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How to Make a Year-End Homeschool Assessment

May 19, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

The school year is coming to a close! (If you use a traditional year, that is.) Get ready for the next year by learning how to make a year-end homeschool assessment! Read below to see how you can make one of your own with the help of an article at The Homeschool Post.

Today is Tuesday, so it’s time for another edition of the Laugh and Learn Linky! Haley, Tina, Lindsey, Sarah, and I have chosen our favorites from last week to feature. Be sure to link up your own posts for a chance to be featured next week!

How to Make a Year-End Homeschool Assessment

Making a year-end homeschool assessment can really help you to look back at last year and plan ahead. It’s always good to look back and see what worked and what definitely, definitely didn’t, right? 🙂

I recently got a chance to share a post over at The Homeschool Post about just how to make a year-end homeschool assessment. Check it out and get a jump on your summer planning!

How to Make a Year-End Homeschool Assessment – The Homeschool Post

Linky time! 🙂

Welcome to our 33rd week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup!

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning. We will pick our five favorite posts and feature them on the following weeks linkup. Be sure to link your best content and maybe we will pick you! When you link your post with us it will be featured on five blogs.

We pin our favorites to a special Pinterest board for #laughlearnlinkup – homeschool and parenting posts. Check the board out here: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina

Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures and more at Los Gringos Locos.

Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin
Tsu

Selena

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!

Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram

Sarah

Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.

Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram

Haley

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help moms learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids and funny things that happen. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.

Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Pinterest
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Lindsey

Lindsey is a joyful mother, happy homeschooler, scatterbrained housewife, and passionate blogger. She writes about the joys and challenges of home educating, conscientious parenting, and “loving the simple life”. Get inspired with Lindsey at Simply LindseyLoo.

Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest

Our Favorite Posts for the Week of May 18th:

Written by Jennifer at Year Round Homeschooling

Find this post at My Bored Toddler

Written by Holly at Keeping Life Sane

Homemade Nature Suncatcher Windchimes by Jamie at Hands On As We Grow

Written by Leanne at The Transplanted Southerner

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the posts above by clicking on the image.

[bctt tweet=”Come join the #laughlearnlinkup and share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post!”]

Now, let’s see your best posts for this week so we can share them as next week’s favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up

10 Simple Recipes with Bread Crumbs

May 15, 2015 by Selena Robinson 36 Comments

Do you have bread crumbs in your pantry and you have no idea what to do with them? I’ve been guilty of keeping bread crumbs in my freezer FOR MONTHS without ever using them. (I know, I know.)

I got the chance to try out Progresso Bread Crumbs at Publix this week and I’ve found that there are lots of ways to use bread crumbs in my cooking. Today I’m sharing 10 simple recipes with bread crumbs, including a super healthy lunch that is great for busy moms!

I’m also hosting a $15 Paypal giveaway so that you can try out Progresso Bread Crumbs for yourself! Plus, grab a coupon to save now through June 30, 2015!

Super Easy Healthy Breaded Fish Recipe

Bread crumbs don’t have to be boring! Recently I got to try two of Progresso’s bread crumb varieties:

Progresso Italian Style Bread Crumbs— The savory herb flavor, lightly toasted taste and finely ground texture are perfect for your favorite family recipes.

Progresso Panko Bread Crumbs— Panko is a Japanese style bread crumb with larger flaky crumbs that create a light and crunchy coating that is perfect for breading fish, poultry, pork, seafood and vegetables. It can be used to add a delicious crispy topping on baked dishes such as macaroni, casseroles, and even works well on many desserts.

For my breaded fish, I used the Italian Style bread crumbs. I love that they’re already seasoned, so I can skip the extra salt!

Ingredients:

1 flounder fillet

1/4 cup Progresso Italian Style Bread Crumbs

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

I poured about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into a pie plate. Then I poured about 1/2 cup of almond milk into a cake pan. You use what you have, right? 🙂

Then I dipped my flounder fillet into the almond milk, making sure to coat both sides.

Next, I added the breading by dredging the fish in the bread crumbs on both sides.

I added enough oil to a skillet to coat the bottom and heated it until the pan was good and hot.

Then I just added the fish and cooked it for about 5 minutes on each side. Done!

To fill out my meal, I paired the fish with spinach and tomato tossed with balsamic vinegar and some cantaloupe chunks.

Just look at that breading. Oh my.

10 Simple Recipes with Bread Crumbs

Need some bread crumb recipe ideas? Try these 10 suggestions!

Make meatloaf. Bread crumbs are a great stabilizer for holding your meatloaf together. Mix a pound of ground beef with egg and bread crumbs and bake.
Make meatballs. Use bread crumbs to shape meatballs and then cook with them with spaghetti! A kids’ favorite!
Make fish sticks. Dredge the fish in milk and the bread crumbs and bake them to skip the extra fat of frying. Progresso Panko Bread Crumbs are great for this, because the crumbs are fine and they brown quickly.
Make chicken tenders. Dip chicken tenders in milk, egg, then bread crumbs to make them extra crunchy!
Make pasta sauce. Toasted bread crumbs and butter make a fabulous, simple pasta sauce. (Using preseasoned bread crumbs such as Progresso’s Italian Style Bread Crumbs saves time on this one.)
Make zucchini fries. Dip zucchini strips in milk, egg, then bread crumbs, and bake them.
Make cheese sticks. You can roll mozzarella cheese sticks in egg, then bread crumbs, and fry them for an indulgent treat.
Make “fried” shrimp. Shrimp tastes great breaded. Use bread crumbs instead of cornmeal and bake your shrimp instead of actually frying them.
Make vegetable casserole. Saute some fresh vegetables, such as yellow squash, onion, and broccoli. Mix them with heavy cream and cheddar cheese, then top with bread crumbs and bake for about 30 minutes. Delicious!
Make crabcakes. Use jumbo lump crab meat, egg, and bread crumbs to shape crabcakes. Bake them for about 10 minutes.

And now it’s time for the goodies! 🙂

Grab your coupon to save on Progresso Bread Crumbs! You can save $1.00 off any TWO Progresso Bread Crumbs varieties!

Download your coupon HERE.

Plus, you can enter below for your chance to win $15 in Paypal Cash! That way, you can experience Progresso Bread Crumbs for yourself! Just use the Giveaway Tools widget to enter.

Disclosure: The information, products, and Publix gift cards were provided by General Mills through Linqia.

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Homeschool Inspiration Ideas with Family Fun Friday!

May 14, 2015 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Pooh is taking his math standardized test in school this week. Since math is not his strong subject, he’s been a bit nervous. Still, we’ve managed to help him get through the process of testing (as we did with Tigger a couple of grades back).

Standardized testing can be a real challenge to kids, whether they’re in public school or homeschool. So I wanted to share a post I got to write over at The Multi Taskin’ Mom that’s all about how to help kids deal with this process.

Today is also another edition of Family Fun Friday! Scroll on down to read some great homeschool inspiration ideas!

Here in our state, they’re using a new standardized test this year and the teachers spent a LOT of time preparing the kids to take it. However, since Pooh is in first grade, he hasn’t had a lot of practice with testing. When we homeschooled, I didn’t administer a standardized test until third grade. (I plan on resuming that policy once we return to homeschooling this fall.)

I have learned, though, that it’s important to help kids get comfortable with the testing process, especially if they have to test earlier. Stop by The Multi Taskin’ Mom to learn more about how to help kids manage standardized testing!

Helping Kids with Standardized Testing – The Multi Taskin’ Mom

And now…it’s time for Family Fun Friday! 🙂

Last week, there were some great posts shared with homeschool inspiration ideas! Naturally, I’m in full school-year-planning mode, so I’m on the hunt for all kinds of fun ideas to do next year with the kids. Read on to see my favorites from last week!


Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.

Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.


Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Britta was a military kid and is a military wife, now living in the high desert of Arizona and far, far from her New Orleans family. She happily homeschools and writes about the intersection of God’s Word and her world at Britta Lafont ~ Everyday Holiness. This year Britta wants to find that sweet spot between getting more done and enjoying the process. Britta will feature Delicious Recipes. Follow: Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram.

Christin blogs at illuminate. As wife to her high school sweetheart and mother to three premature children, she’s learned that God is the Perfect Party Planner and sometimes the unexpected is the greatest gift of all. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Christen will feature Inspirational Posts.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. Misty over at Year Round Homeschooling shares how she plans to adjust her homeschooling method next year: by trying child-led learning! As a recovering Type-A personality, I’m excited to see how changing her homeschooling approach works out!

2. While it’s great to ease up on planning and curriculum, Becky at The End in Mind shares a reminder to make sure that we’re still educating our kids, no matter what homeschooling method we use. If you’re considering a new approach, read her cautionary tale about avoiding homeschooling extremes!

3. Reading is a wonderful way to help your kids keep their language skills sharp, especially over the summer. Cait over at My Three Poppies has an excellent idea to keep reading fun: Start a family book club! Stop by and read her fabulous tips for family book club night!

4. I love language arts, but it can be a boring subject to teach. Fortunately, Melanie from Psycho With 6 has compiled a tremendous list of Free Grammar Games! Just what I need to make English fun for my kids!

5. Do you have kids that love to make crafts? Debbie at One Little Project shares an adorable DIY Wind Car that kids can make and move themselves! What a great way to teach STEM for little learners!

6. Getting outside with toddlers is a great way to introduce them to nature study at a young age. Yuliya from Mommyhood in Holland offers some excellent tips for taking toddlers on a nature walk!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Stop by to see what my co-hosts are spotlighting this week!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

Link your post.
Link back to the link party.
Follow your host(s).
Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
Mingle! Bloggers love comments.
Grab a button.
If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.

Family Fun Friday is a growing link-up with over 200 bloggers sharing their posts each week. Each host shares her favorites from the week before, increasing your chances of being featured. Co-hosts will also be pinning their favorites to a community Family Fun Pinterest Board. This link party opens up at around 4 pm EST on Thursdays.

Please be aware that by linking in Family Fun Friday you give our hosts permission to use your images to create a collage for our features. We may also use the collage to promote Family Fun Friday through our individual social media accounts.

Why I’m Choosing to Homeschool Again

May 11, 2015 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

As you might know, our family has recently experienced a serious change: we took a homeschooling break and put our children in public school. For us, that was a major adjustment – something I never thought I would do.

Well, after six months, we’ve decided to end the Great Homeschool Public School Experiment and bring our children back home after the school year ends. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that we were returning to homeschooling, but I wanted to explain exactly why we decided to do so.

Here’s why I’m returning to homeschooling.

Image: nadezhda1906 / Dollar Photo Club

Why I’m Returning to Homeschooling

1. I wanted a second chance with my kids.

When the kids went off to school, I had (a little) more time to think. I’d walk by our homeschooling space and think about how harried I had been and how much pressure I felt to teach them everything on the objectives list each year.

I remembered responding testily when one of my kids had a question. I remembered shouting at Tigger to “SIT DOWN!” I remembered how little I took my own advice about adjusting a homeschooling approach for kids with ADHD.

And I wanted a second chance, a do-over, so I could relax and enjoy homeschooling along with my children.

2. The public school schedule did not work for us.

For kids who’d been homeschooled from birth, getting up every morning at 6:25 a.m. was a real struggle. For a mom who’d homeschooled her kids from birth, getting out of the door by 7 a.m. every morning was a real struggle. But the morning chaos had nothing on what happened in the evenings.

When we homeschooled, evenings were for family time. We’d relax, prepare for our weekly congregation meetings together, have dinner, and let the kids play before bed. Once they were in public school, though, afternoons were a flurry of snacks, homework, school projects, papers for me to sign, hurriedly rushing through our meeting preparation, and finding something to throw in the oven for dinner. After dinner, it was time to rush everyone off to bed so they could get up at 6:25 a.m. all over again.

We all hated what happened to our evenings. It really started to erode our sense of togetherness.

3. My kids wanted to come back home.

Most of all, the kids wanted to come back home. They missed the freedom of learning we had when they were homeschooled. Sometimes I’d pick them up from school and the first thing out of their mouth would be “Can we go back to homeschool?”

I’d hear them talk with each other about field trips we’d taken, lessons we’d covered, and crafts we’d made together. It made me realize how much they enjoyed learning at home, even though they gave me a hard time occasionally. 😉

So that’s why I’m returning to homeschooling!

Have you been homeschooling since birth? Did you start later? What makes you sure about your choice to homeschool? Let us know in the comments!

See more about our public school experience below!

And see more about how we make homeschooling work on my Homeschooling Posts Pinterest board!

This post is part of the “Why We Chose to Homeschool” linky from iHomeschool Network! Click over to read even more great posts from my fellow bloggers!

Color Crafts for Preschoolers with Family Fun Friday!

April 30, 2015 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

This week’s Family Fun Friday is all about colors! Last week, bloggers shared some great posts with us and I wanted to feature some of the posts that highlighted color crafts for preschoolers.

Piglet will be beginning her preschool (lite) work this fall and we’ve already started introducing her to colors. With these fun color activities, she’ll learn them in no time! 🙂


Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.

Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.


Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Britta was a military kid and is a military wife, now living in the high desert of Arizona and far, far from her New Orleans family. She happily homeschools and writes about the intersection of God’s Word and her world at Britta Lafont ~ Everyday Holiness. This year Britta wants to find that sweet spot between getting more done and enjoying the process. Britta will feature Delicious Recipes. Follow: Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram.

Christin blogs at illuminate. As wife to her high school sweetheart and mother to three premature children, she’s learned that God is the Perfect Party Planner and sometimes the unexpected is the greatest gift of all. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Christen will feature Inspirational Posts.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. This Colored Water Transfer activity from Hands On As We Grow is perfect for outdoor fun!

2. Ten Kids and a Dog explains how to use simple Baking Soda Art to keep kids entertained on rainy days!

3. Cassie at 3 Dinosaurs shares a beautiful way to make Watercolor Butterfly Flower Paintings!

4. Learn how to help kids make Spring Flower Crafts with Pipe Cleaners at Mini Monets and Mommies!

5. The Jersey Momma demonstrates how to make Colorful DIY Squishy Play Dough!

6. Amber at From ABCs to ACTs features a free Spring Flower Color Matching printable!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Stop by to see what my co-hosts are spotlighting this week!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

Link your post.
Link back to the link party.
Follow your host(s).
Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
Mingle! Bloggers love comments.
Grab a button.
If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.

5 Simple Activities for Early Readers

April 28, 2015 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

Welcome to another edition of the Laugh and Learn linkup! This week, we’re sharing our favorite features from last week and extending an opportunity to share even more parenting and homeschooling posts on four different blogs!

I also wanted to share an article that I got to write over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox that’s perfect if you’re trying to grow young readers in your family. 🙂

5 Simple Activities for Early Readers

Sometimes we can overthink teaching our kids to read. While it’s true that some children need formal instruction in phonics in order to master reading, we can do a lot to encourage them by making literacy a regular event in the home.

The great news is that you don’t need an expensive early reading program to get started! There are lots of simple ways to get kids excited about reading at an early age. Stop over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox to check out five simple activities for early readers!

Five Simple Activities for Early Readers – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Linky time!

Welcome to our 30th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup. Last week we hit an all time high of 74 links! Thank you everyone for participating and please continue to share so we can continue to grow

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning. We will pick our four favorite posts and feature them on the following weeks linkup. Be sure to link your best content and maybe we will pick you! When you link your post with us it will be featured on four blogs.

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina

Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin
Tsu

Selena

Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram

Sarah

Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram

Haley

Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Pinterest
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Our Favorite Posts for the Week of April 27th:

Written by Annie at Annie and Everything

Written by Jennifer at Study At Home Mama

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the posts above by clicking on the image.

Now, let’s see your best posts for this week so we can share them as next week’s favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up

Coming Back to Homeschooling

April 21, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for the Laugh and Learn Linkup! Last week, we had some great posts shared and Tina, Sarah, and I have featured our favorites below. Plus, a new blogger, Haley, is joining our linky! You can read all about her below. 🙂

I also wanted to share a post I wrote recently for The Homeschool Post, which I’m very excited about because….*drumroll*

We’re returning to homeschooling this year!!!!!

Coming Back to Homeschooling

We began our Great Homeschool Public School Experiment in November back when I desperately needed a break from homeschooling. Now that I’m almost finished with my associate degree program, I’m definitely ready to bring our kids back home.

I cannot tell you how much I’m looking forward to homeschooling them without the added pressure of going to school or working. It’s going to be fabulous. All of it. Yes, even the sibling squabbles and the days when the kids don’t want to do their work. 🙂

This time, though, I want to do some things differently. So I wrote a post about what I’d like our new homeschooling approach to be over at The Homeschool Post. Stop over and see how coming back to homeschooling is changing my homeschooling perspective!

Coming Back to Homeschooling – The Homeschool Post

And now it’s on to the linky! 🙂

Welcome to our 29th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup. We have a new addition this week! Haley will be joining our linkup and picking her favorite post too. Be sure to visit her and say hello

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina

Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin
Tsu

Selena

Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram

Sarah

Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram

Haley

Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Pinterest
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Our Favorite Posts for the Week of April 20th:

Written by Ann at Annie and Everything

Written by Alecia at Learning 2 Walk

Written by Brenda at Schooling A Monkey

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the posts above by clicking on the image.

[bctt tweet=”Come join the #laughlearnlinkup and share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post!”]

Now, let’s see your best posts for this week so we can share them as next week’s favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up

Spring Flowers Unit Study

April 14, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Looking for a fun way to teach kids about spring flowers? Today, we’re sharing a free spring flowers unit study that’s got videos, books, and activities perfect for spring!

Today is also another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky, so be sure to check out our features from last week and read all the new parenting and homeschooling posts below!

Free Spring Flowers Unit Study

This month, I got to share a free spring flowers unit study over at Year Round Homeschooling. Naturally, this is the perfect time of year to study flowers (and bees), so I hope you all love the unit! It’s got YouTube videos about the parts of a flower, as well as a great booklist, and a few crafts and printables that you can use to teach kids about flowers and how they grow.

Visit Year Round Homeschooling to use this unit study with your kids!

Spring Flowers Unit Study – Year Round Homeschooling

Linky time! 🙂

Welcome to our 28th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup.

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning. We will pick our three favorite posts and feature them on the following weeks linkup. Be sure to link your best content and maybe we will pick you! When you link your post with us it will be featured on three blogs.

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina

Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin
Tsu

Selena

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!

Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram

Sarah

Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram

Our Favorite Posts for the Week of April 13th:

Written by Jen at The Mad House

Written by Tonia at The Sunny Patch

Written by Samantha at Stir The Wonder

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the posts above by clicking on the image.

[bctt tweet=”Come join the #laughlearnlinkup and share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post!”]

Now, let’s see your best posts for this week so we can share them as next week’s favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up

52 Weeks to a Healthier You: Meal Planning Tips for Moms

April 13, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’re on to Week 15 of 52 Weeks to a Healthier You and we’re going to continue working on our eating habits. Last week, we focused on mindful eating and this week we’re talking about the importance of meal planning!

Meal planning can literally make or break your fitness goals. When I plan meals, I tend to eat more healthfully with smaller portions, which of course leads to weight loss. When I don’t meal plan, well, I end up stopping at Chick-fil-A for breakfast every single morning. Not great.

This week, we’re sharing a few simple meal planning tips for moms! 🙂

Disclaimer: I am not a health or fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before starting any new health or fitness regimen.

Image: Africa Studio / Dollar Photo Club

Meal Planning Tips for Moms

1. Keep your meals simple.

Okay, so if we’re actually going to plan some meals, they’re supposed to be meals we can prepare in real life. As moms, we’re busy. We’re all busy – homeschoolers, public schoolers, afterschoolers, preschoolers. Each one of us is super duper busy. So, as much as we might like to make dinner that includes handmade gnocchi, it’s probably not going to happen, especially on a weeknight.

MyFitnessPal suggests only planning meals you actually have time to make. For me, that means meals that probably have no more than 10 or 12 ingredients and can be finished in about 30 to 45 minutes. When I’m scanning a recipe and it says “1 hour” or longer, I keep on scrolling.

2. Use weekly meal themes.

Another way to make a meal plan doable is to make a list of go-tos and rotate them regularly. I have about 28 meals that I use over and over again, plus a few others for special occasions. If you’re ready to make up your own list of “go-tos”, TheKitchn recommends working from a master meal theme list.

So you could have “Taco Night” or “Meatless Monday” (which we’ll talk more about later). Once you have your meal themes in place, you can use narrow down healthy recipes that fit each theme.

3. Stick to your healthy shopping list!

Once you have your recipe and your meals planned, it’s time to go grocery shopping! Make your healthy shopping list and then STICK. TO. IT. I’m serious. Don’t buy a single item that is not on your list.

CookingLight stresses the need to stick to your plan and that also means going through with your meals! If your meal plan says “Grilled Chicken with Steamed Vegetables” and you really want some pizza (you know what I’m talking about), don’t order the pizza! Make your healthy meal. You’ll feel so much better!

Sample Meal Plans

If you’d like a sample meal plan to get you started, try these links for some great ideas!

2 Day Meal Plan: HEB

Sample Two Week Menus: Choose My Plate

Free Diet Meal Plans: Eating Well

7 Day Clean Eating Meal Plan: Shape

4 Food Pyramid Meal Plans: WebMD

Do you use a meal plan? Has it helped you eat healthier? Share your meal planning tips for moms in the comments! Don’t forget to join our 52 Weeks to a Healthier You Facebook group for more tips!

Fun Booklists for Kids with Family Fun Friday!

April 9, 2015 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

As you all might know, I’m a huge, unabashed bookworm. Naturally, we’re raising readers in our family. So I was thrilled to see so many great literacy-themed posts during last week’s Family Fun Friday!

This week, I’m featuring several of the fun booklists for kids that were linked up! If you’re a blogger, be sure to share your own posts below!


Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.

Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.


Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Britta was a military kid and is a military wife, now living in the high desert of Arizona and far, far from her New Orleans family. She happily homeschools and writes about the intersection of God’s Word and her world at Britta Lafont ~ Everyday Holiness. This year Britta wants to find that sweet spot between getting more done and enjoying the process. Britta will feature Delicious Recipes. Follow: Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram.

Christin blogs at illuminate. As wife to her high school sweetheart and mother to three premature children, she’s learned that God is the Perfect Party Planner and sometimes the unexpected is the greatest gift of all. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Christen will feature Inspirational Posts.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. Planet Smarty has a great booklist featuring spring-themed books for preschoolers!

2. Learn how to use books for the letter L along with activities for different types of intelligence at Mimi and the Grands!

3. Sunny Day Family has a super cute sensory activity to go along with the book Little Blue Truck!

4. If you’re a dog lover, you’ll love this roundup of 10 chapter books about dogs at This Sweet Life of Mine!

5. Sheila at Brain Power Boy has a great booklist featuring exciting kids’ books about weather!

6. For a funny take on historical events, try this list of fun history books for kids at The Sunny Patch!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Stop by to see what my co-hosts are spotlighting this week!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

Link your post.
Link back to the link party.
Follow your host(s).
Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
Mingle! Bloggers love comments.
Grab a button.
If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.