Fact: 1 in 8 Americans rely on food banks. Fact: Millions around the world go hungry every day, even in your own back yard. Fact: 14.9% of households do not always have enough money to buy food. Fact: In 2012, more than 10,000 students and individuals across the U.S. participated in We Scare Hunger, collecting more than 30,000 pounds of food to support food banks across the country. This year, the We Scare Hunger campaign hopes to collect 1 million pounds of food for food banks across North America. There are less than 8 days until Halloween this year. Many of us will be out with our children collecting candy that we do not need, while a few families will go the evening without even eating dinner. This year, collect non-perishable food items along with your candy to help those who do not have enough to eat. Free The Children’s We Scare Hunger campaign, made possible in the United States by the General Mills Foundation, is an annual campaign to mobilize youth around … [Read more...]
7 Things I Will Not Apologize For While Being A Mom
1) My messy house. The one room that's supposed to hold all the clutter is too full to keep the door closed. 2) Mac and Cheese for dinner. My friends secretly feed it to their kids even though they post a deliciously healthy meals on Facebook. 3) My flabby stomach. I didn't feel like wearing my Spanx today. 4) TV as a babysitter. An hour of quiet time does a world of good for my attitude! 5) Telling you to stop making me laugh. No seriously, stop making me laugh, I'm peeing myself! 6) Yoga pants. Women who aren't moms secretly wish they were moms so they would have an excuse to wear them all day. 7) Forgetting our lunch date. A glass of wine + lack of sleep = I don't remember anything I did or planned past 7:00 pm last night. What won't you apologize for? … [Read more...]
Fall Leaf Fairies
The leaves are falling in full force around here and now is the perfect time to do some crafts with them. Last year we showed you how to make leaf animals and a few weeks ago we showed you how to make flower fairies. Today we combine those two concepts to make fall leaf fairies. These are super easy to make and require very little supplies: Leaves of various shapes and sizes Small twigs Paper Glue Marker and scissors optional Yup, that's it! To make the fairies simply choose leaves to make a body, face, and wings. Hair, crowns, and other things are optional. Use the twigs to make arms and legs. Glue everything in place on your paper and you're done! Even super little kids can make these fairies. The most fun part is finding leaves that you think will work. What types of things have you made with leaves? … [Read more...]
Pizza-Style Manicotti–Pinned it, Did it!
I'm always on the hunt for easy, kid-friendly, but delicious dinners for my family. When I came across this Pizza-Style Manicotti recipe from Taste of Home I pinned it and knew I had to try it! It only takes 8 simple ingredients and your kids can easily help you make it. My 4 year old (oh wait, almost 5 year old!) had so much fun "making this dinner herself" as she poured the sauce in the pan, rolled the string cheese and stuffed it into the shells herself. She even wanted to take her own photo of the finished dinner... ...guess she's not as good at photography as she is at "baking"! Anyway, my family gave this recipe a huge thumbs up and we'll definitely be eating it again! Next time, however, I think I might need to make two pans of it! … [Read more...]
Free The Children’s We Act and We Day
To be honest, I have no clue where to start with this post. I have SO MUCH to tell you about Free The Children, We Act, and We Day Minnesota that I'm overwhelmed. I guess I'll start with the fact that when someone from Free The Children asked me if I wanted to cover We Day Minnesota on our blog I had no clue how inspired I would be from it! The best way to describe Free The Children, We Act, and We Day comes straight from the source: Founded in 1995 by international human rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children believes in a world where all young people are free to achieve their fullest potential as agents of change. We are an international charity and educational partner that empowers youth to remove barriers that prevent them from being active local and global citizens. We work domestically through We Day events and the We Act program to educate, engage and empower 2.3 million youth across North America and the UK. Our international projects, implemented … [Read more...]
Naked Egg–Pinned it, Did it!
When I saw the naked egg experiment on Pinterest I just knew I had to try it with my girls. This one even fascinated me and my husband! To do it with your kids you'll need: One to two raw eggs A see through glass or container Vinegar Corn syrup Water Spoon Time Time is the biggest issue with this experiment. Each phase takes 24-48 hours to complete. My girls got a bit anxious at first and actually broke two eggs! 1) Start by gently placing a raw egg into a clear glass or container. 2) Next add vinegar to the glass until the egg is covered. Pretty much right away you'll notice bubbles forming on the egg. This is the beginning of the vinegar (an acid) eating away the egg's calcium shell. 3) Leave the egg alone for 24 hours. 4) After 24 hours, gently pour out the vinegar. 5) Grab your egg and gently rinse it under water. You'll notice that the shell is beginning to rub or peal off. DO NOT FORCE IT! My girls learned the hard way not to pick too … [Read more...]
