Healthy Microwave Potato Chips

That is right--MICROWAVE potato chips! I saw a post on this a few months ago and thought for sure it was a hoax. I don't say it often, but I stand corrected. These chips came out crispy with ZERO oil or fat!  They were so easy to make and my kids actually loved them. My husband looked at me like I was crazy (not a first time) when I told him what I was doing. After his first taste, he was the one admitting that he was wrong!



Click HERE to find out how to make this salty snack!

Friday Follow Along Linky Party is LIVE!!!

It's PARTY Time!

So grab a hand and follow the leader!

If you have a blog or website with any article pertaining to family, fitness, being cheap (I mean frugal), crafting, recipes, or is just plain fun.... 

Anything goes....I have too many kids to give you rules!

Also, link up your social profiles like Sverve, Klout, Top Mommy Blogs, etc, to grab some social media love!!

 

The party is waiting for you!! CLICK HERE TO GET IN!!!

Fun Summer Learning for All Ages! Power my Learning ROCKS!

Summer has been in full swing at my house which means that the kids have been playing outside and enjoying the great summer weather...or at least they were. The weather has taken a turn for the worse lately and I have found that my kids have either been in front of an xbox, computer, or other gaming system. Sadly, books and learning have been no where in sight.While I wasn't terribly concerned at first, the minute my 1st grader (who can read perfectly) suggested that I read to him because "he didn't feel like it" - I became worried. We are planning to homeschool 3 of our children this year and starting out the year behind does not sound like my idea of fun.

The 1st grader!

I was totally thrilled to find out about PowerMyLearning! PowerMyLearning is a fun and exciting website with educational games and activities for kids of all ages! I immediately signed in and added 2 of my children's profiles to the site and turned them loose. After about 10 minutes, I found 3 children huddled around my laptop laughing hysterically. My first thought was they had ventured away from the site and to you tube...to my surprise, they were laughing at an educational game! Even my preschool aged son was getting in on the action and learning about beginning sounds and building words!

On PowerMyLearning, you can find activities for children in grades K through 12 in courses like math, language, reading, art, science, and more. These activities are NOT just for homeschooled children! The games and videos are a great way for parents to be involved in the learning process and a fantastic way to beat the summer "slide" (loss of information learned in previous school year) that most kids experience before returning to school the next year.

Not only are the games on PowerMyLearning relevant, and vary depending on grade level, but they are addictive! My children begged to get back to the games after dinner and was the first thing that they asked for in the morning. My oldest son even heard them laughing and playing and decided that he should visit the site too and do a little learning "catch up" as he called it.

As a parent, I think that the best part about PowerMyLearning is that the games and videos come from trusted sources. You will see names like PBS, Scholastic, BBC, and other well known educational outlets. The site is safe for kids and  is so easy to navigate. It even encourages the kids to play more by giving them play points for each completed activity. With 4 kids in the house competing....it is sure to be a quick race for points!


So...now I am not so worried about the "screen time" that my children are having. They aren't simply watching shows, they are interacting! I have found them writing, reading, doing math problems, and learning TOGETHER! I say that is a WIN!

Check out PowerMyLearning for your kids! It is FREE, FUN, and an AMAZING tool for parents, children, and teachers.  You just may get addicted to the games too!

This post was sponsored by a fantastic website who provides learning and educational activities for children in grades K-12. This company has in no way asked me to alter my opinions about their product nor would I do so. The opinions contained within this post are entirely my own. I will only promote a company with a product that I believe in and feel good about sharing with others.

2 Days LEFT for the HUGE Cloth Diaper and Eco baby Giveaway!

The 12 Blogger of Christmas - In JULY! 3 AWESOME Giveaways!

The 12 Bloggers of Christmas--in July will be bringing you 3 fantastic giveaways!

1. Blogger Ad Bundle - WINNER CHOSEN!

2. Green Baby Bundle - Starts the 19th

3. Health and Wellness Bundle - Starts July 25

You Hosts for the 12 Bloggers of Christmas in July Giveaways Are:

Heather May from Frugal Fit Family - Nicole from 365(ish) Days of Pinterest - Christina from Juggling Real Food and Real Life - Rebecca from A Beautiful Ruckus - Brianna from Craft and Repeat - Mrs. A-Ok from Mrs. AOK , A work in Progress - Kelly from Hoppy Bottoms - Cathy from A Peek Into My Paradise -  Amy from One Artsy Mama - Mustang Sally and Penny Lane from Sisters Raising Sisters - Leah from Leah Inspired - Emily from Naptime Creations

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On the second Giveaway of the 12 Bloggers of Christmas Giveaway, the 12 Bloggers are Giving to you....

CLICK HERE TO GET ENTERED TO WIN!

Why Organic Skincare? A guest post

I started my “green” mission with homemade organic cleaners. It was an easy switch that saved me tons of money- then I moved onto food. It sounds easy to do but for a family who ate out at least 3 times a week, it was a bit of a culture shock. After finding great recipes from my blogger buddies, I easily transitioned my family to a 95% organic diet! My kids LOVE our “real” food and love coming up with new ideas and recipes! Not only are we healthier but we save a ton of money AND have found a way to healthfully bond over food! SCORE

I recently realized that there was one area that I had not attacked yet…my makeup and skincare products! I typically buy whatever is cheapest and as we know, that is normally not the organic versions! But why sould you go organic with your skincare and how can you do it on a budget?


My blog "crush" recently asked me to share some information with her readers about it! I ope you will check it out! While you are there, please check out some of her amazing posts! She shares so much information on cloth diapering, eco living, and even does cloth diaper and eco baby consultations...she is a great resource!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MY GUEST POST OVER AT HOPPYBOTTOMS and READ A BIT MORE ABOUT WHY I AM GOING ORGANIC WITH MY SKINCARE ROUTINE!

DIY Slimming Body Wrap - 2 ways!

I am sure that you are all well aware of the slimming body wraps that are available on the market. The basis behind them is very simple and I have tried them and can say that they do work BUT spending a hundred bucks or so a month for maintenance - not in my budget!

So...I found out a few ways  to make them myself and a few of them worked!


Click HERE to find out 2 different ways to DIY the slimming body wrap! With jut a few basic ingredients and some time, you can say goodbye to a few inches!!

On Display Monday Linky Party!

Just like in my twenties...I am turning out to be a party girl!

I am so proud to be a party of the fun group of gals who put on the On Display Monday Link Party..each one of us brings something to the table...now, we are waiting for you to do the same!


Link up your DIY, craft, hobby, or recipe and check out some other awesome projects...we will wait here for you!


CLICK HERE to get to the PARTY!

Children's Music Lessons Made Easy! Grab 20% off TakeLessons!

This will be the first year that my husband and I are planning to homeschool 4 of our 5 children. It was a tough decision and one that we spent a lot of time investigating before we made our final decision to jump in and go for it. One of our biggest fears was that our children would miss out on the "extras"...things like Art, Phys Ed, and most especially music. Music played an important role in my life as a child- I was active in band, orchestra, and vocal groups and truly believe it is something that all children should experience. That does not mean that I remember ANY of those talents or skills to pass along to my children but it is something that I do want to share with them! Thankfully for us, we learned about TakeLessons! It is the answer that we were looking for because it is an option that fits so easily into our lives.

TakeLessons is a fantastic service that connects students and families with private music instructors and academic instructors who can provide in home, in studio, and even ONLINE lessons. Your child can select from over 30 different courses - things like guitar, violin, dance, acting, and even singing lessons! This means that each of my children can select the course that suits them- thank goodness...5 drummers would be a lot to handle! TakeLessons makes it so easy to jump in and get started.  They have already done a thorough screening of the instructors INCLUDING an extensive background check as well as provide you the tools to handle scheduling, billing, and coordination...the hardest thing you have to decide is which class to take!

The lesson prices vary depending on which service you select.  Their most popular lesson package is Quarterly (book 12 lessons, get 1 free). They also include month-to-month options and even Flex lessons where you coordinate lesson times as you go along with your instructor. TakeLessons also provides a 100% Money Back Guarantee!  If you're not satisfied with your first lesson, they will find you another teacher, or refund all of your original purchase price, including the first lesson. The best part is that TakeLessons isn't just for kids! They can provide teachers for all ages and all experience levels so I can still pick up my flute and start a band with my kids! I can totally get behind a "Partridge Family" type group. I will grab my gogo boots (yep, I have them) and have always wanted to paint a bus so here goes nothing!

If you are interested in checking out TakeLessons, you are in luck! They have offered my readers 20% off all lessons packages with promo code “SUMMERMUSIC38”! Use this code when you book online or can even give them a call to talk to a live person about pricing, needs, and questions! Call TakeLessons at 619-618-7959 and be sure to grab your 20% off with the promo code!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT TakeLessons! Don't forget your Promo Code "SummerMusic38"!

This post was sponsored by an amazing company who offers private music and arts instruction. The opinions contained within are my own. I do not claim to be nor make an effort to be an expert on a certain topic, product or service.  I will only endorse companies, products and services that I believe, based on my own experiences, are worthy of endorsement.  All product or service claims should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

Friday Follow Along LINK UP!

It's PARTY Time!

So grab a hand and follow the leader!

If you have a blog or website with any article pertaining to family, fitness, being cheap (I mean frugal), crafting, recipes, or is just plain fun.... Link it up! This week, add your blog, social media, and your ETSY SHOP! 

 

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE PARTY!

DIY Organic Pest Spray for the Garden AND $5 off to Home Depot!

Yes...This WAS my broccoli!

So I planted a garden this year....I am pretty proud to say that it didn't die...well, at least not by my hand! My boxer actually took care of eating my garden full of peppers, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, and zucchini...but that is a story in itself! Before the demise of my beautiful garden, I returned from vacation to find it becoming snack food for some bugs! This was not how my garden was going down (if I only ad a crystal ball, I could have avoided the whole boxer eating the garden thing!) so I went to the trusty internet to find a solution.

Since I am on a path to getting my family to live organically, I was not about to spray toxins all over my plants! If I expected the foods I bought at the grocery to be organic, I should expect the same out of my own backyard, right?!? So, I did some research and found that pests could be driven away from your garden with a SIMPLE recipe!

CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE AND YOUR $5 COUPON TO HOME DEPOT!