Fall Break ideas
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3 Fall Break Ideas in Utah’s National Parks (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

School started less than a month ago for my children, but Fall Break is already just around the corner! In Utah, Fall Break is scheduled for October 17-18, 2013 in many school districts, offering families a great opportunity to enjoy a long weekend getaway.

Fall is also one of the best times of the year to visit Utah’s national parks. Temperatures are cooler and colorful fall leaves make the parks even more beautiful, if that is possible. It only takes about four hours to drive to any of Utah’s national parks from Salt Lake City.

dresser mirror
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Dresser Mirror Tutorial ~ So Simple! (she: Jeanie)

Byjeanie

I recently painted a chest of drawers that is in my bedroom. You can read about that Ikea Hack on my blog. Anyway, I was thrilled with how it turned out but it was missing something: a mirror above it. Through a series of craft fails and happy accidents, I ended making the mirror using a cheap plastic tray that I keep in my craft closet as a template for large circles. The round mirror I bought months ago in hopes of jumping on the starburst mirror bandwagon, but I couldn’t come up with an original idea! I’ve had the glass beads forever.

The mirror was incredibly easy to make. I just put it all together with E6000 glue and Glu6 Original and let it cure overnight before propping it up in the stand.

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (she: Ruthie)
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Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (she: Ruthie)

Byruthie

Hi again… it’s Ruthie from Whats Cooking with Ruthie and I’m so happy that Fall weather is here again!

The leaves are turning around our neck of the woods and it’s put me in the mood for some savory soups…

AND there’s not much that beats a slow cooker savory soup- I love to throw it together in the morning and wha-la! Ready to enjoy when you walk in the door that evening… OK. Well, there are a couple of quick things to do to finish it off but you get the idea 🙂

“We Are Amazing!” Children’s CD Review & Giveaway

“We Are Amazing!” Children’s CD Review & Giveaway

ByRebecca

“Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education.” — Plato

I’ve always loved a good quote, and this is one of my new favorites! Music is so important, and I’m so grateful that I married a man who LOVES music and that all three of my kids love to listen to music and “shake it” whenever possible. I’m always on the look out for new “kid” music that won’t make me want to go hide in a sound proof closet. You know … something that will keep the kids happy while we’re riding in the car but that I won’t mind having stuck in my head all day!

So, I was very excited to get the chance to review Bobbi Hansen’s CD, “We Are Amazing!” The testimonials online from educators, parents and even kids were glowing!

cereal bowls for kids
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The BEST Cereal Bowls for Kids ~ I’m Serious.

ByMariel

Is it weird to do a blog post about cereal bowls? Um, probably. But, we all use them, so it can be relevant, right?

Okay, so with six kids I am frequently replacing my glasses (broken), sippy cups (lost), silverware (in the sandbox), and cereal bowls (used to hold random food bits to lure wild animals into my yard.) I tell you what. It’s a little crazy. If I’m out of small spoons, I just need to take a trip to my back yard. I’m sure to find a few. I think I actually have an Instagram pic of my sippy cups find…

homeschool resources
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5 Favorite Homeschool and Educational Products and Resources

ByMariel

I have a deep love for educational products and resources. Deep. I enjoy learning right along with my kids and finding (or creating) ways to make it fun. Anyway, with homeschool in full swing, we’ve been getting lots of use out of some super great homeschool and educational products and resources.

Here’s my current faves:

Daily Writing Prompts – The Teacher’s Corner has a fabulous list of daily writing prompts for every day of the year. What is super cool is that they are all relevant to the actual day, so let’s see… today is September 17th. There are 3 choices of writing prompts. One is about how today is the day the constitution was signed and asks kids to learn and write about one of the amendments. Another is about how September 17th is citizenship day and write what it means to be a good citizen. The last is about how today is the day NASA introduced the first space shuttle, and then a thought provoking question about that. Good stuff, I tell ya. So, not only are they getting handwriting practice, but they are actually writing about something educational.

family hug
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Sending a Family Hug to Loved Ones (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Having nine children in our family is crazy fun. But, as those little buggers grow up, they leave us! SO RUDE! 🙂 We have two in college and one who just recently left for a two year mission for our church in Salt Lake City. So, even though we have 6 kiddos left, it’s feeling very empty. (I know…it sounds crazy, but it’s true).

I decided that it was time to start sharing some fun ideas on care packages. Everyone has someone they know who would love to get a fun little treat in the mail. With technology being so advanced, it doesn’t seem to happen as often as it use to. So today, I thought I’d share a fun idea I first saw here. But, with having so many kids, I thought I’d make a few changes. We decided to send our son Israel a family hug from home.

chicken alfredo
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Chicken Alfredo ~ My Husband is Obsessed!

ByMariel

So, this is actually an old post. I mean REALLY old… one of my firsts on the blog! The pictures were literally so horrible that I can’t imagine that one single person would ever want to make it. But, since the recipe is a fave in my house, I figured it was worth a little redo and re-post.

It’s not reasonable to go to Olive Garden every day, so every woman needs a fab and easy chicken alfredo recipe. I found this one online, way back in the days, can’t remember where (I think maybe All Recipes or one of those big collection sites.) But, it’s fabulous. My husband, a self-proclaimed alfredo snob, swears this is his favorite. He says just as good, probably better than the O.G. Whoo! That’s always fun to hear. 🙂 Served with a green veggie and some garlic bread… mmm, baby.

disney student
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Disneyland Student Group Travel Options 101 (she: Kim)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

School is back in session and at Get Away Today, that means student group travel planning begins. Last year I was lucky enough to go to the Disneyland Resort to learn all about the different programs they have available for students. I couldn’t believe how many different programs they have and how awesome and affordable they are! Before going on this trip, I really didn’t understand the differences between the programs, but now they are crystal clear. If you are involved with student travel in any way (teacher, advisor, chaperone or even just a parent of a traveling student), read on to learn what I call “Disneyland Student Group Travel Options 101.” I’ll cover the basics for each of the four student group ticket options.

personalized bucket
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DIY Spray Painted Flower Pail (she: Carmella)

ByCarmella

Before I share my very first craft with you {gulp} I wanted to let you know a little about me. I am a southern girl, born and raised in Alabama. I spent some time traveling this great country of ours but finally settled again just outside of Nashville. I met the man I would later call my husband just two weeks after I moved here and the rest, as they say, is history. Fast forward many years later and I am now a momma to three beautiful kiddos that keep me very, very busy. Two and a half years ago… somewhere between the diaper changes and play-dates… I began to feel like I was starting to lose myself a little. What I needed was a creative outlet… and from that thought, the Creative Carmella Blog was born. Also known as my “happy place”, the Creative Carmella blog is my little corner of this blogging world where I share stories about our life, DIY crafts, and all things creative. Finding my creativity again also opened the door to jewelry design too, you can see the designs that I have for sale now HERE in my online shop.

Now, on with the craft!

Today I am sharing with you how to pretty up a tired metal bucket.. with my favorite paint, spray paint!

utah activities
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Top 10 family activities in Utah (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

Utah is known as the Beehive State because when Mormon pioneers settled the state, they strived to emulate the industry and perseverance of the honey bee. The state was originally named Deseret, which means “honey bee.” When Brigham Young pulled his wagon over the hill and declared “This is the right place,” he was probably not thinking about family entertainment. Over 160 years later, however, The Beehive State is one of the best places to find high-quality, family destinations.

Here are my top 10 family activities in Utah (that you can only find in the Beehive State):

handprint apple tree
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Handprint Apple Tree ~ Fun Fall Art Project For Kids (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Hey, it’s Brook from Blissful Roots again. I’m going to have to jump on the fall bandwagon and say, “I LOVE FALL!” It’s my favorite time of the year. My mom always loved fall, all three of my boys’ birthdays are in the fall, there’s Halloween, pumpkins, apples, leaves, fall baking- what’s not to love? So, today in honor of fall I have a fun autumn art project for you to do with your kids.

I’m not quite sure where I came across this idea, but I’ve been doing it for several years with my boys. Even though they’re getting a bit older, I think they still get a little excited about making this art project every September. Actually what they really love is the squishy, gooey feeling of the paint on their arm, hands, and fingers. We’re usually trying to avoid paint on body parts, but not for this activity. This is a perfect fall art project for kids!