Target $1 shop + teacher

My Target was adding teacher items to their $1 area. I saw lots of bookmarks, 100 day of school stickers, dry erase boards, and erasers. My favorite find is this blank book.



Our kids write their own book for Young Author's Week in April/ May. Usually the school provides blank books, but sometimes budget cuts means no books.

This pack has 2 for a $1. There is a bigger book that is a $1 for one.

Family Picture holding Letters - Great gift

This is the best gift ever!

Okay so it's a little selfish to call this the best gift ever when I'm the one that gave it, but it is awesome. I found the idea on Pinterest from this blog.

We have a very large blended family and I thought this would be perfect for my Mom and Step-Dad. It's something everyone can do no matter how far away you live. My brother and his family live in Germany (military) so we don't get to see them often.

Here is our project.



It's 12X24. Mpix.com will print 12x24, but I ran out of time.  I printed it at Sams as a 20x24 and cut off the excess.  I needed something to fill in the top two squares, so we added the Japanese symbols to match their house decor. I printed some smaller ones too. I need to print more because everyone wants their own. I even kept one 5x7 for myself.

They both love it!! Now if we could just get everyone together in person.

Proof that Santa was here - iCaughtSanta photo giveaway

We are So excited to be able to catch Santa in our house again this year!  My daughter absolutely LOVED it last year.  She was giddy and just couldn't believe we got a picture of him in our house.

Here is last year's picture.

Here is my before picture:

Here is my after picture with Santa:

I made a photo using the iCaughtSanta website.  It was very easy to use!  I just uploaded a picture, picked my Santa pose (there are quite a few different ones to choose even one of Santa sleeping), and adjusted size, color, etc.  That's it. 

It is so easy!  I can't wait to show my daughter this year's picture.  She had a little girl at pre-school tell her Santa isn't real.  This will help ease her mind a little.  

 

From iCaughtSanta:

A personalized picture from iCaughtSanta is the perfect gift for any child… PROOF that their favorite fictional character is not only real, but was actually ‘Caught on Camera’ in their very own home! Kids will be amazed when they see the "proof" and you'll be a Hero! Choose from our world famous cast of characters including Santa Claus, Rudolph, The Easter Bunny and The Tooth Fairy. This year we've added Black and Hispanic Santas too.

5 lucky readers will win their own iCaughtSanta Photo!!  Enter through rafflecopter below.  This is a quick giveaway so enter now!

If you don't want to wait, get your picture done now for only $7.50 (regularly $9.99) You can also enter to win an Ipad!!  http://www.icaughtsanta.com/contest 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Holiday Blu-Ray Collections Giveaway

 

Ho Ho Ho, it’s the holiday season and that can only mean one thing... Shopping!  But finding presents for your loved ones can be no easy task!  That’s why Warner Bros. has come up with their awesome Happy Holidays Blog App featuring some classic and new movies out on Blu-ray sure to please everyone from your teeny nephew to grandma wrinkles!  

Check out the Warner Bros. Happy Holidays Blog App!!

Need a movie idea for a gift?

 

Enter to win a Holiday Blu-Ray Collection. 
  
The prize will be one of these collections

• Peanuts Deluxe Holiday Collection 
• Classic Christmas Favorites 
• Dr. Seuss’s Deluxe Holiday Collection  

(Prize will be chosen randomly from the above Blu-ray titles!) 

I was not compensated for this post.  The giveaway is provided by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and will be fulfilled by Warner Bros. 



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Silly kids

I was checking the roll in one of my 1st grade classes and one girl wasn't there. When I asked about her, a sweet boy answered "she was transported to another school."

A couple weeks later in the same class someone said something about a heart attack (not sure why) and the same little boy said "a heart attack is when someone gets really scared and they pass away quickly."

I asked a Kindergarten class what you use to sew. A little girl yelled out "cookies!" I said "not cooking, but sewing." She said "a hammer!"

I was playing with my kids and my daughter said "Ok, now pretend me and Bubby are the kids." That was some hard pretending. :p

We were playing rock, paper, scissors with my daughter and she kept waiting to see what she was going to play. We explained to her that she had to play when we said 1, 2, 3 shoot. She seemed to understand. We play "1, 2, 3, shoot..." she plays a gun. She wins! :p

TriCalm anti-itch gel Review and Giveaway

 It's winter time and I always get itchy legs because of the dry air.  I'm used to lots of humidity that we get in Florida that when the air dries out a bit, I'm not used to it.  I tried Tricalm for my itchy legs and it seemed to help relieve the itch.  It is very light and a bit watery, but I liked that.  It was not thick or sticky.  I can't stand anything that leaves a residue including lotions that are supposed to help with dryness.

My boys (my 2 yr old and my husband) tend to get a lot of mosquito bites.  They both swell up a bit more, so I'll be keeping this on hand for one they need it.

TriCalm Uses

Environment

Winter Skin

Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac

Mosquito & Other Insect Bites

Sunburn  (Definitely useful here in Florida)

Medical Conditions

Eczema

Psoriasis

Shingles

Athlete's Foot (Fungal Infections)

Allergic Reactions

Contact Dermatitis

Nickel (Jewelry) Allergy

Hives

 

About TriCalm
TriCalm offers powerful relief from itching, burning and stinging caused by rashes, hives, sunburn, allergic reactions, bug bites, poison ivy and other skin ailments. A steroid-free anti-itch gel, TriCalm works on contact to help alleviate discomfort associated with minor skin irritations.

Just the facts

• TriCalm’s formula contains COSMEDERM-7, a compound of strontium, a naturally occurring element found in leafy green vegetables.
• TriCalm is safe to use daily on kids and adults and is FDA-approved.
• TriCalm is non-numbing, and works on contact to provide rapid itch relief from bug bites, rashes,sunburns, poison oak/ivy, and more. It may also help relief dry skin and eczema-related symptoms.
• TriCalm does not increase sensitivity to UV rays, so its safe to use while spending time in the sun.
• TriCalm retails for $9.49 for a 2-ounce tube.  Get a Free Sample or purchase it at www.tricalm.com  Find it at CVS, Walgreens, and Kerr Drug Stores January 2013. 

Two readers will win a tube of TriCalm to try out for yourself!  Enter below to win!  Don't forget you can try a sample out for free at www.tricalm.com.

I was provided a tube of TriCalm through Moms Meet.  They have a webinar with lots of information about TriCalm at www.greenmomsmeet.com.

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Thunderstruck Blu-Ray Giveaway

Thunderstruck comes out on DVD and Blu-ray on December 4th!

This looks like a great family movie.  Have you seen it?  Would you like to see it?  One lucky reader will win the DVD Blu-Ray Combo.

NBA superstar Kevin Durant plays himself in this action-packed family film about a basketball star who switches talent with a klutzy 16-year-old fan. When Brian (Taylor Gray) magically switches basketball skills with his hero, Kevin Durant, he becomes the star of his high school team... while Kevin Durant suddenly can’t make a shot to save his life! But with the playoffs approaching, Brian learns that being a true winner means working hard at your own game, and he tries to make things right in time to prevent a catastrophic end to his hero’s season.  

 Check out this free app that goes with the movie!

Enter to win a Thunderstruck Combo Pack (Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Download)

 I was not compensated for this post.  The giveaway is provided by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and will be fulfilled by Warner Bros. 2-4 weeks after the contest ends.

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Yoplait Frozen Yogurt Gift Pack Giveaway

I have a weakness for frozen yogurt.  I love Yogurt, but it's an even better treat when it's frozen.  I can't wait to try out Yoplait's new frozen yogurt.  You can find the Yoplait Frozen Yogurt at Walmart.

We tried the Strawberry Banana and it was SO good.  I just wish I had more.

Kid tested and approved!

Check out just some of the flavors and varieties.

How would you like to try one of these out for FREE?  One lucky winner will win a Yoplait Frozen Yogurt Gift Pack.  

 

Your gift pack will contain:
• Two stainless steel bowls perfect for cold desserts
• An 8" ice cream scoop made of 18/10 stainless steel with zinc alloy
• Coupon for free trial of Yoplait´s new frozen yogurt flavors

Enter with the Rafflecopter Form below by 12/14

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Great Teacher gift idea!

 

I found this idea on Pinterest and on this blog. 

Right now Totsy has these 16oz tumblers with straws for only $3.75  They have bigger ones for $5.

 

I'm glad that I found something that I can afford to get all the teachers that work with my kids at school/daycare.  I'm a specials teacher and I very rarely get gifts from students, but when I do it is SO sweet that they remembered me.  I love this idea and hope the teachers do too. 

Family Hand Turkey Table Runner Craft - Revisited

I'm so excited to pull out our table runner from last year!  The kids have grown SO much already.

When we went to SeaWorld over the summer they had a Handimal Art for sale.  They have the family put their hand print on a canvas and they make animals out of them.  It's really cute and I really wanted to do one.  I still want to do ducks for our bathroom.  I've seen places that make art out of children's hand/foot prints for their room.  I love it! 

I decided to make a hand Turkey table runner for Thanksgiving.  I am not very crafty or artistic, so I was a little worried on how it would turn out. 

 Materials:
Table runner - I was hoping Walmart would have a plain cheap one (I didn't have time to go other places to look).  I found this one for $13.
Fabric Paint (Brown, Red, Yellow, White, Black, Orange)
Paint Brushes
Fabric markers
Paper plate (or something to make a palette for mixing colors
Leaf
Hands of each member of the family

I marked the center with one of Sissy's hair clips.

I mixed brown and white to make a lighter brown for the turkeys and mostly because I knew I needed a lot of brown.  I needed to stretch it further.  I painted on our hands and had each person put their hand print on the table runner.

I was going to paint the fingers different colors, but I realized with Sissy's that it was drying to fast and not coming out even, so I just went with all brown with the rest of us.

 I painted in the spaces and added the colors to our fingers.  I added the extras to the turkeys.  I was carefully using a paint brush for all of the details and when I was finished I remembered the the fabric paint has a thin pen like applicator.  Duh!  It would have been easier to just use them.  See...I'm not that crafty.

I painted the leaf we had found and tried to put the print on the table runner.  I had taken the kids on a leaf hunt earlier in the day, but we don't have any cool fall leaves in our neighborhood.  Thankfully, I had one leaf that I found at the park with the kids the other day.  The impression didn't work too well, so I went to buy fabric markers.  I traced the leaf and painted in the rest with brown and red on one side and orange and red on the other.

I finished painting in everything.  I used the fabric paints to add the leaf details and added our names and it's done! :)  Well almost.  I need to finish the leaf on the left and possibly outline our hands with the fabric marker to clean it up a little.

What do you think??

Pinypon Review and Party!!

My daughter was so excited to receive these Pinypon toys in the mail.  I had never heard of them before, but we are definitely a fan now.  We hosted a Pinypon Party and shared these toys with lots of other girls ages 4-7.

We let Sissy test them out before the party and she absolutely loves the caravan.  The caravan opens up to this...

 

My daughter has already spent hours playing with it.  I'm not a fan of all the tiny pieces that come with it for the picnic table, but she loves them and all the pieces fit in little drawers or cabinets inside the van.  There are accessory pieces that are used to decorate the van and the girls (see the flower on the fridge...that one of them) and the girls.  The shower head works and has a little button to pump the water.  My only complaint is our purple shutter on our van keeps coming off and that's the piece that is the "leg" of the shower.  Overall, it is a very clever design.

The mini dolls are so cute also!  They come with little accessories and are all interchangeable.  The girls had a blast taking apart their dolls and changing them around.  The head has two sets of eyes for new looks.  All the accessories can be stored in their head under the hair.

The eyes on this side have glasses.  Lots of storage space.

The girls lined up the dolls to show off their fashions.

The girls enjoyed making their own accessories by making necklaces.

 We also had some bounce house fun outside even though it was a bit cold for us Floridians.

 

We had hotdogs and chips for lunch.  Then each girl (and boy) got to decorate a sugar cookie to eat.

We LOVE Pinypon!

After all the fun, we had a secret raffle for two Nenuco Makes Bubbles Dolls and a Pinypon Caravan.  The parents that won snuck them off to their cars for surprise gifts.  We also sent all of the girls off with a few treats in a goody bag. 

 They all had a great time!

If you are looking for some cute and great gifts for girls ages 4-7 check out Pinypon.

I received the toys for free to review and to giveaway at the party. I was not compensated in any other way for this post.  All opinions are my own.

Friends Prize Pack Giveaway!

I LOVE Friends.  I started out watching the reruns and then watched the show until it ended.  My husband bought me every season on DVD for several Christmases as each one was released.  We both tend to quote Friends.

Now, the Friends: The Complete Series Blu-Ray Box Set was released on November 13th 2012.  You can get the whole series on Blu-Ray.
  
One of my readers will have the chance to win a Limited Edition Friends prize pack which will include two over-sized cappuccino mugs and a picture frame just like the one on Monica’s door.

Take the quiz below and tell me what Friend Character you are most like.

Come back everyday to earn a different Friends character badge, unlock hidden badges, and earn awesome Friends content along the way. Relive all your favorite Friends moments in these fun clips. Come back each week as new clips are released.



Warner bros is providing this giveaway and will be responsible for fulfillment.  I did not receive the price pack and all opinions are my own.  Winners will be chosen through random.org by Rafflecopter.  The winner must respond to the winner's email within 48hrs.

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The Nutcracker Music Game Review and Giveaway - Ended

As you may know, I am an Elementary Music teacher.  I teach a little over 500 students a week K-12 (ages 5-12).  I was excited to get the opportunity to review The Nutcracker Music Game.  I already have Mozart's Magic Flute and this game is similar, but all about Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker.  I let some 2nd graders help me test it out and they loved it.  I have a Smartboard so I was able to choose students one at a time to answer questions.

I love that it teaches about the Orchestra, instrument families, and the timbre (sounds) of each instrument.  This game is also in The Magic Flute.  My 2nd graders were learning about high and low sounds last week.  We then used the Orchestra game to identify instruments based on sound and decide whether they were high or low.  The sound examples and some of the instrument pictures aren't the best, but the kids love it.  They definitely needed the extra practice too!

Here's a video that shows this game.

We also tried out some of the Trivia questions.

I enjoyed the listening room as well to.  Here's another video that shows another great listening game and requires children to identify multiple instruments performing in a song or piece.

This game is great for Elementary aged students for at home or at school.  I can't wait to use it more when we really get into more Holiday Music.  My 1st graders are going to perform with ribbon sticks to the Russian Dance from the Nutcracker.  I know they will love learning about the Ballet. 

If you'd like to WIN your own copy of The Nutcracker Game enter below through Rafflecopter.  If you don't want to wait and you'd like to get it now, my blog followers can get a special discounted rate 40% off here. 

The download version was very easy and it is marked down to $10 for my followers.  I think it actually works better for my old school laptop to run than to try and read the disc.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Halo Oral Antiseptic Spray Review & Giveaway - Ended

 

Have you ever had someone sneeze on your arm as you walk by or cough right in front of you as you are talking to them?  That is a Halo moment.  I have Halo moments everyday whether it's from students or my own kids.  Last week my first grade class was lining up and a kid walking by started coughing all over my arm.  He wasn't even attempting to cover his mouth. This is just one of many Halo moments I have multiple times throughout the day.

I teach over 500 elementary students a week and my husband has about 150 high school students.  Also, our kids just started Pre-School/daycare this year.  Needless to say, we are around lots of germs all day.   We go through a lot of hand sanitizer and soap.  We've also been sick a lot this year and it's only November.

I recently learned about Halo Oral Antiseptic Spray.  It is an oral antiseptic that you spray in your mouth.  It coats the back of your throat and protects you against breathable germs for up to 6 hours.  It sounds amazing.  I tried the berry flavor and it taste pretty good.  I tasted the children's grape flavor and, personally, I prefer the berry. There's not way to know for sure that it is working except to trust the research which you can check out here www.halogermdefense.com.

You can use it up to 3 times a day.  It says not to use it more than 7 days without permission from a Doctor or Dentist.  I did see on their Facebook page that it is okay to use 5 days a week.  I'm excited to have this extra line of defense for something I normally cannot control.   

Interesting Facts and Additional Halo^TM Oral Antiseptic Product Facts

·         75% of daycares, 33% of medical offices and 67% of airplanes have enough airborne viruses to infect someone in one hour  <---Wow!  Every member of our family spends all day in a daycare or at school!  No wonder we have been sick a LOT this school year.

·         On an average day, you take about 17,280 breaths - this wouldn’t be an issue if we didn’t spend 90% of our time indoors (in other words, there are over 17,000 opportunities a day to breathe in other people’s airborne germs)

·         Halo^TM Oral Antiseptic Spray is an FDA-monographed oral antiseptic

·         The results from independent scientific studies and clinical trials on Halo’s efficacy have been accepted for presentation at and publication by the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) and the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), two of the leading medical societies in the United States

·         University Hospitals Case Medical Center Department of Pathology (Cleveland, OH) tested Halo against 11 strains of Whooping Cough (Bordetella pertussis), and Halo completely killed all 11 strains 

·         Halo Oral Antiseptic Spray is portable and perfect for travel (1 fl. oz. size adheres to TSA regulations for carry-on luggage or purse)

·         Halo^TM Children’s (for children aged two and up) is available in a great tasting grape flavor

·         Adults have the option of Halo in berry and citrus flavors

·         Halo is alcohol, dye and sugar-free

New Halo Oral Antiseptic Spray is now in the cough and cold aisle at CVS, Target, Walmart, Rite Aid, Kmart and other mass market and drug stores nationwide.  Suggested retail price is $12.99. For more information and to see how it works, visit www.halogermdefense.com.

One lucky winner will win and adult version of Halo Oral Antiseptic Spray in either Berry or Citrus Flavor.  Enter by using the rafflecopter form below.

Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge in order to provide the review.  All opinions are my own.

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Green Giant Seasoned Steamers Gift Pack Giveaway - Ended

I love steam-in-the-bag vegetables because they are so easy to prepare for any meal.  We need more vegetables and convenience helps.  Green Giant® now has Seasoned Steamers.

• Available in six different varieties, Green Giant Seasoned Steamers™ are one of the first sauce-free seasoned vegetables to bring unique chef-inspired seasonings and premium cut vegetable blends to your dining room table
• These tasty Seasoned Steamers are bound to spice up any meal with six varieties including: Mediterranean Blend, Tuscan Seasoned Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts with Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper, Honey Roasted Sweet Corn, Honey Dijon Carrots and Backyard Grilled Potatoes

 We tried the Backyard Grilled Potatoes.  They are seasoned potatoes with onions and peppers.  The onions and peppers are not overpowering and are chopped up pretty small.  My kids didn't care for them, but they are extremely picky.  They smelled a little like they were burnt when they were cooking, so I'm not sure if our microwave settings were correct.  They tasted okay.

There isn't a lot in a bag, but enough for a small side.  If you have a large family, then you may want to get two bags.

I would like to try the honey roasted sweet corn.  I was torn between trying corn and potatoes (my favorites).

Me after work ready to cook dinner which is ironic because my husband has been the one doing most of the cooking lately.

Would you like to try one out for yourself for FREE?  Enter below to win a Green Giant Seasoned Steamers Gift Pack.  If you don't want to wait to see if you win click here for $1 off coupon.

(1) VIP coupon for one free papackage of Green Giant Seasoned Steamers™ Apron Green Giant Serving Spoon Mixing Bowl Bag of Green Giant Seasoned Steamers™

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“Disclosure: The coupons, information, and gift packs have been provided by Green Giant® through MyBlogSpark.”