Saturday, March 22, 2014

Spring Bucket List




My kids and I love to make our “Bucket List” of things we want to do during a particular time or season.  We always create one for the summer and over Christmas break.  This year we will be out of town (in warmer weather) over Spring break, but there are still a lot of things we want to do this Spring.  Spring officially started on March 20th.  I sure hope Mother Nature got the memo, because we are ready for some springtime temperatures.

I know Spring is just around the corner, because my daffodils are starting to peak out of the ground.  That is a good sign, so is being light out until past 7:30 in the evening and hearing the birds singing in the early morning hours when walking my son to the bus stop.  Spring is my favorite season, it is a wonderful transition time in which you can open doors and windows, smell that gorgeous Spring air, the start of long evening walks, and allowing the kids to play into the evening hours outside with their friends.

For Spring, this is what is hitting our Bucket List:
 
Swimming at the Rec Center
Go to the Zoo
Learn to Ride a 2-Wheeler (my 5 year old)
Go to the Science Center
See Rio 2
Prepare and Plant Our Garden
Build a Bird House (Check out my Pinterest Ideas)
Finger Paint Outside
Family Bike Ride at the Park
Clean out the Garage – Sell/Donate unwanted Toys
Hug Mickey Mouse

We post our list in the kitchen and cross the items off as we complete them.  It is a fantastic way to hold Mom and Dad accountable for getting things done!

What’s on your must do this for Spring?


Thursday, March 13, 2014

Shopping Kids Resale

One of the ways our family saves money is that I shop resale shops for kids clothing.  My daughter will be wearing size 2T this summer which I believe is an ideal age to find some great clothes at amazing prices when you shop resale.  My boys are in sizes 6 and 10 now, so it is much more difficult to find good, quality clothing at resale shops for them.  I believe the ideal age group is from newborn up to size 5.

There are a few outlets I use for resale clothing:
  1. Online Facebook Garage Sale Sites: I have some some great bargains on these sites, the only downside is you have to be careful you are not running all over town to pick up items.
  2. Organized Children Resale Events:  This is where space is sold to hundreds of people to sell used clothing items.  We have 2 events a year at our community recreation center as well as events hosted by local PTA groups.
  3. Traditional Resale Stores:  I have 2 stores in my area that I love to visit a couple times a year to see what bargains I can find.  I also take clothes in twice a year for store credit on a new purchase.
I realize you normally cannot get your child's entire wardrobe on resale, but I truly believe you can put together a decent amount of clothing for a season and minimize the new clothing you need to purchase.  Yesterday I stopped into my favorite resale store and man did I find the items!  You have to remember timing is everything, and you have to be patient to go through racks of clothing to find the gems!  I prefer to go alone also, so that you are not distracted.  I hit the Gymboree jackpot!

All three of these outfits were from the Gymboree Spring/Summer 2013 line.




 I also managed to find an additional 3 outfits for this summer.  All of the outfits are in like new condition!



With my discount and tax, I walked out with 6 new outfits for a little over $23.  I was quite pleased with my quick shopping trip.  Now if the weather would just warm up so my little girl can wear her new clothes!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap - Review & Giveaway

 
Experience a new level of hand washing with NEW Dial Deep Cleansing Hand SoapNEW Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap is the latest Dial Brand hand soap bringing luxury to your hand washing experience.  These premium soaps feature vibrant scents, a gentle micro-scrubber formula that smooths and moisturizes the skin, and a completely new design that adds personal style to your home.
 
I was able to try both the Coconut Lime Verbena and Water Blossoms scents.  This product also comes in Yellow Raspberry and Black Sugar.  The scent was amazing!  I love a scent that lingers long after you wash your hands, and this soap will not disappoint!
 


You can also see, that this soap does not lather up a lot.  You can however feel the tiny micro-scrubbers when you wash your hands.  These are the soaps you put out when you have company coming over to visit. The packaging is a bit more on the elegant side, and looks lovely displayed in your bathroom!  Personally, I may keep one of the bottles in my bathroom, so the kids do not use it all up!

Want to try it yourself?  Three winners will win a coupon for free bottle! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Dial brand provided me with a sample of Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in exchange for a product review.  However, all opinions, as always, expressed here are my own.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Preschool Project - Fun With Bingo Markers

 

This is a great activity for a three year old.  All you need is a large sheet of heavy paper.  I then traced the letters of their name.  You will then need a set of Bingo daubers/markers, something like this:

 
Most craft stores sell then or you can also get them on Amazon!

Next just let your child dab away with different colors, trying to keep within the letters of their name!