Random Acts of Kindness (Volunteering)

  Working without pay is to volunteer.
Volunteer is one who gives up there time willingly to  do something.  I try to volunteer when I can and when I can take my kids I try to include them as well.

  One evening I took my daughter to assist with Compassion alongside me.  Compassion is an organization that allows you to sponsor a child in another country.  Supporting them through various parts of their life.  Donations could be for food, medical, school and more.

  We helped with The Compassion Experience.  This event is a mobile experience traveling around the world.  At these events you get the opportunity to walk into Uganda or Philippines.  You get a glimpse of poverty.  Hear through a named child's voice their daily life of how they started out and how things have gotten better due to Compassion and sponsors.

  My daughter walked through one experience but there are 3 available.  After that we were ready to work our 4 hour shift!  Our job was to pass out devices (used to listen to the experiences) clean them and retrieve them for new visitors.

  The work wasn't hard but it was helpful.  When you volunteer you allow other things to get done.  The staff, company/organization can work on more important things, they can hire less people resulting in more money used for the specific cause, it also just allows people to help and do good.

  My daughter enjoyed herself.  Understands what we were there to do and the impact we made by being there.

  This year I plan on getting my family out to volunteer in more areas, with more organizations. Helping with causes close to us and places where we are needed.

  If you would like to see the Compassion Experience checkout their website here
to see the upcoming locations.  You are also able to sponsor a child well as sign up for volunteer opportunities.

Clairol Root Touch-Up Vox Box

  I am a part of the Influenster community.  As part of this community I am chosen periodically for different testing experiences.  Some products I am aware of and others offer a new experience.

  You get random surveys and answer periodic questions and you are selected to try different items and be a part of the promotion, reviews and testing.

  I was selected for the Clairol Root Touch-Up VoxBox campaign.  In this campaign I was mailed a Clairol Temporary Root Touch-Up concealing powder.  In the color black based on my preference and answers I provided.

 The powder comes in a perfect slender compact with a mirror and brush.  The brush is about 4 inches long so that provides enough of a grip for reaching all spots on your head.

  Of course since it is powder this  touch-up is temporary but, it's so easy to use!  Leave it in your purpose to touch up a rogue hair that appeared just before your dinner plans!    The brush makes application super easy.  No dyes, scents or stains on your towels!

I think this is a great alternative to the more permanent solution especially if you have a small area or just a few grey hairs.

                 
                        Before.             After

  I was able to cover up all the grey roots on up that I saw!  It was easy to apply the powder to each hair that I saw.  I was confident that the blend was perfect as well.

  Do you color your hair? Do you treat grey hair?  Would you consider a quick, temporary fix versus a longer lasting product?

  In disclosure I did receive this product complimentary and all opinions are honest and my own.

Monday Motivation (Breakfast Mealplan)

  Breakfast is my motivation again this week.

Monday: We had donuts.  Not homemade. The store bought kind.  Of course there were no complaints only fights over how many each of them could eat.

Tuesday: Oatmeal
https://www.marthastewart.com/315903/strawberry-oatmeal-breakfast

Wednesday: Muffins
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/6865/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/

Thursday: Crepes
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16383/basic-crepes/

Friday:  Fruit Smoothie and breakfast cookie
https://www.shelikesfood.com/healthy-baked-oatmeal-breakfast-cups-6-ways

  There we have it breakfast is the most important meal of the day!   I will have some happy people this week!

  Have a great week and don't forget to eat your breakfast!  What's your favorite breakfast?

Week 8 Recap and New Goals

  Is it the end or just a new beginning?  Another week down!  Looking back at my goals I did ok.

1.Finish 2 books.
Nope not yet, I'm still working on Monday's Lie! This is week 9 and I'm on book 5.  I really need to get a move on.

2. Fitness. I did 33 miles in a combination of walking, elliptical and spin bike. I didn't take 4 classes only 3 this week. TRX, Barre and Mixxedfit.

3. Forgot about that freezer!

4.  I did make granola!  We had it as part of breakfast with yogurt on Friday as well as a snack.

New Goals

1. Freezer!  Since I dropped the ball last week. 

2.  Finish THE BOOKS is it more serious if I put it in caps?

3.  The weather is getting nicer outside I would like to get out and walk or jog or cycle. I don't remember the weather so I'm not going to out a number down. 

4.  Set up meal plan for a couple weeks! What's for dinner tomorrow ?  I don't know.  What's for breakfast?  There's almost always cereal!

  The banana muffins were good and appreciated last week.  I was planning on blueberry this week!

   Alright everyone! Good luck on what you accomplished last week and what you still need to do this week. 

Family Fun (Theater)

  Lights, camera and action!  Showtime at Downing Gross for the family!  We won tickets a couple months ago for the Willy Wonka show and boy waiting for the show date to get here took so long.

My kids are familiar with both versions of Willy Wonka so they knew the plot but, they also knew from previous theater show experiences that anything is possible.  This show was no different.

Willy Wonka was a little different in this version.

Going to a show is so fun because it proves it's not about who plays the part as much as it is about the story.  Charlie was also a surprise!  Charlie was a girl too!

The show ran for a couple hours with a short intermission in the middle.  My kids sat through the duration without any problems.  They were extremely entertained by the movie.  I wish I could give them a theater experience monthly.

This show was great.  There was a lot of singing and action.  The story focused on the winners of the golden tickets and then followed them through the factory.

Each golden ticket winner was just as animated and entertaining as the next.  It was interesting to watch what would actually happen to each winner on the tour of the chocolate factory.

The audience even got to become a part of the show at one point when bubbles came out from the ceiling.  That was a highlight for my kids.  We were not sitting directly under them to fully appreciate them but it was nice to see them falling.  There second favorite part was the blueberry scene.  In this scent the little girl's suit actually blew up!  

I think a great family show is one with a lot of kid actors and actresses.  My kids enjoyed seeing all the little people playing various parts in the show.  

We had a great time.  No snacks, electronics and sitting still was not even a concentrated effort.  Our time at the theater just flowed.  We had a good time and finished our experience with some photo opportunities! 

Look it's the Oompa Loompas!

Hello Willy Wonka!

Well this concludes our family fun for the week.  Do you have any family fun planned?  Or what family fun did you do already? 

This is a great cultural arts center.  We have enjoyed a few events there as a family and I look forward to more in the future.  They offer a range of classes and events throughout the year.   Along with special summer programs.  We even caught some local school artwork on our way out.  That was fun for the kids to see too.

For Your Kingdom CD review and giveaway

This year I vowed to spend more time listening to uplifting music.  I have it playing in my car as well as at home so when I was asked to review a Christian CD this fit perfectly into my plan!

Pre-order here and download 2 songs today!

The CD has 13 tracks with a complete play time of less then an hour which makes any wait time in a car more enjoyable.  Rush hour wait, anyone?

The songs are beautiful.  The singers and music compliment each other.  You hear words of inspiration, hope and faith.  The music is catchy and you find yourself humming to the tune, tapping a foot or singing along.

Here's a video

 of the group in action!

There are several reasons why I enjoy this CD.  

   1.  It allows me to play music family.                    friendly no matter where I am. 

  2.  My kids can sing the lyrics without me   being concerned with the language.  

 3.  We smile when we sing to the album.  We feel good when we hear it.

 4.  The songs are upbeat and we move to the music! 

Well now that I have you excited for some heart pumping, feet tapping, uplifting music try your luck with a free CD!

Enter the giveaway 

here! 

Taster Thursday (Sparkling Water)

  This week we are sipping on a sample I picked up at Target.  We tried Lemon Sparkling water by Simply Balanced.  My kids don't drink soda or I should say most of the time on my watch. So opening the can was exciting despite that I said it was water.

  The kids were surprised by the bubbles.

They had a toast to celebrate their new taste for the week!

One child drank all of their cup.  One child didn't like it a bit.  No surprise which child didn't like it.  

The stats!

The can was 12 FL oz.  It was made only with natural flavors and had zero calories per one serving can.

The kids both liked the bubbles.  Both declared it to be sour but, one again found it good enough to drink.  It was OK for me.  I would like to try a different flavor.  I have not had many sparkling waters so I need to compare it to another.

Until next week.  We will eat what we know and play it safe!

STEM in Session

What is STEM?

Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics


  STEM is a learning with a concentration in these four areas.  It's a program used in all areas and levels of education.  My kids because they are younger enjoy this program at their library.

  The STEM program at the library starts out with a book that will give a preview of what will be learned that day.

The kids were able to experience snow, cold and winter in this STEM event.

We measured each other with mittens.

Made igloos or snow castles out of foam blocks and shaving cream.

A sensory bin is always present.  It's a big hit with my kids.

I like the endless possibilities that can be used in a sensory bin! This one used rice and had a scale for the kids to play with.

The science of ice and salt impressed my son.

His expression is priceless!  

Do your kids like Science or Math?  Do you enhance their love or learning of either?

It's OK (by me)

It's that time again. A time to reflect on what we did a little less then perfect but, who cares!  Shake it off! It's ok! I'm going to play along with airingmylaundry today as I tell you what items/events/activities are OK by me.

Check out her latest post here.

It's OK that I caught brief bits of the Fergie performance but don't feel the need to see the show so I can add to the conversation.

It's OK that I am enjoying the winter Olympics so much because not everyone can pull off these winter sports like thesee guys.  I'm just in awe of all of the shows.    

It's OK that I failed another attempt to donate blood for the Red Cross but I received some tips and should be able to donate successfully next time.

It's OK that we went to see Peter Rabbit a couple of weeks ago and the kids and I still talk about it based on commercials we see.

  Cheers to a new week! Goodbye to last week!  I will be OK no matter what!   Looking back at the past few days or weeks what are you OK with?

Monday Motivation (Breakfast menu)

  They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  Who am I to question that?  So I will just eat it and go on with my day.

  I have found that we can stretch milk by adding hot meals to our week.  The kids don't complain about cereal everyday but a little variety is nice. Thankfully most breakfast items are eagerly accepted.

  This is our breakfast meal plan for the week!

Monday: Waffles
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/waffles/f4760054-72a9-4316-9377-f636dd58bc8e

Tuesday:
Egg and cheese quesadilla

Wednesday:
French Toast

Thursday: Muffins
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-banana-muffins

Friday:Yogurt

  Planning breakfast doesn't have to be hard.  I think it's way easier then dinner plans but, that's not the point.  The point is planning makes life so much easier, offers variety and challenges me with new recipes sometimes.

  A lot of people have a busy morning.  On a slow, easy going morning what do you make for breakfast?  What's your favorite breakfast?

Week 8 Goals

  Let's get ambitious this week and aim high!  No, don't we do that already? 

1.  Finish 2 books!

2.  Fitness: 25 miles, 4 classes

I like TRX I just struggle with the time.  I like all types of cardio but, to meet 25 miles of accountability I need to stick to machines because I don't have a fitbit, lol.  So if I choose to swim or even dancing those are free unaccounted for steps/miles 

3.  Cleaning: freezer

4.  Make a snack for the week.  I'm thinking granola this week! This is my favorite recipe.


  I'll stop at 4!   Anything after that will just be a freebie!

  Good luck on your new week. A new week is a clean slate!  Full of new opportunities and possibilities! Challenge yourself and be kind to yourself. 

Week 7 Recap

  Do you every have those weeks where your running in a meaningless circle?  That lovely never-ending circle.  How do we get in there?  I think it's a definite jump in kind of thing.  A don't look but leap deal because if we knew there was no way out would we jump in at all?

I only made it to the gym 3 times this week as I felt like a cold was coming so I was trying to fly low.

1. Finish the book!!!!
Done! Finally I am on to book 5!

2. Pitch to 3 more brands and update resume. 
I did pitch to 2 brands! So I was only short by 1.

3. Download pictures.  The memory is getting full on my phone again and things start to slow down.
I don't think I will ever have enough space!  I did download then I turn around add back my apps and take more pictures immediately. 

4. Have some Valentines Day fun with my kids! Because sadly, I may not if I don't write it down.  I may have just gave a box of chocolates to them and called it a day.

I did make krispie hearts with my son to share with his sisters!  I helped my daughter make cards for her important people! I also surprised everyone with a donut and box of chocolates! 

5. New recipe.

No, new recipe today.  Even my menu plan wasn't followed through because we had a lot of leftovers. 

As I'm feeling better at the end of the week and feel a little more productive I look forward to tomorrow and the new week.

Good luck and best wishes as you start your next week!