Mom's Marbles

Black Friday Shopping: A Team Sport

2009-11-23T07:15:00.000-05:00

For the last several years, I have braved the crowds (and the cold) to snag some of the best deals of the holiday season. I am such a hardcore Black Friday shopper that I actually got up at 5am in Florida to hit Target & Best Buy before we went to Disney World! That one was a solo trip (clearly, I'm a little crazy), but I usually hit the stores with my mom and sisters.

It's a big part of my overall shopping strategy. We each head out for the morning with a specific list. Typically, we start at Kohl's since they have a 4am opening. My sisters try on clothes, my mom heads to the toy department and I wander the store to pick up the rest of the one-day-only bargains. We meet up at jewelry just to take a peek at the deals.

Our 5am opening is usually Meijer or Best Buy, depending on the deals. Every now and then, we'll be torn on which store to shop. The divide and conquer method works again! We'll split up and meet back at our 3rd stop. This year, Target is opening at 5am too so we're struggling a bit on the day's schedule. We have a few extra members of the Black Friday team, as well.

My brother and his wife shop in another city, my cousin shops across town and my in-laws shop in a couple different areas. Touching base by phone helps everyone find the deals we need, even if a location is sold out. In 10 years of Black Friday shopping, I have never missed a deal! We work together to get the deals we want, then settle up over lunch after our long day.

We have a lot of fun—shouting Marco Polo when it's time to checkout, trying to hide purchases for one another and getting most of our Christmas shopping finished a month in advance. I wouldn't miss it for the world! Anyone else shopping this Friday? Who's on your team?

This post is part of the Money Saving Monday meme at Inexpensively. Be sure to check out this week's Black Friday theme for even more great ideas on making the most of Friday's deals.

Crayon Muffins!

2009-11-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

I've been AOL lately from here. Can you believe I have not had INTERNET for a week? And it is still not working as I wish. Very frustrating!

The last time I posted I told you we would do a crayon craft. This one is lots of fun, a little messy, but a great way to use scraps.

First, gather all your old broken crayons.... or even some new ones. Unwrap each crayon and break into little pieces. This is an easy job for little ones to do, but messy with wrappings everywhere! As you break them put them in muffin tins. We decided to sort ours by color, but you could do rainbow ones, or just toss them where ever they land!

Back a moment though. One "recipe" I was following said to cover the muffin tin with aluminum foil and spray it well. That is what we did. I think if I did it again I would just spray my tin well and leave out the aluminum foil. If you've done this... tell us in the comments what worked for you.

OK, so you have all the crayons broken into small pieces and in the tin. Set your oven to 350 and place your crayon muffins in the oven. Don't go off and do anything else. Hang out in your kitchen checking them often. When they look soupy, take them out. Again, I have two options for you. I just let mine set out and cool and then peeled off the foil (which was annoying). The other choice is to place the muffin tin in the freezer until they cool (not using foil) and the "pop" them out to your hand. Don't pop out onto your counter - they may break.

Hand the new crayons over to your children and watch the colors come out in some fun ways!

Simple Coupon Clipping

2009-11-16T08:23:00.000-05:00

I always find it interesting that many of the people who most need to save money don't bother to coupon. I've heard a variety of reasons and excuses over the years, but the most frequent is probably that it takes too much time. I'm here to debunk that myth for all you busy moms who would like to find some extra room in your monthly budget. For the last several years, I have spent 20 minutes clipping coupons before heading to the store to save hundreds of dollars each month.

I actually spend less time on my grocery shopping than my own mother, who spends double my grocery budget for a household half our size! However, even if I did spend a few more minutes than most people, the return would be well worth it. I once tracked my money saved & time spent to get an estimate. Coupon clipping netted me about $30/hour. There aren't very many jobs I could find at that rate!

Hopefully by now, I've convinced you that clipping coupons is worth the effort. The next step is learning how to get started. First, you'll need to start collecting coupons. You'll find these primarily in the newspaper each Sunday with printable coupons for added bargains. The task that most people find daunting is finding ways to store all those coupons.

In an effort to keep couponing simple, I actually stopped clipping them several years ago. Instead, I stored the whole inserts and cut coupons only as needed before I went to the store. Date a file folder and slip your inserts into it each week. The coupon database and weekly grocery lists at Inexpensively includes a list of dates & sources so you'll be able to find the coupons you need quickly when the deals arise.

This isn't the way to save the most money, but it is the way that will save you the most time & effort. I'm actually headed back to my old coupon binder in an hopes of lowering our grocery budget even further, but the file folder method has served me well for the last several years. Now, where did I put my scissors?

This post is part of the Money Saving Monday meme at Inexpensively. Be sure to out this week's coupon storage theme for even more great ideas on storing your coupons!

The Birthday Box

2009-11-09T00:01:00.003-05:00

With my older 2 daughters, the "Something you read" portion of our present poem is easy. There is always a series or popular book they are into at any given time. My youngest, however, can't read so it's left to me to decide what she might enjoy. I read several picture books before deciding on The Birthday Box.

It is the story of a little boy who receives a present. After unwrapping the gift, he discovers a big box and becomes excited by the possibilities. Inside the box, is his real gift, of course—a puppy dog. The boy and the puppy play in the box all day long. At bedtime, he climbs into his box, talking about his lucky day. "Today is my birthday, and I got a box."

Not only is the story cute (and entirely accurate), but it opens up enormous possiblities. I decided to give Lorelai this book for her birthday, along with a box from our garage. My hope was that it would entertain her for the afternoon until her sisters returned from school to celebrate with her. She played in the box, watched television in the box and read her new book in the box. She has colored the box, filled the box with books & toys and used the box to hide. Her box has been a table, a boat, a house and a bus.

It has provided hours of entertainment, for days longer than I had anticipated. I know parents all over the world joke about kids enjoying the box more than the gifts themselves, but—seriously—this book provides a real opportunity to give a box as a present. She really didn't need anything more. However, she did receive 2 other items that day (and more at her party later in the week). Still, do you know what she told her grandparents all about when they called to wish her a happy birthday? Yep, the box!

The Birthday Box comes in hardcover, paperback and board book versions, with a stated age range of 1-3. My daughter is 4 and loves the single sentence pages and simplistic illustrations. I love the creativity it sparks. (Not to mention how much money you could save simply by wrapping a giant box and the book.) I would say this book is a good fit all the way up to age 5. Of course, my almost 7-year-old has been playing in the box right along side her little sister. Kids are just full of surprises.

Now that her party is behind us, it's time to box up all her "baby toys" to make room for the rest of her gifts. I just don't think she'll let us use this box!

Dance to the Music

2009-11-03T09:32:00.004-05:00

originally posted June 18, 2008

Here is an activity that can be enjoyed out in the sunshine or even inside on a rainy day. And you don't need much, just a radio or set of lungs and your body. Let's dance! With these fun ideas, your children will hop up off the couch, get rid of some of that endless energy and have a great time all at once! Crank up the tunes and let's get started.

Toddlers: No little one can ignore a good beat. Teach them rhythm by clapping along with a song or tapping your toes. Try dancing differently to different songs. Sway to a slow song, and stomp to a faster song.
Preschool: Try acting out songs with these guys. Act like the animals in "Old McDonald" or hop like bunnies for "Little Bunny Foo Foo." Turn on a CD of many different songs and let their little imaginations go to town making up their own movements. Or you could set up a bar with a jump rope, broom or crepe paper streamer and have a limbo contest!

School Age: These older ones can handle a little more of a challenge so why not teach them some of your favorite fun dances like The Macarena or Electric Slide. Know some tap or ballet moves? They will soak up your lessons and attention. Why not crank up some old Southern Rock and have an air guitar contest!

Who knew a little dancing could be so much fun! We would love to see pictures of your little ones getting down so be sure to have your camera ready! Email pictures and ideas to momsmarbles at hotmail dot com!

Recycling Halloween Candy

2009-11-02T00:43:00.005-05:00

The Jack-O-Lanterns are out, the costumes are off and the treat buckets are overflowing! Now what? I know my girls have visions of eating candy for breakfast, but I will just not be letting that happen. I'll dole out a piece here and there, until they forget all about it. Eventually, we're still left with tons of candy. Rather than let the leftovers go to waste, I'll put it to work for other purposes.

My youngest daughter turns 4 today, and her birthday party is on Saturday. Her guests will find candy in their goody bags, of course. It would also be great filler for a pinata. You can even freeze it for later use, if your birthday celebrations fall at another time. Maybe Santa can even work with The Great Pumpkin to find a way to use the candy in December!

Candy isn't just for eating, either. Chopped candy bars make a great ice cream topping or milk shake mixer. You can also mix bits into cookies. They'll be perfect for cookie exchanges next month. Don't forget to save some candy to decorate the gingerbread house too! Several dessert recipes call for candy pieces as well. Try this Confetti Caramel Bars recipe from Betty Crocker to use a variety of leftover treats.

If you are just plain sick of eating sweets, pull out the cardstock, glue and glitter and let the kids add candy bits to their crafts. You can even see what kind of variations you can come up with for the Candy Train, using the items you already have on hand. If you decide to try out any of these, send us your pictures—we love to see what our readers are doing!

Photo Credit: Rochelle via Flickr

Fresh Kitchen Friday 10.30.09: Snack Update And A Great Resource!

2009-10-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday, everyone! I want to start out with a quick update on my quest to eliminate packaged snack foods from my pantry. My pantry is bare of any store-bought crackers/cookies/chips at the moment and has been for awhile. I haven't bought any of those items in a month or so. I've been fairly successful at keeping homemade goodies like muffins and cookies on hand. We've also been eating lots of grapes, apple slices, carrot sticks, popcorn, and cheese when we get the munchies.

I had the opportunity to try a fabulous cheese cracker recipe from Heavenly Homemakers. It turned out fantastic! My kids declared these crackers just as tasty as goldfish or other storebought crackers...and they were incredibly simple and quick to make (only five ingredients!)! I have three more cracker recipes lined up to try out in the next few weeks.

So, it's going very well...my grocery budget is thanking me too!

This week I want to share a great resource with you. The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers is a great tool for learning how to make familiar dishes that your kids will love with improved, healthier ingredients. Trying some of these recipes gave me the confidence to start making substitutions in some of my own recipes to improve their nutritional value. It outlines a simple, achievable plan for improving your family's diet and even includes a great chapter on how to make the wisest choices possible when it comes to convenience and fast foods.

So, check out both the book and the yummy cracker recipe and let me know what you think! I'd love to know how the crackers turn out for you if you try them!

Have a great weekend!

Ladybugs Invading!

2009-10-29T00:01:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you, but our house is being invaded by migrating ladybugs. The girls and I were playing in the leaves this week and we noticed the side of the house had ladybugs all over it. And then we started noticing they were landing on us too! So I thought why not talk about ladybugs this week.

Do you have ladybugs at your house? Take some time to notice the difference between them. How many spots do they have? What colors have you found - we saw red, orange and even a green one! Encourage your child to draw one, or do a craft with a red circle and black circles (or they could use a black thumbprint for the spots).

Of course, get some books about ladybugs out and find some interesting facts about them. There are quite a few good ones out there (from science based ones like Rookie Science to picture books like Eric Carle's The Grouchy Ladybug). You could even start a nature journal with what you've learned.

You also need to listen to my daughters FAVORITE ladybug song. She listens to this so much I bought her the CD! The video is a bit corny, but the song is fun. Another good one is Ladybug Picnic (it's on Youtube also).

And one last thing - a snack after doing all that learning. You'll need red grapes, strawberries, mini chocolate chips, and toothpicks. Cut the grape in half and the top off the strawberry. Put the grape on the toothpick and the strawberry under it. Cut the strawberry down the middle to make wings and then push in some chocolate chips for the spots! Enjoy the snack!

What is your favorite ladybug book? Or maybe you've done a great ladybug craft you could share with us? Let us know in the comments!

Next Week: A fun crayon craft!

Pumpkin Face Matching

2009-10-28T12:56:00.002-04:00

I've seen this fun activity done a few different places, and when I saw it I instantly knew I had to do it for my boys. This is an inexpensive do-it-yourself toy that has endless possibilities and will provide hours of entertainment.

To get started, all you need is:

Craft felt in black, orange and green
Index cards
Markers

On each index card, draw a pumpkin, giving each one a unique face. I made 7 or 8 different ones. Then, cut the different face parts from the black felt. Cut a pumpkin shape from the orange felt, and a stem from the green felt. That's it!

The kids play the game by choosing a card and applying a face to their pumpkin that matches the card. My boys ask to play it every day and I occasionally make new cards to give them some variety. This activity could be modified for several holidays and seasons - Gingerbread men for Christmas? Easter eggs for Easter? The possibilities are endless.

Show & Tell Tuesdays: TOYS!

2009-10-27T00:01:00.003-04:00

I've already been asked THAT question. You know the one that should wait until at least after Halloween. The "what do the boys (ages 2 & 4) want for Christmas?" question. Oh my gosh! I've barely got the Halloween costumes finished (I really mean bought.) and I'm already supposed to produce this magical list of acceptable toys for a holiday 2 months away!

So this got me in a panic. We don't have room for more toys! So after an hour in the boys room yesterday, (they were at grandma's) I cleaned out all the broken toys, neglected toys and "baby" toys. This major clean out made me realize 2 things. a.) we have toys never played with from LAST Christmas and b.) we have toys that are played with everyday since last Christmas and they are still standing!

The toys not played with and that take up way too much space is the GeoTrax Airport set. I don't recommend buying this/asking Santa for this set! We love the GeoTrax trains and thought the boys would love airplanes but we never really got the plane to launch. It would start up the loop but never really had enough steam to complete the loopty-loop. The flight path is difficult to set up and take apart.

The toys we do love is anything Imaginext! It's so much fun when the Pirate Ship
steers over to attack the Super Friends Batcave
, or when Batman and Robin help the fire fighters
put out fires and rescue animals from the jungle
! All the sets are interchangable and very, very durable. We're looking forward to the Fisher Price Imaginext Space Station
and Fisher Price Imaginext Dragon World Fortress
come this December!

Help us other moms out! Show & Tell us what toys you recommend for this Christmas!
Next week's Show&Tell topic: CUT

The Great Candy Trade-In

2009-10-26T00:01:00.002-04:00

I have fond memories of Charlie Brown at Halloween, laughing as Linus waits (and waits) for the Great Pumpkin to arrive. Laugh no more, Mom! It's time to use that pumpkin's greatness to reduce your children's sugar consumption.

I'm a stickler for nutrition, but it's hard to argue with adorable, costumed children and a bag full of candy. However, my kids are all about negotiating—a longer bedtime, less veggies at dinner, more television time—so why not use their bartering skills to offer something even better than candy?

Did you know that if you leave the Great Pumpkin a candy offering on Halloween night that he will leave a gift in return while you are sleeping? In exchange for that treat bucket full of goodies, your children can find something much more useful (and infinitely less tooth-rotting). Books, games and inexpensive toys are all good options for providing a non-sugary Halloween gift to replace the gift your children leave for the Great Pumpkin.

Of course, I take out all the Reese's pumpkins first! Now, fess up—what candy do you pilfer from the Trick or Treat stash?

The Three Little Pigs

2009-10-22T00:01:00.002-04:00

I LOVE going to the library. It's almost an addiction. I can walk in to get "just one book" and walk out with 20. Seriously, ask my husband. I currently have over 50 books checked out and I look at/read them all.

One thing I like to do at the library with my littles (and my olders) is get a large selection of just one title. The older stories have been rewritten so many times over the years and the newer version can be down right funny or weird. Let's do a study of The Three Little Pigs, shall we?

First, you need to get an "original" copy of the story. How about this one:

Little Golden Books Version:

Read it with your child and talk about the story line. Then the real fun begins.

Start pulling out the others you found. I wouldn't read too many in one day - spread it out over a few. Some of my other favorites for this story are:

Modern Curriculum Press:

A totally funny one a great twist on the story by Jon Scieszka:

We just came across this one this week - another twist by Liz Pichon:

Or Steve Kellogg's Version:

But go to your library and see what they have (and a librarian would be very helpful here). So you get the idea, right? Now what? You've read all these versions and then you can do some activities like:

Build a smaller version of each house (you could use sugar cubes as your bricks) and try blowing them over
Act out the story
Do a pig/wolf craft
Talk about the character issues that come up in the different versions (like lying, being horrid)
Have your child write their own version of the story. My oldest did this years ago and it is so fun to read now that he is 11! (I had him dictate his story, then I printed it, he drew the pictures, and then it was laminated and a ring binding added).

Give it a try with one of your favorites and let us know you did! The possibilities are endless!

Michael Buble: Crazy Love

2009-10-21T11:33:00.004-04:00

You've probably seen his gorgeous eyes staring you down from the CD racks in the stores. You may have even seen him making the rounds on the morning shows lately. And I know I've heard a song or two of his on a couple of my 'safe when the kids are in the car' radio stations. But if you haven't taken time to really lose yourself in his gorgeous voice, then you don't know what you're missing!

Up until I did, I thought Michael Buble was just another one of those guys who could sing really well but didn't stand out as anything special. Seriously though, I was dead wrong!

Mom's Marbles is all about giving moms ideas on how to keep their marbles when things can get a little crazy. And I must say, having this CD playing in the midst of the chaos that is motherhood does just that. And not only does it help you remember there is music other than the Wiggles out there, this CD is also super safe to play with kids in earshot.

I highly suggest you treat yourself to a little Crazy Love to help balance out your crazy days. And guess what!! You have 5 chances to win this CD at our Twitter Party tomorrow night!

Just RSVP here, and then come chat with us tomorrow about life as a mom and you're set to win one of Michael's new CDs along with tons of other wonderful prizes! See you there?

Show and Tell Tuesday: Fall

2009-10-20T08:25:00.006-04:00

Don't forget to RSVP for this Thursday's Mom's Marbles Twitter Party where you can win tons of prizes from movies to books to gift cards and more!

_______________________________
Welcome toShow&Tell Tuesday! Click here to find out more about playing along.

This week's challenge was fall. We had plenty of plans for getting out in the beautiful autumn weather to enjoy the crisp air and crunchy leaves but the weather didn't want to play along. Instead it was downright cold with a side of soggy.

So what did we do? We brought fall inside, of course!

The boys and I had an indoor leaf relay race!

All you need is a couple of dry leaves and a straw. Line up across the room from one another and use your straw to blow your leaf across the floor to one another. This is a great way to burn off some energy when your stuck indoors, with all of the crawling, blowing and giggling.

How have you celebrated fall lately? Have a special fall muffin recipe you'd like to share? Have you gone to any pumpkin patches or apple orchards? Or have you been too busy ghosting people?

We want to hear about it! Leave your link below to share your fall blog posts.

Next week's challenge: toys

The Present Poem

2009-10-19T12:58:00.006-04:00

I wasn't going to join the Inexpensively link up here this week, but the theme is party planning, and I just couldn't help myself! With a Halloween party next weekend, Lorelai's birthday party the week after that and, now, the announcement of the Mom's Marbles Twitter Party Thursday night, I have way too much party planning on the brain. In fact, with so much going on, I am a bit behind on shopping for her birthday gifts.

I've been shopping in my head for months—considering my options, paying attention to her interests and narrowing down my selections. I just haven't actually purchased anything yet. Of course, the process is easier than it used to be. Once upon a time, birthdays and Christmas meant stacks and stacks of gifts they would open and soon abandon. I got caught up in the commercials, just like the girls, and bought way too much stuff, spent too much money and experienced extreme disappointment when much of it was discarded or broken only weeks later.

Then, I stumbled on the cure: a Victorian adage for controlling gift buying impulses. This fun poem helps me stay organized and lower my gift budget. Each year, for birthday and Christmas, my girls know they will unwrap:

Something you want,
Something you need,
Something to wear
And something to read.

Something you want is easy—my girls "want" everything they see on television or circle in the catalogs. I pick one, and I try to only consider items with longevity. If I can't see them playing with it in 6 months, I'm not buying it. (Although, that doesn't mean they never get anything frivolous—I just save those items for the grandparents' lists.) Something to wear is another easy one, but it isn't always just clothes. They've received coats, boots and once, my middle child even received a special dress-up costume (purchased on clearance after Halloween, of course).

The need gift can be a bit flexible. They don't just get underwear and socks, but it is something utilitarian. Last year, my youngest daughter got a new bedding set for her big girl bed. This year she's getting a bike. Yeah, I may be fudging a bit on that one, but it's a long standing 4th birthday tradition and transportation is, in fact, a need. The final gift is fairly obvious, but I play with this some too. My oldest got a magazine subscription one year—her first issue to unwrap and a surprise in the mailbox every month after.

Having a formula for my holiday shopping list helps keep me in check. It also makes it a little more fun for the girls. They try to guess which part of the poem they'll be unwrapping, instead of just what is inside. I've also noticed the gifts are more lasting. Limiting myself to only 4 gifts makes me much more selective, controlling clutter, chaos and costs all at once. Do you have any gift giving traditions at your house? Who else is starting holiday shopping already?

Mom's Marbles Twitter Party: You're Invited!

2009-10-17T16:11:00.005-04:00

To celebrate our new team of contributors and because, well, we just like to party, we're having a Mom's Marbles Twitter Party this coming Thursday the 22nd at 8pm EST.

And what would a party be without you! Yes, you! Right there! We want you to come an have a great time with us while we talk about all things 'mom' and give away great prizes!

'What kind of prizes?' you ask? All kinds! Movies, books, music, toys, gift cards and more! Trust me. You don't want to miss out on this stuff!

To RSVP, please leave your Twitter ID in the MckLinky below so we can be sure to follow you. And make sure you follow us, @MomsMarbles.

We're so excited to party down with you this Thursday! See you there!

Fresh Kitchen Friday 10.16.09: The Mission For Frugal, Healthy Snacks

2009-10-16T00:01:00.001-04:00

I'm on a mission. I want to completely cut out the few remaining prepackaged "snack" type foods I purchase at the grocery store. There are still just a few types of boxed crackers and cookies I tend to keep on hand for quick snacks.

Besides the fact that they aren't all that healthy, they're expensive! I've found myself needing to drastically slash my already tight grocery budget for the next few months to make up a shortfall in another area, and the snack items I buy are one of the only places I can tighten the belt.

I've been brainstorming replacements for these items and have come up with a list. Some of these we already eat frequently, some we should make and eat more often. Here's a few I've come up with:

apple slices, grapes, and other fresh fruit
carrot sticks
various homemade cookies
various homemade muffins & biscuits
bread and butter (always a big hit at our house!)
I've found several homemade cracker recipes I need to find time to attempt

What am I forgetting? Share your ideas with me, and join in the quest to reduce prepackaged snack foods in your pantry. I'll report back on how things are going with this challenge in the near future.

I want to share a fabulous, appealing-to-kids snack recipe with you this week: Hearty Breakfast Cookies. Don't let the name fool you. These cookies do make a great quick breakfast...much better than Pop Tarts or cold cereal nutritionally (and what kid is going to object to eating a COOKIE for breakfast?!)...but they make an equally fantastic snack ANY time of day. They're packed full of nutritional ingredients like peanut butter and whole grains and they taste delicious!

Fun With Acorns!

2009-10-15T00:01:00.002-04:00

I don't know about your area - but at my house the acorns are dropping from my tree at a far greater rate this year than last. It is like a war zone at my house. My old mighty Oak sits next to my driveway and we try hard to make it to the van without getting pelted with acorns (not always successful). My daughter wanted to do some crafts with all those little bombs - umm acorns. So here is what we came up with.

Acorn Memory Game

The lids/hats of acorns are perfect for this! We tried two different things - but there are more you could do. First we tried coloring the inside of the lid with a marker and then while the marker was still wet we filled it with glue. The glue picked up the color of the marker and you could make a matching/memory game by making two of each. You need brightly colored markers for this to work, and I think there must be another way you could do this.

Then we had another idea. We printed off the letters of the alphabet and glued them inside the lids. We had an alphabet memory game. I used upper and lower case (so A and a match). You could make enough so you could practice spelling words too! How fun!

Now with the acorns themselves we made an ADORABLE craft - yet VERY messy. Seriously, I'm not sure this would be a good young child craft unless you were covered. But before we get to the do, an important note.

DO NOT START THIS PROJECT TILL YOU FIRST FREEZE OR BAKE THE ACORNS!

If you don't, you may find a nice, well, not so nice, surprise. Little worms may be living in there and just getting ready to hatch out. To solve this you can do one of two things. Freeze them for awhile (like over night), than let them come to room temperature OR bake them at a low temp for a bit. I baked mine at 200 for about 30 minutes. That might have been a little long as some of them cracked. But I've had no worm surprises.

Now onto the messy fun {I like to get messy, so this doesn't bother me}. Besides some acorns with no lids, you'll need orange paint (we used acrylic), brown paint, and a sharpie. Using where the lid was as the bottom, paint the acorn orange. We decided a few coats were needed to get the orange we wanted (and we dried layers with the hair dryer as we are impatient). Then the top (or bottom of the acorn) we painted a bit of brown for the stem. After they were fully dry (we waited till the next day), we used a sharpie to draw faces. You could skip this step if you wanted. These are so cute... don't you think?

Let me know if you try either of these or other ideas you have for all my acorns!

Show and Tell: Chores

2009-10-13T00:01:00.001-04:00

Thanks for joining us for this week's Show&Tell! If you're new to this fun Tuesday tradition, check out the details here so you can join in the fun!

This week's challenge was chores.

I've heard the question many times. "How old should your kids be when you start giving them chores?" And honestly, I think if you're asking that question, it's too late. Kids should start pitching in as soon as they're able. Whether it's running a piece of paper to the trash can or putting some blocks back in their bucket, even tiny toddlers can be great little helpers.

With frequent clean-ups required by our house being on the market. my three boys have really taken responsibility for their bedroom. Let's face it. Parents can't do it all when they only get a couple hours notice. Am I right?

To make it easy on them, I have broken down their room cleaning process into three easy steps. Make beds, put toys/books into basket/onto shelves, and put clothes in the hamper.

It helps that my six year old is a wee bit of slave driver to the younger two. But more than anything, what really motivates them to help around the house is the pride they feel when they are praised and thanked for their efforts. I make sure they really know how much of a help they are to their daddy and me.

How about you? How do you handle chores at your house? Do you use a reward system? Do you let the children pick their own jobs? Or would you rather just do it all yourself to make sure it actually gets done?

Show&Tell your chore tips, tricks, ideas and stories in a post and leave your link here to share your marbles of chore wisdom!

Please join in next week's Show&Tell challenge: fall

Road Trip Entertainment

2009-10-12T00:01:00.002-04:00

If you are traveling with kids over fall break or the holidays, one of the biggest challenges is keeping them entertained along the way. There is nothing more irritating than whiny children on a long car ride (or plane, for that matter). One of the things we have always done to keep them entertained is provide small surprises at regular intervals. I have wrapped small gifts to be opened as we cross state lines or hit certain mile markers. The girls get a kick out having some fun along the way, and I try to make choices that are entertaining themselves.

They may get coloring books and new crayons, a travel game or a DVD to watch along the way. As we get closer to our destination, I have gifted items they need for our vacation—a camera or autograph book, beach towels or sunglasses. Return trip gifts often include small souvenirs they didn't see me sneak into a purchase, usually of the entertainment variety. We all know I'm a huge fan of dual purpose options. The kids don't have to know that you needed to purchase their gift anyway.

Of course, the explosion of kiosk video rentals across the country provides a new, inexpensive option for traveling entertainment. Checkout a new-to-them DVD before you leave. Most rentals can be returned to any kiosk owned by the same company so you can stop a couple hours later to stretch legs, potty and return the movie for another selection. There are even smart phone applications that will help you find locations as you journey.

If you get a great deal on a flight, you can still play along. Add small gifts, books or games to your carry on. Bring your laptop or DVD player, checkout a movie and return it when you arrive at your destination. At $1 per day, it's a low-cost way to give the kids something new to watch on a long trip. With just a little advance planning, you can get where you need to go without the tears or headaches. Just don't tell me where you're headed. This homebody will be super jealous.

(By the way, if you have frugal travel ideas on your own blog, be sure to link up at my other home, Inexpensively, where you'll find even more ideas for Money Saving Monday.)

Preparing for Trick or Treat

2009-10-08T00:01:00.001-04:00

Are you gearing up for Trick or Treat? It kinda just hit me that it's in a few weeks. One of my boys is on the verge of not dressing up, but my other three still enjoy it... and my youngest LOVES trick or treat. Her favorite two things to do in one night - wear dress up clothes (and be aloud to wear them out of the house) and eat candy. A perfect evening.

But beyond worrying about what four children will wear that night, I worry about their safety. So I thought I'd share some tips for keeping your child safe as you go out.

Although we all love how cute children look in their costumes, make sure that they can see out them!
Take a flashlight and have something reflective on so cars can see you.
Don't eat candy along the way. As hard as it is, wait till you can get home and check it all out.
Go out early so you can avoid all the big kids!
Stay on the sidewalks and if there are none, walk on the left side of the street.

Really, I'm sure we all know these tips - and you probably have some great ones too. Share them in the comments - and for those of us like me who need help with costume ideas - link up some ideas for us! That's the best part of blogging - all of our ideas coming together!

Next week: A Cool Acorn Craft (save some acorns and their hats this week)

Show and Tell: Halloween Ideas

2009-10-06T00:01:00.001-04:00

I love Halloween, always have. My childhood memories of this wonderful holiday include homemade costumes, walking the neighborhood Halloween parade, and trick-or-treating with friends.

One of the newer traditions my family has adopted is "Ghosting." Have you been "ghosted" yet or are you wondering what in the world I'm talking about?

Ghosting is a mix of Ding-Dong-Dash, the Easter Bunny and All Hallows Eve all rolled into one.

Just print up or draw a picture of a ghost and write "You've been ghosted!" on the paper.

Sneak around and leave these notes along with some Halloween goodies on the porches of friends, neighbors and family members. Make sure to remind them on your ghosting paper to keep the tradition going by "ghosting" other people, too.

And then when they ask you if you were behind the treats, zip your lips and let the "ghost" take the credit.

Now it's your turn to show and tell! What are your favorite Halloween traditions, ideas, decorating tips or costume creations? Share with us by leaving your link below!

Next week's Show&Tell challenge: chores

Movie Monday - win Alvin and the Chipmunks or iCarly!

2009-10-05T00:01:00.001-04:00

Welcome back to Movie Monday here at Mom's Marbles!

Last week, the kids and I took a break from reviewing movies so that JediBoy and I could visit New York City with our homeschool group. What a great trip! He'd always dreamed of going inside the Statue of Liberty, and now he can't wait to go back.

This week, we have some comedies and some winter favorites - yes! I said winter, even though it's barely fall! Movies tend to come out a few months early so that families have enough time to hear about them and pick them up for the appropriate season. So even though it felt a little silly, we watched three winter movies this week!

We watched the kids' classic Mickey's Christmas Carol. Released last week by Walt Disney Home Entertainment, this DVD actually contains four favorite stories, including Pluto's Christmas Tree, The Small One, and Santa's Workshop. The bonus shorts are full of laughter and seasonal fun, and the main feature - Mickey's Christmas Carol - is a great introduction to the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, with all the characters played by familiar Disney favorites.

Also out last week from Walt Disney Home Entertainment is Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving. This hour-long movie is being released in a special 10th-anniversary DVD pack and includes a small collectible stocking! The DVD includes my kids' favorite characters from the Hundred Acre Wood on a brave quest to find Winter. Their merry adventures include Thanksgiving as well as Christmas, and has plenty of happy songs, as usual. There are also two extra New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh features, including "The Magic Earmuffs."

My kids loved both of these holiday DVDs from Disney, and my daughter also enjoyed a new release from Shout! Entertainment, due out next week: My Little Pony Twinkle Wish Adventure. In this feature-length new animated feature, the cute and prancing little ponies are looking forward to their Winter Wishes Festival, but the magic wishing star goes missing and they have to set out to find it. There are plenty of songs and extras on this DVD too, including sing-alongs and a brand new short. JediBoy, at 7, wasn't so interested in this one, though!

The good news is that my kids were happy with all of these winter DVDs, and the bad news is that they're now ready for the holidays to come! I've shelved the DVDs again until after Thanksgiving, so that we can slow down and enjoy fall.

We've also been enjoying lots of funny DVDs this week - and the even better news is that you can win any one of the three comedy DVDs we reviewed!

First up is The Very First Alvin Show! Paramount Home Entertainment recently released this great DVD that includes three great old episodes, including the very first episode of The Alvin Show! My son thought it was so great to see how the animation has changed, and how the characters look different but were still very recognizable. The disc also includes A Chipmunk Reunion and an entertaining musical episode hosted by Will Smith called Rockin' Through the Decades. This is a terrific DVD to look back on the Chipmunks!

Next, another new Alvin and the Chipmunks DVD from Paramount is called Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies. This one was JediBoy's absolute favorite, and it includes parodies of - or maybe homages to - three movies, with episodes called Star Wreck, Chip Tracy, and my son's top choice of the week, Elementary, My Dear Simon. He thought the Sherlock Holmes episode was too funny! These are side-splitting episodes with the more modern-looking Chipmunks that he's used to.

Finally, we reviewed a TV-to-DVD release from Nickelodeon, iCarly Season 2 Volume 1. My kids had never seen this tween television series about a girl and her friends who have their own web show. There were some funny moments that my 7 year old enjoyed, but mostly this show was a little too old for both my kids. As you'd expect from a tween TV show, there are lots of antics about mistaken identities and liars getting caught in their lies. It would be fine for kids that are a little older!

This week, you have the chance to win one of these DVDs:

The Very First Alvin Show
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies
iCarly Season 2 Volume 1

All you have to do enter is leave a comment on this post, telling us which of these DVDs you'd like to be entered for (one, two or all three!), and also tell us what the hot TV show or movie has been in your house this fall!

For extra entries, you can blog about this contest and link back to this post, and you can also tweet about this contest using the hashtag #momsmarbles also including a link to this post.

Good luck! Winners will be announced next Monday!
The DVDs were provided by Click Communications and Special Ops Media for the purposes of these reviews and contests.

Double Duty Halloween

2009-10-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

Last week, I mentioned how much I love this time of year for all the yummy treats and the free fun. I also love how pretty everything looks. The turning leaves, pumpkins, gourds, apples—okay, enough about food. This week we're talking about decor and other Halloween needs. I have almost as many Halloween & Thanksgiving decoration totes as I do for Christmas. Most of it has been purchased on clearance in November, saved for the next year. We're having such a fun time this week digging into them, finding old favorites and new surprises I've forgotten all about.

I am careful about what I purchase because I don't much like spending money on something that is one-time use. It's why I use cloth products, bought a toaster oven instead of a toaster and hang my girls' backpacks on a wreath hanger over the door. Items that have a dual purpose just give you more bang for your buck. The same principal applies to holiday decorations. For Autumn, the simplest thing to think about is all those pumpkin items you buy—candle holders, decorative bowls, treat platters. Do they really need to have a Jack-O-Lantern face to get the aesthetic effect?

I think regular pumpkins and harvest themes are just as cute, but longer lasting! They can be set out as early as September 21st and will spruce up your house all the way through Thanksgiving. Real, live pumpkins, squash and apples make beautiful decorations, too, and can be stored at room temperature in decorative baskets until needed. (It all comes back to food—I'm actually not that hungry right now.) The butternut squash I picked up at the farm market a few weeks ago made a gorgeous countertop display right up until it was time to cook it!

While we're on the subject of food, let's talk Halloween treats. If you follow me on Twitter, you are well aware of my Reese's peanut butter pumpkin addiction. A true testament of love is that I won't steal them from the kids' treat buckets. Until after they fall asleep. (Um, I mean, I wait for them to offer a favorite treat to the mother they love so much.) While we have collected our candy in a few of the standard pumpkin treat buckets over the years (which look awesome along the sidewalk with sand & a candle), the girls often like to carry something related to their costume. If I'm careful about my purchase, it can be very frugal to indulge.

My older girls both carried a princess purse as Cinderella, which they later used to stash favorite toys and allowance. My youngest used a Thomas the Tank Engine bucket last year (with her Pumpkin Fairy costume, but whatever). It is now a very favorite toy carrier. She stores trucks, trains and cars in it to lug around the house. Watch closely for buckets without the ghosts & goblins and they can be used year round as gift buckets, toy storage and even an Easter basket in the spring. In fact, we've stored entire costumes in the dress-up trunk. My middle child loves to dress-up and has received numerous Halloween clearance outfits for her birthday in December.

Yes, I know. It would save a lot more money to make their costumes myself. I can't sew, though (but it's on my list). I have to find ways to justify the expense instead. How about you—do you make or buy your costumes? (By the way, if you have frugal Halloween ideas on your own blog, be sure to link up at my other home, Inexpensively, where you'll find even more ideas for Money Saving Monday.)

Saturday Sound Off: H1N1 Vaccine

2009-10-03T00:01:00.001-04:00

There has been a lot of hubbub over the brand new H1N1, or Swine Flu, vaccine. Doctors say this upcoming flu season will be a whopper and have suggested many people, especially teens and pregnanct women, get this vaccine along with their regular flu shots.

Still others fear the newness of this vaccine and worry that it may not be tested enough to risk putting into their bodies.

Now it's your turn to sound off:

The H1N1 vaccine will be coming to a doctor's office near you very soon. What do you think of 'taking a shot' with this shot?