Peter & The Wolf Party #PeterAndTheWolfApp

Disclaimer: I received free products in order to host the Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood MommyParty. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

Classical music has always been a huge part of my life. I was in choir and singing classes for over 12 years and was on a stage whenever it called. Many nights at home, my mom was playing classical music in an attempt to help me and my brothers retain what we were studying. Classical music seems to have left my life lately, though. I want it back, so when I heard about Peter and The Wolf in Hollywood, I was ecstatic. Even more so when I was selected for this party.

You can Learn more about Peter and the Wolf at peterandthewolfinhollywood.com

I was provided with everything I needed to host this party, except the kids. I was sent a $10 iTunes gift card, which I used as a prize, a Peter and the Wolf soundtrack, posters, buttons, coloring pages, party decor, craft supplies, snacks, party printables, and fun stuff from HP and iLoveToCreate, along with other fun goodies. We had an amazing party. Sadly, my lovely SD card erased itself, so I lost these photos, along with several of the kids doing fun nature stuff.

For my party, I did a lunch time party, so my mommy friends could have a break. I set the table, served Wolf Wraps, Peter's Pita Pizzas, Pretzel Flutes, Jumping Jell-O Pools, popcorn, and a mix of veggies picked fresh out of the garden. The moms were happy sitting back and watching the kids enjoy their time together. It was a fun movie theater type lunch date, or at least that's what I was going for!

Wolf Wraps:

Portable and packed with protein, these small roll-ups will keep the party rollin!

Ingredients:

• Spreadable Cream Cheese
• 10-Inch Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Thinly Sliced Cheese
• Thinly Sliced Turkey Lunch Meat

Instructions:

1. Spread tortillas with a thin layer of cream cheese
2. Place a single layer of cheese on top
3. Place a single layer of turkey on top of the cheese
4. Starting with the side closest to you, roll the tortillas up tightly. Trim off the ends
5. Cut each tortilla into 6 or 8 slices
6. Serve immediately or cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to eat. 

We also had the chance to play some super-fun games. We played "Who am I?" using the buttons provided and played the music in the background. Using the wolf character button, we played Where in Hollywood is Mr. Wolf. We had an amazing adventure to find the escaped wolf- of course, I gave them clues along the way! 

Using items that we could easily find around the house, each child was able to make an instrument to take home. The instruments included Tambourine, Drum, and Guitar, When it was time to wind down, so the kids wouldn't be super crazy going home, I sat them at the table with Peter and the Wolf coloring pages and crayons while I somewhat got my house back in order and got to visit with my mommy friends. 

Would you like to have Peter and the Wolf right in your own living room? Well, you can- thanks to the iOs app. The iPhone version will contain the moviebook as well as a few features that will give you behind-the-scenes information. The Deluxe version for iPad features fun games you and your family can play, along with exclusive behind-the-scenes videos and extras.You can download it from the iTunes store. 

Summer Reading With #QuartoKnows

Disclaimer: I received books for my children in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Yay for summer! In my house, we still do school in the summer, but we change it up a big. We do daily workbooks, bible study, reading, and a unit study. I try to work all subjects in to the unit study, in one way or another. I like to find awesome books to base our unit studies on.

During the summer, I also try some special creative projects and do a lot of research- while I watch the kids play outside. Quarto Knows was nice enough to send me some books to help make our summer awesome!

Gardening Lab For Kids

We love to garden, so why not bring more into it and turn a fun family activity into lesson plans? Gardening Lab For Kids ($19.99), by Renata Brown, has allowed me to do just that. There are 52 experiments in its pages, which is just perfect for all year, but especially the summer.

A refreshing source of ideas to help your children learn to grow their own patch of earth, Gardening Lab for Kids encourages children to get outside and enjoy nature. This fun and creative book features 52 plant-related activities set into weekly lessons, beginning with learning to read maps to find your heat zone, moving through seeds, soil, composting, and then creating garden art and appreciating your natural surroundings. Author Renata Fossen Brown guides your family through fun opportunities learning about botany, ecology, the seasons, food, patience, insects, eating, and cooking. The labs can be used as singular projects or to build up to a year of hands-on outdoor experiences. The lessons in this book are open-ended to be explored over and over - with different results each time! Garden Lab for Kids is the perfect book for creative families, friends, and community groups and works as lesson plans for both experienced and new gardeners. Children of all ages and experience levels can be guided by adults and will enjoy these engaging exercises. So, slip on your muddy clothes, and get out and grow! 

How to Code in 10 Easy Lessons

So, my husband and I are pretty much geeks. That also means that my children are geeks. Tbomb can work his tablet (regular Android tablet- DragonTouch) just like an adult. He can build amazing Minecraft worlds, and he is only 5. When he gets a new game, he figures it out on his own. Well, with technology becoming the way of the world, we want the kids to have a working knowledge early on. Who knows, he may end up being a game designer. When I saw this book, I knew we had to have it for the littles. These lessons will be for rainy summer days. Learn how to code in 10 easy lessons ($12.95), by Sean McManus, has not disappointed!

From writing simple coding instructions using Scratch software, to learning the coding skills to create your own computer game and even design your own website, this book leads the way. By breaking this daunting subject down into the 10 "super skills" needed, young readers can get familiar with computer coding and build on their skills as they progress through the book. Starting off with a short introduction that poses the question, "What is coding?," the super skills of coding then explains how to use Scratch coding software to give coding instructions, write simple code, and use loops; debug and fix code; and use coding knowledge to create a simple computer game and a webpage using simple HTML. With easy-to-follow explanations accompanied by clear, step-by-step graphics throughout, this is a great first coding book for middle-school children, ages 8+ interested in learning about computer science and web design.

The Loch Ness Monster and Other Unexplained Mysteries

As many of you know, I am a Bigfoot researcher and investigator. My interest goes well beyond the Bigfoot-like creatures, though. While I may be more interested in some than others, I love studying cryptid creatures. This book has been wonderful for my research, especially for my upcoming book. I just love reading about the first sightings and this book is full of them. Tbomb, my littlest squatcher, is also intrigued with this book- he loves the pictures and asks me to read them to him when he finds a picture interesting. The Loch Ness Monster and Other Unexplained Mysteries ($39.96), by JF Derry, is fun for the whole family.

It’s 80 years after the first modern-day sighting of the Loch Ness Monster and yet despite frequent eye witness accounts since then, sonar images and even video footage, still no one knows for sure whether there really is a serpent-like prehistoric behemoth inhabiting the famous Scottish lake. More amazing is that Nessie is only one of countless extraordinary terrestrial and extraterrestrial life-forms that have been reported worldwide over the course of the last century or so: the Yeti and Bigfoot; British big cats such as The Beasts of Bodmin and Stroud; paranormal manifestations in the form of ghosts, banshees and poltergeists; and visitors from other worlds, aliens and their UFOs. The list is astonishing and extensive, but the remarkable Daily Mirror archive has accumulated a wealth of articles and pictures from sightings, visitations, apparitions and alien abductions, many of which are now collected together in this otherworldly monster of a book, “Loch Ness Monster and Other Unexplained Mysteries."

Nature's Day: Out and About

We spend A TON of time outdoors, especially in the summertime. Even if we aren't camping or exploring trails, we are in the yard and woods around our house. We like to walk around the kids' great-grandparents' house - they don't have a fence and have more wildlife. Sometimes, when we are outside, the kids will get a bit too wild and even start to get irritated at each other. I like to change their focus and get them finding something or working together on something. This book makes it simpler than ever. In fact, I keep it in the tote I carry to the bottom part of the yard with me (its outside the fence at the edge of the yard and if I take a tote, I don't have to run back to the house for everything the kids need). We also keep a "nature book" with it, just in case- and some crayons. The kids love Nature's Day: Out and About: Spotting, making and collecting activities ($9.99), by Kay Maguire
and Danielle Kroll, and even ask to do some of the activities in it.


Following on from the success of Nature's Day, this beautiful activity book by the same author and illustrator shows children how to interact with their surroundings. Activities include spotting different leaves, birds, flowers, and insects, how to make plaster-cast animal tracks, how to mimic birdsong, and how to write a poem inspired by a walk in the woods. This activity book will inspire children to discover the world of wonder that awaits on their doorstep. 

Kids' Art Kits

My kids absolutely love these kits. They are great for travel too. They have everything that is needed for an art adventure- drawing diretions, paper, markers, colored pencils, and a pencil sharpener, all in an awesome case. Tbomb and Kodabug have spent hours with them. Tbomb loves Angry Birds, so he enjoys trying to make his own scenes. Kodabug loves Minnie Mouse, and loves pretending to be like her brother. These will definitely be going on our trip to Florida!

Learn to Draw Angry Birds: Learn to draw all of your favorite Angry Birds and Those Bad Piggies! ($9.95). The ever-growing popularity of the Angry Birds video game has sparked a worldwide phenomenon. What started as a fun, quirky game in 2009 has since evolved into a full-fledged movement with a huge online presence and fan base that includes hundreds of millions of children, teens, and adults. Now, with Learn to Draw Angry Birds, fans of the growing franchise will learn to draw all of the Angry Birds characters using easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions.




Learn to Draw Disney Minnie & Daisy Best Friends Forever Fabulous Fashions - Learn to draw Minnie, Daisy, and their favorite fashions and accessories - step by step! ($7.96) When Minnie Mouse isn't with her beloved Mickey, she's having fun adventures with her best pal, Daisy Duck. Now young artists can learn to draw these friends at their most stylish as the fashionistas show off their colorful wardrobes and accessories! Learn to Draw Disney Minnie & Daisy Best Friends Forever: Fabulous Fashions stands out among art books for children by combining a sought-after interest in fashion with two of Disney's most beloved - and fashion forward - characters. Fans of fashion and Disney will be delighted to get an exclusive look at how these two iconic friends play and have fun together. The book begins with an introduction to both Minnie and Daisy that includes a lesson on how to draw them from basic shapes, such as ovals and circles, followed by a brief look at the tools and materials young artists will need to draw the projects. The beautifully illustrated drawing lessons in Learn to Draw Disney Minnie & Daisy Best Friends Forever: Fabulous Fashions include step-by-step, simple-to-follow instructions with each new step shown in blue so young artists know exactly what to draw next. Each step builds upon the previous, progressing to a finished piece of color artwork. Along the way, professional Disney artists and illustrators share helpful tips and tricks for drawing Minnie, Daisy, and their fashionable skirts, tops, dresses, shoes, and accessories! With Minnie and Daisy acting as guides, each essential element of their wardrobes is easy and fun to draw for any young admirer!

Practical Wedding Registry Must-Haves

It's easy for new brides-to-be to get absorbed in all of the details of the wedding – from the perfect wedding dress to the venue, flowers, photographer, and of course, the wedding registry. Compiling the registry is a fun activity, but brides can get a bit heavy handed when it comes to shooting the scanner gun. So how do couples distinguish between what they WANT and NEED?

1. The T-fal Ingenio Multi Grater allows users to grate directly onto food, or fill the unit and dispense. The etched blades provide optimum grating in both directions and the safety cover reverses for coarse and fine grating. Another added bonus: the blades separate for easy cleaning! $16.99
2. The T-fal Ingenio Nonstick Rolling Pin is the perfect registry gift for the baking bride. The surface keeps the dough from sticking and the stands keep the pin elevated for hygiene and prevents the pin from rolling away. $24.99
3. Want to whip up a batch of perfectly made cookies for your new spouse? The T-fal AirBake allows users to create perfectly baked cookies 15% faster. AirBake uses a clever double-layer technology to provide an overall enhanced baking performance ... meaning better browning, no burning, and decreased bake times! $12.99
4. Peel your heart out using the T-fal Ingenio Micro Edge Peeler. The razor-sharp etched blade effortlessly slices through rough fruit and veggie skin, making it great for everything from cucumbers to squash. The stainless steel gouging blade included along the side is perfect for removing stubborn potato eyes with ease. $7.99
5. The T-fal Ingenio Steamer Basket has the ability to elevate the "telescoping post" for more space and the use of easy-grip handles. It is made of heat resistant nylon for added use in pot on stovetop and in microwave. $11.99
6. The T-fal Ingenio 5 Second Chopper features two independent blades that provide efficient and progressive chopping in 5 seconds or less. You can use the 5 second chopper for fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and meats and it is ideal for making salsa and purees. $22.99
7. The T-fal 16-piece Tool & Gadget Set is the perfect starter pack for any couple. The set includes a turner, spoon, whisk, peeler, can opener, 5 measuring cups & 6 measuring spoons. $44.99

Top Tips for Improving Your Home’s Interior

Interior design is a difficult task for the average homeowner. Even if you love your space to death, knowing exactly what to put in it can be a huge challenge. With so many different options out there, and many of those options coming in many different varieties, you can go a bit crazy trying to design your space.

Luckily, there are some tips that can help you get through the process. If you do it right, you’ll wind up with a home that exceeds your wildest dreams, even if you don’t have a million dollars to spend on your interior.

Know Your Home’s Style

Before you determine what type of furniture to put in your home, you need to really think about the style and feel you want to create in your house. One of the biggest factors when it comes to figuring that out is knowing what type of home you have.

For example, if you have a home with Spanish influences, you’re going to have to really fight to make the art deco palace you’ve dreamed of. Work with your home and you’ll find the project a whole lot easier.

Find Problem Spaces

In almost every home, even the ones that are beautiful and nearly perfect, you can find a space that just isn’t working that well. Perhaps it’s too small or it doesn’t get enough light. Whatever it is, you want to make sure that area gets treatment first.

After all, a home is only as good as its worst part. Upgrade poor performers and you’ll have a better home overall.

Hire an Interior Designer

There’s a misconception out there that you have to be a rock star or business tycoon to have an interior designer come into your home and help with your décor. The truth is that most people can afford to hire Miami interior designers, at least on some level.

Whether you want somebody to help you design your home from the ground up, or you just want help finishing the den and kitchen, a designer with know-how and skill can be a major benefit to you and your space.

Find somebody you trust and set up a consultation. If you’re buying a large amount of goods, you might even save money – and a whole lot of time – by working with a designer in the Miami area.

Revamp Your Homeschool Library This Summer with #Capstone

Disclaimer: I received books to review. All opinions are my own.

This summer, while doing some planning, finishing up my Letter Of The Week curriculum, and revamping some things like our morning board and workbooks, I'm focusing on our library. I'm trying to be more intentional with it so that the space is well used. Books that are for a specific lesson, I'll get from the library, but books that we will use over and over again, or that are more specific to our area, will stay in the library. Here are some of those books. Capstone is great for keeping your library up to date.

Ultimate Guide To Gardening: Grow Your Own Indoor, Vegetable, Fairy, and Other Great Gardens

We live out in the country and try to spend a lot of time outdoors. My husband also loves to garden, and is quite good at it. We want them to get the basics of many skills so that they are prepared for their future. Gardening is one of those skills, plus- I love gardening books. We currently have 4 gardens- vegetables, a berry "patch", flowers (well, more like flowering vines), and a fairy garden. This book has been a great help for all of these. I know that this is a book we will use for many years to come. Who knows, it may even be an heirloom. Ultimate Guide To Gardening ($12.95), by Lisa J. Amstutz, is definitely a welcome book in my library. 

Full of how-to projects for any level of gardener, this book includes step-by-step instructions with accompanying full-color photographs. Whether you’re planting flowers outdoors, or indoor vegetables, you’ll find a range of unique gardens you can grow yourself. Tips and techniques are included, as well as variations to make each project your own.

Apples, Apples Everywhere!: Learning About Apple Harvests

In the town I grew up in (just the next town over from me now), apples are kind of a big deal. Seriously, there are apple (and peach) orchards everywhere. There is even the South Carolina Apple Festival, with a parade, craft show, street dance, talent show, and even a beauty pageant. See what I mean by big deal. So, we get to have lots of fun with apples every September. I had decided to include a big apple unit study this year, but I knew that I needed a few books to keep on hand for the apples- to take on field trips and to revisit each year. That's why Apples, Apples Everywhere! ($7.95), by Robin Koontz, is a must-have for our library.

Autumn is apple harvest time. Come along on a trip to the apple orchard. Find out how apples are picked and stored. Learn which apples are best for munching. But watch out for the apple worms!

My First Spanish Phrases

Because Kodabug isn't talking (did you see this post?), we have been learning Sign Language and this book has really helped. This year, I'm going to try something different. I may not be successful, but I'm going to try teaching English, Spanish, and Sign Language at the same time. I've created flash cards with the help of My First Spanish Phrases ($7.95), by Jill Kalz. The phrases highlighted in this book are awesome and I love being able to look one up when Tbomb asks me how to say something in Spanish. This book is actually going to stay in our daily basket.

Open the pages of this book and you’ll soon be speaking Spanish! Colorful illustrations and simple labels make learning Spanish fun. From the basics to cool phrases, this book will give you lots to talk about!

The Pledge of Allegiance

I am a huge history buff, especially of United States history. I especially love the time of the Revolution. All of the documents, songs, and more mean so much to me and I want my kids to learn the same love. I also have this love and intrigue of The Pledge Of Allegiance. How it has changed over time is very interesting. This year, the kids will actually be learning to say the Pledge, now that Tbomb is starting Kindergarten. I'm sure we will read The Pledge of Allegiance ($8.95), by Norman Pearl, most mornings until they get the hang of it.

Many kids say the Pledge of Allegiance every day in school. But what does it mean and where did it come from? Francis Bellamy wrote it more than 100 years ago. Join Bellamy in The Pledge of Allegiance for more of the story.


Big Book of Building: Duct Tape, Paper, Cardboard, and Recycled Projects to Blast Away Boredom

Along the same lines of wanting the kids to know about gardening, we also want them to learn about building. My husband is also a construction worker, so I like for them to understand what daddy does. The Big Book of Building ($14.95), by Marne Ventura , is a perfect addition to our library. I have already started making plans of going through the book with them and doing different projects throughout the year. Some of them will even be community service projects or the homeless shelter.

Grab some paper, cardboard, duct tape, and other materials and get ready to blast away boredom! Inventive young builders will love creating awesome projects such as treasure chests, tin can robots, space stations, swords and armor, and a whole lot more. With easy to follow step-by-step instructions, readers will be building their own fantastic projects in no time!

I am always stumbling across books that are perfect reference books, but I want to know what your favorites are.

How To Become More Generous In A Me-First World

Americans like to think of themselves as generous people.

And often, the numbers back that up, such as a recent report that revealed they gave a record $373.3 billion to charity in 2015.

But as impressive as that sum seems, most people still struggle with the stingier side of human nature, putting their own material wants first and considering charitable giving only as an afterthought, say John Cortines and Greg Baumer, co-authors of the book “God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School” (www.godandmoney.net).

“We don’t need to point fingers at ‘those greedy people over there on Wall Street’ or wherever,” Cortines says. “Greed lurks in all of us. The question is: What are we going to do about it?”

The good news, Cortines and Baumer say, is that while greed is a widespread human characteristic, so is generosity.  Reflecting on their lifelong journey, they took a hard look at biblical passages while at Harvard and became convinced that their own hearts were full of greed and needed to change.

“Take your pick of a worldview and it encourages sharing with others,” Baumer says. “Eastern faiths, Abrahamic faiths, atheism – it doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to this topic. Virtually all of humanity values generosity.”

But valuing generosity is one thing. Making it a significant part of your lifestyle is something else. Cortines and Baumer say mindsets about money can be broken down into three groups: spenders, who pursue the greatest amount of consumption right now without much thought of tomorrow; savers, who limit their consumption to accumulate wealth; and servants, who limit both consumption and wealth building so they can give the most money possible to help others.

“That last group, unfortunately, is the rarest,” Cortines says.

There are steps people can take to become more generous, Cortines and Baumer say. Those include:

• Make giving a priority. In any endeavor, how well you do depends on how much of a priority you make the goal. It’s tough to be generous if the amount you give is based on what’s left over after you’ve satisfied your own wants.  Cortines and Baumer give right off the top, before setting the rest of their monthly budgets.  (They give away 12-18 percent of their gross incomes, currently.)
• Talk about your finances.  In our culture we talk about almost everything, but are strangely silent about personal finances.  Sharing your financial life with a trusted friend can help you gain perspective, Cortines and Baumer claim.  They each fully divulge their finances to close friends, soliciting advice and encouragement.
• Set “financial finish lines.” While it’s important to take care of yourself and your family, Cortines and Baumer say it helps to come up with a cutoff point where there is no further need for more spending or more wealth accumulation. Both authors have publicly committed to live a middle class life, regardless of their earnings.  Getting more money should increase our standard of giving, not our standard of living, they say.

“You can always find ways to justify more spending and more accumulation of wealth,” Baumer says. “But at some point you should ask yourself, ‘How much is enough?’ ”

About John Cortines and Greg Baumer

John Cortines and Greg Baumer are co-authors of “God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School” (www.godandmoney.net). Baumer is VP of Business Development for naviHealth, a Nashville-based healthcare technology firm. Cortines is Executive VP of Emerging Leaders for Generous Giving, an organization that exists to share the biblical message of generosity.