I just love how vivid these colors are! They’re nice and bright and show up well on surfaces.
They’re easy to wipe off, have no smell, and are super easy to use. It’s so easy to create my own great-looking window or chalkboard designs with these markers!
Go here to order your own package.
I received these markers free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.
Ah, handwriting. Some kids love it, and some kids just don’t. Actually, some adults are great at it, and some just aren’t. Of all the subjects, I find this one to be one of the most difficult to teach, for a variety of reasons.
Creativity does not translate into neatness
My kids love to draw, paint, scribble, cut, fold, tear, etc. Creativity has never run low in my family. There’s always markers, glitter, crayons, paper, glue, and just about any other mostly child-safe art supply available to my kids. And the only reason we might not have something is because they used it all up. We actually ran out of markers last month!
But, lots and lots of creativity means nothing when it comes to handwriting. I naively assumed that because my children like to draw and color and can stay in the lines (when they want to) that teaching handwriting would be a breeze.
I think the opposite is true. They find the structure of handwriting confining and feel the need to embellish and decorate everything on their page. Even on their math pages. 9’s turn into people, and 1’s must be decorated to the nth degree.
Uneven
I just assumed that by 2nd grade keeping letter all the same size would come naturally. Apparently, that’s a learned skill. I remember struggling with this when I was a kid, well into 4th grade. For some kids, it doesn’t matter how many lines you give them, it’s just so hard to keep those letters even.
Grip
I have worked and worked with my kids on how to hold a pencil but it seems to do nothing for their handwriting. I mentioned this to my art teacher when my oldest was in 1st grade and she wasn’t at all surprised that I was still having trouble teaching this. She said that in her experience, kids are usually between 7 and 10 before they’re actually physically coordinated enough to hold a pencil correctly and write with perfect, even penmanship.
I’m so glad my teacher told me this. I was getting frustrated with my 1st grader and she was getting frustrated with me. So, I backed off. I still make her practice handwriting, but I make it easier and less time-consuming. We started cursive in 2nd grade and I used a K4 Cursive writing book for her. Long pages of writing means that I get really poor penmanship. Short pages means that she actually tries. And I’d much rather see 5 correctly formed words than 30 illegible words. She has a long way to go on her cursive, but we got a great start this year, and she’s still wanting to improve.
What’s actually interesting to me is the less I push my oldest, the better her penmanship gets. She’s entering that age where she wants to write her own notes and stories, and her penmanship just improves as she goes.
I haven’t given up on penmanship, I’m just allowing my children to learn at their own pace. Next year I have a Kindergartner and a 3rd grader and I’ve already looked at curriculum and picked out their handwriting. They’re both going to learn manuscript and cursive together. The younger child needs to learn, and the older child needs to improve. And hopefully, with some sibling competition, they will both improve faster than if either was working alone.
Plus, let’s be honest here. While I have great handwriting (manuscript, cursive, and calligraphy), I despise writing out pages of random words or sayings. So, why would I expect my children to like this?
Really, it’s just good to know that if I want my kids to have great handwriting, I need to plan to be teaching this all the way through middle school. Because perfection takes practice. Lots of practice.
This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
I don’t know about you, but with kids, I’m always looking for ways to save money. Whether it be on kid’s clothing, groceries, toys, or household supplies. Anywhere I can save money is a win.
I’m constantly using coupons in the grocery store and for my online purchases. And Groupon Coupons has such a huge listing of coupons, I can almost always find a coupon that will save me some money off of what I’m purchasing. Yay for spending less!
With over 60,000 coupons for over 9,000 retailers both online and in-store, Groupon Coupons is free to use and can save you money! Groupon Coupons posts coupons and deals on their Groupon Coupons site to many of my favorite retailers such as:
Groupon Coupons lists promo codes as well as info on online and in-store sales. What a great way to save some additional money when shopping!
For example, Nordstrom has some awesome sales going on right now. Like 50% off selected men’s, women’s, and kid’s clothing. And Kohl’s has a code for 20% off online or in-store. And Coldwater Creek has 20% off your next order when you sign up for e-mails. With Groupon Coupons saving money has never been so easy.
If you want to keep up with Groupon’s latest offerings you can follow them on facebook and twitter for updates about the latest sales and deals.
Thanks to derma e, I received all of these product for free for purposes of my review.
If you’re living with eczema or psoriasis, you know how painful, frustrating, and even embarrassing it can be. Recurring patches of dry, red, itchy, flaky, irritated skin can make you want to hide.
You may have turned to prescription treatments or over-the-counter products only to be dissatisfied with the results, or the fact that they contain ingredients like steroids, coal tars or pine tars. The good news is that derma e has formulated something incredibly effective, and so safe that the entire family could use it.
derma e Psorzema® Crème is made with a safe and effective blend of herbal extracts and skin vitamins such as Neem, Burdock, Bearberry, Vitamins A and E to help soften and soothe dry, irritated, scaling skin. It’s natural blend of ingredients help reduce redness and encourage healthy looking skin without the use of steroids, coal tar or pine tar.
Family owned and operated for over 30 years, derma e has pioneered the development of vitamin-rich, high-performance antioxidant skincare solutions. The award-winning line features doctor-developed, consumer-tested and clinically-tested face care, body care and treatment products that are free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil and petrolatum. Every formula is cruelty-free, gluten-free and 100 percent vegan. Manufacturing and operations are offset 100 percent by wind power. derma e can be found in over 16,500 retail outlets across the U.S. such as Whole Foods Markets, ULTA Beauty, CVS and more!
My kids have sensitive skin. My oldest is sensitive to scents and dyes so we were already using the free and clear laundry products by the time my little guy came along. He’s sensitive too, but since I’ve already cut most scents and dyes out of the kids skincare sensitivity wasn’t my problem with him.
Dry skin was a problem. Not all over, but little patches of dry skin around his knees, elbows, and legs. And dandruff in his hair. At his 1yr checkup my dr suggested that I use cortizone on him for a week to clear up his dry skin. It did a great job of clearing up his skin problem, but I truly hate using something with a steroid in it every month or so on my child’s skin. It just can’t be good for him. I’m supposed to use an anti dandruff shampoo on him as well but I can’t stand the smell of it and it really stings his eyes if the soap gets in his eyes when I’m rinsing his hair – and, there’s no 100% effective method for keeping all soap out of a wiggly toddler’s face when you’re washing his hair. So, I’m constantly on the lookout for safer products for my child.
I was super excited to try out this new Psorzema Creme. Something to help my child’s skin that doesn’t have steroids in it. Plus it’s natural, gentle, dye and scent free, and affordable. At $20 for a 4oz container on their website, it’s worth it to keep my child’s skin moisturized without steroids.
I got to try out the Scalp Relief Shampoo and Conditioner, the Body Wash, and the Psorzema Creme. I’m so pleased with all of these products! The Scalp Relief shampoo and conditioner really did help my child’s dandruff – and without the nasty smell of the anti-dandruff shampoos. The body wash was gentle and non-irritating to his skin. And best of all, the Psorzema Creme is just wonderful. It hydrated and softened his skin and all those little dry spots, that appear every time the seasons change, were gone after just a couple days of using the Creme. I couldn’t be happier.
I was already starting my annual spring hunt for a product that will keep his skin moisturized all summer. Because, once summer arrives and we’re swimming or in the sprinkler most days, it’s next to impossible to catch up if his skin gets too dry. I’ve found what I was looking for! The Psorzema Creme is so perfect for his skin, and it moisturizes so quickly and effectively, I’m going to be able to easily keep his skin moisturized all summer long. And I’ll definitely be purchasing more of this once my free product runs out.
If you suffer with Eczema or Psoriasis, or just have dry or irritate skin, this is an awesome product that is really working well for my family.
Free sample!
As a special bonus for my readers. derma e is giving away samples of their Psorzema Creme to the first 10 readers who request a sample. You can go to their form here and request your free sample. And after you’ve tried it, I’d love to here in the comments what you think!
I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.
MAKE Beauty has some awesome new lipstick and eyeshadows, and I got to try sample sizes of their new Silk Cream Lipstick, Taffy and their Matte Finish Eyeshadow, Alabaster.
Silk Cream Lipstick, Taffy
Vivid, saturated color that does double duty as a protective moisturizing treatment with antioxidant vitamins, rosehip, soybean and safflower oils. Aloe and chamomile extracts further condition lips. Feather-resistant and intensely pigmented in true-wear shades.
This lipstick actually did not dry my lips out like most lipsticks do. And I just love the neutral Taffy color for spring. I can still wear makeup and look natural at the same time.
Matte Finish Eyeshadow, Alabaster
Turn heads with this stunning, intensely pigmented shadow in an array of blendable shades. The velvety matte powder goes on smoothly with a crease-resistant, oil-free formula that looks fresh for hours after you’ve applied it. Vitamins C and E help to provide antioxidant protection for the delicate eye area. Apply dry or wet for a more intense finish.
The sample I was sent was also a very neutral shade. It smoothed my eyelid, and it blends so well with my skin that you can’t even tell that I’m wearing eye shadow. My skin just looks really clear and smooth. And when I’m going for an all natural look this is perfect.
To check out MAKE beauty’s other amazing products go to their website, www.makebeauty.com. And use coupon code MAKEYOURSELF for 20% off your entire order. Coupon expires May 31, 2016.
I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.
52 Uncommon Dates: A Couple’s Adventure Guide for Praying, Playing, and Staying Together by Randy Southern with an introduction by Gary Chapman.
This book has some creative, fun, and imaginative date ideas. 52 ideas, to be exact.
Each date has a description, suggestions for how to accomplish the date, talking points, and suggestions for prayer and scripture reading.
I like that all of these date suggestions are different. Some are very involved and would require you to go somewhere and even plan a night away. Which is super hard for us to do these days with the kids. So I’ll save them for later.
Other dates are fun things that we could do in the evening after the kids are in bed. Plan a special snack, have our date activity, and spend some intentional time bonding as a couple doing something together that we both enjoy doing. The talking points with each date are great for going deeper into our relationship than just the activity that we’re participating in.
With work and kids we honestly don’t spend a ton of intentional time together. And we’ve used this book to schedule a couple of fun dates while the kids sleep – because, if it’s not on our calendar, it doesn’t happen.
And this book gives us something fun to do on our date, instead of just eating dinner and looking at each other with that “what now?” expression and then settling for Netflix.
If your looking for some fun new date ideas. You’ll find some fun ideas in this book!
I received this book free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own. This post does contain affiliate links.
Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum – A potent and luxurious lactic acid serum that supports natural circulation for an all over youthful and refreshed complexion.
This Revitalizing Serum Will:
– Renew texture & tone
– Deeply moisturize
– Minimize fine lines
– Increase elasticity
– Brighten & Plumbs Fine Lines
– Evens Hyperpigmentation
All Valentia products are made with Natural & Organic Ingredients. They are specially selected to work together to achieve optimum results.
KEY INGREDIENTS:
– Wakame Bioferment (Seaweed): Increases skin oxygen consumption to detoxify and boost antioxidant defense.
– Gotu Kola: Lessens the appearance of scars and increases skin firmness.
– Lactic Acid: A natural Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) that increases skin cell turnover, for healthier renewed skin.
– Licorice: Lightens unwanted pigmentation and corrects skin discoloration.
– Argan Oil: Naturally rich in Vitamin E, this oil reduced water loss and protects skin’s resiliency and elasticity.
I followed the directions and applied this product in the evening.
Super easy. This serum does a great job of toning and moisturizing my face. And applying it right before my moisturizer helps my skin absorb more moisture.
Some nighttime products leave my skin feeling greasy in the morning, but this Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum was not a problem. In fact, my skin feels more moisturized and less greasy when I use this with my favorite nighttime moisturizer than it does if I use just the moisturizer without this serum.
The bottle has a pump that is easy to use and I love how the bottle is just the right size for storing in my bathroom cabinet.
I also love that this product is cruelty free, made in the USA, and includes organic and natural ingredients. Makes me feel like I’m doing something good for my skin.
Check out more Valentia products on their website, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook for updates and tips.
I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.
I don’t know about you, but Monday is the hardest day of my week. Really, it starts on Sunday. We go to Church early, meet up with extended family for lunch, and meander home sometime around dinnertime. After the kids are in bed I prep and pack backpacks and lunches for our homeschool co-op on Monday.
I love our co-op, but boy is it hard to get up at 7 am Monday morning. My kids find it difficult as well. This past Monday, my middle child – the child who is impossible to wake up – would not wake up. I had lights on, in and out of the room, etc. for 30 minutes and still nothing. I ended up packing her clothes and carrying her to the car in her pjs and then dressing her once we arrived at our destination.
This kid is seriously hard to wake up. She once fell asleep in the car, I carried her into piano lessons, she slept through the lesson, I put her back in the car, stopped at a friend’s house to pick something up, came home, carried her inside to the couch, and she stayed asleep for another hour! And, yes, she always transferred well from the carseat to her crib when she was an infant.
On Monday, we finish up our school around 3 and head home. Once we get him I have work to do. I’m office manager for my husband’s company – check out his awesome website! -, and Monday is the day for invoices, paying bills, hours tracking, and any other fun number related bookkeeping items I can come up with. I take a break to make dinner and hang out with the kids until their bedtime and I usually finish up my work by 10pm.
It’s quite the Monday!
Luckily, the end is in sight. I have 3 more co-ops and then we’re done for the year and I’ve already switched to a new group for next year that meets on Fridays. Which will work out way better. Friday is usually our “do something fun” day and since my kids are convinced that co-op isn’t school (because how could science experiments, public speaking practice, art, history, geography, math, and latin with friends be school?), Friday can be a very productive “fun day” for us every week.
And my Mondays can be a slower start to my week. Since I’m just not a Monday person.
Anyone else struggle with Mondays? What do you do to make your Mondays a little easier?
I received a free 1oz bottle of Madonna & Co. new Miracle Hair Gel for curly hair to review on my blog.
Me and my 5yr old have wavy hair that is very frizz prone. Especially in the spring and summer when it’s humid out. The frizz just gets out of control. I’m always looking for something that helps control frizz without weighing my hair down.
Most hair gels are just downright sticky, and while helping with the frizz, they leave my hair stiff and hard to work with.
I tried this gel out on both me and my 5yr old, and it’s awesome. It did a great job of controlling frizz, enhancing my natural wave, and wasn’t sticky. My hair was still soft and light after it dried.
After washing your hair, just use a small amount, work it up from the ends, scrunch, and let dry. I love the way my hair looks after using the Miracle Hair Gel.
You can purchase this on their website Madonna & CO. It’s only $8 for a 2oz bottle.
And, if you live in New York. They have a Beauty Bar that you can purchase products from, get makeup, hair, and fashion tips, or just go and be pampered.
At Madonna & Co (M&C) you’ll discover exclusive designs, designer capsule collections, and exciting mixes of fabrics. Everything is easy to wear, yet sophisticated, feminine, but inspired by the art of edgy fashion details. I don’t live in NY, but I was browsing fashions on their website, and they’re so feminine and comfortable looking!
For the ultimate beauty experience, don’t forget to stop by their Beauty Bar. They believe that gorgeous hair and flawless makeup is essential to complete any look. For this reason, they strive to provide a plethora of beauty services that will help you look your best no matter the occasion.
They offer a variety of hair treatments and will work with all types & textures, with a specialty in Curly Hair!
They also provide makeup lessons and trials, off-site makeup & hair services, and can help you plan the perfect party or host all kinds of events in their luxurious boutique, including bridal/baby showers, fashion product launches, etc.
Madonna & Co thinks you are uniquely you and it’s all about attitude.
And you can’t afford not to look fabulous!
So come check out their unparalleled apparel collections, an assortment of fashion & real gem jewels & expressive accessories and treat yourself to a cut & style or a makeover all at the same place.
If you live in NY, you can Find them at:
202 East 60th Street
Midtown East off 3rd avenue
NYC, NY 10022
Hours: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm Monday – Saturday
12:00 pm – 7:00 pm Sunday
(212) 226-3363 or toll free: (888) 254-3447
If, like me, you don’t live close enough to stop in, drop by the Madonna & Co website and enjoy browsing their terrific fashions, makeup, and beauty products.
I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Influenster and L’Oreal for the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil set. I received their new shampoo, conditioner, and hair oil.
This stuff is amazing!
First of all, it smells so good! It has a rich scent that isn’t fruity or sweet. This is the perfect haircare scent for me. It smells great while I’m taking my shower and doesn’t last past that. Scent is quite important to me in a hair product. A great scent is just more relaxing and makes me feel like I’ve done a better job of caring for my hair.
The L’Oréal Paris Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil products have done a great job of cleaning, conditioning, and adding shine to my hair without weighing it down.
My only complaint with this product is that the shampoo does not lather as well as I would like. It takes a lot of scrubbing to get a good lather, so I end up having to shampoo twice just to feel like I got it all.
The shampoo and conditioner both rinse out well. I haven’t noticed any residue from either of these.
I apply the oil on my damp hair after towel drying it. It makes my hair so soft and shiny and does not make my hair greasy or weighed down.
The oil is also awesome for my kid’s hair. One day my 7yr old accidentally used body wash instead of shampoo in the shower. She has really long hair and it was impossible to brush out. So, before I sent her back to the shower to re-shampoo and use LOTS of conditioner, I tried out the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil. And it was awesome! It added enough moisture and softening that her hair brushed right out, and stayed soft until her next shower.
L’Oreal has made a great hair product line and it’s working great with my hair! Thanks to L’Oreal I truly have more #ExtraordinaryHair days!
I received this product for free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.
