I am the world’s biggest shrimp lover. So, if I am ever on the gulf coast or somewhere else in the world where shrimp are huge, fresh and plentiful, juicy and meaty, then I am going to order a heaping dish of shrimp. That is a given. Amazing Gulf Coast Shrimp So, when we did a 12-day girl’s getaway starting in New Orleans, stretching through Louisiana Northshore, Coastal Mississippi, Mobile Alabama and finally Gulf Shores Alabama, I was all over the shrimp dishes at each restaurant. At first, it was not intentional, but then it became purposeful and a bit…
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Kudos to all the university, college and high school kids who finished this challenging pandemic school year. Here’s why I am celebrating that achievement. Pandemic learning was a huge challenge this year as was school in general. Socially, I feel like we haven’t given our kids enough credit for getting through the volatile and discombobulating pandemic school year they just had. Imagine being a teen or even an elementary child adapting to all of the stress and change that’s been thrown at them this year. If anything, I am surprised so many kept going to the very end of June.…
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Have you ever been fishing? One of my kids LOVES to go fishing, so chances are good we will do that at some point this simmer. Whether you are a skilled angler or starting out, the parts of a fish are important to know. In school when studying science and life cycles, you might come across a fish related activity or learning unit. There’s so much to learn about animals, insects and fish and there are so many fun ways to make those lessons resonate with kids. When I was in school, I did several life cycle assignments and ecosystem…
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When I was a child I could spend hours upon hours reading. I consumed novels in the summer as if they were food and they kind of were. In summer as a child I had all the time in the world just to read. In school, I loved a good reading challenge too. Summer Slump This summer, when the kids are home you can encourage their love of reading with this cute little 1,000 Minute Reading Challenge. Don’t let summer slide or summer slump claim too many of the kid’s brain cells this year or any year. What are You…
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Gratitude is a funny thing. It’s hard to teach at times, but such an important value to hold close for life. Without gratitude life can ring hollow. For me, gratitude ties in closely with mindfulness. That’s why I like this gratitude jar kids’ craft idea for families. I’ve talked about self esteem before and self esteem crafts that help kids to grow more self esteem, but what about gratitude? How do you build a sense of gratitude from a young age that permeates a lifespan? Eight Ways to Show Gratitude Here are several ways to help build gratitude in kids…
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This Earth Friendly Cleaning products post has been sponsored by Earth Brand which means I have been compensated. My opinion is all my own and it is truthful. My kids are inspired to clean again. That’s a rare thing typically, but during the pandemic, cleaning has taken on even greater importance first of all because everyone has been trying to up their sanitation game. Second of all cleaning is actually fulfilling because we have found a fun and effective new lineup of earth friendly cleaning products. Cleaning with Good Conscience Obviously, during this past 15 months, and the many many…
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You’ve heard of drawing challenges and summer lego challenges and even affirmation cards for teens. But now I am sharing a 30-day sibling challenge for kids, and while it is mostly for kids to use, this is a little gift to you too as a parent if it helps to bring peace to your home. Isn’t that part of the goal daily? Celebrating Siblings Is there any relationship that is longer throughout the lifespan than siblings? Not usually. We grow up with them, they are our first playmates and then we learn to rely on them often throughout life. There…
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So, if this year is anything like last year then we might all be working on creative ways to keep kids busy. Why not set up your own version of day camp? Mom camp with summer weekly themed activities for kids. I mean when kids are little this totally makes sense. Here are a few ideas for summer weekly themed activities. If there are nine weeks of summer, there can be a lot of down days or a lot of “Mom, I’m bored” days. Don’t let that happen. Instead check the attitude and keep them off screens with nine weeks…
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Happy Father’s Day! It’s almost summer. And boy am I ready! I shopped early knowing that my husband also has a birthday in June and I don’t want to miss either one of these occasions. This cute Father’s Day Coupon Book you can also personalize is ideal this year. Bring on the sunny summery days by the pool, barbecues and camping at Ontario Parks. There’s nothing I need more than a tent, a campsite and a campfire and a whole lot of quiet right now. Bring on Father’s Day! I don’t know about you but I have found that it’s…
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New to the camping scene? Not sure what to pack and what to leave at home? Maybe you’ve been doing this for awhile but you still have not got the packing down to a fine art. Either way, this simple camping checklist can help you save time and headache. Experienced travellers often rely on lists. It’s no different for campers. If you go camping you probably have a camping checklist. I am a list lover so I tend to write them all over the place. Occasionally, I even remember where I put them when I need the list in question.…