Look! We're Learning!

Early Learning. Happy Teaching.

The Ultimate January Running Playlist

Couch to Marathon: January Running Playlist

by Leave a Comment

Tigger and I are prepping for our first 5K of the year this Sunday, so, in honor of our Couch to Marathon series, I thought I’d whip up a new January running playlist!

January is a tough month for running. It’s cold. It’s dark in the mornings. It’s just…not good. In fact, I think January might be the worst month of all for running, except for…February. (cue scream here)

In the middle of the month, a lot of us start losing our initial burst of excitement for reaching our goals. So it’s a good time to pump yourself back up with a playlist you love!

Check out my January running playlist below! I even included a track from the dearly departed David Bowie.*sniff*

Today is also another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! Be sure to read our favorites from last week and check out the newest posts!

The Ultimate January Running Playlist

The Ultimate January Running Playlist

A quick note: This is about 48 minutes of music – long enough to complete a 5K and a cooldown. In some of the upcoming months, I’ll share longer playlists as we work on completing 10Ks, a half-marathon, and a marathon. 😉

Get to Know Ya (Uncut) – Maxwell

Message In A Bottle (2003 Stereo Remastered Version) – The Police

Under Pressure (1994 Digital Remaster) – Queen and David Bowie

Bring It On – Seal

End of Time – Beyonce

Break of Dawn – Goapele

Even Flow – Pearl Jam

Bailamos – Enrique Iglesias

Lonely Boy – The Black Keys

Everyone Falls In Love (Album Version) – Tanto Metro & Devonte

There, There – Radiohead

The Last Buzz – Joe Sample

January Running Playlist

Do you have any particular songs that get you moving? Share them in the comments!

And now it’s linky time!

This week we have some great links to share with you. We are very excited to bring you another great opportunity to linkup with us!
Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!
Welcome to our 66th week of Laugh and Learn – Home & Family Linkup! Laugh and Learn Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.
New: We have decided to expand our linkup to home and family categories! You are still welcome to share homeschooling or parenting posts with us. That will always be part of the #LaughLearnLinkup!

Each and every week, all of the hosts will pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on three blogs.

We are also sharing the top four posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!
Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great family, home, parenting, and homeschool group.
Laugh and Learn Linkup was created by Tina from Los Gringos Locos. We want to thank her for this opportunity and send her big hug on her new adventure.

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning

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-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler

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
Pinterest
Twitter

 Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage: DIY ~ Parenting ~ Blogging

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them 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 their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Stumble Upon

 

Grab a Button / Badge:

If you were featured this week, we would love for you to use this badge below. We really appreciate all your hard work, and sharing with us each and every week!

I was featured at Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

We would also love if you could use this badge on any post you shared with us. Or a text link would also be greatly appreciated. More shares and links helps us build a better and bigger linkup for all us to benefit from.

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Most Clicked on Link

17 Fun Money Activities for Kids #LaughLearnLinkup

Selena’s pick for this week…

Arctic Edition: Mother May I? Gross Motor Game for preschoolers #LaughLearnLinkup
Note from Selena:
This is an adorable winter-y way to revive a classic childhood game!

Sarah’s pick for this week…

How Chores Set Kids Up for Success in Life #LaughLearnLinkup
Note from Sarah:
We are currently in the process of redoing our chore chart. Kids grow quickly. Responsibility should grow with them. This is a great post on the importance of giving kids chores.

Haley’s pick for this week…

Homemade Onion Rings #LaughLearnLinkup
Note from Haley:
I love homemade onion rings! I also love how she showed how the onion rings will be with different depending on the breadcrumbs you use.

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!
Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.

 

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

 

Now give us your best posts!


Can You Train for a Marathon in a Year

Can You Train for a Marathon in a Year?

by 4 Comments

It’s a new year and that means it’s the time of year when lots of us are setting goals. I was able to accomplish several goals in 2015, so I thought I’d get really crazy this year with my goal-setting this year. Just to see if I can make it happen.

What’s crazier than trying to train for a marathon in a year?

Is that even possible? How can you get started? Read on to see!

By the way, the Laugh and Learn linky is back! Be sure to read our favorite features from the last party and get a dose of more homeschooling, parenting, and homemaking inspiration below!

Note: I am not a fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise regimen.

Can You Train for a Marathon in a Year

Can You Train for a Marathon in a Year?

I realize that the idea of training for a marathon in a year sounds pretty extreme. But it’s actually fairly doable. You just start with a 5K, then work your way up to a 10K and a half-marathon. In general, if you can do a half-marathon and not die – then a marathon isn’t out of the question. 🙂

Here’s why I think I can do it in 2016.

  • I’m not brand new to running. Before I got pregnant with Piglet, I had become an avid runner with the group Black Girls Run. I even completed a half-marathon back in 2012. (In fact, I was two days pregnant, but I didn’t know it at the time.)
  • I really, really miss the feeling of being that active. At my peak with the run group, I was running three times a week. I lost weight, got stronger, and generally felt awesome.
  • Completing a marathon by age 35 has been on my bucket list for some time. I’ll be 33 this summer, so time’s a ticking.
  • I LOVE challenges! Nothing motivates me more than setting a ridiculous goal and meeting it.

So I’m starting a brand new series here on the blog: Couch to Marathon! That way, you can see how I do this year! I’ll be sharing running inspiration, my monthly playlists, and even some suggestions for running along with your kids!

Tigger and I are currently training for our first 5K together, so I should have plenty of do’s and don’ts to share in a few weeks. 😉 Completing the 5K is on my list of goals for January 2016.

Resources to Help You Train for a Marathon in a Year:

If you want detailed training plans and advice, check out these awesome running resources!

Have you ever run a marathon? How was it? Please share your experiences in the comments!

Onward to the linky!

We are back on schedule! We hope each and every one of you enjoyed your time with your family. I know we sure did. This week we have some fun features from the last linkup!
Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!
Welcome to our 64th week of Laugh and Learn – Home & Family Linkup!
Laugh and Learn Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.
New: We have decided to expand our linkup to home and family categories! You are still welcome to share homeschooling or parenting posts with us. That will always be part of the #LaughLearnLinkup!

Each and every week, all of the hosts will pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on four blogs.

We are also sharing the top four posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!
Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great family, home, parenting, and homeschool group.

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina
Me and SawyerLos Gringos Locos

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
Instagram

Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning

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-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler

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
Pinterest
Twitter

 Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage: DIY ~ Parenting ~ Blogging

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them 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 their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Stumble Upon

 

Grab a Button / Badge:

If you were featured this week, we would love for you to use this badge below. We really appreciate all your hard work, and sharing with us each and every week!

I was featured at Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

We would also love if you could use this badge on any post you shared with us. Or a text link would also be greatly appreciated. More shares and links helps us build a better and bigger linkup for all us to benefit from.

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Tina’s pick for this week…

The Homeschool Nook Link-Up Party
Note from Tina:
Homeschooling linkups can be hard to find. I wanted to share this new one with our fellow homeschoolers who are looking to mingle or network. Enjoy!

Selena’s pick for this week…

S is for Snow ~ A-Z Series featuring Activities, Games, Songs, Books & Free Printables

Sarah’s pick for this week…

Organizing the School Room to Balance Home with School
Note from Sarah:
I seem to get a little more organized each year. Perhaps by the time my youngest graduates I’ll have it all figured out.. In the meantime, here are some excellent tips from brightideaspress that really work.

Haley’s pick for this week…

How to make yourself a morning person (Do you really need to wait till afternoon?)

Note from Haley:
I am NOT a morning person, and neither are my two youngest. I hoping they get better as they get older, but until then these tips will help.

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!
Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Now give us your best posts!


How to Set Reachable Goals - Look! We're Learning!

How to Set Reachable Goals …Finally!

by 2 Comments

How many of you are in the process of setting goals for this year?

Okay, you can put your hand down now. 🙂

January is an extremely popular time of year for goal-setting…and February is an extremely popular time of year for giving up on those goals.

We all mean well when we set goals to improve our lives, but it’s just so hard to live up to them! And a lot of that has to do with the fact that we’re not setting goals that are actually reachable.

I’ve been trying to make serious life changes for years, but 2015 was the first year that I actually stuck to my goals and accomplished them! So I want to share a few tips to help you learn how to set reachable goals …finally!

How to Set Reachable Goals - Look! We're Learning!

How to Set Reachable Goals …Finally!

What constitutes a reachable goal? Think of the word “reachable”. What comes to mind?

For example, I’m a short gal. When I go to the store, I know which objects are within my reach and which are not. There are some things on shelves that I simply cannot get, no matter how high I try to jump. I don’t even bother with those. That’s what Employee Call buttons are for.

If it’s something I can possibly get (even if I have to stand on tiptoes), though, then I’ll put forth the effort to get it on my own.

And that’s what we have to think about when we’re setting goals. They should items that you can actually reach out and get in a reasonable amount of time.

If you’re trying to work on fitness this year, you may be tempted to put down a goal of “lose 50 pounds”. And sure, that might be a reachable goal. But is it something you can accomplish in a reasonable amount of time? Probably not.

On the other hand, “run around the block without stopping” is a goal that you can accomplish pretty quickly. So you’re far more likely to reach out and get it! Plus, it’s a stepping-stone goal on the way to losing 50 pounds. Win-win!


My Goals for January 2016

This year, I’m excited to be joining up with the Monthly Goals Linky! Each month, we’ll be sharing our goals (personal and professional) with you! Let’s make this year the best one yet – together!

I’ll be setting one goal for each area of my life: Family, Finances, Wellness, Work, and Home. Here are my goals for January 2016!

Family Goal: Listen attentively to my husband and my children.

Financial Goal: Save money by eating at home.

Wellness Goal: Finish a 5K. (I’ll talk more about this next week.)

Work Goal: Reach out and connect with my readers (that’s you!) and other bloggers.

Homemaking Goal: Clean the kitchen every night before bed. (I’m starting to genuinely hate waking up to dirty dishes.)

Setting Goals for January 2016 - Look! We're Learning!

Are you setting any goals for this year or this month? How do you plan to set reachable goals this time? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Be sure to check out the monthly goals being shared below! And – if you’re a blogger – share your own goals for this month!


Total Wireless Review - Look! We're Learning!

How I Cut My Family’s Phone Bill in Half!

by 17 Comments

My husband and I have not had a home phone line in nearly seven years. So it goes without saying that our mobile phone service is super important.

Unfortunately, it was also super expensive – especially on our budget.

I started seriously looking at our bills a couple of months back and one of the places I desperately wanted to save money was on our monthly phone service. But I just couldn’t figure out how we could do it. We each need a smartphone and we need unlimited talk.

Enter Total Wireless.

When I first saw the signage on display at Wal-Mart, I was extremely skeptical. (I had heard some unpleasant things about Straight Talk, another Wal-Mart product, in the past.) But after a few weeks of hemming and hawing, I decided to take the plunge and try Total Wireless.

Guess what?

It cut our family’s phone bill in half. That’s a pretty big deal.

Read on to see how using Total Wireless has worked for us! Oh – and let me add this – this is NOT a sponsored review. I haven’t received anything in exchange for this post and I paid for these products and services myself. This is a truly honest Total Wireless review. 🙂

1/14/17 – Read to the bottom for my report on the service since this original post!
Total Wireless Review - Look! We're Learning!

Total Wireless Phone Unboxing

Before I share my experience with Total Wireless service so far, I want to give you an idea of what to expect when you purchase a Total Wireless phone and a monthly plan.

Total Wireless Phone Review

I ended up getting an LG Ultimate 2 – it was $59.99 and it had great reviews and the features I wanted, including a front-facing camera.

Total Wireless Plan Details

As you can see on the inside cover, you can choose from several monthly phone plans when you subscribe to Total Wireless. We went with the two-line $60/month plan, since it allows us to share data and have unlimited minutes and texting.

Total Wireless Activation Code

Inside the phone box, you’ll find an instruction manual and an activation card. It’s EXTREMELY easy to activate your Total Wireless service, by the way. All of the instructions are on the card, plus the website walks you through the process.

Total Wireless Plan Refill

A Total Wireless monthly plan card looks like what you see above. You can purchase it online, along with your device, or as a standalone card at a store.

Rather than purchasing a new card each month, we bought our initial card and then signed up for monthly auto-refill. Doing that gives you a tiny discount as well.

Also – the phone is returnable (within a certain amount of time). The monthly plan card is NOT. So keep that in mind.

Total Wireless Phone Unboxing

And here are the contents of my phone box. The phone comes disassembled, but you only have to insert the battery and replace the back cover. After that, you just turn it on and follow the onscreen prompts. Easy peasy.

Total Wireless Review

As of this post, we’ve had service with Total Wireless for a month and a half. In that time, I have to say that I’m pretty satisfied so far. If you use the Internet a LOT when you’re away from home, though, it might not work for you.

Right now, the company only offers 3G service. HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT: Total Wireless now offers 4G LTE service on select phones!!!! So if you choose one of those phones, you can stream on the go like everyone else. 🙂

If you choose a phone that only has 3G capabilities, when you’re away from a WiFi signal, you can’t stream video, you can’t download new apps, and you can’t use some services without SERIOUS delays.

Having said that, I’m almost never away from a WiFi signal. So that has not posed an issue for me. If I needed on-the-go Internet, I’d probably decide not to use Total Wireless. If 4G service becomes available, though, then this will become a non-issue. (Again: NOW available as of January 2017!)

For us, saving 50% on our phone service has been worth it. And scoring a good Android device for a reasonable price didn’t hurt either!

Total Wireless Review Update

 Updated 1/14/17: We’ve been Total Wireless customers for over a year now and we’re still extremely satisfied! I just purchased one of the Total Wireless devices that is 4G LTE capable – a ZTE Citrine LTE – for $29.99. It’s great. I had to do a long indoor run on the treadmill for three hours a few weeks back and I totally watched two episodes of Sherlock while I did it. 🙂

We’ve never had any serious issues with phone coverage or service and, since we’ve signed up for the automatic monthly billing service, we get a $5 discount on our monthly plan. So we’re paying $58 a month for TWO monthly wireless lines. It’s awesome.

Total Wireless Review - Look! We're Learning!

How do you save money on your family’s phone bill? Do you have any thoughts or questions about our Total Wireless review? Let us know in the comments! And stop by the Total Wireless website to see if the service is available in your area!

Check out some of our other posts while you’re here!

How to Keep Homeschooling Costs Down - Look! We're Learning!

Money Management Skills Lapbook for Middle School

These easy kid crafts for winter are a perfect way to pass a cold winter's day!

To get even more ideas for frugal living, follow my Saving Money for Families board on Pinterest!

Get cash for your iPhone!

My Daughter's Hair is None of Your Business

My Daughter’s Hair is None of Your Business

by 16 Comments

In the past week and a half, I have been approached by three separate women about the exact same topic: my daughter’s hair.

I have a three-year-old little girl. And, apparently, three is the age when little girls should start getting their hair “done”, meaning fashioned into some type of ornate style.

I don’t do that.

Furthermore, I do not understand when or how it became acceptable to approach a parent (generally a mom) and tell her she needs to “do” her daughter’s hair.

For the record, most people probably don’t this to other parents. But if you’re the kind of person who does, here’s a newsflash: My daughter’s hair is NONE of your business.

My Daughter's Hair is None of Your Business

My Daughter’s Hair is None of Your Business

My three-year-old daughter, my 11-year-old daughter, and I all wear our hair in its natural state. We don’t use any types of relaxers, lye products, flat irons, or anything that changes the texture of our hair.

It’s not that I think these things are bad or wrong somehow. We just choose not to use them.

This means that our hair rarely ever looks “neat”. But it’s always clean, moisturized, and detangled.

Short Afro

This is what my three-year-old’s hair looks like on a typical day. For a special event last spring, I tried adding braids, ponytails, barrettes, etc to “do” her hair. Here’s what happened:

  • She screamed and fidgeted the entire time – making a 10-minute task into an hour-long ordeal
  • She rubbed the back of her hair against the car seat the entire time we were driving
  • She sat in her chair at the event and ran her hands through her hair
  • She laid down and took a nap halfway through
  • She ran around with her older brothers for an hour afterward

The hairstyle that I painstakingly created lasted a total of 14 minutes (give or take) before it began to devolve into a frizzy mess.

Afterward, I realized: It’s just not worth it to “do” her hair at this age. At least not for me. Honestly, we’re talking about a three-year-old child here. I guarantee you that having her hair done is verrry low on her list of priorities.

And I pretty much took the same approach with my tween until she decided she wanted to do something in particular with her hair.

Natural Hair

You know what IS worth it at this age?

  • Teaching my girls to value themselves – as people, not mannequins
  • Letting them be free to play and explore anything, not feeling like they can’t move for fear of “messing up” their hair
  • Showing them how to appreciate the inner qualities of people, instead of superficially admiring a physical trait

And I will not apologize for refusing to think of getting their hair “done” as anywhere close to a priority in their lives.

My Girls and Their Natural Hair

I want to raise happy, confident young women who love living, no matter what kind of hair they were born with. And I think my husband and I are on the right track.

So if you want to give me a box of barrettes, a card for a local salon, or ask me why I don’t “do” their hair, expect me to respond by telling you that my daughter’s hair is none of your business.

Because it’s not.

Have you ever had someone imply that you should do “more” with your daughter’s hair? Did you feel bad or guilty? Did you get angry? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!

For more posts about parenting, follow my Parenting with Joy board on Pinterest!

Auto Updating Promotional Banner

5 Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child - Look! We're Learning!

5 Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child

by 13 Comments

I tell my son to go to his room. Instead of walking down the hall, he stands rooted to the ground, yelling that he won’t go. When I turn to walk away, he rushes at me, grabbing my arms and trying to force me to look at him.

Sound familiar?

Welcome to the world of parenting a defiant child.

Do you have a child that seems to enjoy resisting your parental authority? Does he seem to do the exact opposite of what he’s told – almost every single time? Does it appear that she likes to see you get upset?

One of our children, who shall remain nameless, tends to be defiant. I can vouch for the fact that it tests every moral fiber a parent has. But we’ve found that one of the best methods for approaching defiance in our children is by showing them love. It really works!

So, here are 5 ways to show love to your defiant child. If you’re at your wit’s end, these tips may help you reconnect with your child, even when he or she is defiant.

If you're parenting a defiant child, you're facing a real challenge. But finding ways to love our kids, even when they're defiant, can help us keep our joy.

Image: Laurent Hamels / Dollar Photo Club

5 Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child

1. Try to understand his frustration.

Sometimes a child who appears to be defiant may be experiencing extreme frustration. Your challenge is to find out why. Before you ask questions (see tip #3), try to understand what may be happening.

Is he upset with a sibling? Could he feel that a situation is unfair? Is he exhausted, hungry, or disappointed? Trying to see things from his standpoint can give you a lot of insight into his behavior.

2. Show physical affection.

Physical affection (in moderate amounts) can be a simple way to defuse a defiant outburst. Simply placing your hand on your child’s shoulder, back, or cheek may be calming, especially if she has under-responsive SPD or ADHD. If your child allows, gently pull her closer to you and give her a firm hug.

Be careful not to force physical affection, though. If your child resists or pulls away from contact, give her time and space.

3. Ask questions calmly.

If your child is ready to talk, ask him a couple of questions about his feelings and give him plenty of time to answer. Some good questions might include:

“Would you like to talk?”
“Are you feeling upset about something?”
“Can you tell me what you’re feeling?”

If your child wants to talk, by all means, listen without interrupting. If  your child doesn’t want to talk, respond with “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk now. But if you want to talk about it later, I’ll be ready to listen.”

The Land of Nod, design for kids and people that used to be kids

4. Devote special time to her.

Children who behave in a defiant manner may feel misunderstood or unappreciated. Setting aside one-on-one time to spend with them can help them to feel accepted.

When my defiant child felt bad about himself, he tended to isolate himself from the rest of us: shutting down, refusing to talk or play with his siblings, or intentionally misbehaving. But when I scheduled a special time for the two of us to spend together, his defiant behavior calmed down considerably. He looked forward to reading and playing together and it gave him something special to talk about with his siblings later on.

5. Say nothing.

Sometimes, though, the best way to show love to your defiant child is to say absolutely nothing. If he is having a severe meltdown, you might just have to wait it out.

Go about your normal duties, but try to stay nearby where he can see you. If you walk away, he might feel neglected and try to come up with ways to “force” you to pay attention to him (acting out, throwing a tantrum, etc.). Trust me: I know that walking away does not work.

Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child

Books about Parenting Defiant Children:

There are some excellent books about parenting defiant children available these days. Here are some of the ones we’ve found over the years. (Affiliate links are provided here for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

1. 10 Days to a Less Defiant Child – Jeffrey Bernstein, Ph.D. (My personal favorite!)

2. The Defiant Child: A Parent’s Guide to Oppositional Defiant Disorder – Douglas A. Riley

3. Your Defiant Child: Eight Steps to Better Behavior – Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D.

4. The Explosive Child – Ross W. Greene, Ph.D.

5. Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach – Howard Glasser & Jennifer Easley

Parenting a defiant child is difficult, extremely difficult. But when we just try to show love to them, even when they’re defiant, we can make a huge difference in their behavior and their self-esteem.

Oh – and remember when my son rushed at me, trying to force me to look at him? You know what I did? I looked at him and I asked him if he wanted to tell me why he was upset. Then I hugged him.

You know what he did? He hugged me back and started to cry. Then he started to talk and I listened. And suddenly, he didn’t seem quite so defiant anymore.

Are you parenting a defiant child? What have you found to be helpful? Share your tips in the comments! And be sure to read these other parenting posts!

How to Calm Your Frustrated ADHD Learner

How to Keep a Homeschool Tantrum from Derailing Your School Day

For more parenting encouragement, follow our board “Parenting with Joy” on Pinterest!

5 Simple After School Snacks for Kids

by Leave a Comment

“Moooommmm! I’m hungry!!!!” If you haven’t heard those words yet, I’m not sure you’re actually a parent. 🙂

When our kids went to public school for a few months last year, they always came home ravenous. So I had to get very creative about finding food to make into snacks for them. After a couple of weeks, I came up with a go-to snack list that really saved me in the afternoons. So I’m sharing some simple after school snacks for kids today!

Today is also Tuesday, which means it’s time for another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! Check out our favorite posts from last week and get some more parenting and homeschooling encouragement below!

5 Simple Afterschool Snacks for Kids

5 Simple After School Snacks for Kids

Tired of rummaging through the fridge in the afternoons to find something to feed your kids? I know I was. And that’s when I realized that I didn’t have to come up with something different every week. I could just rotate the same snacks out every week and make meal planning a LOT easier.

Check out my go-to list of 5 Simple After School Snacks for Kids over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox!

5 Simple Afterschool Snacks for Kids – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Linky time!

Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

Welcome to our 57th 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.

Each and every week, all of the hosts pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!
Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great homeschool and parenting group.
[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina
Me and SawyerLos Gringos Locos
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


Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning
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-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler
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
Pinterest
Twitter
Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage Finds & Deals
Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them 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 their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Stumble Upon
Lindsey
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her! Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her!
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! Visit Lindsey at Nitty Gritty Homeschooling. Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube

Grab a Button / Badge:

If you were featured this week, we would love for you to use this badge below. We really appreciate all your hard work, and sharing with us each and every week!

Laugh Learn Linkup

We would also love if you could use this badge on any post you shared with us. Or a text link would also be greatly appreciated. More shares and links helps us build a better and bigger linkup for all us to benefit from.

Laugh Learn Linkup

The Winners for the Week of October 27th:

Featured on #LaughLearnLinkup

Tina’s pick for this week…

FREE Children Around the World Learning Pack for Homeschool

Note from Tina:
It’s important to teach our children about the lands and people of our beautiful planet. It will help our kids learn to love diversity and broaden their horizons.
[bctt tweet=”Help your children learn about other cultures with pack by @momteaches2 #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Selena’s pick for this week…

Learning Games with Standard Playing Cards
Note from Selena:
We have playing cards and we always love unconventional ways to learn math! These sound like a fun way to reinforce math skills!
[bctt tweet=”Use playing cards to help reinforce math skills! #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Sarah’s pick for this week…

The Diagnoses We Never Wanted
Note from Sarah:
This post touched me deeply. As a mom of special needs children, with my own special needs as well, I know all to well that sometimes a diagnosis is a relief and sometimes it’s terrifying. Kim is very brave to speak up and help to educate others about Rett Syndrome. The more we all know about syndromes such as this, the more we can help one another to cope and move forward. I so look forward to the time when “no resident will say: “I am sick.” – Isaiah 33:24
[bctt tweet=”The Diagnoses We Never Wanted by @LifeOverCs #LaughLearnLinkup”]

 

Haley’s pick for this week…

Teacher Appreciation Gifts: Let Little Kids add their Personal Touch
Note from Haley:
I love these gifts and letting your little help is even better!
[bctt tweet=”Teacher Appreciation gifts your child can help you with by @worldwidewindow #LaughLearnLinkup”]

 

Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Ease back into school!
Note from Lindsey:
Routine is hard for me but something I am always working on. These are great tips to simplify things and make it doable.
[bctt tweet=”Ease back into your #Homeschool routine with tips by Little Log Cottage School #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.

Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

Now give us your best posts!


8 Resources for Learning the Times Tables

by Leave a Comment

Are you an educator or parent with a frustrated child who is attempting to memorize the multiplication tables? Read on!

Times Tables Resources

Hundreds of kids have learned their times tables in an hour using a very fun & easy to understand animated video. The Times Tales DVD is a two-part video series that uses stories to teach multiplication to kids. The videos use cute, simple stories that provide students with a “memory peg,” allowing them to quickly recall otherwise abstract multiplication facts. As students progress through the video, they’ll learn multiplication without even knowing it! It’s that easy!

About the Times Tales DVD – What is included?

  • Animated video comes on a DVD
  • CD includes printable worksheets and flashcards

What Educents customers are saying about Times Tales:

“Fun and effective! Did in 2 weeks what other curriculum didn’t do in a year!”

“My kids did NOT want to like this when I first opened it up, but they ended up liking it a LOT! They kept trying to “figure it out” so it took a while for my 2nd and 4th grader to just relax and watch the stories. We followed the recommended pace, and in 2 weeks this DVD solidified what other methods could not do for them in a year! Even my 3 yr old shouts out the answers to some of the quiz questions! Of course she doesn’t understand what she’s learning yet, but when her time comes, learning her multiplication facts will be painless and easy 🙂 Definitely recommend this program to anyone who has stressed over drilling boring multiplication facts into their kids! You WILL Love it! :)” -ML

“I can’t even imagine how many less papers my 5th grade teacher would have had to grade if we had this in my elementary school! We did multiplication drills every single day during our 2nd semester! Using this DVD really beats that.” – Celena J.

Times Tales Animated DVD & Printable Worksheets

Times Tales teaches kids the upper times tables without rote memorization. Students can simply follow along with the entertaining story. As they progress, they’ll be guided into associating the stories they’ve learned with real math. You can always find the Times Tales DVD at a discount on Educents.com!

Times Tales Multiplication Practice Set

Buy Now

More Activities to Practice Multiplication:

This hands-on activity uses legos to reinforce multiplication facts. Source: SchoolTimesSnippet

This hands-on activity uses legos to reinforce multiplication facts. Source: SchoolTimesSnippet

Early Multiplication: Grouping with Legos by School Time Snippets – Kristina and her son practice multiplications using Legos!

Multiplication Rap DVD – Kids discover what multiplication is all about, learn facts through 12, and practice skip counting.

Multiplication Clever Catch Ball – This colorful ball is an interactive way for kids to practice multiplication facts outside or during an organized classroom activity.

Visual way to teach multiplication to your student. Source: Lemon Lime Adventures

Visual way to teach multiplication to your student. Source: Lemon Lime Adventures

Patterned Multiplication Circles by Lemon Lime Adventures – Dayna and her 7-year old use this visual way to learn multiplication. This math craftivity is fun for all ages!

Musical Math with Sue Dickson’s Songs that Teach – This program makes memorizing the facts easy, sure, and fun with catchy songs that allow students to master the facts in no time!

30 Multiplication Facts Printable Worksheets – This low-cost packet includes 30 printable worksheets, 143 flash cards, six vocabulary word cards, and a multiplication chart.

A+ Math Multiplication Unit – Build a strong foundation in math with A+ Interactive Math’s multiplication unit.

How to Manage Sensory Processing Disorder at Home

by 1 Comment

Are you living with a child who has sensory processing disorder? At least two of our children do and we’ve been working with them at home.

In a perfect world, they would be seeing an occupational therapist, but that’s not in our budget or covered by our insurance. So if you’re trying to learn how to manage sensory processing disorder at home (like we are), here are a few tips from the book Sensory Processing 101 that are working in our family.

*Note: I am not a medical professional. If you are concerned that your child may have sensory processing disorder, please consult a doctor or occupational therapist for advice.*

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.*

How to Manage Sensory Processing Disorder at Home - Look! We're Learning!

How to Manage Sensory Processing Disorder at Home

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

Learn all you can about SPD.

You’ll need to begin by learning everything you can about sensory processing disorder. For example, SPD consists of several different aspects, including trouble with vestibular, oral, or proprioceptive senses. Plus, you can have a child who has problems in more than one sensory area. Since some books on sensory processing disorder are a little complex, be sure to choose one that is written for parents, not therapists.

Watch your child for sensory-seeking or sensory-avoiding behavior.

Does your child deal with over-responsiveness to sensory input or under-responsiveness? If your child shies away from sounds or textures in food or clothing, then he or she might have auditory, oral, or tactile over-responsiveness. On the other hand, if your child deliberately does things in a loud or forceful manner, then he or she might be under-responsive to sensory input.

In our family, our youngest son crashes into the floor (on purpose!), stomps around the house (even when he’s happy), and speaks extremely loudly. Sometimes he doesn’t even feel when he bumps into things. Learning about SPD and observing him has helped us to recognize his specific sensory needs.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

Include sensory activities in your daily life.

Okay – so you know about SPD and you’ve learned which aspects are affecting your child. Now it’s time to put together a “sensory diet”: a routine of sensory activities for your child to do everyday. Believe it or not – sensory therapy consists of activities that you can easily adapt and do at home.

Once you know which areas your child struggles with, you can make a list of daily activities (even chores) that allow them to get more sensory input through the day. Some of our favorites for our sensory-seeking kids include chewing crunchy foods, heavy work (pushing objects around), and wrapping up in tight blankets.

The ebook Sensory Processing 101 is a super resource for learning about SPD, recognizing the signs in your own child, and ideas for sensory activities you can do around the house! If you haven’t gotten a copy of the book yet, check it out below!

Sensory Processing 101

Are you living with a child who has SPD? Do you have any tips for how to manage sensory processing disorder at home? Let us know in the comments!

Sensory Fix™ for Everyday Sensory Needs

Surviving the Back to School Crash

by Leave a Comment

It happens to all of us. We start off in mid-summer with the homeschool planning and around late July, we really kick the back to school stuff into high gear. 🙂

Then by mid-September, we’re feeling the blahs of the daily school routine. (Interestingly, the same thing happened when I sent my kids to public school last year.)

This time around, though, I was a little bit more prepared. So I wrote a post sharing a few tips on surviving the back to school crash!

Today is also another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky – our 51st week! It’s almost been an entire year of sharing great parenting and homeschooling posts with these ladies! See our features from last week below!

Surviving the Back to School Crash

Surviving the Back to School Crash

When does the back to school crash hit you? For me, it’s about a month after the school year begins. And it generally falls on a Tuesday.

The newness of the new year has worn off and my kids are back to complaining about having to “do work” everyday. By then, I’m usually over the newness too and it can be a real struggle to keep my early year enthusiasm going.

Check out the tips I share for surviving the back to school crash over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox! If you have any suggestions too, please feel free to share them in the comments!

Surviving the Back to School Crash – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Linky time!

Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

Welcome to our 51st week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup!

New: We have a new logo! We hope you will take the time to update this logo on your linkup pages. You are also invited to grab a badge / button to share on your blog and blog posts that you link up with us. We have also added more click to tweet boxes. We invite you to use these when you share. These also a mention winner in them, which will help them know how much you enjoyed there post.

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

Each and every week, all of the hosts pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!

Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great homeschool and parenting group.

[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

 

Tina
Me and Sawyerlos-gringos-locos-blog

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 - head shot Look We're Learning

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-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler

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
Pinterest
Twitter

Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage Finds & Deals

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them 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 their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube

Lindsey
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her! Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her!

Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! Visit Lindsey at Nitty Gritty Homeschooling. Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube

Grab a Button / Badge:

If you were featured this week, we would love for you to use this badge below. We really appreciate all your hard work, and sharing with us each and every week!

grab button for Laugh Learn Linkup

<div class=”laugh-learn-linkup-button” style=”width: 200px; margin: 0 auto;”>
<a href=”http://haleysvintage.com/category/laugh-and-learn-linkup/” rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>
<img src=”http://haleysvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/I-was-featured-Link-up-Badge.png” alt=”Laugh Learn Linkup” width=”200″ height=”200″ />
</a>
</div>

We would also love if you could use this badge on any post you shared with us. Or a text link would also be greatly appreciated. More shares and links helps us build a better and bigger linkup for all us to benefit from.

grab button for Laugh Learn Linkup

<div class=”laugh-learn-linkup-button” style=”width: 200px; margin: 0 auto;”>
<a href=”http://haleysvintage.com/category/laugh-and-learn-linkup/” rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>
<img src=”http://haleysvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/New-Link-up-Badge.png” alt=”Laugh Learn Linkup” width=”200″ height=”200″ />
</a>
</div>

The Winners for the Week of September 22nd:

Featured on #LaughLearnLinkup

Tina’s pick for this week…

HOW TO GET AN OUT OF CONTROL HOMESCHOOL BACK ON TRACK

Note from Tina:

I like how she talks about flow of homeschool and the challenges each part of the year takes on.

[bctt tweet=”Get your out of control #Homeschool back on track with @TinasHomeschool #LaughLearnLinkup “]

Selena’s pick for this week…

We made homemade cookie maps for our Ancient Egypt studies!

Note from Selena:

We’ve already started Ancient Egypt, but now I want to study it again just so I can make cookie maps!

[bctt tweet=”#Cookie maps for your Ancient Egypt studies instructions by @JenALambert. #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Sarah’s pick for this week…

These book report worksheets are great for kindergarten or grade 1 students. There’s large lines for them to easily write in with places to draw and show their creative side as well.

Note from Sarah:

I love these print outs, and have already downloaded mine smile emoticon. I am very excited about using the book report sheets.

[bctt tweet=”Get your #Free #printable My Book Report Worksheets via @moniquebdesigns. #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Haley’s pick for this week…

4 Ways to Know When To Transition to Kindergarten

Note from Haley:

I love how Alecia breaks down four easy ways to know when your child is ready to transition. Her tips would easily work for any grade not just Kindergarten.

[bctt tweet=”Is your #Preschooler ready for #Kindergarten? Homeschool tips by @yrroundhomeschl #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Back to School Lunch Hacks

Note from Lindsey:

It will be our first week of the school year tomorrow and though I do not always have time to make elaborate lunches I like to do something special the first week, so this post gave me some great ideas.

[bctt tweet=”Your kids will love Back to School Lunch Hacks by @1littleproject! #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.

Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

Now give us your best posts!


Back to School Snack Station with Savings at Publix!

by 3 Comments

We’re all in back to school mode this time of year, right? And that means hungry, hungry hippos. (Oops! I mean, kids. Hungry, hungry kids.) 🙂

My children are just famished during the school day. I think it must be all the mental effort they expend figuring out ways NOT to do their work.

So this year I decided to create a simple back to school snack station that they could use on their own during snack break. Thanks to some awesome savings at Publix, I stocked our station for a lot less than usual!

See how we stocked our snack station and get ideas for your own! Plus, you can download a Publix coupon and enter our giveaway to win $15 in PayPal cash to get some kid-friendly snacks for your family!

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


Simple Back to School Snack Station

Simple Back to School Snack Station

Sometimes I try to make homemade snacks for our children, but on some days I just run out of time to do it myself. So, picking up snacks I know my kids like can really be a time-saver.

Simple Back to School Snack Station

Some of the simple snacks for kids I like to use include Fiber One chewy cookies, bananas, Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, and Chex Mix. (Seriously, those Fiber One cookies are incredible. It takes a LOT of self-control for me not to eat the whole box.)

Simple Back to School Snack Station

So here’s how I make up the station:

Simple Back to School Snack Station

I empty the Chex Mix into small resealable bags – usually three bags at a time, one for each of my older kids. Then I remove the granola bars and cookies from the box and place them in the basket, along with the bananas.

That’s it! That’s all I do! When it’s snack time, I set the basket on the table and the kids go at it.

Simple Back to School Snack Station

Hey, hey! One at a time! 🙂

I will say that I don’t let my kids snack during school. We take breaks to have snacks, but when we’re schooling, we’re schooling.

Do you need to fill up your back to school snack station? Save $5 on your $20 purchase of participating snacking items when you share the Publix Snack, Share, Save event with friends! Visit the campaign landing page to find out how.

Plus, you can save $5.00 instantly when you buy $20 worth of participating items from PepsiCo, General Mills, & Unilever between 9/24 and 9/30! So it’s a great time stock up on Fiber One Cookies, Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, Chex Snack Mix and all the other kid-friendly snacks you can!

Here’s how to get your coupon: 

1. Go To SnackShareSave.com and Choose a Design to share on your social media account
2. Log In to your Publix Skip The Clip Account
3. Share the social media design via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest
4. Check your Skip the Clip Account for your $5 Coupon.

And you’re done!

Want even more snack savings? We’re hosting a $15 PayPal giveaway so you can stock up on snacks right now! Woohoo!

You can enter using the Giveaway Tools widget below! One reader will receive $15 in PayPal cash!

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine

by 1 Comment

Have you already started the new school year? If so, you might have found that your kids are struggling to recover from summer break. I wrote a post about how to ease your kids back into a school routine over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox Family that might help. 🙂

Today is also another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! Check out the posts we’ve featured from last week’s party and read today’s newest homeschooling parenting posts!

 

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine

Sending our kids to public school last year was a huge eye-opener for me when it comes to back to school scheduling. Adjusting from getting up at 8 am to getting up at 6:15 am was something they were never really able to do. So I know it definitely takes time to ease kids back into a school routine after a couple of months off.

Stop by Thinking Outside the Sandbox Family to get a look at a post I recently shared called “How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine”!

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Time for this week’s linky! 🙂

Come join us every Tuesday for our Laugh and Learn Linkup! You are welcome to share any Parenting or Homeschool link. You will enjoy all the great links! #LaughLearnLinkUp #Homeschool #Parenting #Blog #Mom #Bloggers

Welcome to our 47th 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.

Each and every week, all of the hosts pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina
Me and Sawyerlos-gringos-locos-blog

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 - head shot Look We're Learning

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-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler

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
Pinterest

Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage Finds & Deals

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them 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 their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube

Lindsey
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her! Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her!

Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! Visit Lindsey at Nitty Gritty Homeschooling. Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube


The Winners for the Week of August 25th:

Tina’s pick for this week…

Why We Stopped Buying Toys

Why We Stopped Buying Toys

Selena’s pick for this week…

17 Airplane & Hotel Busy Bags to keep your kids entertained.

17 Airplane & Hotel Busy Bags

Sarah’s pick for this week…

Blank World History Timeline +Free Printable

Blank World History Timeline +Free Printable

A note from Sarah: We keep a Book of Centuries too, but I love the way she lays hers out.

Haley’s pick for this week…

Grandma, Make a Skirt!

Grandma, Make a Skirt!

A note from Haley: I love how she up-cycled a thrift store shirt in to cute skirt for her granddaughter. What a great memory for her to have later on.

Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Making Friends: Qualities We Want in Our Friends

Making Friends: Qualities We Want in Our Friends

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

[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Now give us your best posts!


How I Feed Our Family of Six for $500 a Month

by 7 Comments

My husband and I set our grocery budget at $500 a month. The only issue is: we have four children. 🙂 So every month, I work hard to make sure we can get our groceries for $500 or less (preferably less).

As homeschoolers living on one income, we simply cannot afford to eat out often. But I don’t have time to make a lot of our foods from scratch.

Nevertheless, we still manage to feed our family of six for $500 a month. Read on to see how we feed a family of six on a budget!

How I Feed a Family of Six on a Budget

How I Feed a Family of Six on a Budget

1. Stick to a budget.

The key word in “on a budget” is budget. We’ve had to be hardliners about how much money we’ll spend on groceries each month. Each month, I stick to $500 or ($110 per week). If I have extra at the end of the month, we splurge on a little something.

To stick to the budget, I cannot go shopping without a list. And I cannot go shopping with children who beg for everything in sight. So I always make sure to get at least one “treat” for them, even if it’s a bag of generic graham crackers. That usually keeps them satisfied.

2. Use a list of “go-to” meals.

This tip isn’t even really about sticking with our budget. This one was born out of my frustration with not knowing what to make every night. 🙂

I started with a list of seven dinners that I know my family likes (and that fit our budget), then I tried a few more until I had fourteen. Now I have a list of 28 “go-to” dinners that I know fit our budget and are easy to make and my kids will eat. (Fish and grits, red beans and rice, and beef stroganoff are staples around here.) I don’t have to stress about what to make and I don’t have to worry that I’ll break our grocery budget.

3. Buy in advance.

If I see an awesome price on meat, I just buy it right then, even if I’m not cooking something that uses it that week. That’s what freezers are for, right? I can’t stock our freezer too much, because it’s small, but when I have meat or fish up there, I can generally find an inexpensive meal to use it in.

Do you have any tips for how to feed a family of six on a budget? Share them in the comments!

This post is part of the “Feeding the Homeschool Family” linkup from iHomeschool Network! Click on over to read even more meal ideas from our fellow bloggers!

FeedingFamily

Gymboree Sale On Now!

10 Homeschooling Gifts I’ll Never Take for Granted Again

by 10 Comments

Last year, I went through a serious case of homeschooling burnout. I was working, I was going to college full-time, and I was attempting to homeschool my three oldest children. And it was not going well.

I sent them to public school for a few months, but even though I appreciated the slight increase in “alone time“, I missed them terribly. And I found that I actually missed homeschooling.

Now that we’ve returned to homeschooling, I’m determined to have a more thankful attitude toward our learning this year by appreciating the homeschooling gifts our family enjoys by being together. Here are 10 of the homeschooling gifts that I missed and vow to never take for granted again.

10 Homeschooling Gifts

Image: beerphotographer / Dollar Photo Club

10 Homeschooling Gifts I’ll Never Take for Granted Again

1. Preparing breakfast with my children

2. Making artwork together

3. Playing outside with my kids

4. Sharing a new story as a family

5. Taking a homeschool field trip

6. Listening to my children talk about what they learned

7. Watching all four of the kids read quietly

8. Helping my daughter (who hates math) master a new math concept

9. Seeing my kids get excited about choosing books at the library

10. Hearing one of my children say “Thank you” when we finish the school day

What homeschooling gifts are you thankful for? Share them in the comments!

And let me just add an update here – There are a few more homeschooling gifts that I’ve grown to treasure:

11. Watching my children support each other in a tough subject

12. Being there when they have questions or fears about learning something new

13. Waking up when we feel like it and beginning the day relaxed

14. Taking a vacation whenever we’re ready for one

15. Observing my kids grow into young adulthood with confidence

Homeschooling Gifts I'll Never Take for Granted Again - Look! We're Learning!

Need more parenting encouragement? Don’t miss these posts!

5 Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child - Look! We're Learning!

How to Homeschool in Five Hours a Week

How to Keep a Homeschool Tantrum from Derailing Your School Day - Look! We're Learning!

This post is part of the Homeschool Gifts linkup from iHomeschool Network! Click over to read what our fellow homeschooling bloggers are thankful for this year!

Homeschool Gifts

Need more ways to plan your homeschool this year? Check out my Homeschool Planning board on Pinterest!


End of Summer Activities with Family Fun Friday!

by 1 Comment

For a lot of homeschoolers, summer is coming to an end. And there’s no better way to celebrate the start of the new school year than with some fun end of summer activities!

Last week’s edition of Family Fun Friday featured some great outdoor activities that are perfect for winding down summer break as a family. Be sure to read on to see even more great posts this week!

Fun End of Summer Activities

Monica H&BHnewlogo2013
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-headshot_zps34ee5bae-1 Look Were Learning Logo
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.
1463182_10201254448749001_1981766402_n Untitled5
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.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

Fun End of Summer Activities

1. Did you and your kids make some great memories this summer? Letters in the Sand shares how you can make a beautiful Summer Memory Book!

2. Get outside and have some watery summer fun with the Water Play Activities from Seasonal Family Fun!

3. Help your kids practice STEM and have a sensory experience with the DIY Water Wall at There’s Just One Mommy!

4. Who doesn’t love bubbles! Superheroes and Teacups shares Tons of Fun Bubble Activities!

5. Are you continuing to homeschool through the summer? Take a look at the way Mom’s Morning Coffee does Summer: Homeschool Style!

6. Do your kids love ocean animals? Make a cute Sea Creatures Craft with I Dig Pinterest!

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

HappyandBlessedHome.com

<a href=”http://happyandblessedhome.com” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://happyandblessedhome.com/FeaturedButton.jpg” alt=”HappyandBlessedHome.com” width=”200″ height=”225″ /></a>

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.



2015-16 Homeschool Student Photos

by 8 Comments

We’re not actually starting school until September, but we wanted to go ahead and take our school pictures for this year now. 🙂

This upcoming year, we’ll be teaching 5th grade, 2nd grade, 1st grade, and tot school, so I’m lesson planning like a mad woman….lol. In the meantime, we wanted to get some pics of our kids to compare to last year’s school photos.

Homeschool Student Photos

If you like the back to school signs the kids are holding, stop over at 3 Dinosaurs and download them for free!

Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Everyone is psyched about moving up a grade, even little Piglet. 🙂

Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Tigger is going into fifth grade this year. Her favorite subject is science. Her least favorite subject is math. I keep telling her that you need math to learn science. She remains unconvinced.

Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Pooh is going into second grade. His favorite subject is history. His least favorite subject is also math. Needless to say, I’ve been pinning lots of teaching ideas to make math fun this year.

Creativity kits for kids!
Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Roo is going into first grade. He is excited about anything having to do with building, so he’s probably going to be my child who’s most excited about STEM learning this year.

Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Piglet is only two, so she’s continuing with tot school this fall. After she turns 3 in December, though, we’ll be beginning light preschool. She’s good on ABCs, colors, and counting to 10, but I want to encourage her to keep learning now instead of waiting until she’s actually 4 to start.

Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

My “big school” kids. 🙂

Now I know these pictures can make it look like everything in our family is just hunky-dory. It actually took me about 30 minutes to get enough decent shots for this post. By the time we finished, two children had burst into tears.

So – here are a few of the “outtakes” it took to get a nice set of pictures.
Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Pooh was bitten by a mosquito. As you can see, it was on par with a mortal injury.

Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Piglet refused to hold her sign right side up and required assistance from Roo. Tigger was visibly getting tired of holding her “Mom is taking a picture” smile.

Homeschool Student Photos - Look! We're Learning!

Good enough, right? 🙂

Pley Rent LEGO Toys

Make this summer one to remember with these easy ways to have a fun summer with kids!

10 Easy Ways to Have a Fun Summer with Your Kids

by Leave a Comment

Spending time together in the summer can seem like something that just comes naturally. But, unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Between busy summer activities, taking care of the home, and managing kids during summer break, moms can actually become even more frazzled than usual.

Kids can also lose inspiration as they get into a more relaxed summer schedule.

If you’re running low on inspiration for summer activities as a family, this list of 10 simple ways to have a fun summer can help!

10 Simple Ways to Have a Fun Summer with Kids

We have tried all of these with summer ideas with our kids over the years. And we loved every single one.

If you decide to plan your summer using any of these, let me know which ones were the biggest hits with your family!

Keep reading to see the full list. Plus, score a free summer bingo activity you can complete with the kids!

Looking for more summer fun? Take a look at our list of 50 summer books to share with early readers!

Make this summer one to remember with these easy ways to have a fun summer with kids!

10 Easy Ways to Have a Fun Summer with Kids

1. Get outside.

We live in the Deep South, so if you’re in a hot climate, I can understand why you might be a little hesitant to go outdoors in summer.

It’s hot. Hot beyond all belief.

But spending time outside is one of the simplest ways to have a fun summer with the kids.

We usually go outside early in the morning – right after breakfast. That way, we get some outside time without melting.

Going Outside with Kids During Summer

2. Have a backyard campout.

Summer nights are just perfect for camping out. If you have a decent-sized backyard, pitch a tent or two and sleep outside with the kids.

You get the experience of camping out – with the convenience of using your own bathroom.

Be sure to grill something for dinner and start a campfire for s’mores!

3. Plan a quick getaway.

You might not have the time (or funds) for a long summer vacation.

But if you have a free weekend, taking a getaway to a nearby destination can be an awesome way to reset with the kids.

We’ve found some beautiful spots within a few hours’ drive of our town. And, even when we didn’t plan to do anything “special”, we still had a great time.

Planning a Summer Trip with Kids

4. Hold an indoor movie marathon.

This is one of our favorite ways to have a fun summer. We literally do this every year.

Since we have four children, each one gets to choose a movie and we watch each one together. To make it into an event, we bring sleeping bags into the living room and have snacks the whole time.

It’s awesome.

5. Try a local summer camp.

I don’t like to have the kids scheduled for the entire summer, but spending a week at a summer camp is an annual highlight for us.

We’ve tried several with each of the kids, including computer engineering, swimming, and tennis. Once we find a camp they like, that becomes a regular for us.

If you’re new to summer camps, take a look at seven ways to help your kids get ready!

6. Add water play activities.

I would love to have a pool in our backyard. But we just don’t have the space.

We still plan water play with the kids, though. We just keep it very simple.

Running through the sprinkler, water balloon fights, and water painting are some of our regular summer activities.

And those are perfect for summer afternoons when it’s too hot to do anything else.

7. Try a “staycation”.

Take a week or two and live like a tourist in your own town with a “staycation”. We’ve done this a few times also and the kids loved it.

When you live in a city that has attractions for tourists, it’s easy to get so busy that you never actually visit them.

Let the kids pick a few places they’ve always wanted to go and get tickets to as many as possible.

Sightseeing in Your Town During Summer with Kids

8. Make DIY summer treats.

When you’re planning ways to have a fun summer with kids, you don’t have to look much further than ice cream and popsicles, right?

We don’t have an ice cream maker, but thankfully you can make plenty of no churn ice cream recipes. And the kids can help!

If you’re in the mood for something a little easier, try making some simple popsicle recipes and take them outside to eat!

9. Play a few classic childhood games.

How many classic games can you remember from your childhood?

I remember playing hopscotch, keep away, four square, freeze tag, dodgeball, and duck duck goose. (I learned most of those in elementary P.E. class.)

Kids don’t get a chance to play as many of these games now as we did growing up. But our kids have loved learning to play them all.

Actually, I think I might have had a little more fun playing those games with them than they did.

10. Slow it down.

And, finally, when you’re planning your fun summer, remember to slow it down as much as you can.

Overscheduling makes for a miserable break and that’s the opposite of what we want for our kids.

Slow Summer Bingo Activity

To help with planning a fun, relaxed summer, try this printable Slow Summer Bingo activity board!

It has several activities that are low-prep and perfect for spending time with the kids over the summer.

Plus, there’s a pretty summer-themed wall art printable you can hang on the wall!

To get your free copy of this Slow Summer Bingo Activity board and wall art, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – coming this Sunday!

Click here to get your free printable

>>> Slow Summer Bingo Activity <<<

Don’t miss these other fun summer ideas for kids!

This fun confetti ocean slime recipe is perfect for summer sensory play!
This simple paper bee craft is a fun way to make an easy spring or summer craft with kids!
Keep learning all summer with this list of 40 at home summer learning activities for kids!

What My Homeschooled Children Taught Me

What My Homeschooled Children Taught Me About Public School

by 6 Comments

Last Friday was the last day of the school year and the last day of our Great Homeschool Public School Experiment. Our kids were only in public school for seven months, but it really and truly felt like forever.

Naturally, we sent the kids to public school to help them learn. The strange thing is that I think I learned even more than they did. Today, I’m joining up with several other iHomeschool Network bloggers to share what my child has taught me. I’ll be talking about What My Homeschooled Children Taught Me About Public School!

(If you’re looking for this week’s edition of 52 Weeks to a Healthier You, come back on Wednesday!)
What My Homeschooled Children Taught Me

What My Homeschooled Children Taught Me About Public School

1. It’s more work than homeschooling.

I was one of those parents who thought I’d “get a break” by putting my kids in public school. Wrong. Public schooling is FAR more work than homeschooling ever was.

Previously, I had the luxury of combining subjects and teaching all of my kids together. No more. Each child had his or her own teacher, own classroom, own homework, and own projects to complete. Plus, everyone had school events that I was supposed to attend.

For example, during the last week of school, I attended three separate awards ceremonies on three separate days. (This is, of course, in addition to dropping them off and picking them up each day.) There were separate field trips (with separate fees), class parties, and book fairs. It was a lot. I kept thinking, “Why do I have less time in the day now when I have fewer children around?”

2. My kids could handle it.

Before we finally went through with the decision to enroll them, we wondered how well our kids would adjust to public school. After all, they’d never been before. They’ve never even been to daycare. So just being away from home all day with a group of children was a new experience.

Plus, they’d have to deal with homework (even Roo had homework in kindergarten) and they’d have to deal with a handful of kids who were disruptive. Tigger’s class, for example, consisted of 21 students, including 14 boys. She sat in a row with three boys on one side of her and three boys on another. Naturally, she had some trouble concentrating.

We were pleasantly surprised, though, to see our kids succeed. All three of them were on the Honor Roll every quarter, two were chosen as student of the month in their class, and all three tested several grade levels in reading. I learned that the work we had put in during previous years was valid. Which, ironically, made me start thinking about returning to homeschooling.

3. It’s not for us.

More than all, though, my children taught me that public schooling is not for us. They were miserable in school. They loved what they were learning, but they hated the routine, the pressure, the focus on tests, and the time away from us.

I also learned that I missed them. In all my years as a mom, I’d never been away from them for entire days on end before. And I missed them terribly. So we’re all glad that we’re back to homeschooling again. 🙂

What have you learned from your children this year? Feel free to share in the comments!

This post is part of the “What My Child Taught Me” linky from iHomeschool Network! Click over to read other great posts by my fellow bloggers!
ChildTaughtMe

10 Simple Recipes with Bread Crumbs

by 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!

10 Simple Recipes with Bread Crumbs

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.

Progresso Bread Crumbs

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? 🙂

Progresso Bread Crumbs Recipe

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

Progresso Bread Crumb Recipe Ideas

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

Progresso Bread Crumbs Breaded Fish

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!

Progresso Bread Crumbs Breaded Fish Recipe

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

Progresso Bread Crumbs Breading

Just look at that breading. Oh my.

10 Simple Recipes with Bread Crumbs

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

  1. 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.
  2. Make meatballs. Use bread crumbs to shape meatballs and then cook with them with spaghetti! A kids’ favorite!
  3. 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.
  4. Make chicken tenders. Dip chicken tenders in milk, egg, then bread crumbs to make them extra crunchy!
  5. 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.)
  6. Make zucchini fries. Dip zucchini strips in milk, egg, then bread crumbs, and bake them.
  7. Make cheese sticks. You can roll mozzarella cheese sticks in egg, then bread crumbs, and fry them for an indulgent treat.
  8. Make “fried” shrimp. Shrimp tastes great breaded. Use bread crumbs instead of cornmeal and bake your shrimp instead of actually frying them.
  9. 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!
  10. 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.

Why I'm Returning to Homeschooling

Why I’m Choosing to Homeschool Again

by 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.

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!

Adjusting Our Schedule - What it's like to transition from a homeschooling schedule to a public school schedule

Unwelcome Attitude Changes - How one homeschooling mom dealt with the changes in her children after they started attending public school

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!

WhyWeChose

Coming Back to Homeschooling

by 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

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! 🙂

homeschool-and-parenting-linkup

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

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.

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

Me and SawyerBadge

 

 

 

 

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 - head shotselena badge

 

 

 

 

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

FamilyNYcolor

 

 

 

 

 

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

11156804_10206147061102697_260865567_n11078764_10206146854057521_239856008_o

 

 

 

 

 

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

Our Favorite Posts for the Week of April 20th:

curriculum-planning

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!