still sell portable CD players!

We got the Insignia  CD Player which was around $20.  They come with headphones, but not great  ones.  My kiddos all have the PotteryBarn Headphones for their tablets and we have loved them.  They hold up and are comfortable.  My only complaint is there isn't any sound control.  I heard lots of friends with young kiddos raving about the KidRox Headphones for this reason.  They have a max of 85db and are also super reasonable.

So try it out!  They have all kinds of levels of books on CD from the read along short books to chapter books to long non-fiction!


Best Buy Insignia CD Player

PotteryBarn Headphones

KidRox Headphones

O'Fallon, MO Safety Town

Summer!  Yes, it is 30 something degrees out but I am already planning for summer!  I like to give my kiddos lots of experiences and keep them busy so I don't hear "Mom, I don't have anything to do"!

My first Summer feature is the O'Fallon Safety Town Camp.

Age Requirement: 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 year olds

http://www.ofallon.mo.us/PD/ofallon-safety-town

This was a program one of my great neighbors told me about and my 5 year old went to last year.  Here is what I loved about the program:

• The police officers that run this program are super great with the kids and have been doing it for 20+ years!  They have teenage volunteers that help run the program.
• The program runs for 2 weeks.  There are 3 sessions to pick from which is great for planning around other activities!
• The cost is only $60 and $40 for any additional children that participate. They have morning and afternoon sessions and they run for about 2 1/2 hours.  THAT IS CHEAP FOR A CAMP!
• Most importantly the kids learn all kinds of valuable tools like bike safety, crossing the road, stranger danger, gun safety etc.  They get to meet fire fighters, paramedics, police officers and teachers.  They even get a free bike helmet!  It is all done in a fun and non scary way but the message is there and the kiddos soak it in.  My 5 year old just reminded me this morning that she knew to look for cars before she crossed the road because of Safety Town.  

All in all a super great program so go check it out on the link above.  I will be putting all these posts in categories too.  I know my now 2 year old will love this so I want to make it easy to find down the road!!!

Oh and don't worry out of town friends I wont always be posting about local stuff! :)

Back to Blogging

Wow!  It seems like a long time since I have been on a blog or keeping up a blog.  I loved having our family blog, but time and lets be honest laziness has caused me to drop that.  I just got on it and I feel better because I looked at all my other mom friends and their blogs havent been updated in years either.  :) 

So now about my new blog!  I am always looking for great activities, places to eat, recipes, sales, etc.  I often find these and then when I actually need it good luck finding it again!  I decided I need to act like the Mommy Manager that I am!  So this will function as my catalog and hopefully a resource for everyone too!

On top of that I have lots of creative, smart, and awesome friends that have businesses and great ideas.  So I will be sharing them as well!