Keep 'Em Busy with a Quick Craft | Paper Plate Fish

Paper Plate Fish Craft

Gracie has been a monster this week. I keep having to remind myself, that when she's in 'a mood' - just try and distract her. These are the times when I'd like to have a quick craft idea on my hands to redirect her from her rotten mood or whatever she is doing wrong. This week she came home with an awesome paper plate fish craft and I can not believe I have not thought of it before. This craft can not take any more than five minutes to make, seriously! The majority of the time spent on this craft will be the child decorating it.

Supplies Needed:

• Paper plate
• Decorations
• Wiggly eye (but not needed)
• Glue
• Scissors

Instructions:

• Take the paper plate and cut a triangle out.
• Glue the triangle on to the other end of the paper plate to make a fish tail.
• Let them glue on decorations all over the fish.

I love this craft idea because it is so quick and easy and most likely, we have the supplies laying around. I also love that you can use practically anything to decorate the fish. Tissue paper - we always have tons of tissue paper around the house because of buying gifts for all of the older kids' friends' birthday parties. You can use construction paper cut up, stickers or foam stickers, paint, color it, glitter glue or any crafty pieces you have. The eye can be drawn on if you don't have any wiggly eyes - how easy, right?!?

Have fun!

Family Portraits with Ashley Francis Photography | Aurora, IL

Our Experience with Ashley Francis Photography
Aurora, IL

On Wednesday, I posted a few pictures from our family photo shoot with Ashley from Ashley Francis Photography but I want to share more with you and tell you all about our experience with her.

If you are my friend on Facebook or if you follow me on Instagram, you've already seen the family photos Ashley took, so you saw the finished product but you did not see what we saw. I could go on and on about her work, but let me show you instead.

The Art of Photography

There is nothing more amazing to me than the art of photography. It takes someone so knowledgeable about the camera to be able to create such a beautiful photo from a plain old setting like this one below. Here is what I saw...

See? Nothing special. This is what you and I see... but this is not what Ashley sees. When we began walking around the park and down the path, her mind was working. She was looking around at the field, trees and up at the sun. She knew what she was going to try and get. And she did.

This is how these two photos above turned out:

 

 

 

Didn't she do an amazing job!?!

Fitness Friday with Revolt Fitness | Week 4 - Join Us

 
Welcome to Week 4 of Fitness Friday!

Fitness Friday will be a weekly post where we can all write an update on how our week went concerning diet changes, exercise, weight loss or inches lost, our achievements for the week and our failures. It will also include our goals for the following week.

 

Join Us!

Each Fitness Friday post will include a linky. Everyone is welcome to join, just write a post and link up, that way we can all stop by your blog and show you some love and encouragement. If you are not a blogger, feel free post these things in the comment section below the post and other can still show you the same love and encouragement by replying to your comment.

Rules
 

The rules are simple!

If you could, grab the button above and put it in your Fitness Friday post or on your sidebar or mention Fitness Friday at WE HAVE IT ALL, that would be great... but not a must. But be sure to add your link to our linky! Post however much or however little you’d like. If you are not comfortable posting your weight, then don’t. If you’d like to share a photo – great! Either way, I hope that this encouragement helps us all to become more healthy. Visit as many as you can in the linky below and show them encouragement!

I will try my best to post on Thursday nights and the linky will be open for the whole week.

Week 4

Weeks 1 and 2 went fantastic, I told you about starting Revolt Fitness. In case you missed it, Revolt Fitness is a program I have joined in exchange for posting weekly updates. I started the Revolt Fitness program on Monday and you won't believe my results!

 

My starting weight was 180.6 - and during that first week I lost over 9 lbs weighing in at 171 and lost  3.5 inches. I was so excited! During the 2nd week I lost another 3 lbs. During those first two weeks I lost a total of 4.5 inches. I can't wait to get through another few weeks because I am going to Sanibel Island, FL next month and I will feel so much better about myself if I can loose a little more and tone up a bit.

 

Today's Details (Week 4):

Temperature Taking Redefined with the VeraTemp® Thermometer | Non-Contact Thermometer

Use the Non-Contact VeraTemp® Thermometer

to Keep Baby Comfortable

Thanks to VeraTemp® Thermometer for sponsoring this conversation.

When you've got sick children, you want to keep them as comfortable as possible... even when taking their temperature. Sometimes it's hard to get that temperature taken, depending on the thermometer you are using. Technology keeps getting better and better, so now you can use the VeraTemp® Thermometer to get an accurate temperature without even touching them. Not only does the non-contact VeraTemp® Thermometer take their temperature without touching the skin, but it is also silent so your little one will stay asleep and comfy.

I'm sure I am not the only mama who wakes up numerous times a night to check on the kids when they are asleep, to see if they have a temperature. Not only my kids, but my daycare kids too. When Jayden, my 3 year old daycare boy, gets sick he tends to run a fever during nap time. I can usually tell he has a fever because his cheeks turn bright pink. This one reason why I love the non-contact feature. Not only does it keep your child sleeping, but it also decreases the chance of spreading germs from one person to the next.

Summer Fun Giveaway Event | Bloggers Wanted

FREE Summer Fun Giveaway Event is Looking for Bloggers

Prizes Include:

• Skywalker Bounce-N-Learn Trampoline
• Intex 10' x 30" Metal Frame Swimming Pool
• Glenmeadow 6-Piece Folding Patio Dining Set with Umbrella
• Flexible Flyer Swing Free Metal Swing Set
• 20" Huffy Rock It Boys' Bike. 

 Hosted by: Iowa Mom 

There will be 5 winners

Event Dates: 6/10 - 6/24 

Make sure you mention WE HAVE IT ALL sent you!

SIGN-UP HERE!

Wordless Wednesday w/Linky | Family Photos with Ashely Francis Photography

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

We had a photo shoot with Ashely from Ashley Francis Photography over the weekend. I haven't had a chance to write my review just yet but I wanted to share some of our photos with you anyway! She did such a fantastic job, I love each and every photo she took.

 

 And if you have a few minutes...

 

You HAVE TO check out the slide show she sent me as a preview of our photos before she was able to send the actual photos.  

We Have It All Family Preview Video


LINK UP Your Wordless Wednesday post below in the linky provided, but please DO NOT put your linky in my comment section as it will be DELETED and sent to spam.

#Win the FIT INTO SUMMER #Giveaway Event

Welcome to the FIT INTO SUMMER Giveaway Event!

I've been telling you in my Fitness Friday posts about the Revolt Fitness Program that I am doing in exchange for weekly updates... well a bunch of us Revolt Bloggers got together to put together an awesome giveaway that will help you get fit and you will love it!

We've got some great prizes to offer!

There will be three winners...

 

Grand Prize Pack

• One month access to Revolt Fitness
• Via Velo 2-in-1 Bike Trailer
• Altra Running Shoes - Torin
• Accu-Measure® Fitness 3000 Body Fat Caliper with MyoTape Body Tape Measure
• Bulu Box Weight Loss
• $50 Maggie Bags
• Thermal Bottle Bag of your choice
• 1 Wink Shapewear Tummy Tucker Tank
• Green Time Reusable Sandwich Bags
• Delta Labs Detox

First Place

• Journey Gym Ultimate Total System
• Bulu Box
• Delta Labs Hair, Skin, and Nails
• Pure Health Supplements

 

 

Second Place

• Kelty Transit 3.0 Child Carrier (Choice of blue or green)
• Pure Health Supplements

 

 Enter to win by filling out the form below, it's super easy!

Magic Waters | Illinois Waterpark

MAGIC WATERS

Cherry Valley, IL

Have you been to Magic Waters waterpark in Illinois?
 

Magic Waters is actually one of the largest water parks in Illinois! It is located just off I-90 near Rockford. I remember going there as a kid and I've been dying to bring my kids there one of these days.
 

 

Experience Magic Waters

 

Magic Waters a fantastic waterpark with so much to do. Experience the Double Dare Drop 75 ft. Speed Slides, Tsunami Bay Wave Pool, Typhoon Terror Adventure Ride and the thrill a minute Splash Blaster Water Coaster Ride. Enter the dark tunnel of the Abyss for lots of twists and turns or relax on the 1,200 ft. Splash Magic River. Have tons of fun at Tiki Island where a 1,000 gallon pineapple water bucket spills to the delight of guests!

 

Coolers welcome or grab lunch at the new Ocho’s Cantina! Luxury cabanas available.

 

Free Parking.

 

Park Hours:

 

The water park opens June 8th 2013 and is open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon & Fri 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

 

Special Offers & Events:

• $12 Buck Bargain Days: Tues, Wed, Thurs during the 2013 season.
• Friday Family Fun Nights: June 14 through August 16.
• Meet & Greet: Sunday July 14th. Disney band IM5 will be at the park for a Meet and Greet.

Go to magicwaterswaterpark.com for details.

 

Fitness Friday with Revolt Fitness | JOIN US and Link Up!

 
Welcome to Week 3 of Fitness Friday!

Fitness Friday will be a weekly post where we can all write an update on how our week went concerning diet changes, exercise, weight loss or inches lost, our achievements for the week and our failures. It will also include our goals for the following week.

 

Join Us!

Each Fitness Friday post will include a linky. Everyone is welcome to join, just write a post and link up, that way we can all stop by your blog and show you some love and encouragement. If you are not a blogger, feel free post these things in the comment section below the post and other can still show you the same love and encouragement by replying to your comment.

Rules
 

The rules are simple!

If you could, grab the button above and put it in your Fitness Friday post or on your sidebar or mention Fitness Friday at WE HAVE IT ALL, that would be great... but not a must. But be sure to add your link to our linky! Post however much or however little you’d like. If you are not comfortable posting your weight, then don’t. If you’d like to share a photo – great! Either way, I hope that this encouragement helps us all to become more healthy. Visit as many as you can in the linky below and show them encouragement!

I will try my best to post on Thursday nights and the linky will be open for the whole week.

Week 3

Weeks 1 and 2 went fantastic, I told you about starting Revolt Fitness. In case you missed it, Revolt Fitness is a program I have joined in exchange for posting weekly updates. I started the Revolt Fitness program on Monday and you won't believe my results!

 

Do You Love Entering Giveaways? Check Out Sweepstakes!Max if You Want to Win!

Readers - Do You Like Entering Giveaways?

 

Bloggers - Do You Want More Giveaway Enterants?

Then listen up! I have a sweepstakes site you will love!

For Readers

Sweepstakes!Max is an awesome and easy to use sweepstakes site that you can use to find giveaways to enter. The Sweepstakes!Max site is very easy to use. You have the option of chosing a category to view and you have a few more options to chose from if you'd like to narrow your search. In the photo below, I chose Kids/Baby/Games and it brought up lots of awesome giveaways like a BOB Travel System and a Iron Man Lego Set. How awesome is that?!?

For Bloggers

As a blogger hosting giveaways, you can submit your own giveaways to be listed in the Sweepstakes!Max site. And just like entering giveaway... listing your own giveaway here is also super easy. You just fill out a quick form and sumit it - that's it! It's really so easy.

 Connect:

Head over to Sweepstakes!Max and find some giveaway to enter... Or if you're a blogger, submit your own giveaways.

You can also find Sweepstakes!Max on Facebook or on Twitter @SweepstakesMax.

 So what's your plan?

Are you going to enter to win some giveaways or are you a blogger who is going to submit your own giveaways to be listed on Sweepstakes!Max?

Six Kids and Sleeping Arrangements - Time for a Change

I'm thinking about moving the kids' bedrooms around.

Am I crazy?

Yeah, probably.

Here's the thing. I always had the three older girls sharing a room. We have a bunk bed that sleeps three (the bottom is a futon bed) and a trundle bed underneath that. Olivia does not live with us and she hardly spends the night anymore so I am going to exclude her from the bed arrangement... and that was always the plan. The plan was to have the three older girls share a room until Olivia was gone and then Gracie would move into the room.

Now the time has come and I am not happy with this idea anymore. Emma and Becca are slobs. I don't want Gracie sharing a room with them. But that leaves me with having Gracie share a room with Baby Jack. Is this do-able. I think so. When Austin and Emma were little, they shared a room. Gracie does have a toddler bed and so it's not like we would need to purchase another bed.

Here is what I am thinking of doing... I think I am going to get rid of the bunk bed we have in the teen girls room and change it for a different bunk bed. I'll need to find a store with the widest selection of beds because I want one of those bunk beds that has a double bed on the bottom, twin bed on the top and has lots of storage shelves and drawers on the sides of the bed. This would take place of dressers and make the room more spacious. Their closet has a billion shelves so they've got plenty of room there too. It's not like they need dressers.

Then Baby Jack and Gracie will share and I guess I will make it into a 'little kids room'. I think this will work out best. At least Austin is easy and all by himself so I don't have to change anything there haha.

Oh and I got this urge to get rid of our sleigh bed and get a platform bed. Am I crazy? I think it would make our room look more spacious. But I guess that's a whole other story.

How do you have your kids set up if you have a large family?

Wordless Wednesday w/Linky | Instagram

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Well... I can't guarentee it will be wordless, so let's just make it "Happy Wednesday" where I get to share my pictures for the week.

This week I am going to share some of my Instagram pictures from the past week.

I don't think this one needs any explanation:

 

And here are some others from the week:

 

 

 

This is my Little CUBS Fan. Yes, CUBS. Daddy doesn't think so though haha...

 

 

This is how I spent Mother's Day Weekend... lazy, lazy! I loved it! 

 

If you get a chance, take a peek through my other Wordless Wednesday posts!

Do you have a Wordless Wednesday post? If so, link up below.

Please do not leave your link in my comment section below though - it will be deleted and sent to spam... that is what the linky is for - duh!

Super Easy and Quick Mother's Day Handprint Craft for that Last Minute Gift

Happy Mother's Day to All the Mom's Out There!

Here is a super easy Mother's Day handprint craft if you still need to make a quick gift for mom or grandma. You don't even need isntructions for this one. Gracie came home with this yesterday, I love it! I especially love the little poem. It says, "I've made these flowers with my fingers and my thumb, so you will have these memories for all the years to come." - I love it!

Isn't this adorable?!?

If you need any other ideas, be sure to check out my other crafts.

JOIN US - Fitness Friday: Week 2 | Revolt Fitness

 
Welcome to Week 2 of Fitness Friday!

Fitness Friday will be a weekly post where we can all write an update on how our week went concerning diet changes, exercise, weight loss or inches lost, our achievements for the week and our failures. It will also include our goals for the following week.

 

Join Us!

Each Fitness Friday post will include a linky. Everyone is welcome to join, just write a post and link up, that way we can all stop by your blog and show you some love and encouragement. If you are not a blogger, feel free post these things in the comment section below the post and other can still show you the same love and encouragement by replying to your comment.

Rules

The rules are simple!

If you could, grab the button above and put it in your Fitness Friday post or on your sidebar or mention Fitness Friday at WE HAVE IT ALL, that would be great... but not a must. But be sure to add your link to our linky! Post however much or however little you’d like. If you are not comfortable posting your weight, then don’t. If you’d like to share a photo – great! Either way, I hope that this encouragement helps us all to become more healthy. Visit as many as you can in the linky below and show them encouragement!

I will try my best to post on Thursday nights and the linky will be open for the whole week.

Week 2

Week 1 went fantastic, I told you about starting Revolt Fitness. In case you missed it, Revolt Fitness is a program I have joined in exchange for posting weekly updates. I started the Revolt Fitness program on Monday and you won't believe my results!

 

Send an e-Card for Mother's Day and Johnson's Baby Will Donate $1 to Save the Children | #ForAllYouLove

A special thanks to Johnson & Johnson and The Motherhood for sponsoring this post.

For All You Love

As mom's, we've all sacrificed in one way or another for our families. We put the needs of our family before our needs in all kinds of  ways as mother's... we give up our bodies to carry children, we give up our sleep for years, our free time and our space. We willingly stay up all night rock our fussy baby's, we might skip meals to catch up on housework or spend our 'rainy day' money on something special for the hubby or kids.

 

Sometimes we sacrifice even more.

 

When I went through my divorce, I was young and naive. I was not aware of all the resources out there for single parents. There was a few month period of time where I could hardly afford food. I would scrape up spare change laying around the house and purchase boxes of macaroni and cheese for my three kids because it only cost $0.33 and that way I could afford lunches and dinners for them. But that left me with nothing to eat. I would purchase a big box of white rice and I would make 1 cup each day. I would eat half for lunch and the other half for dinner. That box of rice would last me a long time. This is what I had to do so that I could feed my three kids. Luckily this only lasted a short time. But I look back on it now and can remember that the only thing that mattered to me was my kids. It mattered to me how they were physically and how they were emotionally... so I did everything in my power to hide my struggles and they had no idea how bad off we were. To this very day, they don't realize what we went through and I'm so glad.

 

In honor of Mother's Day, Johnson & Johnson has launched a new campaign called For All You Love. For All You Love celebrates the selfless and unconditional caring of caregivers, and all the ways they care for those they love by putting the needs of others first.

 

 

Johnson & Johnson is Giving

 

As part of this campaign, Johnson & Johnson is planning on donating $25K this Mother's Day to Save the Children® to recognize their commitment to the health and well-being of moms and kids all over the world.

#Win a Samsung 50-Inch 1080p LED HDTV #Giveaway

Win a Samsung 50-Inch 1080p LED HDTV Giveaway

If you're in need of a new TV, then you've come to the right place. I've joined up with a bunch of other bloggers and to give away a 50-Inch Samsung HDTV to one lucky winner.



Product Features:

Full HD 1080p

Clear Motion Rate 240

Connect Share Movie

Wide Color Enhancer Plus

Giveaway Details:

• Prize: Samsung 50-Inch 1080p LED HDTV
• Giveaway Dates: Ends 5/31
• Open: Worldwide, however shipping is only covered up to $50

It's really easy to enter, just fill out the form below.

Good Luck!

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament | Chicago, IL

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
2001 N. Roselle Road
Schaumburg, Illinois 60195
 

A couple weeks ago I was provided with media passes to attend Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament with my family. I was so excited to take the kids because they have never been there. I remember going shortly after the Chicago location opened, when I was still in high school. I remember how much fun it was and I remember how much I loved the food! The whole experience stayed with  me and I couldn't wait to share that with my kids.

If you have never been to a Medieval Times show or never heard of this, let me fill you in. Like it is titled, this is a dinner and a tournament, medieval style. You arrive at the castle and you enter medieval times, literally. Is this not the coolest looking castle you've ever seen?!?

The Castle

Wordless Wednesday w/Linky | Long Grove Chocolate Festival, IL

Happy Wordless Wednesday, although it's never wordless around here.

 

Forewarning... tons of pictures coming up.

 

We went to the Long Grove Chocolate Festival (in IL) this weekend so I'm going to share. It was about an hour away from where I live but seemed like a quick drive since I know the area.

 

We had a great time...

 

Here's Your License to Spill with SmartStrand Carpet by Mohawk Flooring | #licensetospill #cbias

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Mohawk Flooring #cbias #SocialFabric #licensetospill. All opinions are my own.

This past Saturday we were invited out to the Long Grove Chocolate Festival. Not only was I excited to go to the Chocolate Festival, but I was also excited because Mohawk Flooring had a booth and I couldn't wait to meet them. I've worked with Mohawk a few times now on reviews and giveaways so Mohawk is a brand that really stands out to me. Mohawk is one of the world's largest flooring manufacturers. You can find their products in many stores including Home Depot, Target, JC Penny and many others.

 

Treat Ear Infections and Ear Pain with the Eardoc

If you're a regular reader around here then you know that I like to use alternative health care. We see two awesome doctors. One is a holistic doctor who gives chiropractic care along with acupuncture many other types of natural healing methods. Our other doctor is a family practice that believes much the way I do about natural ways of living and healing. He believes the less medicine, the better and tries to keep us healthy rather than treat us when we are sick.

Ear Infection

One issue my household has had to deal with over the years is ear infections. My son had chronic ear infections from the time he was born until he was 1.5 years old and he then got tubes in his ears. He ended up with tubes twice. He's almost 16 years old now and will still get about one or two ear infections per year. My 14 year old daughter will also get about one ear infection per year also. I try my best to fight the ear infections with no med's for a couple of days before going in to the doctor. We normally up our dose of vitamin D3, take a probiotic and we make garlic oil for our ears and put drops in the ear a few times a day. Nine times out of ten, this works wonders and we do not need an antibiotic.

Eardoc Ear Infection Treatment

This year, I found the Eardoc Ear Infections Treatment to add to our list of how to treat an ear infection without an antibiotics. The Eardoc is a little device that is about the size of a thermometer - the kind you use on the forehead or in the ear. The Eardoc is placed behind the ear and is used to treat an ear infection. It works by naturally opening the the clogged Eustachian tubes, allowing drainage of accumulated fluids in the middle ear and providing natural ear pain relief. Draining the fluids and air accumulated in the middle will reduce the pain, take care of the inflammation, and allow relief quickly and effectively.

Ready to Swim? #Win a Family Size Pool #Giveaway! | Ends 5/16

WIN A FAMILY SIZE POOL GIVEAWAY!

 

You heard me right! You can win a Family Size Metal Frame Pool Set (with Filter Pump and DVD)!

Here are the Details...

Prize: Intex Family Size 12' x 30" Metal Frame Pool Set (with Filter Pump and DVD):

No one builds a metal frame pool like Intex. With the Super-tough liners and our high quality, incredibly strong metal frames, you will enjoy a pool that is easy to assemble, beautiful to look at, and certain to provide years of fun!
 

Event Dates:  5/6- 5/16

Fitness Friday w/Revolt | Week 1

 Welcome to Week 1 of Fitness Friday!

Trista from Anderson's Angels and I were are teaming up to bring you Fitness Friday... but in the mean time, Trista has had to take a break... so you are stuck with me :)

 

Fitness Friday will be a weekly post where we can all write an update on how our week went concerning diet changes, exercise, weight loss or inches lost, our achievements for the week and our failures. It will also include our goals for the following week.

 

Join Us!

Each Fitness Friday post will include a linky. Everyone is welcome to join, just write a post and link up, that way we can all stop by your blog and show you some love and encouragement. If you are not a blogger, feel free post these things in the comment section below the post and other can still show you the same love and encouragement by replying to your comment.

Rules
The rules are simple!

If you could, grab the button above and put it in your Fitness Friday post or on your sidebar or mention Fitness Friday at WE HAVE IT ALL, that would be great... but not a must. But be sure to add your link to our linky! Post however much or however little you’d like. If you are not comfortable posting your weight, then don’t. If you’d like to share a photo – great! Either way, I hope that this encouragement helps us all to become more healthy. Visit as many as you can in the linky below and show them encouragement!

I will try my best to post on Thursday nights and the linky will be open for the whole week.

Week 1
I'm so excited to be starting Fitness Friday up again! I am mostly excited to start this up again just so I can tell you about Revolt Fitness! Revolt Fitness is a program I have joined in exchange for posting weekly updates. I started the Revolt Fitness program on Monday and you won't believe my results!

Wordless Wednesday w/Linky | Week of Photos #WW

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

 

I'm just going to share our week with ya...

 

My CutiePie:

Yeah, I couldn't help it. When I saw Willie, I needed to get a shot with him. I'm cool like that.