It's the season for back to school. Lots of shopping to do. New clothes, new supplies, backpacks, lunchboxes oh my. School lists now a days can be quite crazy. My daughter is starting kindergarten this year. Her supply list is relatively mild compared to some I have seen. She needs:1 set of marker-8 colors-large size; 1 box of tissues; 1 bottle of white school glue; 4 glue sticks; 4 dry erase markers-chisel tip black; book bag-no wheels; 2 boxes of 24 count crayons; blunt end scissors-rounded tip; 1 pack of #2 pencils-sharpened; 1 2-pocket plastic folder; 1- 4 pack of Play Doh; 1 pack pencil top erasers; Girls-1 box gallon-sized Ziploc bags;blue plastic school box. I have seen some lists that ask for candy, 8 dozen pencils, reams of copy paper, paper plates, plastic utensils, napkins. Schools have a lack of funding and so it is being put on us as parents to supply the classroom. Then we have to pay the activity fee, which for my daughter is $50. In our district starting in 6th grade all math is now done online. They sit in math class on notebooks and do all math on the computer. This is all due to the new common core standards. They start preparing them for college in kindergarten. When I was in school in kindergarten we learned the alphabet, how to write our names, what our phone number and address was and how to count. Now before going into kindergarten they want them to be able to write their names, how to write and identify the alphabet, how to count to 20, be able to write numbers 0-10. They are teaching them what we used to learn in 1st grade. There is now homework in kindergarten. What do your kids supply lists include? Are the school fees insane? Sound off on common core.

ultimate back to school giveaway

**The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link. Little Passports is joining the Ultimate Back to School Sweepstakes worth over $3,300 in prizes! 10 Grand Prize winners will enjoy: A 3-month subscription from Little Passports A gift certificate for two I See Me! personalized books A Portrait Package from Picture People Gift Pack from Chronicle Books Little Kid Combo from Mabel's Labels Demolition Wrecking Ball from SmartLab Toys Craft Kit, Sticker Roll and Puzzle from Mudpuppy Enter the Back to School Sweepstakes! The Sweepstakes ends on August 31st, so be sure to enter soon! *NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. All entries must be received by 11:59 on August 31, 2015. The Ultimate Back to School Giveaway presented by I See Me! LLC, Chronicle Books, Mudpuppy, Mabel’s Labels, SmartLab Toys, Picture People and Little Passports is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including District of Columbia) who are eighteen (18) years or older at the time of entry. Void in Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories and possessions and where prohibited by law. The Contest is also open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec, who are over the age of majority in the province or territory in which they reside as at the start of the Contest Period. The Sweepstakes begins on July 31, 2015 at and ends on August 31, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Please see all official rules on the Sweepstakes page. Void where prohibited. Primary Sponsor: I See Me! LLC, 6216 Baker Rd, Eden Prairie, MN 55346. Secondary Sponsors: Chronicle Books, Mudpuppy, Mabel’s Labels, SmartLab Toys, Picture People and Little Passports.

Ohio renaissance festival

Forget your cares and step back in time to this 30-acre re-created 16th Century English village and enjoy over 400 years of fun in a single day! The festival offers something for everyone featuring nearly 100 shows daily on 11 stages, over 135 unique arts and crafts shops, hearty food and drink, games of skill and human-powered rides to amuse all ages. Over 150 costumed characters welcome you to the village! Rub elbows with Royalty as you cheer your favorite knight to victory in the thrilling Full-armored Tournament Joust. Welcoming you to a festive day in the village are dueling swordsmen, rowdy pirates, nobles, peasants, and daring jugglers. The sprawling landscape is dotted with hundreds of unique shops in the Medieval Marketplace featuring many one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted items. See time-honored crafts of glassblowing, stone carving, blacksmithing, leather tooling, boot making, and more demonstrated. The air is filled with the scents and smells of the foods of the Renaissance period. Feast like Royalty on juicy, giant roasted turkey legs, fresh baked bread bowls overflowing with soups and stews, fish 'n chips, steak-on-a-stake, succulent roasted corn on the cob and a wide variety of the finest ales and wines. There's something for everyone's taste buds! Visitors of all ages will be amused by the games of skill and human-powered rides. Try your hand at archery and see if you're a modern-day Robin Hood, or climb the castle tower and rescue the lovely damsel in distress. Ohio Renaissance Festival Discounts - Get $4 off Adult (ages 13+) and $2 off Child (ages 5-12) tickets by using promo code "family" when purchasing discount tickets on our secure web site at www.renfestival.com. Tickets good any day of the 2015 season (Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day Sept 5 - Oct 25). Online discount only. Not valid with any other offers. http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=11996&dealid=1936 @usfg

spring cleaning tips and tricks

Ok it might be a little late but for those still doing spring cleaning here are some tips and ideas 1. Set deadlines: set dates to declutter and clean a room or area. 2.when cleaning out closets ditch anything beyond repair. For everything else decide if you want it or not. If you're unsure put a removable sticker on it. When you wear it remove the sticker. Anything left with a sticker at the end of the season should be donated or sold. 3. Hate that clutter under sinks? Only keep essentials there and store other things elsewhere. 4. Create a donation station for your family. Every time someone comes upon clothes that don't fit or something they no longer want or need to put it in the box. When it's full take it to your thrift store or donations center and repeat. 5. Garages are one place that gets major complaints. Designate zones for things like gardening, sports, tools, toys, ECT. Place hooks and shelves in each zone and keep everything in its zone. Clear out anything broken or that doesn't fit into your assigned zones. 6. Recruit a friend to help you. It's a lot easier to get rid of stuff when you have help, especially if they want to take things off your hands for you. 7. Start small. When you have a few minutes declutter a little. Clean out a desk drawer or cabinet. You will feel less overwhelmed. If you buy something new eliminate an old item.

a day of reflection

Today is a day of reflection. First off it is Memorial Day. Today we remember those who have lost their lives fighting for our wonderful country. Without them I wouldn't be sitting here writing this blog post right now. Also, this day 5 years ago is the day I became a mommy for the first time. May 25, 2010 at 9:04pm I gave birth to a beautiful 6lb 10oz 21 inches long baby girl whom we named Bella Olivia or as we affectionately call her Boo. She is growing into a beautiful little girl who is super smart. 5 years later she is a big sister to Kaya, Louie, Silas and her angel brother Oscar. She is excited to be starting kindergarten in the fall. I am proud to be her mom and look forward to many more birthdays with her. Happy 5th birthday Bella Boo.

Ripley's of Gatlinburg

Visit our 8 Gatlinburg Attractions! Experience eight unique attractions including Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium, our 85,000 sq ft Aquarium of the Smokies, a 5D Moving Theater, our bone-chilling Haunted Adventure, the mind-bending Marvelous Mirror Maze, and our two fully themed mini-golf courses! My Readers Save $3 Off Adult and $2 Off Child Admission to all of Ripley's Attractions in Tennessee. Use Online Promo Code: USFAMILYGUIDE Must purchase online. Guinness World Records Museum, Ripley's 5D Moving Theater, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium, Ripley's Davy Crockett Mini-Golf, Ripley's Haunted Adventure, and Ripley's Marvelous Mirror Maze http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=10276&dealid=1704 @usfg #gatlinburg #ripleys

hello everyone!!

Hello sorry it has been so long since I posted. We moved in September and I haven't had internet access and I finally was able to get an app to be able to blog again. We are loving our new house it's a 3 bedroom 1.5 bath. Me and hubby finally have a room, the girls have a room, and Louie has his room. Back in September we also celebrated Oscars first angelversary and had a party and balloon release. In November Louie turned 2 and had a hot wheels themed party where we had a good turnout of guests. In February I had a diaper party to celebrate the new baby. March Kaya turned 4 and had a princess theme party which again had a great turnout. On April 6 at 12:47pm we welcomed Silas Oscar Owens to the family. He was 7lb 6.5oz 20.25 inches. He was born at 39 weeks 2 days, the longest I have ever been pregnant. The pregnancy was pretty long, had preterm labor at 28 weeks had to be admitted and get steroids for his lungs. At 36 weeks we had problems with low fluid levels, but by the grace of God we made it safely to the end and had a fast induction that lasted 6 hours. We are all doing great, preparing for Bella's birthday next month. I am so glad to be back.