Raising Kids

A Big Boy Bike

May 10, 2013 by Denisesawyer 2 Comments

The weather is finally warming up and it is perfect for getting outside and playing with the kids. Judah has been asking for a bike to ride for a while and we’ve been dragging our feet because we just didn’t have the cash to plunk down on a new bike. But, with the weather warming up we knew it was about time we find a suitable bike for him to ride. I started searching around looking for one that he could maneuver {Judah had a little hand me down bike that was just too heavy and would frustrate him when we’d get out to practice}. We were thrilled to find several little toddler bikes that would fit in our price range at Walmart. I pulled several down to try out and finally settled on this 12 inch Huffy for just $39.97. It is nice and light and has lots of cool stars along with a red, silver, and blue motif.

Along with the bike, we picked up some safety gear that Judah would need to ride his new bike. May is National Bike month, so what better time than now to check your kids’ bike safety gear before they head out this summer. Make sure everyone has what they need, in the right sizes to get out and ride this summer.

I found this super cool dinosaur helmet for my dino-loving 4 year old. It’s a Raskull’s helmet – also from Walmart and reasonably priced at $19.97. Judah LOVES it and wore it around the house for a while on the first day I brought it home. I also found him some blue elbow & knee pads along with gloves on clearance for $9.96 – they also have dinosaurs on them! I knew Judah would be thrilled since he asked for a dinosaur bike.

While I couldn’t deliver on the dinosaur bike, Judah was thrilled with his ensemble and we had a blast getting out on it for the first time today. Judah was so proud of himself when he finally figured out how to keep it going. With a little more practice he’ll be flying on around on it. I’m happy with our purchase and I’ve already recouped the price in smiles from my little. This is so much fun!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I’m a participant in the Walmart Moms Program. Walmart has provided me with a product sample and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. Participation in this program is voluntary and the opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Filed Under: Product Reviews & Giveaways, Raising Kids, Wholesome Family Tagged With: dinosaur helmet, first bike, may, national bike month, toddler bike

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Mom Needs a Break

May 6, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Everybody needs a break every now and then…even mom. Recently I was discussing with someone how I don’t ever get “me time.” With a four year old and a 19 month old in the house someone is always needing something. What about after everyone has been fed, bathed, and tucked in? Everyone knows that’s when mom is laying out clothes for the next day, getting a jump on packing lunches for the next day, reading her email, or if you are me, it is when I blog.

It started to bother me that I never had any time just for me, just to read my Bible, pray, take a bath, you know ANYTHING! So, finally it dawned on me that I had make time. I kept saying there wasn’t any time but then when I asked God to show me where I could find a bit of time for Him and me, He did!

It occured to me that I didn’t have a set schedule for myself. I am very organized and for the most part our whole lives live on a schedule. I have a set time we like to eat dinner, a specific time I like to have the kids in bed by, a specific time for lunch, naps, for cleaning house, for waking up for work, for grocery shopping, for when I bake my bread for the week, and even for meal planning. But, I didn’t have a set schedule for sleeping and waking for myself.

Often, I would stay up really late on nights when I didn’t have to be at work at the school so that I could play catch up on the blog. Then I would wake up feeling kind of run down the next day and would linger in bed while the kids watched a cartoon or two in the bed with me. This would go on for a couple of nights and then I would crash early the following night but still get up late. When I had to be at work at the school I would go to bed earlier and get up earlier.

So, I decided to put myself on a schedule. Typically my kids are in bed between 8:30 and 9. They don’t get up until around 8 am. So, I decided to set a goal to be in bed by 10:30 each night {this is the time I try to go to bed when I have to be at work}- whether I had to be at work at the school or not. That way I could get up at 6 or 6:30 whether I had to be at work or not. If I don’t have to be at work that buys me at least an hour and half of “Me Time.”

I tried it for a week. At first it was a little difficult to stop working online and just go to bed. But, I quickly realized I was actually accomplishing more by not staying up late fighting back the sleep. And getting up early meant I had extra time in the morning to finish up tasks if I needed too. It has also given me more time to read. I’ve been reading the Bible, other Christian study books, and I’ve made my way through a couple of other books on my never ending pile of research I have been wanting to get to but could never find the time.

When I get up now I cherish this time. It feels special. I brew myself a cup of hot tea, drizzle in a bit of local honey, and grab my reading material. I can then greet my children with happy smiles and full attention when they wake up instead of groggy moans and hiding under the covers.

I still have my moments when I stay up just a bit too late or I just can manage to get up when the alarm goes off but I just try again the next day and resolve to get back on track.

It has really made a world of difference for me. I feel so much more refreshed. I really encourage you to find just a moment for yourself if you haven’t already. It doesn’t have to be long. Just make sure you find time each day for a minute to gather your thoughts and realign your day.

Kit Kat Mini’s sponsored this post. They wanted to know how mom’s like us find a little time for ourselves to “Take a Break.” If you can’ t find time for yourself in the morning like me, perhaps you can steal away a bit of time in the afternoon, if only to enjoy a handful of chocolate and nice cup of your favorite beverage.

Kit Kat Mini’s are available now at your local Walmart and can be found in single serve bags or in larger shareable size containers.

What about you? How do you steal a moment just for yourself?

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Filed Under: Raising Kids, Uncategorized, Wholesome Family Tagged With: finding me time, me time, mom time, raising kids, take a break

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Tune in to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on PBS this Earth Day – April 22nd

April 20, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Neighborhood Clean Up-9

Do your kids love Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood? Mine do! And I do too! I love that it teaches important life skills that are just perfect for toddler/preschoolers like trying new foods, going to potty the first time you feel like you need to go, sharing toys, and showing compassion and care for others. I find that Judah is absolutely glued to the shows and I hope these important life lessons are sinking in too!

This Earth Day, pitch in with your preschoolers to help make every day a beautiful day in your neighborhood! An extra-special, all-new episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, the top-rated PBS KIDS series from The Fred Rogers Company, premieres on April 22 (check local listings) – just in time to help young viewers learn the importance of cleaning up, picking up and recycling.

The new show features two adorable stories. In Neighborhood Clean Up, a wind storm blows through town making a mess of the Neighborhood playground and no one can play. King Friday proclaims that it is “Clean Up Day” and everyone helps restore the playground by throwing out and recycling the trash. The Neighborhood children – along with young viewers at home – learn that, by working together, the playground can be ready for play again in no time! And in Clean Up Time, Daniel and his best friend O the Owl are playing “farm” at Daniel’s house. They are having a lot of fun, but are also making quite a mess! After losing his watch in a messy room, Daniel realizes that cleaning up and putting his toys away will help him find it. And the great clean-up begins!

Here’s a clip so you can see a sneak preview!

Earth Day from GC on Vimeo.

Inspired by Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and the upcoming special Earth Day-themed episode, here are some simple and fun ideas for celebrating the special day (and Mother Earth) together:

· Proclaim your own “Clean Up Day”! Tidy up your yard, and clean out the winter clutter. While you’re at it, find out what kind of trees, plants and wildlife are “at home” in your backyard and neighborhood, too!

· Plant a garden! Pick out the kinds of vegetables you’d like to grow or design a flower bed together – kids love to get their hands dirty! If you live in an apartment, you can create a beautiful flower or herb garden right on your terrace or windowsill.

· Help beautify a park or playground! Get a group of parents and preschoolers
together and visit a local park to help make sure that it’s trash free and ready for playtime!

· Recycle together! Invite your children to get in on the act of recycling! Have them assist you in tying up those newspapers and magazines, collecting the cans and bottles, crunching the cardboard boxes – and making sure that everything goes in its proper bin.

And don’t forget to tune-in to the brand-new Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Earth Day episode together. It’s another perfect way for families to make Earth Day a special day in their neighborhood!

Filed Under: Raising Kids, Wholesome Family Tagged With: daniel tigers neighborhood, earth day, preschoolers, toddlers, tv

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Awesome Bible Mini Series on the History Channel

March 15, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Have you been watching The Bible on The History Channel? If not, you really should check it out! DJ and I are thoroughly enjoying it. It is so good, neither of us is “allowed” to watch it without the other…that is why last week’s episode is waiting on our DVR – for an opportunity when we can both watch it together. LOL.

The Bible is a 10-episode TV series produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey that premiered Sunday, March 3rd. There have been two episodes so far. But, no worries if you missed it. Walmart will be selling the series and you can preorder it here. I am thinking of purchasing it myself (and know several people who have already) even though I have not missed an episode. I think they would be good to have around to watch again as a family when the kids are a bit older. I think even at Judah’s age he can get the basic understanding now but he’ll be able to grasp more if we watch it again when he is a bit older.

Which, by the way, Judah saw the first episode and we will likely let him watch others. It is a bit over his head (he is only 4) but we’ve been able to have lots of good discussion with him already. Which is what makes this such a great family show. It will most definitely spark conversations. The representations of what happened during the story of Moses and God’s people being freed from Egypt was breathtaking! Having read and heard the stories all my life, I knew what was going to happen and it still left me on the edge of my seat when Moses and the Israelites were crossing the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s soldiers were hot on their trail.

So, if you haven’t tuned in yet, the next episode will air Sunday night, March 17th at 8 pm. And you can still preorder the whole series at Walmart.com for just $29.96 now and it will ship on April 2, 2013. Why pre-order? Customers who pre-order The Bible will receive a Digital HD copy of the Bible (Walmart Exclusive) and they will also have access to exclusive VUDU content – “First Look” of 10 episodes on Vudu!

What do you think? Are you enjoying The Bible?

Filed Under: Product Reviews & Giveaways, Raising Kids, Wholesome Family Tagged With: Bible mini series, family Television, history channel, The Bible

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Making Memories with the Family at the Circus!

February 17, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

We had a fabulous time at Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus in Atlanta at the Philip’s Arena last Wednesday night. We saw the new “Dragons!” show and I have to say it is by far my favorite circus! We’ve been to the circus the past 4 years and I think this show was the best we’ve ever seen! The music was great and the acts were even better.

Judah said the lions and tigers were his favorite. My favorite was the little dogs and cats that did tricks. They were sooo cute {and talented!}. Judah also loved the dragons. The dragon floats that they paraded in and out were incredible.

Eliana enjoyed this circus too. She was a great age to really understand what was going on and she was mesmerized! I’ve never seen her so excited! She jumped up and down and pointed and hollered for the first 20 minutes of the circus non-stop! She was totally entranced by the parade at the beginning. But of course the snacks ran a close second! She ate her weight in popcorn and cotton candy. LOL.

Besides the show being absolutely mind blowing, we were thrilled with the visit we got from the clown during the intermission. I loved that I was able to get a shot of Judah with him, even though Judah was a little nervous!

Filed Under: Field Trips, Product Reviews & Giveaways, Raising Kids, Wholesome Family, Wholesome Fun Tagged With: circus, dragons, fun with kids

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Combat Winter Blues with a Family Slumber Party!

February 16, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Are you tired of the snow and cold? Are you day dreaming of spring and counting down the days until you can send your kids outside to play!? Long gone are the winter holidays when everyone is off from school and it seems that spring break is just too far away! How do you kick those winter blues and still have fun in the cold?

Here’s a fun idea that my family loves to do … at least once a month. We have a family slumber party! I know it sounds silly but there is just something about sleeping somewhere besides your own bed that is fascinating to the kiddos. Judah BEGS to sleep in the living room and would have a family sleepover once a week if I would let him!

Step 1: We have an air mattress that we blow up in the living room. You could also build a tent/fort to sleep in, drag out the sleeping bags, build a blanket palate, or drag a bedroom mattress into your living room for a fun night of sleeping any where but your own bed!

Step 2: We have a dinner that is different than the normal. It is usually something easy for mom like pizza or we have a “junk food” night and have frozen food. This is extremely off for us so Judah thinks it is a treat! lol. This week we decided to have a “fancy dinner” and have steak and cheese fondu. We got out the fondu pot and I made a cheese sauce with asparagus, rigatoni noodles, and homemade bread for dipping. Whatever you decide to do, make it different than the normal dinner routine to make it “special.”

Step 3: We pick out a movie to watch together. Sometimes we watch something on Netflix, other times we watch something we’ve recorded on the DVR. This week Judah was SO excited about the movie Peter Pan coming out on DVD that we bought it at Walmart as a special surprise after school this week. I was surprised that it was only $19. I really expected to have to pay more for a Disney movie. {What a pleasant surprise!}.

Step 4: Snuggle down in your new sleeping space and turn down the lights. Before you know it everyone has enjoyed themselves so much they are all conked out and tucked in for the night.

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Filed Under: Raising Kids, Wholesome Family, Wholesome Fun Tagged With: family party, family time, fun with kids, indoor camp out, living room camp out, movie night, slumber party, winter blues

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Valentine’s Clay Heart Magnets and Necklaces

February 11, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Judah and I had so much fun making these little clay hearts for gifts for our family members and friends this Valentine’s Day. They are really quite simple to make. We gave ourselves plenty of time and did them across several days – one day to make and bake the clay hearts, one day to paint, and finally, a third day to put sealant on them and string with ribbon or glue magnets to the back.

This is a very frugal project too. All you need is:

clay {see recipe that follows}
cookie cutters (we used two heart shapes}
a drinking straw {if you want to poke holes in them for necklaces}
some paint and brushes
Modge Podge Acrylic Sealer
Magnets and/or ribbon
Epoxy glue {if doing magnets}

First, we made the clay. This is something the kids and I could do together. It is just a simple salt dough with 2 cups of flour, 1 cup salt, and 1 cup water, Mix and knead it together.

Roll it out and help little ones to press cookie cutters into the dough to make heart {or other desired} shapes. If you are making necklaces, carefully poke a hole in the top with a drinking straw, for stringing ribbon through later.

Place all the shapes on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 200 degrees for two to three hours, or until completely dried out.

On the second day, I got out the paints and set Judah up with lots of paint brushes along with little containers of paint. He and I painted our hearts out {no pun intended} while Eliana was taking a nap.

Finally, after allowing the hearts to dry a full day, I sprayed all the hearts with Modge Podge sealant before adding the magnets and ribbons. I adhered some round magnets to the backs of the hearts with some epoxy glue and we strung the ones with holes with pretty pink and white cord.

They turned out great! We packaged them up in little sets and placed them in boxes and bubble mailers to give to our grandmothers and friends. I am also proudly displaying a couple on my own fridge.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Filed Under: DIY Craftiness, Kid's Crafts, Raising Kids, Wholesome Family, Wholesome Fun Tagged With: clay hearts, craftiness, DIY, hearts, kid crafts, kids Valentine's Day Craft, Valentine's Day

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A Boy’s Valentine’s Cards – Love Bug Cards

February 7, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

I have been surfing Pinterest for a cute Valentine card that Judah could take to “school.” I’m not crazy about Valentine’s cards that include candy {although they are a hit with kids}. But, I know kids enjoy something more than just a piece of paper with a sentiment.

So, when I found these cute bug Valentine’s cards I knew they would be the perfect solution! Judah LOVES them and I love that they are fun with out cavities and sugar.

I found some SUPER cute little bug finger puppets on Oriental Trading to use. They come in packs of 12 for $5. I know toys from Oriental Trading can be a hit or miss, but these are really good quality. The colors are wonderful! You can find them here.

Since these bugs are a bit larger than the cheap plastic bugs you can sometimes find in party supply stores or dollar stores, the Valentine’s Card from the original post was too small (they are four to a page). So, I made my own card two to a page and if you like it, you can print your own here. I took Judah’s name off of it, so you can print your child’s name on the card if you like!

Judah is so excited to share these with his friends and he hand selected each bug for each child. It was such an important decision to a 3 year old – to make sure each bug was the exact one his friend would like the most.

I think his friends will love the little bugs too. And, they are great little imaginative play toys – that will last a bit longer than a piece of candy anyway.

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Filed Under: Holidays, Kid's Crafts, Parties, Raising Kids, Uncategorized, Wholesome Family, Wholesome Fun Tagged With: Bug Valentines, cards, Valentine's Cards, Valentine's Day, Valentines for boys

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Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Presents DRAGONS! At Philips Arena, ATL

February 6, 2013 by Denisesawyer 1 Comment

This February, Feld Entertainment will be bringing Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus presents Dragons to Philips Arena February 13^th – 18^th & The Arena at Gwinnett Center Februarys 21^st – March 3^rd.

Why Dragons? It’s the The Chinese Year of the Dragon, of course! This is a once in a millennium event!

Circus performers from the farthest reaches of the earth have assembled to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. You’ll see phenomenal acts including the Shaolin Kung Fu Warriors, charging Cossack riders, magnificent Asian elephants, Siberian tigers and the frenzied motorcycle Globe of Steel.

And, don’t forgot the preshow! {It’s my favorite part!} It starts an hour earlier than your ticketed show time and is open {FREE} to everyone with a ticket! You’ll get to see some of the acts and performs up close and personal and there’s always some hands on fun for the kiddos!

Show Times:
- Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m.
- Thursday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, February 15 at 10:30 a.m., and 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, February 16 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, February 17 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Look for me on Wednesday night! My kids and I will be the ones with our faces glued to the performances and our mouths stuffed with cotton candy.

Need tickets?

(There’s a price for everyone and there is not a bad seat in the house! )

Circus Celebrity (weekend)	$130.00
Circus Celebrity (weekday)	$100.00
VIP (weekend)	$60.00
VIP (weekday)	$45.00
3rd	$30.00
4th	$25.00

And you know me, I’ve always got a tip or two on how to make it a frugal, fun family outing. Right now, you can get a buy one get one free ticket by picking up a coupon from an Atlanta area Zaxby’s. Also, you can get $15 tickets for opening night with the same coupon. That makes going to the show a bit more affordable for families.

You can get tickets at the box office before the show or by phone by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000.

I was compensated with tickets to the show for this post thanks to Feld Entertainment. The opinions here are always honest and always my own. Hope to see you there!

Filed Under: Field Trips, Product Reviews & Giveaways, Raising Kids, Wholesome Family, Wholesome Fun

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Mom Gets Active

January 26, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

danskin

How many of you made resolutions to lose weight this year? Probably quite a few since it is one of the top resolutions people make each year. Even if you aren’t trying lose, perhaps you’ve resolved to get healthy, eat better, or be more active. Those are all great decisions to make for your health regardless if you are into making resolutions at the beginning of each new year.

If you are working out and need a little motivation to get you going there is nothing better for the ‘ol self esteem for us ladies than to get yourself some new, pretty work out clothes that you’ll want to wear. Well, I’ve got great news for those of us who are also resolving to spend less and save more this year – Danskin {available at Walmart} has some super cute, really comfy active wear this season.

See that outfit I’m wearing in the the photo there? That came from Walmart. Right? It’s super cute, huh? I’m going to wear this every day to ~~workout~~ chase my kids around the house. I’m just gettin’ real with ya’ll. The chances of me working out is slim. Real slim. But, I would say I’m pretty active with a 1 year old and 3 year old. I do a lot of standing {In front of the stove and fridge fixing endless snacks for said children}, running {to catch naked bodies to strap diapers on them}, and leaping after small children {who are doing dangerous things}. Here’s what my workout looks like:

Danskin 2

And those clothes in the picture there… super comfy. AND, I think they are nice enough/appropriate for heading out in – you know, to do mom stuff like grocery shopping, running errands, picking up kids, dropping off kids, library visits, and doctor visits. As, a matter of fact, I’ve done all those things in these clothes. Just the other day while I was wearing those clothes Judah asked me why I wore them everyday. {HA!} I think everyday might be an exaggeration. But, it is a testament to the fact that I do wear them as soon as they are rewashed.

The pants are Danskin and in size petite {Squee! Petite pants are often hard to find off the rack!}. And the sweatshirt is Hardcandy – and just $9. I just think it is too cute. I’m also wearing a loose fit Danskin T-shirt under the sweatshirt and it was just $3.96! And, if I did decide to do a little exercise, this outfit would be great for a morning jog or some yoga or pilates.

But, if this doesn’t suit your fancy, Danskin has a pile of other choices:

Danskin NOW Performance Poly Tees $5.96
Danskin NOW Performance Jacket $13.96
Danskin Now Mesh Pant $8.96
Danskin Now Running Short $6.96
Danskin Now Seamless Sport Bra $9.94
Danskin Now Performance Heather Tea $5.96

Aren’t those prices crazy cheap!? I had a hard time deciding what to buy because there were so many bright and pretty choices. The sports bras were so cute with the stripes, but I couldn’t find my size and since I’m a shorty I went with the pants that came in petite! But, if you are in the market for running shorts, The Danskin Running Shorts look very similar to another brand {that will remain nameless} that cost 3 to 4 times as much as these! So, get the look for less!

This is a sponsored post. I’m a participant in the Walmart Moms Program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. Participation in this program is voluntary and the opinions stated above are entirely my own.

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Filed Under: Raising Kids, Wholesome Family Tagged With: fashion, Walmart, walmart moms, workout, workout clothes

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A Big Boy Bike

Mom Needs a Break

What about you? How do you steal a moment just for yourself?

Tune in to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on PBS this Earth Day – April 22nd

Awesome Bible Mini Series on the History Channel

Making Memories with the Family at the Circus!

Combat Winter Blues with a Family Slumber Party!

Valentine’s Clay Heart Magnets and Necklaces

A Boy’s Valentine’s Cards – Love Bug Cards

Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Presents DRAGONS! At Philips Arena, ATL

Need tickets?

Mom Gets Active

Click the Image for a Printable Meal Plan

@WholesomeMommy on Twitter