Family Friendly Places to Visit Around Phoenix (Perfect Winter Destination)
If you live in a winter wonderland like I do, you may be missing those blue skies and sunny days. Once a winter we like to plan a little trip to anywhere that is warmer than here. This year we went to the Phoenix, Arizona area and it was a blast. There are so many family friendly things to do there, we could have stayed for weeks. If you need a little get away, check out these fun places near the Phoenix area.
- Usery Regional Park. With the wonderful weather in Arizona during the winter, be sure to enjoy the outdoors. Visit this park and do some hiking, running, and exploring. This park has some fun programs that you can take advantage of. Park Rangers are there to help with exploring and learning. Check out their website here to look at their schedules.
- Children’s Museum of Phoenix. This museum is full of 300 play experiences. It’s hands on and perfect for young and middle aged kids. Also, the first Friday of every month from 5:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m., there is no charge for admission. Be sure to call ahead before you go to make sure it’s still going on.
- Parks. When you visit Arizona in the winter time you need to enjoy the beautiful weather that is most likely going on. This is the perfect time to be outside and enjoy the city parks that are everywhere. No matter where you are located just find a local park and enjoy being outside.
- Legoland Discovery Center. If you have a LEGO fan, be sure to check out the this LEGO center. It has fun hands on LEGO building areas as well as fun rides.
- Pools. Arizona has their fair share of pools that you can enjoy. If you are staying in a hotel, you can actually use their pool during the winter time- even if it’s outside. So cool!
- Hunts Tomb. This is located in Papago Park. This is the tomb of George W.P. Hunt, Arizona’s first governor. Take a short hike to the top where you can see some awesome views of downtown Phoenix, north Scottsdale, Tempe, and the Phoenix Zoo, which is next to Papago Park.
- Musical Instrument Museum. This museum is a place where you can look at and listen to more than 6,500 instruments and objects from around the world. Fun shows going on there too. You can check out their schedule here.
How to Host a Valentine’s Day Dinner on a Budget
Valentine’s Day is next week. What do you have planned? This year I thought it would be fun to have a nice dinner at home. That way we aren’t competing with everyone else for a dinner table at a nice restaurant. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to make your dinner nice and elegant. Here are a few tips to help your plan that perfect Valentine’s Day dinner and still stay in budget.
Use your own dinnerware sets or borrow one. If you have nice china already, then this is the perfect time to dust it off and use it. If you don’t, think of someone you could borrow from for a night. Asking your parents, siblings or neighbors would be an easy way to get nice dinnerware sets for free.
Buy candles in bulk. The classic candlelight dinner is perfect for a nice setting. If you have kids, they really think this is cool! If you don’t already have candles on hand, then think about buying them in bulk. It’s usually a lot cheaper if you do this. Then if you are making this dinner a tradition, you will have some for next year. Amazon has a great variety that you can get shipped right to your home. You can check those out here.
Make your own name cards. When you are hosting a dinner, it’s nice to have name plates on the dinner settings. Instead of buying them, get out your own paper and markers and get crafty! Pinterest has so many free name cards that you can make and not spend a penny.
Shop the deals at your grocery store. For the food, be sure to check your local grocery store on the sales they have going on. Sometimes we may already have an idea of what we want to make, but it could be super expensive. Instead, look at what is on sale this week and use those items. This will save you a ton of money. Be sure to use digital coupons as well when shopping at your store.
Don’t pay full price on flowers. When hosting a dinner, it’s always so nice to have a bouquet of flowers as a centerpiece. Around this time of year you can always find a deal on flowers. Places like Groupon and Living Social have deals right now that you can get and use for your flower purchase.
5 Unique Kids Valentines for School
Valentine’s Day is coming soon! Are you getting ready? It’s the worst to wake up the day before and stress about what to make for your kids Valentine’s Day parties. I’m starting to get my kids ready and prepared now. That way we can have a stress free week. All of these ideas have items you can buy on Amazon and have them shipped right to your door. Awesome! Here are a few ideas that are super fun and unique too. Enjoy!
- You Rock Valentine! This is super cute and very easy to make. You can even buy your Pop Rocks from Amazon. You can Check it out here. (pictured above)
- Valentine, you’re my main SQUEEZE! This is a great non-candy item. Plus, you can find these in bulk at Costco or Sams or even here on Amazon. You can Check it out here. (pictured above)
3. You’re Kool! Happy Valentine’s Day! This is super easy too and I love the how unique it is. These single packs of Kool-aid are really cheap as well when you buy them in big packs. Amazon even has them that you can get here. You can Check it out here.
4. Valentine, you blow me away! How cute is this? Again I love that it’s a non-candy item. Plus, what kid doesn’t love bubbles? You can find bubbles here on Amazon. Check out how to make this here. 
5. You are Extra Awesome Valentine! My kids love gum, so this would be a super fun one to give out. You can get small gum packs here on Amazon. Check out how to make this here.
Hopefully you can get your items ordered and ready to assemble here soon. That way your kids can get going on making them as soon as they have their class list!
2018 Winter Olympics Schedule
Get ready! The 2018 winter Olympics is starting soon! I’m so excited! This year, the winter Olympics is hosted by PyeongChang, Korea. The opening ceremony will be on February 9th. Then the games start February 10th and run through February 25th. There will be a closing ceremony on February 25th as well. You can check the schedule of all the winter Olympic events here on their site. It has a detailed schedule of when each sport will be played.
So what is your favorite winter Olympic sport to watch? Some include: figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating, ski jumping, bobsled, and alpine skiing. During the cold days outside, it’s always fun to stay indoors and turn on the TV to watch some Olympic games. Mark your calendars and enjoy the world coming together to play.
The BEST Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe (Copycat Panera Bread)
When it’s cold outside all I want to do is eat soup! Seriously, I’m always looking for new soups to eat. It’s always a fine line to find a soup that not only I love, but my husband and kids love as well. When I made this Panera Bread copycat of their Broccoli Cheese Soup, we all loved it! My kids didn’t even complain of the “green stuff!” It’s definitely a keeper and one we will do over and over again during the winter months. This recipe comes from The Recipe Critic and I love it. Here is what you do:
**Note- when I made this, it BARELY fed 5 of us- and 3 of those are small kids! So I usually double the recipe now. **
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ medium chopped onion
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ lb fresh broccoli (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup carrot, julienned
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter and set aside. In a large pot whisk together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the half and half and chicken stock. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Let them simmer on medium low for about 25 minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender.
- Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and sharp cheddar cheese. Let the cheese melt and then serve. For a smoother soup puree it in a blender.
5 BEST Essential Oils for the Winter Season -Help Fight Colds, Flu & Winter Depression
Oh, the Winter season. I’m not gonna lie, Winter can be rough! With the lack of sunshine and colds and flu going around, you may need a little extra help. Essential oils are a great way to give that added help to fight off sicknesses and help boost your systems. Here are 5 essential oils that can definitely help you out this winter season.
- Oregano Oil: Helps with your overall immune system. It is a powerful antimicrobial that can help fight off infections. It also has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties which could help you stay healthy.
- Peppermint Oil: Helps with colds and rejuvenate your respiratory system. (Side Note: Did you know that Peppermint also keeps away mice?? It’s a natural repellent! )
- Lavender Oil: Relaxing effects on the body that could help with depression. Lavender oil is also a good one to help with dry, flaky skin.
- Frankincense Oil: This oil is a stronger oil that could help with coughs and congestion. It’s also a good one for the flu as it has antiseptic, astringent, anti-inflammatory properties. It can also bring feelings of relaxation and peace.
- Tea Tree Oil: This oil contains antiseptic, antiviral and antimicrobial properties. It’s also a natural disinfectant to kill germs- which is so needed in the winter. It’s also a good oil to help with lice.
Warm Mist Vs. Cool Mist- Which Humidifier is Better?
Winter is upon us which can bring dry skin, chapped lips, and cold after cold. One easy way to help remedy these situations is to use a humidifier. Both cold and warm humidifiers add that extra moisture into the air which help alleviate that dryness that you could be experiencing. But which is better? Which one should you be using? Here are a few advantages and disadvantages of each. Hopefully this will help you pick out the one that will work best for you.
Advantages of a Cool Mist Humidifier
- Safer to use around children since there is no heating element
- Helps with sicknesses such as croup
- Effective in larger spaces such as offices or larger rooms
- Generally less expensive
Disadvantages of a Cool Mist Humidifier
- More likely to accumulate mold and bacteria growth
- Typically more noisy since they use fans
- Could make air feel chilly which could be uncomfortable in the winter months
Advantages of a Warm Mist Humidifier
- With heating element, it’s less likely to accumulate mold and bacteria growth
- More comfortable in winter months
- Quieter noise level
- Generally no filters are required
Disadvantage of a Warm Mist Humidifier
- Use more electricity since they have a heating element
- Generally more expensive
- Would need to be operated in a smaller space so it can work effeciently
Hopefully this added information will help you decide which humidifier you would want to use for your home at this time. Amazon has some great ones available right now too. You can see all of those here.
25 Activities for Your Christmas Advent Calendar
Do you have a Christmas Advent Calendar? We do, and my kids absolutely love it. As soon as they wake up, they head straight to the calendar to see what’s inside. Each day holds a piece of paper with either a service idea or an activity that we will do on that day. It’s a fun way to get the kids in the Christmas spirit. If you don’t have an Advent Calendar, no worries! Just grab a Santa hat or stocking and write up these 25 different activities. Then each morning have the kids take turns and draw one out. Here are 25 ideas that are super simple, yet fun. Hopefully these will help you out!
- Read a Christmas book and snuggle.
- Make Christmas cards for grandparents and send it in the mail (Even if they live close by!).
- Learn a new Christmas carol and sing it to a neighbor.
- Make hot chocolate and sit next to the Christmas tree. Share your favorite Christmas memories.
- Make and decorate gingerbread houses.
- Find a local Assisted Living Center near you and visit older folks. You can even prepare songs to sing or bring a small gift.
- Get in your pajamas and go for a Christmas Lights Drive.
- Write a letter to Santa (You may even have a place where they take Santa’s letters near you- if so, drop them off).
- Christmas craft day (homemade ornaments, finger paint snowmen, paint a star- add glitter).
- Invite friends, find a new hill and go sledding/tubing.
- Attend a local Sing Along event.
- Earn money by doing chores or service and go on a Salvation Army hunt. Go find a Salvation Army bell ringer at your local stores and drop your money inside.
- Make paper snowflakes then hang them around your home.
- Make popcorn and watch your favorite Christmas movie.
- Draw names and write a kind note to that person. Put them in the stockings for Christmas morning.
- Invite a few families over and have a snowball fight (You can make forts and get into teams as well).
- Make a Christmas countdown paper chain.
- Host a Cookie Swap- Invite friends who each bring a dozen cookies and the recipe. Then swap cookies so you have some of each.
- Make a playlist with your favorite Christmas songs, wear Santa hats or ugly sweaters and have a dance party.
- Give to a charity- Angel Tree or other organizations you may have near by.
- Shop for a new Christmas ornament that represents your year.
- Take a family picture with ugly holiday sweaters and hats.
- Call or Skype with family members that live far away and sing Christmas carols to them.
- Be a Secret Elf- find a way to serve each member in your family without getting caught.
- Read the story of Christmas – Luke 2: 1-20.
Tips on How to Keep Kids Entertained this Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is next week! It’s a great holiday full of food, football, games and relaxation. However, this holiday can be hard for little kids, which often makes it hard on the parents. There are some fun ways to keep your kiddos entertained throughout the day and even the actual dinner to keep everyone happy. Here are a few ideas:
- Make your own place mat. This is as easy as card stock and laminating them. You can have a variety of cut outs to make this fun. You can check out this idea here.
- Use paper table clothes. For the kids table put paper butcher paper as the table cloth. Then put washable markers or crayons there for the kids to draw on while the kids are waiting for dinner.
- Be prepared and plan activities. If you have a plan for Thanksgiving day then it will run a little more smoothly. Some fun activities could be scavenger hunts, puzzles, and play-doh, Some kind of game plan is so worth it.
- Kid friendly dessert. If your kids are like mine, they do not like pie. Dessert time can be a little dramatic but it doesn’t have to be. Think of some kind of dessert the little kids could look forward to having.
- Kid friendly movie. To finish off your day have either a Thanksgiving or Christmas movie ready for the family to watch. By the end of the night it’s so nice to relax and have a show to watch.
Tips on How to Save the Most During Black Friday 2017
This year Black Friday ads are already popping up, are you ready? It may be a little overwhelming on where to shop and how to get the best deals when there are SO many out there. Here is a list of tips on how to save the most during your Black Friday shopping.
- Make a list. You can’t start your shopping unless you know what you are shopping for. Have your whole family write down their lists as well. Be sure to include gifts you need to buy for in-laws and neighbors. Once your list is written down, you are ready to shop!
- Compare Stores for Best Deals. This is the overwhelming part, but have no fear. Freebies2Deals will be posting their Best of the Best Black Friday deals soon where you have all those hots items compared with the BEST price listed. This way you won’t have to take the time comparing each store!
- Use store cards to access EARLY Black Friday Deals. Almost every store has their own credit/debit card. During Black Friday you can typically save more with those cards. For example, Target this year is giving REDcard holders get early access to select Black Friday deals on Target.com on 11/22 which is the Wednesday BEFORE Thanksgiving. So that’s definitely a plus. If you don’t have a Target REDcard you can apply for one now.
- Watch for Amazon Lightning Deals. These are HOT and so fun! Amazon has deals that are set to go live at pre-determined times, which means you can look ahead to see when they will go live and then add specific deals to your “Watched Deals” category. You can bookmark this page for ALL Lightning deals. Plus, if you are an Amazon Prime Member you can get early access to most Lightening Deals. This gives you 30 extra minutes to shop the deal before the general public can shop it. If you aren’t an Amazon Prime Member, you can get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime here.
- Use Coupon Codes to Save More. Be sure to check the main page of each store when you are shopping for extra ways to save money. There might be coupon codes that will give you extra percentages off.
- Take Advantage of FREE Shipping. During Black Friday you shouldn’t have to pay for shipping. So watch for coupon codes on stores main pages or purchase minimums. Most stores will be offering FREE shipping anyway, but just be careful you aren’t paying any extra for that. Every cent counts!
- Be Quick! You’ve probably experienced Black Friday where you have all of the items in your cart, just to find out that when you check out half of your items are already out of stock. That can be frustrating! There are limited number of items for just about every Black Friday deal. So, when you are online and ready to purchase your items, be quick and check out fast.
How to Make a Christmas Countdown Chain Using Your Halloween Candy
Now that Halloween is over, do you have a TON of candy? What do you do with it? How do you minimize the intake of sugar for your kids? Here is a great way to solve all of your questions- Make a Christmas Countdown Chain! This chain seriously saves me from kid tantrums and tears. Instead of them asking every 10 minutes if they can have another piece of candy, they know that they get one piece a day and each day means it’s closer to Christmas! It’s super simple and even the kids can help out. Here’s how you do it:
Supplies you need:
Plastic Wrap
Ribbon or Yarn- cut into strips long enough to tie
Scissors
Halloween Candy (# depending on when you start your chain-days to Christmas.)
Directions:
Stretch your Plastic Wrap out and keep it straight. Don’t cut it off until you are completely done. Tie Ribbon on the end and add in your first piece of candy. Next you’ll want to wrap the plastic wrap around the candy and twist the end. Then add another ribbon. Repeat this step until you have all of your pieces in your plastic wrap. End the chain with another ribbon-twisting before you tie. That’s it!
Tips:
#1: If you have more than one child, consider using different colors of ribbon or yarn for each kid. That way they know which one is theirs just by looking at the color.
#2: Remember to twist the wrap after each candy, otherwise they tend to fall out.
#3 If you don’t have enough pieces to go all the way until Christmas, consider going until Thanksgiving or even through the month of November. There can be different ending times, depending on the amount of candy you have.
5 FREE Fall Date Night Activities
Fall is such a great season full of color and change. It’s one of my favorite times of the year and it always goes by too quickly. The fall is a great time to be outdoors and enjoy unique activities that it has to offer. Here are 5 FREE date night ideas that you can enjoy this fall.
- Bonfire and S’mores. Find a fire pit close by and strike up a fire. Bundle up and grab some marshmallows. This is a great time to snuggle and enjoy being outside.
- Apple picking. If you are in an area where there are a lot of apples, then this is a great activity to do. We have a lot of neighbors that need help picking apples. This way you get to be outside, but also can help serve others. You may even get some free apples which you can make into some yummy desserts!
- Go on a drive. Pick a new scenic byway that you haven’t been on and head on an adventure. Grab some yummy snacks and have some good conversation as you enjoy the changing colors on your drive.
- Host a costume party. This is a tradition that I love doing with my hubby. Each fall we host a costume party with a few friends and it’s super fun. Grab some old costumes from family or that you have and dress each other up. Enjoy games and a night with other couples as well.
- Fall Photo shoot. Grab your camera and head out to a new town, the big city or your own home town. Take selfies and enjoy the time together discovering new places and taking pictures of your memories.
Family-Friendly Halloween Dinner Ideas
Halloween is coming fast and there are so many fun dinner ideas for those nights leading up to Halloween and especially Halloween night. If you’re like me, Halloween day and night can be pretty crazy busy. So there are some really easy dinners that you can do on Halloween night and be stress-free too.
- Papa Murphy’s Jack-O-Lantern Pizza. This is a tradition on Halloween night for our family. This is a pizza you can pick up anytime of the day and have it ready at night before the trick-or-treating begins.
- Dinner in a Pumpkin. My mom would make a similar version of this every year. It’s pretty cool to actually cook a meal on a pumpkin. Very festive and fun.
- Baked Pumpkin French Toast. Breakfast for dinner? Yes!! This would be super yummy on the day of Halloween or any dinner leading up to Halloween.
- Pumpkin Soup. On those chilly nights, this would be perfect. Grab some yummy bread and dip it in this yummy pumpkin soup.
What is your favorite dinner to have on Halloween?
Easy Halloween Kids Crafts
Halloween is coming quickly, are you ready? My kids love to make Halloween crafts and there are some seriously cute and easy ones. I’m all about easy and fast crafts. My kids tend to lose their focus quickly, so I’m always looking for ones we can do that will keep their attention. Here are 3 Halloween Kids Craft sites that have so many fun options for you to try out. Happy Halloween!
Paper Plate Spiders, Bats, Witches and more. My kids love to do this and they are SO easy. Check out Crafty Morning for the instructions on how to make 20 different paper plate crafts.
Slime! Easy and save slime that your kids can even make. Check out Surviving a Teachers Salary on directions to make this. 
Halloween crafts using popsicle sticks! This is one of my kids favorites. They love to create a variety of characters and paint them with fun expressions. Check out Buggy and Buddy for 12 easy designs.
How to Make Your Fall Planting Successful
It’s that time of year when the leaves are changing and you feel the crisp chill in the air. It’s fall. You may not know this, but fall is the perfect time to plant a variety of perennials, bulbs, trees and shrubs. If you’re excited to get your yard ready for the fall season, check out these simple tips that may help your planting be a little more successful.
- Preparation– Before you begin your planting you need a plan on what you will be doing. Make a map of your yard either on paper or in your head. Write down what you need to buy like bulbs, perennials, trees and shrubs. See how much sun/shade each item needs and be sure to place it in those locations.
- Weather– Look at your weather for the next week. If you have a sudden drop in temperature you may want to wait until it gets back to the normal temps. It’s also best to plant in the morning avoiding the warmer time of the afternoon.
- Bulbs– Bulbs are one of those items what works so well when planted in the fall. They will work their wonders underground until spring comes so you can see their beauty. You want to start planting your bulbs when the evening hits 40 to 50 degrees. You want to plant at least 6 weeks before the ground freezes. If you live in Utah be sure to check out this page The Gardener’s Almanac by USU extension. It has some more awesome tips on bulbs, trees and shurbs.
- Watering– You may think that since the weather is cooler you don’t need to water. That’s false. You will need to water often if your fall is dry with no precipitation.
Enjoy your fall planting. This season is also a great time to trim back those bushes, hedges in preparation for the snow. This way you won’t have broken branches in the winter time. Clear out old trees that could be damaged by heavy snow as well. With the cool, crisp weather, fall is a great time to be outdoors.