WorkBox System and Free Printables

***This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SchoolYearReady #CollectiveBias***

The new school year is here. As many of our friends are sending their kids back to their schools, we are preparing our house and curriculum for the new homeschool year. Majority of what we are doing this year is really similar to what we did last year but we are incorporating some extra co-op times and trying out our own spin on a work box system. Go ahead and google work box... I had to too. 

I knew that with the two younger kids all over the place now, I would need the school age kiddos to have a little more independence with their lessons. I will still be there teaching them new skills, helping them review and over seeing everything they do but a more independent system will be a huge help in making the days run smoothly.

So, here is how we will make it work: The kids will have a set of drawers where I will be placing her work and materials according to the days lesson. Instead of doing a box for every subject, I made them only for the ones that the kids can typically start on their own. Every night I will fill the drawers with exactly what they will be needing. As we finish teaching time or complete an activity, (basically anytime we are done with a subject), they will be able to head over to the drawer and grab the next subject. 

Some activities will be able to be completed on their own. If it is something they will be needing me for, I will simply draw a little dry erase star on the label and they know not to start without me.

When they complete a subject they can check it off of their work list, return it to the drawer and move on to the next subject. The checklist is something that we added to the basic work box concept. Rhiannon is a lot like me, checking something off a list helps us to feel like we are getting somewhere and encourages us to keep going and if I do it for her, of course I need to do it for Talon.

I am really excited about this new system and thought some of you might be as well, so here is how we set it up:

We had the drawers already but you can find them pretty much anywhere. 

As for the labels and checklist, I have included a printable that you can find at the bottom of this post, or make your own to fit your subjects.

Because we would be writing on the checklist and we needed the labels to be nice, sturdy and durable to last through the whole school year, I made sure to laminate them.

Wal-mart has this awesome Scotch™ Thermal Laminator and Scotch™ Thermal Pouches, that I picked up for the project...and lots more projects coming soon. The products were located in the Back-to-School seasonal areas and in stationary. so we just grabbed it as we stocked up on all of our other back to school essentials and were ready to go.

Once you have your laminator and laminating pouches, print out your labels. **Tip: I like to cut anything I am laminating before putting it in the pouch and then cutting right outside of the paper line when the pouch is sealed and cooled. I feel like this gives the best seal and is much more durable. You can see what I am talking about in the picture above.**

That being said, cut your labels out and simply place them in the Scotch™ Self-Sealing Laminating Pouches. Give a little bit of room between them so that you are able to easily cut them out.

The Scotch™ Thermal Laminator is really easy to use. Just let it heat up and then run your pouches through the machine. Bam! Done. Now you just need to cut out your labels. 

We used double sided tape to put our labels on our drawers but I have seen people use Velcro strips so they can rearrange their schedule. I decided that because we have a checklist we really didn't need to do that.

Next up, print out and laminate your checklist. 

We are now ready to start using our version of the work box system. Hoping that this little project will help us to stay organized and allow for some independence.

Now that you have seen how we are using our Scotch™ Laminating Products to get ready for Back-to-School, what project are you planning to use them for? I am heading over to Create with 3M to get more ideas. Homeschooling has got me in a crafting mood lately!

Click Here for our Free Printables!!!!

New Bedding and a Giveaway

*I partnered with Lush Decor to bring you this post. All opinions are my own.*

Parenting styles are such a controversial topic lately. I choose to stay out of them and not give my opinion one way or the other. Seriously, we are all just doing what we feel best for our child and family, right? So , I tend not to share about certain things we do or don't do. Today's topic needs some background though. Let's just start with the controversy first, get it out of the way. We co-sleep. From birth until our kids are ready to be on their own, they start in their own beds and then climb into ours when they need us. Newborns are in the bassinet next to me until they are ready for their first feeding...which is before I ever go to sleep. It's what makes me feel safest and feel is best for MY kids. (With the exception of our foster to adopt baby, who is not legally allowed in our bed).

That being said, for the past 6 years we have had 1-3 children in our bed with us. 3 kids that spit up, leek out of their diapers, have dirty little feet, the works. Babies and toddlers are not clean. Not even when you bathe them daily. I mean, once you get to baby number four, it's at least every other day at best. Ha! They are the most delicious, snuggly, lovey little ragamuffins around but let's face it, they destroy the bed or at least the bedding.

For the past few years I have begged the husband for a pretty bedding set. My request is always met with "when the kids are out of our bed". So we always settle for the cheapest descent looking set we can find at a discount store. Not this time folks. The kids are still in our bed but they aren't babies anymore. They aren't ruining it like they used to. There aren't anymore coming either... not the kind that are allowed to sleep in our bed anyway.

Guys! We are graduating to our big kid bed. I have been on the hunt for a pretty, chic, simple but beautiful bedding set. I have waited long enough! I couldn't for the life of me find what I wanted though. Isn't that how it always works? Right in front of your face until you can actually have it. Then, poof gone. 

Everything I have found, has just fallen short. It's the wrong color. It's the right color but not the right size. It's okay but not the style I wanted. You get my drift. Nothing, Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.

The other day though, I was referred to Lush Decor and couldn't decide what I wanted. There were so many sets that were just what I was looking for. So I did it, I made the plunge and chose the bedding set I have been seeking. 

 Beautiful, ruffly goodness in a pretty soft yellow. Isn't she pretty?  I have seen a few sets like this in white but I am just not that daring. I mean, the kids are still technically in our bed. Like I said, so many options that I could have picked from. 

This was a VERY close second but I just couldn't commit to the lighter color.

I almost changed directions completely for this baby. The whole room, the way it is styled, just fits me. I want to duplicate it. It would fit right into our home. I am going for a different look in our room though. The husband might not be happy either if I tried to change directions after all of my begging. Ha! I may go back and buy this for the girls room though.

Isn't it all so pretty? Lush Decor was bursting at the seams with stuff that I loved. You may have seem some of their products at Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s, Boscov’s, Sears, etc. Seriously though,
you need to go to their site right now to see all the cute stuff! It's not all bedding either. You need to see their shower curtains and window treatments too.


Oh, I almost forgot the best part! They are offering you, my readers 10% with coupon code LOVELUSH1 . Wait, it gets better! Enter the giveaway below for a TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR gift card to their site. Yup, you read that right $200! What would you get?



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Black Friday Brunch

Oroweat® provided me with coupons for free product and a gift card for my ultimate sandwich recipe ingredients so that I could share my thoughts about the brand but all opinions are my own.

Every year after Thanksgiving we have a fridge full of leftovers. This year instead of eating plate after plate of the same thing, we decided to switch up into sandwich form. Oh. Em. Gee!

It is too good not to share. We like to call this baby "Black Friday Brunch". I am going to give instructions for year round vs. just after Thanksgiving though...because, well I want it year round.

Ingredients:

Cooked Turkey Cutlets, 2 per sandwich

Organic Spinach

1 Tbsp Mayo
1/4 cup Cranberry Sauce (recipe included below)
Feta Cheese Crumbles
Bacon
Oroweat® Organic bread


Directions:

First off, lets start with the Cranberry Sauce. Super Easy. Add 12 oz Cranberries, 1 cup Water, 
1 cup Sugar and a Splash of Orange Juice into a pot. Bring to boil. Let cook until berries start to pop open. Let simmer about 30-45 min or until it is the consistency you like.

To make our sauce really tasty and a little bit comfortesque, mix the mayo and a 1/4 cup of the cranberry sauce. Trust me here.

Toast up your bread. I chose Oroweat® Organic bread because it is a yummy way to feel better about what I am eating and what I am serving my family. It is made with organic ingredients and whole grains. Oh, and did I mention it's yummy? I love when healthier options don't taste "healthy". 

Once your ingredients are all cooked and warm (or cooled if you prefer it that way), You are going to layer. Cutlets, Spinach, Bacon, Feta. Spread your Cranberry sauce mixture on the top piece of bread. Mmmmm. You may not think that order matter but it does. Okay, it doesn't but I think my food tastes better when it looks pretty. Ha!

Seriously though, this is the ultimate sandwich. Oh, and just for fun Oroweat® is offering some goodies for me to giveaway to one lucky reader. So you can copy this sandwich or make your own Ultimate Sandwich.

Make sure to check them out and enter our giveaway!

Oroweat® Website | Oroweat® Facebook

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Holiday Season Me Time

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media®, PEOPLE® Magazine, and The Hershey Company®, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #HolidayMeTimeMags http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH”

Be honest. Is it just me or did this holiday season sneak up even faster than usual? I feel like out of no where, Thanksgiving is here and sorry to break it to you but Christmas, it's just around the corner!

This season has been extra busy for our family. We have one thing after another piling up. The piled up therapies and classes have meant good things for our family but it can be exhausting.

With holidays near, we have been adding extra therapy days and times to make up for the sessions we will be missing. Add in rehearsals for holiday shows, the prep for Thanksgiving and Christmas...oh man. This mama has been going non-stop.

All this to say, I needed a break. I needed me time to just enjoy some guilty pleasures. Luckily, I am married to a man who recognizes when I'm overwhelmed and is willing to get the kids out of my hair for a bit so I can do whole lot of zoning.



So I decided on my guilty pleasures of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (King Size baby!), a copy of People Magazine, my favorite soda and Grey's Anatomy. I mean I'm a multi-tasker. It's a talent really.

Don't laugh at me but after I finished getting the house together for visitors I totally made a special trip to Von's to prepare for my me time. I was that excited. Ha!

In all seriousness, it was really nice to just take a couple of hours to myself, by myself. People, maybe even myself at times, tend to glorify a busy life. It is not good. We need to take time to breathe. As moms, we need to take time to ourselves and not feel guilty about it. So step back for a minute and enjoy some quiet before the storm that holidays bring. I'm challenging you to do it.

If you want to copy my guilty pleasure - me time, head over to Von's and grab your supplies. Their magazine selection is fab, there were like 3 different issues of People Magazine in stock!

Oh, and if you head to their website they have a digital coupon for 1.00 with purchase of one PEOPLE® or Sunset® magazine and one REESE’S®, HERSHEY’S® or other selected King Size bar (2.1 to 5.0 oz.) The digital coupon is available through the Safeway Just4U online portal 11/21/14 - 12/19/14 (while supplies last) You have to register for Just4U to get access to the digital coupon.

Enjoy your me time and come back to tell me what you did! Oh, and let me know if you planned accordingly or if your kids showed up home before you were done and crashed the party. Not like I would know from experience...

BJ's Restaurants New Mobile App

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and BJ’s Restaurants, but all my opinions are my own. #DineInOrderAhead #pmedia  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

Meal times are a big deal in our family. It is about more than just eating. It is about gathering around a table and enjoying each other. It is for this reason that we love going out to eat. Although I like to cook, skipping the responsibilities and just spending time with those I care about is such a treat for me.

Since having kids, dining out has gotten harder and harder. Having a child with autism and some pretty serious sensory disorders has made eating out nearly impossible. The long wait for a seat is just the start of the meltdowns. Having 4 kiddos need to sit still (especially our sensory seeker) while we wait for drinks and food can be brutal. If we manage to make it through that, by the grace of God, waiting for the check and then the back and forth of leaving a card, having it charged and so forth promises a not so fun time. Not for us and not for those in surrounding seats who get to endure a meltdown with us.

All of that being said, dining out as a family has become almost non-existent. When it does happen, it almost always ends in tears. Not just for the kids. For me too. Tears of embarrassment, of frustration and sometimes tears stemming from the feeling of failing our kids. I mean, it shouldn't be that hard, right?

When I was first introduced to the idea of BJ's Restaurants Dine In Order Ahead and Mobile Pay Features on their new mobile app, I had no idea what it would mean for our family. We knew that the convenience would help us to hurry through a meal...maybe we would survive an outing. You guys! We not only survived, we enjoyed a meal out as a family. For the first time in a very long time. Do you know how big of a deal this is? Like seriously!!!

We tried the app out for the first time last Sunday. After church, I downloaded it on my iPhone (it is available on Androids as well), explored the menu and placed everyone's orders as we drove to BJ's Restaurant.



When we arrived, we simply told the hostess that we used the Dine in Order Ahead app and we were seated pretty quickly. If you are already close to the restaurant, I would recommend ordering a few minutes before leaving or use the Preferred Waitlist feature, we would have gotten in even more quickly had we done that.

Almost immediately after being seated our drinks arrived. Only 5 minutes after that, our appetizer arrived, followed by the kids food and our meals. Pizookie came as we were finishing up our food.

My favorite part, Mobile Pay, before we were even done with dessert I was able to pay the bill right from my phone. No awkward asking for the bill. No shuffling back and forth or waiting. The second we finished our meal we were able to pack up and go. No tantrums waiting around while ready to go. It was amazing. We were in and out in 41 minutes! The only tears shed after this meal were of relief and sheer joy that we were able to dine out as a family again.



I know so many people who could benefit from using this app. I would highly recommend this for families with littles, parents who need to rush through date night in order to capitalize on babysitter times or if you are catching a meal in a rush.

Download the Dine in Order Ahead App now!

Download the app for your iPhone or Android and enjoy a delicious meal with ease.

I am so excited to be able to go out to dinner with my little family for my birthday later this month. It will be the first time in 2 years that we have been able to do that. It is the little things!

Cottonelle Clean Care for the Kids

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Cottonelle but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #CtnlCareRoutine  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO”

No potty talk. It's one of those rules that we have to repeat a million times a day. Maybe I'm slightly exaggerating. With my kids though; poop, fart and butt equals funny stuff. So, the no potty talk rule was born.

Today, we are breaking that rule. It's all about the potty talk right now. Why? Because I've got two in diapers, a recently potty trained 3 year old and a 5 year old who still requires some follow up after going number two. This mom wipes a whole lot of butts and it's time to hand over some of the work.

It's my goal that before I start potty training Little Man, the two big kids will wipe their own bottoms 100% on their own. With no skid marks in underwear. It's a lofty goal,I know. To top things off, I'm in a time crunch. Little man has been stripping down and wait for it...playing in his poop! So we need to get this show on the road.

Recently, we put our plans into action. I informed the kids of their new responsibility and hung some friendly reminders (sorry guests who visit our bathroom). Of course, I'd be there for back up and quality control but the actual butt wiping would be their own duty...no pun intended. Things were going great. 

And then. The messy poop came. Talon didn't bother to inform me. He just went and did his business. He wiped. Then wiped some more. Until he used an entire roll and came to get me when the toilet was overflowing. It was horrible. It happened numerous time but I was determined. I couldn't give up. Little man needs to move from diapers to pull-ups stat.

That is when I decided to make things easier on the kids and my sewage line. I went and picked up some Cottonelle Cleansing Cloths and Clean Care Toilet paper from Wal-mart.

Why didn't I think of this before. The cleansing cloths get their booties clean with minimal effort (and waste) in no time flat. A little follow up with the clean care toilet paper has them dry and feeling like the big kids they are becoming.

By golly, I think they've got it. I am down to only wiping butts that are in diapers. One problem. My excuse for potty training Little Man is gone. I can see it now, poop art everywhere. Pray for me. 

I'm gonna stick to the positives for now though. The kids are going to be able to wipe themselves from here on out!!!! I was even able to buy to go packs of the the cloths so we can stay clean in public bathrooms as well.

It couldn't have come at a better time. Currently you can visit Cottonelle for some coupons and at Wal-Mart, when you purchase BOTH Cottonelle Cleansing Cloths and Clean Care toilet paper in store during the month of February you will receive a $5 Vudu offer. If you haven't heard of Vudu, it is like RedBox and offers HD movies. Gotta love a good savings and bonuses combined!

To receive the offer you you need to do as followed:

• Take a picture of the receipt showing that you purchased both items
• text or email your picture to clean@drvsusa.com
• You will receive a text or email back with a code valid for a $5 movie credit
• you can get more information by going to www.DRVSusa.com/cottonellemovies

A Healthier Seven Layer Dip and Super Bowl

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ andRubbermaid and Sharpie but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #RubbermaidSharpie http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO”

By a show of hands (figuratively not literally obv), who cares more about the food than the football come Super Bowl Sunday?

It's become the tradition at our house to have a big Super Bowl party with lots of friends and tons of food. The last few years as families have grown, parties have gotten large and the guys can't really watch the game. So this year we're scaling back. Big time.

Problem. The food. The glourious food. What do you cut back on? There are too many favorites. So, I made an executive decision. We aren't cutting back. Just having lots of leftovers.

To make it easier on myself, I decided that I will serve up our food in Rubbermaid food storage containers. Prepare, serve and store all in one dish? Yes, please. Oh, the time and energy I'll save. 

My excitement over this genius idea I had got me thinking about all of the dishes I could prepare ahead of time. So I could still go to church Sunday morning. This in turn got me craving my healthier version of the infamous 7- layer dip. Trial runs are required, right? Plus you NEED the recipe so you can serve it at your Super Bowl party. And every party that follows. Ever.

Herbal Essences Get Naked

***This is a sponsored post with Herbal Essences but all opinions are my own. The Walmart gift card and information were provided by Herbal Essences.***

A few weeks ago I told you all about a new Herbal Essence line that I was ordering from Wal-Mart and excited to try out. I recieved it and have been using it for about a week and a half. I am excited to tell you what I think of it.

I thought about starting the video by doing one of those amazing hair whips that you often see in shampoo commercials but I'm pretty sure I'd end up looking like a crazed fan at a headbanger concert. That just wouldn't have got my point across so let me just talk to you. Spare you of my lack of graceful and sexy appeal...

Herbal Essences Naked Volume

***This is a sponsored post with Herbal Essences but all opinions are my own. The Walmart gift card and information have been provided by Herbal Essences.***

The Naked Collection Volume Kit includes Naked Volume Shampoo, Conditioner, Volumizing Soufflé Styler, and Dry Shampoo.

Naked Collection Volume Kit

- Kit includes Naked Volume Shampoo, Conditioner, Volumizing Soufflé, Flexible Hold Spritzer and Dry Shampoo.

- Everything you need for irresistible volume!

- Online-only offer.

- Limited-edition kit, available while supplies last.

- Get it first at http://www.walmart.com/ip/33006917 .

- Your chance to be the first to try Herbal Essences Naked!

Naked Volume Shampoo & Conditioner

- Restores hair’s natural body.

- Made with zero heavy residues, dyes, and parabens.

- Light weight shampoo provides a clean luscious bounce.

- Conditioner keeps hair detangled, nourished, and maintains full volume.

Naked Volume Dry Shampoo

- Great for days when you don’t have time to wash your hair.

- Refreshes your look for lightweight, clean hair — even on days when you don’t wash.

- The natural tapioca formula absorbs excess oil and transforms lifeless, oily hair into fresh hair.

- Delights senses with the crisp essence of citrus and mint.

- How to use: Gently spray on and work into roots, brush out as desired.

Naked Volumizing Souffle

- Weightless, volumizing styler gives you a lift for fullness that lasts.

- Delights the senses with a boost of grapefruit and mint.

- How to use: Gently work mousse through wet hair for volume.

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