BrainPOP Works For Moms And Kids

A bunch of us moms were discussing what works for us regarding our children’s education and a lot of things were brought to the table, but the moms were unanimous about one teaching tool. At the time, it was brand new to me, but my trusted network of moms went on and on, and on about all the qualities of this animated educational site: BrainPOP! I am not affiliated in any way with this company.

All the moms loved it because it truly taught their kids and because their kids loved it too. It works for us, and I’m sure it will work for you too. Go check it out for free for two weeks.

If you use BrainPop, go ahead and put in your two cents.

What teaching tools work for you and your kids?

Be sure to visit Rocks In My Dryer for more participants.

Don’t Leave Home Without It: The Bible

I carry a tiny Bible in my purse.  It’s only 3″ X 4.5″ and doesn’t weight anything.  It’s not the entire Bible, just the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs.  It allows me to have the word of God at all times and have something to read should I get myself unexpectedly stuck in a waiting room or waiting in my car.  I’ve been able to squeeze in Bible reading time I would not otherwise have had, and I haven’t had to twiddle my thumbs.  It’ s worked for me for about 20 years now!  🙂

It’s My Party And I’ll Sing If I Want To, Sing If I Want To

Welcome to my blog party!

Let me show you around. For ambiance we need some music and no party is complete without some food so, just click on my recipe page.

Now, we’re ready for some great conversation. Here my friendly readers and I talk about God, organizing our homes, we share household tips, we have fun with holidays all through the year (even Chinese New Year and Leap Year), we share recipes. Just yesterday, one of my readers gave me her first place award winning recipe for Peanut Butter Brownie Torte.

I love photography, books and adventures so you’ll find those too.

I participate in Works For Me Wednesday, Thursday Thirteen and Word-Filled Wednesday and the links will take you to just a sample of my entries for these carnivals.

I won some awards, have repeatedly earned Fastest Growing WordPress Blog and Top Post too, if you don’t mind me bragging just a bit.

My grand-mother used to say “show me your friends and I will tell you who you are,” so to help you mingle in this party, let me introduce you to just a few of the people who visit me and those I visit. When you come back, you’ll meet a lot more, but for today, here’s just a few:

• 4urpets is a friend in real life and her humorous blog is about her 3 Chihuahuas;
• Tad Cronn is a newspaper editor who writes about conservative news not often published in the liberal media;
• Texas Tanya is a mom who adopted two wonderful boys, has great ideas and likes photography;
• Amy Deanne is the new bloggy friend who hosts Word-Filled Wednesday;
• Gina has a fun public diary, participates at Works For Me Wednesday and you’ll see her at 4urpets too;
• Erin Craig is a newlywed with a Weimaraner (dog) and she also loves photography;
• Look over at my right sidebar and you’ll see more people who link to me and people I visit.

Make yourselves at home, enjoy the party, and be sure to sign the guest book so I can visit you in return. I hope we will become friends and visit each other often.

Please Advise :-)

This Works For Me Wednesday Backwards Edition came at just the perfect time because I happen to need advise on several issues.  Please help me out and thanks for all your comments.

• Which blog reader do you prefer and why?  (I’ve been using and loving WordPress Blog Surfer, but it only works for WordPress blogs.)
• What is your favorite, easy to make/serve dessert for your family?  I often serve ice cream as it’s real easy, tasty and in hot Southern California it also cools us down, but I’d love your ideas or recipes for some more variety.
• Our son is doing a poll for school and would like me to ask which presidential candidate do you DISLIKE the most and why?
• Life is getting outrageously expensive.  The price of everything is going up except for paychecks.  What are your best ways of saving money and stretching your shrinking dollar?
• It’s time to change cell phones, so which company are you happy with?  Which plan gets the most minutes for the least amount of money?
• Can you recommend digital scrapbooking sites?

For more participants, be sure to visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Don’t miss my other Works For Me Wednesday posts on my Household Tips page and Organizing Tips page.

Solution For Keys Lost Right In Your Own Home

I don’t know if it’s premature old age, if it’s too many other things on the brain, or if everybody is like this from time to time, but a few years ago I started losing my keys all over the house, except in a logical spot. Being tired of searching frantically and of making myself late to boot, I hung a decorative wooden box on the wall right behind the front door. It took a couple of days to remember to put my keys in there, but the training period was fast. I also put in there our sunglasses, a spare garage door remote, a spare set of house and car keys and a pen in case I need to sign for something at the door. It works for me and now I’m always ready to go.

So has this happened to you??? Or is it just me?

For more participants in Works For Me Wednesday, visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer.

Don’t miss my other Works For Me Wednesday posts on my Household Tips page and Organizing Tips page.

Get Free Photography Magazines

Rangefinder and After Capture are two photography magazines which are distributed free to photographers, artists, or anyone who routinely publishes photographs such as for a photography blog or a blog which makes heavy use of photography.  All you have to do is follow the links and fill out the short forms where you’ll find details to see if you qualify.  There is no catch.  The magazines are paid for by the advertisers.  There are no more than the average number in any magazine which makes you wonder why all magazines are not free if these magazines are able to do it.  You will not be added to a zillion mailing lists.  I have been receiving these magazines for a couple years and have only received one annual photography catalog in addition to the magazines, no other unsolicited mail.

The magazines are both of above average quality and full-color.  To get a feel for them check their websites.  They cover all sorts of photography such as sports, wedding, portrait, commercial, and fine art.  As I do photography and art, these magazines work for me for inspiration , education, and entertainment.  They are great magazines and you can’t beat free!

For more Works For Me Wednesday participants, please visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Don’t miss my other Works For Me Wednesday posts on my Household Tips page and Organizing Tips page.

Inhumane Conditions In The Slaughterhouse Since 1993?? They Told Us California Cows Were Happy Cows!!

With this week-end’s meat recall, 143 million pounds of beef, the largest recall in history, comes an even more disturbing possibility. A video has surfaced that shows inhumane conditions may have occurred since 1993. That’s 15 years!! Did the government do anything to safeguard that consumers eat healthy food? Did the greedy big business slaughterhouse have the least thought about the public school children who would eat tainted meat? Are California cows happy cows as the advertising slogan claims? You decide.

Check out Tad Cronn’s article and look at the video he posted.

Fast, Easy Valentine Hearts For Breakfast or Anytime

This Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday so a special breakfast for your family might seem impossible, but not if you follow these quick and easy tips. Armed with my heart shaped cookie cutters of varying sizes I can show my heartfelt sentiments with morning canapes which are some of the easiest and fastest things you can possibly make.

These ideas can also be easily adapted into sandwiches for the lunch boxes (children LOVE them) or appetizers for your romantic dinner for two or even include all your children to celebrate your family’s love.

Here’s just a sampling of the variations you can make in little more time than it takes for your toaster to pop up.

Cut your favorite brand of store-bought waffles, English muffins or sliced bread with your heart-shaped cookie cutters. Toast, and add your favorite savory or sweet toppings. If your topping is not spreadable, use your cookie cutters again!

• Sweet:
• Jelly/Jam especially red ones to keep with the Valentine theme such as strawberry, cherry, or plum;
• Sugar and cinnamon;
• Lemon curd;
• Peanut butter or peanut butter and jelly;
• Butter;
• Apple sauce or apple butter;
• Cream cheese;
• Whipped cream and red sugar sprinkles;
• Nuttela (chocolate and hazelnut spread);
• Or to be totally decadent, an ice cream Sunday with a heart waffle or two on the side.

• Savory:
• Pate or braunschweiger;
• Canadian bacon;
• Ham;
• Shredded or sliced cheese; (shredded will melt faster in your toaster over)
• Minced sun-dried tomatoes;
• Turkey;
• Pastrami or any other deli meats;
• Egg (such as scrambled or over easy, etc.)
• Roasted bell peppers (they come right out of a jar these days);
• Herb cheese spread such as Rondele or Alouette;
• Lox (smoked salmon);
• Marinated mushrooms;
• Marinated artichoke hearts.

I’m sure I missed lots of great toppings, so let us know your great ideas too.

And for the scraps left over from those heart cutouts, some very lucky dogs will love you, or you can save them for your next turkey stuffing.

Infinity Goods Store Is Great!

Since Shannon’s theme this week at Rocks In My Dryer is about sharing our favorite Internet store, it’s time for a shameless plug — it’s the Infinity Goods store of course!

There are many of us mommy bloggers who attempt to make a bit of spare change for our families by being an Amazon associate, or selling crafts at Etsy, selling our own products, or selling a few ads on our blogs. And I ask you, don’t you think it would be better to support a mommy blogger that you’ve come to know and trust through her blog where you get useful information or entertainment year round, rather than buying directly from some large, greedy corporation which only cares about putting lots of money in their own pockets and doesn’t care in the least about your family?

I’m an associate for Amazon. Everything and anything that Amazon sells, you can get through Infinity Goods for the exact same price and with all the security of Amazon. Next time you purchase from Amazon I hope you’ll do it through my Infinity Goods Store. Or if not through mine, at least do it through another mommy’s store.

Let’s all help each other out. Together we can all succeed.

Don’t miss my other Works For Me Wednesday post about Valentines.

And here’s a fast and easy Valentine dessert recipe.

Here are my other Household Tips and Organizing Tips.

13 Inexpensive Ways To Show Your Love

Let romance work for you on Valentine’s Day and year-round. It’s not always the expensive gifts that will show you care. Quite often, it’s the little ways. What’s a big diamond if you don’t even pay attention to each other? Here are 13 tested and approved ways to show your loved ones you truly care about them. They will work for you too.

1. Write a love letter (see this wonderful sample at Pensieve — it got him the girl and 20+ years later, it’s still her favorite valentine of all time);
2. Write a poem;
3. Take your loved one to a picnic on the beach, park or some pleasant, but secluded spot;
4. Rent romantic movies, make a fire in the fireplace, dim the lights, make or buy a tiny cake for two or dip some strawberries in chocolate, serve some sparkling apple cider in crystal flutes; (Here’s a lovely Valentine dessert recipe!)
5. Read or recite poetry while you massage your loved one’s feet. Shelley and Tennyson are very romantic! Get a tiny book edition to make it easy to hold in one hand.
6. Make a special dinner for two. Think small portions and ingredients you don’t use everyday. Don’t go out to a crowded, noisy, expensive restaurant. Where’s the romance in that?
7. Tuck a heart-shaped cookie and an “I love you” in your loved one’s lunch bag;
8. Also for the lunch bag or briefcase or even the front seat of the car, place a few Hugs and Kisses chocolates in a decorative cellophane bag or other pretty container with a promise for more at home. More chocolates for a child or more … for a spouse — that’s up to you;
9. Do a chore your loved one would normally have to do (Do it well!! Don’t make your loved one have to redo it or clean up your mess. The thought only counts so far in this case.);
10. Remember the phrase “As you wish” from “The Princess Bride”? It meant “I love you.” Use it or come up with your own phrase and see how quickly your bride or prince charming figures out what you truly mean.
11. Pick out a novel with a romantic love story or subplot and read it to your loved one or to each other before bedtime;
12. Give a vase or box full of 365 heart-shaped slips of paper. On each heart write a reason why you are in love, a compliment, an “I love you,” a promise for a kiss, etc. and fold in half. Each day, for an entire year, your loved one gets to open a heart. You can make it as platonic or as explicit as your relationship allows.
13. Make the decision to make your loved one happy year-round. Base all your actions on whether it would make your loved one happy. It will do wonders for your relationship and soon, without even realizing it, your loved one will reciprocate. 🙂

What are some of your ideas for showing your love on Valentine’s Day?
For more tips, visit Rocks In My Dryer and for more lists of lucky thirteens, visit Thursday Thirteen.

If you’ve missed any of my other household tips, just click below.

• Our Purpose Driven Lives
• Lovely Valentine Dessert Recipe
• Hit The Road, Junk!
• Cleaning Supplies In Every Room
• Large desk calendar inside guest closet
• How Do You Organize Your Home?
• Thank You Note How-To And Samples
• New Year Resolution And Thank You Notes
• Organizing Household Resources In An Address Book
• Organized In The New Year
• Put Used Christmas Cards To Good Use
• Bookcases at the Breaking Point?
• Organizing Household Binder
• Trading Card Storage
• Freezer Solution
• Child’s haircut without tears
• Homemade bread stuffing
• Plastic colander bath toy drainer/holder
• Reuse plastic grocery bags in the car
• How to increase Web site traffic?
• 16 Blog/Web site tips
• Toy storage
• Every Cookie Recipe Imaginable
• Egg Tip
• Holiday Decorating Tips and Ideas