Along with healthy food choices comes exercise. We have become so complacent being in quarantine. My kids are not as active as they have been in the past. Since our homeschool physical education program was canceled due to Covid I am having to think outside the box. We recently adopted a new puppy so we take her on quite a bit of long walks and since the weather is nicer utilizing our pool more. With the summer quickly approaching we will definitely be outdoors more too!

Aside from healthy eating and exercise our bodies may still require vitamins and/or supplements. Dr. Ryan Shelton at Zenith Labs and his team use their extensive knowledge of alternative medicine and recent developments in traditional medicine to custom-formulate supplements. They gather only the purest ingredients from the most prestigious sources while manufacturing in exclusive facilities certified by the NSF for sanitation and quality, and regularly audited by the FDA for potency.

Who Is Zenith Labs?

They are a team of health professions with a revolutionary approach to natural supplements. Their doctor-formulated supplements are whole-body solutions tailored to your most health concerns. They ensure that each Zenith Labs supplement has an exact combination of ingredients that work together to support your body’s natural healing process. Amazingly their supplements are made with natural ingredients in traditional remedies which are backed up by medical research. Their passion for health shows as they test purity throughout the manufacturing process and again after each completed batch. They guarantee what their labels on their bottles say and get in the bottle. No more no less.

Dr. Ryan Shelton who is the Medical Director of Zenith Labs believes in the philosophy of natural treatments backed by hard science. He’s a doctor twice over: once in traditional medicine, and once in alternative medicine. With his best-selling books and his growing medical practice in Hawaii, Dr. Ryan has helped hundreds of thousands of men and women reach their health goals.

Supplements Zenith Labs offers:

Heart Health

Blood Sugar

Hair Regrowth

Hearing

Joint Health

Longevity

Men’s Health

Mental Health

Vision

Weight Loss

Immune Support

How are you feeling this year? How is your health? What changes can you make? Not sure where to start? Be sure to check out Zenith Labs and see how they can help you. They have so much to offer for everyone!

Mama to 6 Blessings wrote this post on behalf of Zenith Labs and PR Company. This is a sponsored review and all views and opinions are of my own and were not influenced in any way. Mama to 6 Blessings is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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I look around my house at the messes and I realize, it’s OK because one day they will be grown up and moved out with families of their own. I am sure at the time I would do anything to have them back home little making the messes. So we are pulling out the toys that make messes and making the messes!

Recently I decided to let my 3 littles have a super messy sensory playtime which involved shaving cream! Yikes! It was worth the mess to watch them play. The way I envisioned them to play did not quite work out because they did not keep all the shaving cream on their baking sheet pan but instead it wound up all over the place but hey, they are kids it’s OK. Nothing soap and water can solve!

Materials:

Large baking sheet

Shaving cream (I used non-gel)

I sprayed a few large piles of shaving cream on each child’s baking sheet pan. Then I had my kids go to town. They started off using their hands to write and draw things onto their baking sheet. They squeezed the shaving cream in their hands and watched it ooze between their fingers. Then they tried to see how high they could get the shaving cream. This play led to getting it all over the kitchen counter, the tile floor, and themselves! Surprisingly they played with this for a long time. It was not too bad to clean up either. I figured next time we would do this outside and then they can play in the sprinklers afterward!

They had so much fun! What is the messiest you allowed your kids to make inside your house?

This article may contain affiliate links. Feel free to see Mama to 6 Blessings Disclosure Policy if you have any questions.

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My husband and I wanted to purchase our first home sooner but because we were young and had debt to pay off we had to wait.  My credit score was not in great standing to purchase a home so we spent the first few years of our marriage paying off previous credit card debt and other loans so that we would not be turned down for a home loan.  Fortunately, we were able to pay everything off but sometimes that is not always possible.  Let’s face it most lenders are skeptical about giving money to those who have unreliable histories because it is too risky. So, they either completely deny the request or demand an outrageously high interest.

Thankfully The Associates of Home Loans of Florida can help with bad credit loans. Why let bad credit hold you back? I am not saying it’s not important to try to make smart financial decisions to improve your credit over time, but you do not have to wait to start your life until it improves. There are several poor and bad credit home loans to consider:

Nonconventional Loans For Bad Credit

Nonconventional loans are a good option because they feature low down payments and with flexible approval requirements. Clients can be approved for FHA loans with scores as low as 580 (with 3.5% down payment) or 500 (with 10% down payment).

Subprime loans for bad credit

Hard money loans which are also known as hard equity loans are not approved based on a borrower’s credit or financial worthiness, but instead on the value of a property being financed. Like subprime loans, hard money loans have higher interest rates than conventional loans, but they can provide the financing a client needs at the right time for the right home.

Compensating For Bad Credit

You are more likely to secure a home loan with bad credit even if you can help compensate in other ways. If you are able to raise funds for a substantial down payment can help offset your level of risk to lenders, even with bad credit. Also, keeping your debt-to-income ratio as low as possible is an important factor that lenders will note when granting approval.

Bad credit doesn’t have to hold you back. Associate Home Loan of Florida, Inc. offers bad credit loans for purchasing a home that delivers the funding you need.  Have you had bad credit before and wanted to purchase a home? Are you ready to purchase your dream home?

Mama to 6 Blessings wrote this post on behalf of Associate Home Loan of Florida, Inc. and PR Company. This is a sponsored review and all views and opinions are of my own and were not influenced in any way. Mama to 6 Blessings is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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A few fun facts about chocolate chip cookies:

About 7 billion chocolate chip cookies are eaten in the United States.

Amazingly, the Chocolate Chip Cookie is the official state cookie of both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

The world’s largest chocolate chip cookie was made on May 17, 2003. It weighed 40,000 pounds and was 102 feet in diameter. It was made by the Immaculate Baking Company.

We have been making chocolate chips from scratch in our home for a long time but we wanted to change it up a bit. At Christmas every year I buy my husband a chocolate orange. It is his favorite. The chocolate and the orange paired so nicely together. This gave me the idea to add orange to our chocolate chip cookies but how? I decided that zesting a whole orange and adding a bit of the fresh orange juice would do that trick!

How to make orange chocolate chip cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• zest of one orange
• 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

First mix flour, salt, baking soda, butter, sugar, and add vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Next, add one egg and beat.

Add in the orange zest and orange juice and continue to mix.

Next, add the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Finally, drop a tablespoon size amount onto a silicone sheet over the baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool. Then enjoy!

Needless to say, these cookies did not last long in my home. It took longer to make them than it did for my family to eat them! They were so good! Have you made unique chocolate chip cookies? If so what did you make?

This article may contain affiliate links. Feel free to see Mama to 6 Blessings Disclosure Policy if you have any questions.

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Recently I took everything out of these cabinets and reorganized them. I had many of those, hey I forgot about this when I found craft supplies I had forgotten about. Two of those items were the mounds of colored card stock my husband got for free from a co-worker. Another item was the brand new chalk pastels which were still sealed in the box.

After all the organization of our craft supplies, I was in the mood to craft so I placed the card stock, glitter glue, and pastel chalk on the dining room table and asked my kids if they wanted to make “masterpieces”. I was not surprised that my girls were the only two that wanted to experiment with these art supplies.

Materials:

Glitter glue

Card stock

Chalk Pastels

First, we used glitter glue and swirled it around on the card stock. No real designs really just making all kinds of shapes but keeping the shapes close together.

Overnight we allowed the glitter glue to dry and the next day we used the chalk pastels and colored in the shapes. Sounds easy, right? It was!

When we were done we hung them up in the kids hallway so that they could enjoy them!

Tips:

Use your finger to blend colors together.

Try to use different colors in the shapes that are next to each other.

When using dark-colored card stock use brighter colors, it gives it a nice pop.

There are so many different variations you can do. What do you think?

This article may contain affiliate links. Feel free to see Mama to 6 Blessings Disclosure Policy if you have any questions.

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My oldest daughter did research all on her own. It is funny how when kids really want something how much they will educate themselves on it! So, for a month we checked daily several rescues near us but none of them had what we were looking for. We were starting to get discouraged. I put in a few applications for 2 local rescues so that when a dog was available with our criteria we would be ready to adopt quickly. We even went to a rescue center but unfortunately, it was not a good experience for my family.

The rescue center that I was most impressed with was Big Dog Ranch Rescue which is one of the largest NO kill rescues in the United States. It is clear that they truly have a passion for rescuing dogs. They are devoted to finding homes for dogs that have been mistreated, abused, or no longer wanted.

So when I received an email from Big Dog Ranch Rescue that our application was approved and we could come in and look at their selections of dogs we were thrilled! We had been looking on their website which is updated frequently with dogs that are available for adoption. We made a list of what dogs we were interested in. Thankfully the dogs we were interested in were still available once we got there. We could tell that the adoption counselor listened to what we were looking for, and he took what we wanted into consideration.

Of course, we wanted to leave with every puppy there chose a sweet puppy named Mavis (we immediately changed her name to Scout. At the time of the adoption, she was 5 months. In mid-December, Big Dog Ranch Rescue did a rescue mission to Puerto Rico. Scout was one of the 128 rescued dogs that were rescued on that mission.

I could tell that Big Dog Ranch Rescue really cared about the pup we were adopting because they sat with my family and went over everything from her shots to her everyday needs. They were not just looking to get rid of a dog, they are looking for her to find her forever family.

The great thing is that all the rescues from Big Dog Ranch Rescue are spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccines, and are microchipped before adoption. Plus each dog is sent home with sample food and one month’s supply of heartworm preventative medication.

I share my experience with you about Big Dog Ranch Rescue because it was a great experience. Scout has been a perfect addition to our family. She is well-loved. She fits right in with our family. The kids love playing fetch with her in our backyard. She loves her long walks and then coming home and taking a nap on my lap. We could have not asked for a better dog. I never understood why people were so crazy about their dogs, I get it now. She is not just a dog, she is like having another child.

If you are looking to add a dog to your family I highly recommend rescuing a dog from Big Dog Ranch Rescue. I just want to say thank you so much Big Dog Ranch Rescue – we look forward to spending every day with our new addition to our big family!

I could never understand why people are so crazy about their dogs. I thought they are just dogs. Nope — far from the truth, we are crazy about our dog! I never considered myself a dog person until now! Are you a dog person?

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I love to sew; I just wish I had more time or I would sew more frequently. Although I admit I am not that great at it but I always feel a sense of accomplishment with whatever projects I have made. Projects like baby slings, cloth diapers, clothing for my kids, etc.  Sewing is a relaxing hobby. 

So, when my oldest daughter took an interest in sewing last year, I took her to the craft store and had her pick out fabric so she could sew clothes for her American Girl Doll but unfortunately, she quickly lost interest. Thankfully my youngest daughter has taken an interest in sewing.

Cross stitch is my all-time favorite hobby. In my opinion, it is much easier than using a sewing machine.  So, I decided to start my youngest daughter off by using a beginner cross stitch pattern. It was a simple flower that she wanted to cross stitch for her sister but after a while into it I realized I was the one doing all the stitching because she had a hard time with it. Next, I moved her to my sewing machine. I gave her an easy straight edge seem to sew but she has a heavy foot with the foot pedal. So, we went to basics. Baby steps.

Maybe teaching her how to hand sew first would be best? So, I went online and printed these adorable sewing cards.  I printed them off and glued them to a piece of cardboard. Next, I poked holes on the dots of the sewing cards so that she could practice threading the yarn through. This completed activity turned into an adorable craft that makes perfect Valentine’s Day décor!

Materials needed for this craft

Sewing cards

Glue stick

Cardboard Square

Long nail and hammer

Yarn

Scissors

Long plastic needle

Watercolor paints

paintbrushes

Instructions

First, print these adorable sewing cards.  Next glue them to a piece of cardboard (we used a piece of cardboard from a cereal box). Once the glue had dried she painted the printed area with watercolor paint. Give the paint time to dry, we let ours sit overnight. Then use a large nail and a hammer to poke holes where the printed dots are, make sure you use something underneath the cardboard so you do not damage your surface your working on.

Thread the plastic needle and then thread through the poked holes then tie the two ends of the thread behind the cardboard so you cannot see it or tie it into a bow in the front.

Once the piece is completed you can use it for Valentine’s decor or everyday decor. Place it on a mantle or shelf and admire your child’s creativity! My preschooler saw his older sister make this and he decided he wanted to make his a star. He did pretty well for being a little guy!

What fun Valentine’s crafts are you making with your children this month?

This article may contain affiliate links. Feel free to see Mama to 6 Blessings Disclosure Policy if you have any questions. 

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I am screaming inside with excitement as I write this post. I have not blogged since the summer and now I am here blogging!  I am so excited to be back! So why have I not blogged?  In one word — LIFE! A mom to 6 kids ages 4 to 15, homeschooling, tutoring our homeschool group, and being a homemaker takes lots and lots of time! This year I decided that I must take care of myself as well as everything else. This year I am making big changes so that I can do the things I enjoy too because I feel that in the long run when I do that it is good for everyone! 

In a nutshell, there have been BIG changes in our home other than trying to stay away from crowds and quarantining.

So what are those changes? First, my oldest is in high school this year, yep – HIGH SCHOOL! OK, now I want to cry! When I started blogging he was only 4 years old! Our homeschooling has completely changed this year as well. We are still part of Classical Conversations but our community is meeting in 2 homes and 1 class is virtual. I was asked to tutor this year and I am so glad I did because I love it so much! I am tutoring virtually and 4 of my kids are in my class which makes it nice.  My two oldest boys are doing Challenge B and Challenge 1 virtually as well. Being online has been quite an adjustment but we feel this is what is best for our family at this time. We are hoping we will be meeting with our CC community for the next school in person.

Since we decided to not use our Legoland annual passes and let them expire we are taking advantage of more camping trips. We camped 2X towards the end of the year and this year we have a few more camping trips scheduled. We love camping. It gives us a chance to get away while “quarantining” and enjoying the great outdoors.

Our family has also grown! In March my oldest son and I adopted 3 adorable guinea pigs (Sharona, Oreo, and Coffee). He wanted 2 guinea pigs so we went to our local rescue but when we got there I fell in love with (Coffee) and now we have 3!  Our biggest decision came in December when we decided to adopt a dog. Prior to adopting my daughter and I did quite a bit of research as to what dog we wanted to adopt. We had specifics (female, low shed, small) so we kept searching our local rescue’s and on December 21st we rescued our sweet 5-month Dachshund mix – Scout.  She has brought so much joy to our family but I honestly feel like I have 7 kids now! She is the perfect fit for our family and a mama’s girl!

Being home more has allowed my kids more time to learn new skills. My oldest daughter is learning how to do different hairstyles, she even cut her hair short with no help from anyone! She is continuing with baking from scratch. When she does not know how to do something she teaches herself.  Makes this mama proud!

I could go on and on but I have to say that since our family has been staying home more it has brought our family closer together. In the past, our schedules have been full of stuff. Homeschool functions, sports, church activities, etc.  Before it seemed like we always had something scheduled and it would be days before we all sat around together at the same time for dinner. It is refreshing to have us together more and it has brought less stress in our home not having to be running here and there.  Before I know it they will be grown up and out of the house so I am soaking it all in!

I am so glad to be back. My plan is to blog a few times a week. I would love to blog more but there is not enough time in a day but I am here! What about you? What new things are happening in your home? 

This article may contain affiliate links. Feel free to see Mama to 6 Blessings Disclosure Policy if you have any questions. 

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We have continued to stay home and only go out when needed to avoid getting COVID.  It has been super challenging trying to keep 6 kids entertained this summer. In our past summers, we were rarely home. We were either bowling, going to the movies, the water park, etc. All our summer plans have come to a screeching halt.  So, I have had to get quite creative. Since the days are super hot here most activities have been indoors and if we do anything outside it has to involve water. 

When we moved into our home 4 years ago one of the things on our wish list was a swimming pool. We were not willing to budge on that.  Our pool has been a huge form of my family’s entertainment but let’s face it kids get bored easily.  The kids enjoy the pool but I had to change things up a bit so they would stay in the pool for longer than 5 minutes so that they would get fresh air and exercise.  So we are having competitions on who can find the most diving sticks and diving for glow sticks in the pool at night. We even set up Little Tikes basketball hoop poolside for a little basketball in the pool.

I decided to try something different though. What about adding ice to the pool? I know it does not last long in warm pool water but still the few minutes it does last would be entertaining. So I grabbed all kinds of plastic containers (ice cream buckets, etc.) I could find and fill them with water and put them in the freezer overnight.  Thankfully we have 3 freezers because I needed to make quite a few of these containers!

The following day I grabbed a big plastic tote bin and placed all of the frozen ice in the containers in the tote bin and brought it out by the pool. I handed each one of my kids a container with the ice in it. They then placed it in the pool water and as the ice began to melt the container pulled away from the ice. Since we used large containers there was quite a bit of ice which meant it lasted for at least 7-10 minutes of pool play. I was not sure what to expect, I thought my kids would think this was a bad idea but they loved it and they couldn’t wait for me to make more for next time!

What fun ways do you and your kids play in the pool?

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My 11-year old daughter loves to bake.  She would bake every day if I allowed her too. The baking I do not mind so much it’s eating too many sweets that I mind. I want my children to eat healthy so one of those ways in doing so and yet having a treat here and there is to make recipes with healthy ingredients. That could be either switching ingredients with healthy ones or just hiding healthy ingredients.

One of my daughter’s favorite recipes to make are banana chocolate chip cookies. They are packed with healthy ingredients and they are very filling. Plus there are no flours in them whatsoever so it makes them a lower-carb treat. With only six ingredients these cookies are quick and easy to make. My daughter does all of our baking on her own without help but these cookies would be fun to make with little kids as well. They can smash (bananas), pour, and mix making it a fun and educational time for them in the kitchen!

Ingredients

2 Ripe bananas

1 Cup Old Fashioned Quaker Oats 

1 Tablespoon peanut butter

1/3 Cup chocolate chips

Dash of cinnamon

First, smash the 2 bananas in a mixing bowl. *Tip, whenever we use bananas in a recipe we use a potato masher to smash them, it makes it so much easier!

Then add the Quaker Oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and cinnamon into the mixing bowl. 

I use a Kitchen-Aid in most of our baking but if you do not have a mixer this can be mixed by hand as well (great time to strengthen those arm muscles!).  Mix all the ingredients together until everything is mixed together.

Then scoop out the cookie mix onto a baking pan. *Tip – to get the cookies the same size we use an ice cream scooper to scoop the cookies on the pan.  Make sure to line your baking pan with either parchment paper or a silicone mat so that the cookies do not stick to the pan.

Bake on 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Once baked allow them to cool and enjoy! 

You can even use natural peanut butter without sugar if you have peanut allergies try substituting with almond butter. If you are dairy-free there is a vast array of chocolate chips on the market that are dairy-free. Either way, these are super yummy!

What healthy snacks do you like to make for your kids? Share! I am always looking for new ideas! 

This article may contain affiliate links. Feel free to see Mama to 6 Blessings Disclosure Policy if you have any questions. 

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