EarthCam Shares Live Views of Giraffe Birth at Greenville Zoo in South Carolina

WHAT: The world got one baby cuter today with the birth of a sweet little giraffe at the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina. Mom, Autumn, and first time dad, Miles, welcomed the calf shortly before 12pm ET on January 31, 2018. People around the world had the unique opportunity to be a part of this incredible event with EarthCam’s live cameras located at the zoo. EarthCam is sharing a highlight reel of the live giraffe birth.

WHY: EarthCam and the Greenville Zoo have worked together since 2012 to share live views of the giraffe exhibit – both inside the barn and the outdoor paddock – with people around the world. EarthCam live broadcast the birth of Autumn’s first baby in October 2012, and since then, the cameras have remained a steadfast fan-favorite.

HOW: Say hello to the Greenville Zoo’s newest family member and relive the moment when this baby giraffe made its entrance into the world with EarthCam’s video footage. See how the happy family is doing and follow the calf’s journey with EarthCam’s live cameras at the Greenville Zoo.

Facebook Live and online credit requirements:

• EarthCam logo is not to be cropped out of the video, covered or altered in any way
• Facebook Live: “Courtesy of EarthCam” and tag @earthcaminc
• Online: “Courtesy of EarthCam” with a link back to www.earthcam.com

On-air credit requirements:

• EarthCam logo is not to be cropped out of the video, covered or altered in any way
• On screen credit is given “Courtesy of EarthCam”
• Verbal on air credit “Courtesy of EarthCam”

Connect with EarthCam!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/earthcaminc
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/earthcam
Instagram: @EarthCam
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/earthcam
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/earthcam-inc.

ABOUT EARTHCAM

EarthCam is the global leader in delivering webcam content, technology and services. Founded in 1996, EarthCam provides live streaming video and time-lapse construction cameras for corporate, tourism and government clients in major cities around the world. EarthCam's revolutionary gigapixel camera systems deliver superior billion pixel clarity for monitoring and archiving the world's most important projects and events. EarthCam's all-weather webcams, innovative software and mobile applications enable users to showcase unique views, increase exposure and generate positive public relations.

The Webby Award winning company hosts many highly trafficked tourism cams, with views of popular locations and landmarks such as Times Square, World Trade Center, Las Vegas Strip, Bourbon Street, Eiffel Tower, Andy Warhol’s grave site, Hollywood Boulevard, Miami Beach, Atlantis the Palm Dubai, Petra in Jordan and Abbey Road Crossing in London.

To experience more of EarthCam, visit www.earthcam.com or download the Webcams app on your mobile device at http://www.earthcam.com/mobile/.

5 Reasons Pre-School Years Are A Prime Time For Learning

Much of the discussion about education focuses on the K-12 years, but some early childhood education experts suggest serious learning can start even earlier and pay dividends for the child in years to come.

 “Young children have the capacity at a very young age to be academically challenged, and we need to educate them strongly during those years instead of waiting until they are older,” says Alise McGregor, founder of Little Newtons (www.littlenewtons.com), an early education center with locations in Minnesota and Illinois.

“Children’s minds are like sponges when they are very young. Under age 5 is the most important time for development and our best opportunity to set up children for success. If we strongly educate children at a very young age, while their brains are so pliable, by the time they reach kindergarten, their brain capacity is much higher.”

Recent research confirms that the first five years of life are particularly important for the development of the child's brain. Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child reports that in the first few years, more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second, building the brain’s architecture. 

This growth of the brain’s network establishes a fertile foundation for learning, thus an opportunity to be better prepared for grade school and beyond, experts say. One analysis of several studies, “Impacts of Early Childhood Education on Medium- and Long-term Education,” showed that children exposed to high-quality pre-kindergarten education performed better academically in later years. Early education also led to higher graduation rates, fewer special education placements and less grade retention.

McGregor suggests five reasons parents should consider ramping up their pre-K child’s education:

• Socialization. Socialization with people other than the child’s family in a safe environment is an essential foundational element. “It’s important to introduce our children to other children and support their transition into their own friendship groups, and the earlier we do this, it helps children overcome shyness and gain self-confidence,” McGregor says. 

• Personal experiences. These assist the brain’s organizational development and functioning in many situations, helping children develop learning skills as well as social and emotional abilities. “A good early-education center creates an environment where imagination, love, and innovation all come together for a daily adventure,” McGregor says. 

• Enthusiasm for Learning. Lessons can be given in a fun and exciting way that will encourage children to be effective learners. “Feeling inspired and excited to learn takes root in preschool,” McGregor says, “and can last a lifetime.”

• Learning respect for others. A fundamental building block for happiness, friendships, and success in life starts early by learning how to share, cooperate, take turns and be nice. “By carrying on conversations, following rules, listening, accepting consequences of actions, the child learns early how to start getting along in the world,” McGregor says. 

• Resilience. It’s important that early childhood educators and parents work together to develop resilience in children as early as possible. “By creating a consistent and stable environment with clear expectations and predictable consequences, children can develop skills in managing themselves and their emotions,” McGregor says. “They may experience bumps, bruises or losing a game, but this is the foundation for building coping strategies for greater challenges in life.”

“The first five years of life are the most critical,” McGregor says. “It is far easier to train a child than it is to fix a broken adult.”

 

About Alise McGregor

Alise McGregor is the founder of Little Newtons (www.littlenewtons.com), an exceptional child care center focusing on early childhood education with four locations in Minnesota and one in Illinois. She is the author of an upcoming book, Creating Brilliance. Also a nurse, she has a B.S. in Exercise Physiology with a cardiac rehabilitation emphasis.

The Most Amazing Meat Tenderizer: Brought To You By Cave Tools

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

While we generally do not marinate meat in the winter months, we do a good bit in the summer, getting our meat ready to throw on the fire. We love cooking in our backyard fire pit in the summertime and all hanging around it. We are always sure to prep our meat a day ahead of time so that we can enjoy the time with each other and have a delicious meal. (Another tip: keep your grilling stuff together in a tote/ bin for easy grabbing so that your time is not spent running around gathering it up.)

Cave Tools sent us a meat tenderizer and we gave it a whirl before its time to fire up the pit!

We fell in love with this tenderizer very quickly. I didn't think my Father In Law's lemon pepper chicken could get any better. I was wrong. With this tenderizer, the flavor was carried throughout the meat and every bite had an amazing lemon pepper flavor. 

Very easy to use, the tenderizer works better than any I have tried. Seriously, it is even better than injecting the meat! Even better, it is super duper to clean (a mom's dream come true).

Be sure to pick up your 48 Blade Meat Tenderizer on Amazon or the Cave Tools website. Even better- use code TENDER15 for 15% off your tool.

Parent Beware: Hacked Nanny Cams Can Give A Look Into Your Child's Room

If you have followed this blog for long, you know that I embrace technology in my life and with my children. What you may not know is that while I embrace it, I'm very careful about it, especially when it comes to my children. Here are some of the steps we take to protect our children with technology.

• We have actually covered the webcams on the laptops in the house, as well as the tablets. This may seem overboard, but we do not want the kids accidentally clicking "allow" for someone to see them through the camera.
• The kids' tablets are not allowed to be online unless I or their dad are updated or adding apps. 
• If they are online, they are in the family room, positioned where I can see the screen. 
• The phones have kid modes installed, for when they are playing games. 
• These precautions and more will remain effective until they are much, much older. 

These are precautions my husband and I have taken from the beginning. We thought we had our bases covered, but after this article was posted on my Facebook page, I'm reconsidering that we have taken enough precautions. 

Yes, you read that headline right. This story appeared on Simplemost.com and expresses a true nightmare for parents. I cannot imagine finding that a tool I was using to protect my children was actually exploiting them.

Luckily, the author of this post does give tips to keep this from happening to other families. Be sure to read it and take the suggested precautions. What can it hurt? 

See the article here: https://www.simplemost.com/mom-discovers-livestream-daughters-bedroom-online/?utm_campaign=snd_gray_wdbj&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=partner&utm_partner=gray_wdbj

Easy Early Learning Games for Valentine's Day

Disclaimer: I received these items for being part of the Carson-Dellosa brand ambassador program. All opinions are my own.

Capital/ Lowercase Matching Game For Valentine's Day

This was a pretty simple project, once I got it laid out. I used a file folder and lined it with white paper. I had to add another page in and tape it to make a flap. Well, that gave me a place to put the envelope to hold the lower case pieces. 

I then traced the pieces so that I had each letter, wrote the uppercase on the traced part and the lowercase on the shape itself. Super duper easy. 

The cutouts are Heart Mini CCOs from Carson-Dellosa. 

Valentine's Day Number Match

This project was even simpler, and we can't beat that! I just took the smiley hearts and wrote a number on one side and the same number of hearts on the other with a sharpie. Then, I cut them like puzzle pieces. Now, you have self-correcting number matching! 

I hope you enjoy these and would love to hear your ideas. 

Show Kindness to Animals With Help From Eventbrite

I got a really cool email last week and really want to share this information with you guys. Eventbrite is making it even easier to donate to a cause close to your heart, especially when it involves furry friends.

I, personally, do not support our local animal shelter. All I will say about this is that they claim to be a no-kill shelter, but I have found out otherwise. Enough about that- lets get to the good stuff!

If you have followed my blog for very long, you know that we love dogs (cats and lizards too) around our house. We have lost many over the years and even added to our clan. We are also huge supporters of the ASPCA and pit bull advocates. As a family, we have even stood up against mistreatment of animals, like the bear zoo in Cherokee, NC. 

February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness day. Eventbrite would like you to participate by helping out organizations looking to help animals. (You can even share or volunteer if you cannot donate). 

You can even participate in a marathon, like the Strut Your Mutt 5k. If you participate in an event like this, make sure your dog is up to date on shots, has a proper leash, muzzle, and even think about investing in boots, so the pavement does not burn your dog's feet. 

5 Simple Ways To Encourage Anyone

I love to be able to encourage those around me. However, sometimes I put so much thought into it that it causes me to stress and that is no good. When I stress about it, I tend to want to encourage less. There goes my plan. So, I have come up with some simple ways to do just that!

1. Post-it notes: I keep a stack of post-it notes in my purse just for this reason. I can write people a random note- even, something as simple as "You've got this" works.

2. High Five: It may seem childish and dorky, but who doesn't love a simple High Five?! When someone does a great job, they sure do put a smile on a face!

3. Leave random notes in restrooms and in stores that have simple phrases, like "You ARE Beautiful!" The right person will happen across it, and who knows what a difference it could make in their lives.

4. Sercy: I know, It sounds like a strange bow or something, but it is something really cool that I learned about from my mom. A sercy is a just because gift and it is also a southern tradition. This little gift could be something you see at the checkout, something at a dollar store, or something more specific and meaningful. I have always found a lot of these at those cute little monogram shops. It can be expensive or not- basically, it is something to let someone know you were thinking about them. This can be for a sister, friend, mom, co-worker, teacher, or anyone.

5. SMILE! Seriously, a smile can go a long way.

Have an Easy Popcorn Family Night

My family loves popcorn (I don't really, but the rest do). So, we have lots of popcorn fun. During the summer, we do brown paper bag popcorn and put powdered sugar and sprinkles for a nice afternoon snack outside. I love that I can control how much of everything is in it!

Doing these brown paper bags made me think of another idea. Have a family movie night and set up a popcorn bar for some added fun. Even if you are watching your butter, fat, sugar, or salt, you can still enjoy popcorn with the rest of the family. Even flavored popcorns can be healthy if you find the right kind, like SkinnyPop for example. If you mention popcorn to my kids, they get excited (they were even given huge popcorn tins from a family friend for Christmas).

Making brown paper bag popcorn is so easy that it is ridiculous. It is actually pretty healthy too (just watch what you use for toppings). 

1. Put 1/4 cup popcorn kernels in a lunch size brown paper bag. 
2. Fold the top of the bag down a couple of times. Make sure it is secure
3. Microwave until there are 3 seconds between pops- it usually takes us 2.5 minutes. 
4. Carefully Remove and enjoy!

You will probably want to split this up into multiple bags for everyone to enjoy their own way. For us, this makes plenty for both kids and some left over. you could also use cups, cones, treat bags, and popcorn boxes to serve this in. If you can find the large ones, ice cream cones would also make great containers.

There are so many things you can use as toppings- you probably have many sitting around the house. 

sprinkles

salt/ pepper

chili powder

cajun seasoning

parmesan

shredded cheese

cinnamon

powdered sugar

nuts

chocolate chips

m&m s

crushed cookies

crushed peppers

hot sauce

chocolate syrup

caramel

coconut

crushed peppermint

fruit

gummy bears

jellybeans

cereal

peanut butter chips

olives

dried fruit

basically- think of things on frozen yogurt bars and even on salad bars!

Seriously, the possibilities are endless!

Just set all the toppings out on the table, give everyone some popcorn, and go to town.

Doing a popcorn night is perfect for a family movie night, camping, fireworks, and even hanging out by the fire pit. There are many other times that this would make a great addition. I actually did one for the kids "dem bones" Halloween party last year. Some other ideas are:

1. Sleepover

2. Any Birthday party

3. Retirement Party

4. Wedding

5. Scout meetings

6. Sports team get-togethers (you could even do a simple form of this when it is your turn as team mom for snacks). 

7. Church fellowship meetings

8. Holiday Parties

9. Any kind of gathering that you want to provide food or snacks at on a limited budget. 

10. For Easter and other holidays, you could do this and ask people to bring appetizers instead of having a big meal. 

I hope I have inspired you to have some popcorn fun. We love our popcorn fun!

Book Review: Paisley Rabbit and the Treehouse Contest

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

Can a lone girl rabbit with the odds stacked against her surprise Jimmy and the other animals to win the big treehouse construction contest? When the school year starts out, Jimmy Squirrel, whose dad owns the biggest construction company in the city, challenges a close group of friends to a treehouse contest. To everyone's surprise, Paisley Rabbit, who has never touched a hammer or a nail and has no one to help her, joins the contest as a long shot to win. But as things heat up, Paisley shows she has some tricks up her sleeve. A delightful tale of defying the odds and believing in yourself that, alongside playful illustrations, kids will want to read over and over.

(Amazon)

I was sent this book to review. I was pretty excited to read it with my children because it has been compared to the Tortoise and the Hare, which is one of my favorite classics. I didn't realize that this would be even better!

There are no words for the beauty on the pages of this book. Steve Richardson could not have chosen a better illustrator than Chris Dunn. This amazing artist captures the whimsy, nature, and wonder in a way no other could.

These photos do not do justice to what is in the book!

My little Snapper loves to just look at the pages.

Not only is the art in this book absolutely gorgeous, but the story itself is one to treasure. Little Paisley seems to be the underdog, but takes on an amazing challenge. She keeps her treehouse plan a secret until the last minute. Can she wow everyone. I cannot give this away because it is too wonderful of a story. The details and finishing of her plan is something to make her friends, family, and town proud of her. She even remembers to send thank-you notes to everyone!

How to Create an Amazing Brand On a Micro Budget

You’ve heard about it, read articles on it, and may have even done some of your own research on the subject. Building your brand is essential to the success of any new business venture, but it isn’t an easy task. This is especially true for those on a limited budget.

Several entrepreneurs find themselves turning to loans as time constraints tighten, having to use their profits to pay the amount and interest back. Instead of falling into this trap, the successful business person looks at what can help them build an effective brand without crossing over their monetary threshold.

Impossible? Not at all. Follow this guide and you’ll be well on your way to an established business with a steady customer base in no time.

Keep it Simple

Your message should be straightforward and reliable. While you may be tempted to create something fancy for its aesthetic appeal, don’t. The most effective messages on the market are short, sweet and simple. (Think Nike or Apple)

Excess clutter causes your brand to fall into obscurity. While it might seem clever, potential customers are only going see fluff. They don’t want to guess what you offer, they want to know off the bat. Consider the one thing you want the public to know about your company, then make it your brand.

The Right Ideology

What will your business do? Does it solve a problem, add value to someone’s life, or simply make a customer feel good about themselves? Placing these elements into your message relays who you are to your website and social media viewers. Combining them all into one statement can be challenging, but crucial to your success.

It might help to think about what your business is not, making a list of things you can’t stand about your competitor’s products or services. What makes your business different? How do you achieve that difference?

Designers

This is an area that’s hard to skimp on, as price often equates to quality. However, you can save a pretty penny by avoiding agencies and opting for a freelancer instead. Sites like Upwork and Reddit feature thousands of individuals who market their artwork to individuals just like you, all without the overhead you’d normally pay to an agency.

Your Brand in Their Hands

Having your brand on something tangible is a simple, inexpensive, and slick marketing tactic that can quickly build a cult following. Sites like The Tee Hive offer full customization on a variety of products from hoodies to koozies, so don’t feel like a t-shirt is your only option. Keep things cheaper by avoiding lots of colors, and keeping your business’ design small yet legible.

Free Advertising

When sticking with a budget, you’ll need all the free exposure you can get. Thankfully, social media has made it easier than ever for startups to gain a little free marketing in the form of reviews. While people are more likely to rave about excellent service, they’ll also tell their friends about the exceptional products they’ve purchased from a new site.

Using the internet, you can easily host a free giveaway with a site like RaffleCopter. This boosts your brand recognition by placing products in your customer's hands just by having them share your site across multiple platforms. The offer of something free also creates a warm familiarity with your brand.

Ashley Lipman

Ashley is a super-connector with Outreachmama who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing, but she also focuses on latest beauty trends and beauty insider tips.

My 2018 Planner

In years past, I have had a very involved planner. I've spent several hours each Sunday perfecting my weeks' schedule and to-dos. I have finally figured out something very important. That does not work with 2 children, homeschooling, running a business, helping with the family business, and working from home. I have to be more flexible and I have to stop scheduling myself into a frenzy. I have finally figured out how to do that and still have a pretty planner! This year, all I am scheduling is appointments and due dates. The rest goes as a "to do," except for my blog posts, but I'm not stressing about those either!

Without further ado, here is my 2018 planner!

This is just part of my previous frenzy... see all that chaos? I love love love the happy planner, but had to step down to force myself to chill a bit!

I'm still using my gorgeous Happy Planner Deluxe Cover in gold though (remember, I dream in gold- I have to have it around me). Do you see my Caffeine Queen cup there? That was my Christmas gift from my brother and sister-in-law. She picked it out and she knows me so well!

I love this inside cover. It's some of my favorite things. My MIL gave me the cauldron sticker forever ago, My owl bookmark reminds me that I'm teaching little minds, my magnifier because I'm getting old. I've had that sign language card for 20 years. Of course, I have a family photo, a lucky penny, flower from my kids, and a Dove chocolate piece of wisdom. That "Don't Let Anyone Dull Your Sparkle" paper is my work. Plus, I love those Lipton tea bag tags- "Specially blended for Sunday Afternoons" and "Specially blended for porch swings." I love opening my planner to find my favorite things!

I cut this folder down from a full size one. It holds lists, paperwork, flyers, and mail I have to keep up with. We can at least make the boring pretty! 

These two pages hold my world!

This is my brain. I'm using the "Dad Pad," from Denise Albright Studios. It is exactly what I needed to keep my week straight without scheduling myself into stress! I just clipped it over my stickies and Harley Quinn stickers. On the opposite page are some Happy Planner pockets with daily/ weekly to-do lists- I simply use a dry erase or wet erase marker to check off.

On the left is a yearly calendar so I can quickly find dates and see if they will work. On the right side, I inserted a dry erase pocket that holds my blog post checklist. I can quickly find it and make sure I do everything I'm supposed to do. I put gold washi tape on the edge, so I can quickly turn to it.

My color coded very busy monthly calendar. This only has appointments and strict deadlines.

This mini legal pad holds is home for my running to do list. That awesome pen is a bright pink felt tip marker and a glue stick on the other side (Smash Stick). The pink pocket holds my paranormal paperwork. I can easily get to it when I need it, but it is out of the way when I do not. I can also take it out and put it in my investigation pack if I need to. Pretty Handy!

I hope you got some organization ideas for your planner and I would love to see yours. Have you posted it anywhere? Drop the link in the comments and I'll take a look!

10 Valentine's Day Ideas For Your Homeschool

Disclaimer: As an Oriental Trading Brand Ambassador, I receive products to complete projects. All opinions are my own.

I've noticed that more than other holidays, Valentine's Day and St. Patty's day tend to be celebrated by classrooms alone. It isn't always easy to think of ideas to make our homeschool children feel like they are not missing out on what classroom children get to participate. I do as much as I can to make sure my children do not miss out. This year, we are even going to have a field day playdate, but that is another post.

Here goes- 10 ideas to celebrate Valentine's Day with your homeschooled children:

1. Exchange Valentine's Day Cards: This is something we do every year- without fail. Each kid gets to pick out their own cards, sign them, and address them. We give them to family, friends, and community workers.

2. What is the symbol of  Valentine's Day? The heart- so why not do some science lessons and learn about the heart. Make it more fun and add in some pretend play with a vest and stethoscope and let your kids listen to each other's hearts, pets hearts, and adult's hearts- how are they the same and different?

3. Science Experiments To Love: There are so many ways to work holidays into school lessons. Since my kids love the microscopes we have around, I like finding new things for them to "discover." Use those microscopes to look at flower petals, candy, and even the fur on a teddy bear. (The Learning Resources Primary Science Viewscope makes a wonderful microscope to explore with)

4. Surprise the kids with an activity bag on the Friday before Valentine's day- might be a great end of school day surprise. Use a treat bag, and put an activity book, mini crayons/ colored pencils/ markers, and a cup to color. It will keep them busy over the weekend.

5. These owl treat bags, or something similar, make wonderful Valentine's "mailboxes." You could even let them make their own with stickers and brown paper bags. Set them somewhere in the common area and have family members put Valentine's in them. That morning, let them read them and see how important they are to everyone around them.

6. I love surprising the kids with little gifts leading up to a holiday and that morning. Melissa & Doug Water Wow books (Bible Stories), Western Gun Playsets, and pretty plush sleep masks make great surprises (Oriental Trading has an amazing selection of gifts, candy, and cards!)

7. Using Sketch A Doodles, leave messages for your kids each day. I color coded the kids' (don't I always?) and leave them in different places for the kids to find. You could also put them in the school area, on their door, or on the fridge. Anywhere you put them, kids love getting special notes.

8. For younger kids, a sensory bin filled with Valentine's themed items will be a fun treat. Most of these you can find around the house and fill the bin with rice!

9. Start a new tradition- make Valentine's day a craft day! There are so many adorable crafts that you can do - even from items you have around the house. Be sure to stock up on paper bags, glue, twist ties, chenille stems, foam stickers, pompoms, and glitter!

10. Remember to say I love you- that's the easy one!!!

TEA-riffic #Giveaway for National Hot Tea Month

In honor of the 3rd annual National Hot Tea Month, the Tea Council of the USA is launching their 2nd photo sweepstakes.

The Tea Council of the USA encourages tea-lovers across the nation to take this opportuniTEA to share the unique ways they like to enjoy their cuppa. Whether you prefer tea steeped in tradition, brewed to perfection or with the spice just right, the Tea Council wants you to express your #IndividualiTEA through the second annual photo sharing sweepstakes. Entering is easy as 1-2-tea! Share your photo or video on Twitter using the hashtag #IndividualiTEA and tag @TeaCouncil for a chance to win $500 and a year's supply of tea.

Visit the Tea Council of the USA or follow @TeaCouncil on Twitter to learn more about the many unique characteristics of tea.

IndividualiTEA Photo Sharing Sweepstakes Details

Entering is easy! Simply:

• Share a photo, video or explanation of the unique ways, times, and places you like to cook with or sip your favorite tea (it can be as unique as you'd like!) on http://bit.ly/individualiTEA and on Twitter with the hashtag #IndividualiTEA and tag @TeaCouncil. Y
• You'll be prompted to finalize your entry for a chance to win at http://bit.ly/individualiTEA 
• The sweepstakes runs through January 31, 2018. A copy of the official rules can be found here. Enter as many times as you'd like and don't forget to tag and tell your friends! We're excited to hear your tea stories!

Win a gift basket from the Tea Council of USA

The Tea Council of the USA wants to send you a gift basket to enjoy during these crazy cold months. It is filled with tea goodness, accessories, and treats! To enter, comment below and tell me how you like to enjoy hot tea.

A winner will be chosen January 31, 2018. Good luck!

10 Reasons To Use A Planner

I will say that without my planner, I am good for nothing! I cannot remember anything- I mean anything. I am a total and utter failure without my planner. Over the years, I have found what works and adjusted tremendously. The main thing I have learned is that in my life a planner is a must!

Not sure if a planner is a must for you? Here are 10 reasons it may be. 

1. Even if you only use a monthly version, you will always know what is ahead. 

2. If you write everything down, it is hard to forget to do something.

3. Feel more put together by being able to know when anything is by opening it. 

4.  There are planners in every size and budget- no need to be intimidated. You can even use a digital version on your phone/ tablet/ computer and sync them!

5. Why not use a planner, or at least try?

6. If you make a grocery list, stick it in your planner, and take your planner everywhere, you will never forget your grocery list!

7. Have everything at your fingertips.

8. You can personalize it.

9. Keep track of goals.

10. Cool Girls Use Planners ;)

Bear On The Chair: Special Needs Toolbox

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

Having 2 special needs children in one home sets up a need for a completely different strategy for everything from cleaning, organizing, to discipline. It takes a while to find what works, but once it is found, you would be amazed at how the family and children will benefit.

It didn't take long into the Christmas Season for me to realize that our elf (Christopher Popinkins) really made a difference in the kids' behavior. They didn't argue as much and they were determined to make the elf happy, especially after he sat on their tablets, so they couldn't play them. - The elf is a genius!

I came across Bear On The Chair and reached out, hoping to find a solution to my problem of finding a way to get the kids to do what they need to without constant discipline. They were happy to join my special needs toolbox and sent me a bear.

Look who showed up at #GeorgeTown yesterday... #BearOnTheChair is now named cutie and lives on the #beardeddragonaquarium

A post shared by Cari | Chief This Handler💭 (@cari_on) on Dec 14, 2017 at 7:33am PST

The kids named him Cutie and he has found the perfect place for his chair. He is now sitting on the top of the lizard aquarium. (They have 2 bearded dragons named Allie and Carnage). He keeps an eye on the kids when mom isn't in there, but we know that moms always know what is happening.

What I have found that the bear really stays on top of is them keeping their room clean. He has even turned that smile upside down because they didn't clean up their books in the morning. When they didn't put toys away, he changed to the frown. The kids do not like seeing the frown, so they try much harder to keep their room clean. It would also help with eating problems, school problems, and manners.

I was also able to give one bear to Snapper's therapist and she was really excited to try it out with the kids she works with!

The Bear On The Chair comes with an adorable bear, a chair, velcro happy/ sad faces, and a story that introduces the bear to your child. They even get to pick the name, hug it, and put it in a special place. There is an adoption certificate on the website that you can fill out. I love that the bear works by reinforcing positive behavior. It points out negative behavior without bringing attention to it so that the good is noticed more than the bad- always a good psychological move!

 Bear On The Chair has been used by teachers, therapists, children's hospitals, pediatricians, parents, counselors, dentists, psychologists, daycares, and babysitters. It is a great year-round motivator (similar to the elf) and has been shown to help by teaching empathy, encouraging creativity, improving communication, assisting with ASD, and it gives instant visual awareness of actions.

Some other ways that the Bear On The Chair creator encourages the bear to be used are:

• Fun approach to positive reinforcement
• Helping with potty training
• helps children express themselves
• Benefits teachers to motivate good classroom behavior and work toward classroom goals
• Pediatric surgical recovery rooms can have children use the bear to convey how they are feeling after surgery. 

The Bear On The Chair is such a wonderful tool for children and families. It would be worth it to try it in your home, classroom, or office. Visit their website bearontheChair.com 

Perfect Smoker For Your Grill From #CaveTools

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

My family grills out a lot. Sometimes we use a regular grill, but more often we use our fire pit. Our fire pit was built by my husband and FIL, so that we could cook as much as we want and use the resources found on our land. We try to teach the kids to use the resources available to them, rather than from the outside world. I bought a smoker for it a while back, but it quickly warped and we didn't use it again.

Waiting on the fire with daddy and papa. #southernliving

A post shared by Cari | Chief This Handler💭 (@cari_on) on May 20, 2017 at 4:26pm PDT

As you can tell, our fire pit is the center of family activities in the warmer months. However, we do use it in the cooler months, I just hide in the house. We love finding ways of cooking even more on the fire pit, so trying out this smoker was a win/win for us!

We are huge fans of Cave Tools, so we were very excited to try out this smoker box, especially with all the amazing features. Some of these are thicker stainless steel to prevent warping, hinged lid for easy access, large wood chip capacity, and a free recipe book. We very quickly fell in love with this smoker box- on the first run!

My husband and FIL smoked a wild turkey over an open fire today and it is amazing

A post shared by Cari | Chief This Handler💭 (@cari_on) on Nov 24, 2017 at 3:22pm PST

They smoked a wild turkey from our property that was shot in the spring for a special Thanksgiving treat. They used apple wood chips in the smoker box and the flavor was absolutely amazing. The whole family will always remember this turkey and how wonderful the smoker box made it!

Guess What?! You can get this smoker box for 15% off on Amazon! Just use code SMOKEBOX15