We were recently lucky enough to get to try two games, Funky Barn 3D and Horses 3D, from Ubisoft for the Nintendo 3DS system.  Not only were my kids thrilled to get to try them (and keep them) for free, but both were games that they had previously heard about and wanted to try.

(Actually, I believe the response was, “YES!” when I told them that were would be receiving them.)

I let all of my kids try out the games, and have interviewed them about the games, after they have been using them.

Funky Barn 3D

Me: Tell me briefly what Funky Barn 3D is about.

Noah: Well, it’s about making a successful farm with high production and high population of animals.

Me: What was your favorite part of Funky Barn 3D?

Jack: I liked all the robots that do the work around the farm.

Noah: Well, I really liked all the animals.  They just have very hilarious personalities.

Me: What would you like to change about the game?

Noah: Well, I would like it if maybe the animals weren’t so demanding.  They always want their habitats to have more plants and stuff.

Molly: I wish there was more types of animals, like rabbits.

Jack: I wish that not all the important stuff would cost a lot of money.

Me: Would you recommend Funky Barn 3D to your friends?

Noah: Yeah!

Jack: Yes.

Molly: Okay.

Horses 3D

Me: Tell me briefly what Horses 3D is about.

Molly: It’s about training your horse and, well, you can have a job.  There is dressage, acrobats, vaulting, cross country, and show jumping.  (This was all with Jack giving her answers here and there.)

Jack: The basic story is you go to this horse ranch as a summer job, but you used to go there while you were young.  At first, you need to help around the ranch, then you also need to help with the riding center, called the Magnolia Center.  That’s what the basic story is.

Me: What was your favorite part of Horses 3D?

Molly: I like the tours and the horses and you can make the horses whatever color you want.

Noah: I’d say that I liked the wide variety of horses that you could choose from.  I also liked the cross country events.  They’re very good.

Jack: I am a big fan of the horse breeds.  I also like the realistic look of the game — the horses look so real.  I was also a big fan of the dressage events.  And, I like how they used 3DS’s new balance feature on the vaulting event.

Me: What would you like to change about the game?

Molly: Nothing.

Noah: I kind of wished the horses could turn a little better when they were running, but other than that it was pretty good.

Jack: I wish that you didn’t always have to ride the horse.

Me: Would you recommend Horses 3D to your friends?

Jack: Yes.

Molly: Yes!

Noah: Definitely.

If you had been able to try these out and we had to send one of them back, which one would you have wanted to keep?

Noah: Horses 3D – it was pretty good.

Jack: Horses 3D.

Molly: Horses 3D.

Although there seemed to have been a Horses 3D landslide in our house, all of the kids actually enjoyed both games. It was a lot of fun to get to try them out, so thanks to Clever Girls Collective and Ubisoft for giving us the opportunity to have fun with some brand new games for our Nintendo 3DS game systems!

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #UbiChamps

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure page.

Two Fabulous Games for the Nintendo 3DS: Funky Barn 3D and Horses 3D is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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Oh, lunch time.  It comes every afternoon, and yet it still often catches me by surprise as the afternoon is beginning to slip away.  (We tend to eat lunch closer to 2 pm.  Go figure.)

This means we have a tendency to try to grab something quickly. (We typically add in some fruit, yogurt, etc.)

Here are ten of our go-to lunch ideas at our house:

1. Peanut Butter & Jam Sandwiches/Lunch Meat Sandwiches – everyone likes a different type of sandwich, so I ask them to join in with the sandwich making.

2. Grilled Cheese – Yes, I know I just said sandwiches.  But, we feel like grilled cheese is just a bit different than your normal, run of the mill sandwich.

3. English Muffin Pizzas – I think I like these better than the kids do.  We just eat cheese pizzas, and we use whole wheat English muffins.

4. Leftovers – We tend to let Eric take leftovers to work.  However, from time to time, we have enough leftovers to feed all of us at home the next day.

5. Spaghetti -Even though this always seems like a dinner dish to me, my kids love it and I can easily throw it together when we skip any meat.  (Or, I could brown the meat ahead of time, if I wanted to.)

6. Scrambled Eggs – Easy, inexpensive, and all of the kids like them.

7. Packaged/Frozen Meals – I know, it’s not good.  But sometimes when the kids come to the grocery store with me, I let them pick out a frozen meal to be able to have later.

8.  Bosco Breadsticks – We love these Market Day bread sticks.  They’re also really excellent for times when we’ve had friends over.

9. Pancakes or Waffles – Syrup sometimes makes the table messy, but at least we got to enjoy a nice warm meal.

10. Hodge Podge of This and That – A little bit of this, a little bit of that.  Just whatever is around that seems like it will go together.  Or, you know, maybe not.  As long as it’s not too heavy all in one food group, I’m pretty easy going.

What are your favorite quick lunches for kids?

10 Quick Lunches for Our Kids is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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I’ve so totally been there, so this made me laugh.  Love it!

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My Mom has given me some of this twice, and it’s delicious.  Even better – it only takes about 10 minutes to make and is done in the microwave.  Score!

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Microwave Caramels – Food.com
I haven’t tried these yet, but they look delicious (and quick & easy).

Other Places I Am Online This Week:

Baby Supply Box – The Happy Housewife
My friend Amanda was my inspiration for writing this post.

Many Little Links: May 13, 2012 is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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(Just a sampling of “my people” – Cheryl, Amy, me, Rachel, Maureen, Tara, and Kris)

When I wrote about the benefits of networking with other bloggers on Tuesday of this week, I had several people in the comments either ask about how I started my blogger networking group or just indicate that they wanted something like that, but weren’t sure how to go about starting something like that.  I promised to share my own story about forming the blog networking group that I’m in.

Feeling a Sense of Needing a Blogger Networking Group

Even at the end of 2009, I started having this real feeling that I needed to be in a blogger networking group.  I wanted the promotion/networking aspect of it, but I also just wanted the community aspect of it.

Instead of doing something about this, however, I just basically whined to myself every time I thought about it.  “Nobody ever invites me to anything,” I would think in that whole “I’m going to take my ball and go home” type of voice.

When I attended my first conference, Blissdom in 2010, my sense of urgency to be in a group grew.  Of course, my sense of not being invited to a group and the sadness also grew.

Being Convicted to Start My Own Group

One day, in February 2010 (just after Blissdom), while I was again lamenting my lack of group, it just hit me.  I’m sure that it was a call from God, really (especially knowing what has eventually come out of the group).  I distinctly heard myself being called, “If you are being invited to a group, just start your own.”

No, I did not want to do that.  And, quite frankly, I wouldn’t.  Or, at least I thought I wouldn’t.  Instead, I kept feeling that call to start my own group.

I’m the kind of person that just wants people to like me.  So, the thought of approaching people about a group and being rejected sounded horrible to me.  I didn’t want to do it, but the thought of having a group for support and networking had to trump that fear.

I began to think of the people that I thought would be good additions to a group like this.  I had some obvious options – people that I already frequently emailed with about different things.  Then, I also went through some of the business cards that I received at Blissdom and thought about those people that I felt like I had connection with, as well as those that might mesh well with the people I already had in mind.

I think it’s important to note that while some of those I emailed were people I already felt like I knew really well, some were people I had only just barely met.  So, if you’re forming a group, don’t feel like you can only ask your best blogging friends ever.

Putting Myself Out There

After I decided on who I would invite (which was approximately 13 people), I had to compose an email with my thoughts about what this group would be about.  I carefully composed my thoughts about it, sent it to each of the bloggers I had in mind, and then felt the strong urge to vomit.

See – I wasn’t kidding.  I was so scared of their responses.  I flinched every time I hit “send/receive” on my email.  And, then the first response finally came in.  And another.  And another.

Of all the emails I sent out, I got only one “rejection.”  It wasn’t even really a rejection though.  It was just a “I’m trying to spend less time on the computer, but thank you so much for thinking of me.”

The rest of the emails, however, were beautiful.  People were touched to be asked, excited at the prospect of the group, and even some saying that they had been praying for something like this.

I had found my people.

The Group was Born

We had to figure out some of the logistics of where to “meet,” but otherwise, the group quickly fell into place and connections started being made immediately.  (I think it helped that there was a sense that I was in charge of the group.  I know that sounds bad, but when a lot of decisions need to be made at once, I always think it helps to have one central person to make a final decision based on the desires of the group.)

While we decided to spring for a Ning Mini board (which costs about $20/year), groups could also use things like a private Facebook group, email, particular chat times on Skype, or any other option that seems to work for all of the members.

The Group Grows and Changes

We have now been a group for a little over two years.  In that time, we have managed to keep several of the original members.  However, things change for people.  We have had members leave for a variety of reasons.  Some joined and never got active, some decided to stop blogging, and the like.

We also got to a point two different times where we added several new people to our group.  Our current group is an active network of approximately 20 bloggers.  It has become a very loyal group where we know that we can go for solutions to problems, ideas, promotions, writing opportunities, and most importantly – a true love and support for each other.

I may have put myself out there with those initial emails, but I really believe it was God that brought us all together.

I cannot express enough how much this group has meant to me, as well as how strongly I encourage you to find your own group.  If you have been busy waiting for someone to contact you, it might just be that you are the one being called to do the contacting.  Good luck!

How I Formed My Blogger Networking Group is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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~ 1 ~

This week we did something that I have been putting off for at least two years.  Well, hang on.  That’s not entirely true.  It was just the biggest step of what we had been putting off.

In January, we finally took Noah into the orthodontist, which is what we had been putting off for two years.  While I was cringing about the money, I was mostly cringing about how he would handle it.

In February, he was sent to have five teeth removed (one baby tooth, four permanent).  He did amazingly well with this.

And finally, this week – it was the big moment.  Except it was actually two different appointments.  He had impressions on Monday, which he hated.  But, he still did a great job.  They also took the time to show him everything they were going to be doing two days later to put on the braces.

On Wednesday, he finally got the braces.  He did a great job, even though he didn’t like some of it.  I was able to sit with him and held his foot.  (Hey – a Mom has to be creative sometimes.)

His mouth is still sore, but I’m hoping that he has relief soon.

~ 2 ~

We finally went and bought our cooler weather crops for the garden.  Yeah, you know the ones that we could have planted in March, and probably should have definitely had in by April?  Yep, those are the ones. (Plus we also bought our tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and cucumbers, and we’ll get those in the garden next week.)

My most super exciting part of the planting?

It was that we finally actually emptied out both of our compost bins and added all of the dark, rich compost to the garden beds.  We’ve been using them for a few years, and have just put off ever emptying them.  It was pretty amazing to look at all of that rich soil and know that it had been things like banana peels, apple cores, and toilet paper tubes.

~ 3 ~

Do you have friends, neighbors, or family that tend to borrow things from you, especially when it comes to ingredients?  I’m the go-to person when a couple of my neighbors need an ingredient in a pinch.

Today, I had what I have decided is the funniest one though, and it came from my Mom.  She called to ask for powdered sugar.  Not so funny, of course, but it was when she told me she needed a pound of it that I was amused.  I’m used to something like a cup of something, not so much a pound.  (Family is allowed to do that though, huh?)

~ 4 ~

Other places you can find me writing this week…

Baby Supply Box at The Happy Housewife

Homeschool Mother’s Journal: May 10, 2012 at iHomeschool Network

~ 5 ~

My most poignant moment of the week…

We found out that my niece, who is a senior in high school, has just passed her written and physical tests to join the Air Force.  I read that she had passed all the tests on Facebook and told the kids.

Molly looked perturbed and said, “Oh…”

I told her that it was exciting and that this was what G. wanted to do.

And that was the moment when my seven year old with big eyes cautiously looked up at me and changed her voice to an extremely quiet whisper before saying, “But I don’t want her to die.”

It took my breath away for a moment.  I hugged Molly and agreed with her that it could be dangerous.  (I didn’t want to lie.)  But, I told her that I thought that G. would be fine, and that we could pray for her to be safe every day once she leaves home.

~ 6 ~

That was a downer to share, wasn’t it?  I’m sorry.  I’ll share something entirely more fun and happy.

The kids were thrilled that we finally managed to go to Starbucks between 3 – 5 pm for their current special of half-priced frappuccinos.  (It lasts through May 13th, so go visit if you haven’t already.  Or, you know, even if you have.)

~ 7 ~

I was surprised tonight to get all teary-eyed while watching The Big Bang Theory.  It wasn’t until some of the last moments of the episode, and I won’t get into the exact details in case someone has it on DVR or the like, but that moment with Sheldon and Amy at the end — I had to blink back tears.

I’m not sure if it’s just because I was touched by what happened or if it’s because I can see some of those Sheldon-esque characteristics in Noah (with Autism) and it just gave me a hopeful feeling, even if Noah is not really like Sheldon enough that it should be a thing that should have caused me to feel hope.  It just did anyway.

Did you watch the episode?  (What did you think?)

—————

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes and Weekly Wrap Up.

7 Quick Takes: May 11, 2012 (Vol. 120) is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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That sounds like a more professional title, I suspect.  However, my note on my content calendar is “10 Benefits of Finding Your People.”  As those who attended the 2:1 Conference (and went to my talk) can attest to, during my breakout session, I kept talking about how I found my people and encouraging them to “Go find your people.”

(I am borrowing some of this week’s Top Ten Tuesday list from my breakout talk at The 2:1 Conference.)

I’m really passionate about networking with other bloggers.  I love to find ways to do it in a casual way, as well as in more formal ways.  In particular, I have a group of bloggers that I consider my people.  I love them so much, and they have made blogging different for me than it ever was before I had that group.

Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in the comparison game when you’re a blogger.  Because of that, it can feel vulnerable or even dangerous to try to closely network with other people.  However, I would say that when you really find your people, you don’t have those feelings about them.  They want you to succeed and you want them to succeed.

Benefits of Networking with Other Bloggers

1. Their Community Can Become Your Community (and Vice Versa).  When you regularly network with another blogger, their readers may get so used to seeing your name that they just naturally gravitate toward you.  Of course, this can work to also send some of your readers to your blogging friends.  It’s win-win!

2. Support.  Blogging can be hard work, and we all need some type of support.  Your people can offer that support.

3. Someone Who Understands.  Have you ever tried to go into details about blogging with someone who has never had a blog?  They just don’t get it in the same way that other bloggers do.  By networking with other bloggers, you’ll always have someone who understands.

4. Sharing Talents.  Each of us has been given special talents.  What’s even better is when you can help someone by using your talents and you can receive help from them as well.  In the group I belong to, there are definitely people with particular talents that has made them a go-t0 person for a particular need.

5. Offer Up Advice. Have you ever wondered about pricing for ads, what kind of freebie to offer to subscribers, or how to price an ebook?  A network of like-minded bloggers are an amazing resource for suggestions, especially since they know you and your blog.

6. Learn New Skills.  My favorite place to ask, “Hey – how do you do this?” is with my network of friends.  They are the people who will give me an answer I an understand and information I feel like I can trust.

7. Source for Guest Posts.  We’ve been blessed in our group to have many of the women give birth to new bundles of joy.  As a blogger, that sometimes means that you don’t want to ignore your blog, but that you don’t have time to write new content.  Having a networking group means that you have some go-to people to ask for posts in a pinch.

8. Promoting Each Other’s Posts.  While you don’t want to be constantly promoting the same person or two, with a larger group (ours has around 20 people), it’s easy to promote friends and really spread the love around.  Of course, one awesome benefit of this is that other people in your group will want to promote you too.

9. Ready Made Group for a Series of Posts.  With some of my blogging friends, I have put together series like Spring Spruce Up that lasted multiple days or the 5 Days of Christmas posts.  These are a fun way to all post about similar topics at the same time while sharing traffic with each other.

10. It’s More Fun.  Seriously.  Having blogging friends that you network with just makes the whole blogging experience more enjoyable.

——

10 Benefits of Networking with Other Bloggers is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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Links I’ve Enjoyed Lately:

Don’t Be Ruled by the 1% – Savvy Blogging
This is about blogging, but I think it’s pretty accurate for just about everything in life.  Go read it, and vow to ignore the 1%.

Transition Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for Better Essays – Jimmie’s Collage
Great post, but I especially love the free download for helping teach transitions in writing.

ProBlogger’s Ways to Make Money Online Mind Map – Blogging with Amy
Amy shares about ProBlogger’s mind map, as well as providing links to some of her own posts about making money online.

How to Homeschool: Subscribe to Homeschool Blogs – Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
If you’ve been looking for some great homeschool blogs to subscribe to, definitely make sure to check out this list from Kris!

Is Your “Healthy” Diet Making You Sick, Tired, or Fat? – Simple Mom
I have considered trying an elimination diet before for both Noah and I, so I found this post to be very interesting. 

Other Places I Am Online:

Five Things I Wish I Had Done Before I Started Homeschooling – published at The Happy Housewife

Six Ways to Learn Without Doing Formal Schooling – published at In a Nutshell

Many Little Links: May 6, 2012 is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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~ 1 ~

I am not a fan of Washington DC’s Dulles Airport.

Sure, it was nice.  Yeah, I did get to see a space shuttle on top of an airplane.  But, that airport is huge.

In fact, it was so huge that carrying around my backpack and my duffel bag has caused me back pain from when I woke up on Monday morning through the present time.  I am less than thrilled about that.  I keep thinking that the back pain has to go away sometime, but it’s pretty stubborn.

~ 2 ~

For this past Christmas, we gave Jack an older Canon digital Rebel.  He was pretty excited, and has had fun with it.  This week, he asked if he could use my external flash along with my Lightsphere diffuser because Molly was going to be his model.

I decided to go one further and brought out some backdrops and a backdrop stand.  They were both thrilled and Jack’s pictures were fabulous.

~ 3 ~

Even though Jack’s pictures were wonderful, my favorites were taken with my iPhone of him taking the pictures.

My Mom said, “It’s a shame he had such a reluctant model.”

~ 4 ~

Can I tell you a little secret?

I’m really, really, really ready to clock in our last of our 180 days of school and take a summer break.  So very ready.

The worst part of that, however, is that we’ll have to do school later than we’ve ever had to do it before — into June!  I’m ready to take a break and regroup.

~ 5 ~

I have now had three times of people saying that I remind them of Mayim Bialik’s Big Bang Theory character Amy Farrah Fowler.  I’m not sure what I think about that.

~ 6 ~

Yesterday, I took the kids shopping and I managed to buy three pairs of shoes (one pair for each of the kids), a pair of rain boots (for Molly), a hat (for Jack), and three polo shirts for Eric.  I did it all for just $60!

I was thrilled to have a coupon for 20% off, a coupon for $10 off $10, and then $70 in Kohl’s cash.  Ching!

Of course, you rarely pay the price on the tag at Kohl’s.  Things are always on sale, and they’re constantly sending out coupons and deals.  But, it’s kind of a fun little dance to do with them.

Not the same as my actual figure from childhood, but this Lego one is pretty darn cute!

~ 7 ~

From me and my only remaining Star Wars figure (though I had tons as a young child), Princess Leia in her snowsuit from Hoth, we wish you a Happy Star Wars Day!

May the 4th Be with You!

—————

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes and Weekly Wrap Up.

This post contains affiliate links.  They don’t change the price you pay, but help support my family and this site.  Thanks!  (Disclosure Policy)

7 Quick Takes: May 4, 2012 (Vol. 119) is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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It is once again time when I can share a new year’s worth of First Communion Banners.  Each year, I am so impressed with the creativity of the children (and their parents), as well the extreme differences in the banners.

There are colorful ones, and more mild.  Very intricate (there’s one banner in here with a felt rendering of Jesus and a little First Communion Girl!) and extremely simple.  (If you need to work on a banner and feel like you need patterns, be sure to check out our ebook.)

However, despite all of the difference, each one represents a child who is arriving at Mass that day to start a whole new time in the life with Jesus.  What a blessing!

As with other years, if any of the First Communion Banners contains a last name, I have blacked it out.

55 Examples of First Communion Banners from 2012

This next sample First Communion Banner is especially exciting for me to share with all of you!  It’s a banner that was made using mine and Rob‘s new First Communion Preparation and Patterns eBook.  Gregor’s Mom dropped us an email to share the finished banner and told me we were more than welcome to share it here on the blog.

Doesn’t Gregor’s First Communion Banner look amazing?  I can’t wait to use the patterns to make Molly’s First Communion Banner next year.

Kerry (Gregor’s Mom) also shared:

The printables were so helpful in creating my son’s first communion banner! I’ll have to file them away in a safe place for when my girls are ready to make theirs in a few years! My son wanted to use several different images (chalice, host, complex cross, stained glass window, grapes, wheat) and we were able to put them all on his 12×18 banner using the smaller sizes. I did most of the cutting and layout after he was in bed and waited to sew/glue until I had his approval and he was over the moon excited about how it turned out. I’m not much of an artist and I couldn’t have done it without the eBook. Thank you so much! Well worth the price!

Thanks so much for sharing, Kerry!

Need more First Communion ideas and resources, including a downloadable ebook with First Communion Preparation and Printable Patterns for First Communion Banners?  Be sure to check out my First Communion Resources page!

55 Examples of Catholic First Communion Banners is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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I had such an amazing weekend at the 2:1 Conference this past weekend.  If you’re not familiar with the 2:1 Conference, it was the first Christian homeschool bloggers conference.  If you fit into that niche – start saving your money for next year’s conference.  It was so amazing!

For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, I thought it would be fun to pick ten things from the notes I took – some inspirational, some blog related – to share.

10 Takeaways from the 2:1 Conference

1. “I’m not good enough” is a lie that the world tells you to hold you back from what Jesus wants for you. (Rachel from Finding Joy)

2. Don’t think of it as connecting with brands, think of it as connecting with people.  You want a relationship with those people, but it needs to e an authentic relationship.  (Christine of From Dates to Diapers)

3. Each one of us is anointed for His purpose. He has a job only you can do. (Rebecca from Mom Seriously)

4. Keep your site heavy on content, light on ads and other monetized material, otherwise your efforts might backfire. (Amy from Blogging with Amy)

5. Profit = a Plan.  Where are you going?  (If you don’t have a plan, you’re not going to get there.) (Toni from The Happy Housewife)

6. Rather than focus on getting followers, focus on giving to them. (Stef from Educating Laytons)

7. A lot of us are in denial about how distracting the computer is while we’re homeschooling. (Carisa from 1+1+1=1)

8. Small communities are better than large audiences. (Hey…that was from me!  But, since several people tweeted it from my talk, I thought I would add it to the list.)

9. Experiment! When it comes to monetizing, there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.  Find what works for you and your blog. (Amy from Blogging with Amy)

10. Don’t feel bad to make money from your blog. Proverbs 31:8 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. (Toni from The Happy Housewife)

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10 Wonderful Takeaways from the 2:1 Conference is a post from: Many Little Blessings

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