April 4, 2017 by Krista

4 Essential Oils that will Help Your Family

Essential oils. Do they really work? I have 3 young kids who are constantly bringing germs of every kind into our home. So I, like many others, asked this burning question. Could I really keep my family healthier with essential oils? I found there are those who swear they work miracles and those who swear they are complete hogwash. I decided to test it out for myself. Before I dive in too deeply, let me say that I am not a medical expert nor do I have medical training. This is not medical advice. It’s just what I’ve discovered during my personal use of oils over the past two years. So, are essential oils really everything they are made out to be? And which ones are the best to start off with?

I spent the last two years researching, testing, evaluating, trying different brands of oils, and studying the way essential oils affect my family. In my research, I came across benefits that seemed too good to be true. People treating cancer and chronic skin diseases and reversing cavities. I read about people replacing everything in their medicine cabinets with essential oils. The skeptic in me was snorting rather loudly. No way, right?

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ESSENTIAL OILS TO DO FOR YOU?

After two years of research and personal use, this is where I stand. I don’t know if essential oils can cure cancer or reverse tooth decay; those aren’t the purposes I used the oils for. I do know that if you expect miracles, there’s a much bigger chance you will be disappointed. Imagine my frustration when I diffused a lavender blend in my boys’ room and expected them to sleep peacefully and quietly all night long and I spent my night getting up 4 different times. It was a disappointment, to say the least.

It was then that I realized essential oils aren’t magic potions.

Do they have benefits and even healing properties? Yes.
Are they a sure cure for every ailment, every time? No.
Do they work the same for everyone? No.
Do you have to experiment and use trial and error. Yes. A lot.

WORTHWHILE USES OF ESSENTIAL OILS

When I changed my reasons for using essential oils, I became much happier with the results we experienced.

I love cleaning with essential oils. It’s safe and there are no harsh chemicals.
I love using essential oils for scent and aromatherapy. No one wants to walk into their home (or anyone else’s!) when it smells like sweaty, rough and tumble boys.
I love being able to try a natural remedy for common physical pains and other daily uses. I often try essential oils on headaches, bug bites, and in my homemade cosmetics and body care products.

With my essential oils, I don’t expect miracles. Essential oils didn’t replace my medicine cabinet, they were added to it. They have also become fixtures in my cleaning supplies and in helping me create a welcoming and pleasant home.

WHERE ARE THE HIGH QUALITY ESSENTIAL OILS?

I researched, experimented with and tried so many brands of essential oils. That was what confused me the absolute most about them. “Quality” almost seems to be open to anyone’s interpretation in regards to essential oils. I started where most people start: DoTerra and Young Living oils. The oils and the other products were great, but the MLM structure of these companies was a huge turn off to me. I didn’t want a “DoTerra Lady” and I certainly didn’t want to join anyone’s team – not even for the discount.

The prices were another turn off. When I started looking into building my collection, I quickly realized that I was going to have to sell my first born to keep up my stock. I started trying other brands and companies. Most of them fell flat. DoTerra and Young Living are great products, but I just couldn’t justify the price tag. Luckily, before I gave up on essential oils altogether, I was introduced to Rocky Mountain Oils (RMO).

Rocky Mountain Oils are the closest oils I have found to the ones I first tried and fell in love with. These oils are effective. They perform the way I have come to expect my oils to perform. And here’s the kicker for me: They are more affordable than the big names and they are not an MLM company. These are the oils I use in my home, with my kids and I love them.

4 MUST-HAVE ESSENTIAL OILS THAT WILL HELP YOUR FAMILY BE HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, CALMER AND BREATHE EASIER

There are lots of great oils out there and I have managed to increase my collection slowly over the past few years. But, there are just some oils I will never run out of, if I can help it. These are my must-haves:

FOR CLEANING: LEMON

Lemon. This is probably the most heavily used essential oil in my home. Mix a few drops in homemade cleaning solutions, such as vinegar and water disinfectant. Lemon is also great in the diffuser and serves as a mood lifter and helps deodorize my sometimes-less-than-fresh boy-infested home.

FOR PAIN RELIEF: PEPPERMINT

Peppermint. This is the essential oil I use the most for medicinal purposes. Let me remind you though, this is not medical advice! Peppermint is my go-to first response for headaches and tummy aches. Create a blend by combining 3-5 drops and fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil in a roller bottle and apply it over the headache. Massage gently for 2-5 minutes. For tummy aches, combine 3-5 drops and fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil in a roller bottle and apply on the stomach. Massage stomach, if it’s not tender to touch.

A note about carrier oils: Carrier oils are oils that you mix with essential oils. They help dilute the essential oil – some essential oils can cause irritation to the skin if they aren’t diluted first. Carrier oils also help your body absorb more of the essential oil. Rocky Mountain Oils has some great carrier oils, but they are kind of pricey. You can find Fractionated Coconut Oil (16 oz bottle) and Jojoba Oil (8 oz bottle | 16 oz bottle) on Amazon for less. Roller bottles are the most convenient way to dilute your oils – find roller bottles on Amazon.

FOR REJUVINATION AND EASIER BREATHING: EUCALYPTUS

Eucalyptus. This oil is great if you need a little rejuvenation. It has been a lifesaver lately as things start to bloom and my allergies start going crazy. It’s also great if you’re suffering from nasal congestion. Just diffuse 2-3 drops for clearer, easier breathing. RMO has a few different kinds of eucalyptus to choose from. The radiata is the kind I usually get, but the globulus is effective too. I haven’t tried the citriodora variation.

Need a diffuser? Rocky Mountain Oils has a few diffusers – including a super cute whale one – and Amazon has tons to choose from. I have this small one and this large one (pictured below), both of which have been great and have lasted over a year.

FOR WELL-BEING: LAVENDER

Lavender. This oil is for me. This is one of my favorites to use in aromatherapy. A bubble bath with 3-5 drops of lavender is just heavenly. Lavender is one of my favorites to diffuse as well and it tends to have a more grounding or calming effect on our household than one of sleepiness, which makes it perfect to blend with lemon and peppermint! It’s also a great moisturizer for your skin, make sure you dilute the oil with a carrier oil to prevent skin irritation.

Also a great oil to use in homemade cosmetics or body care products because it’s subtle and not overpowering. RMO has Hungary and Bulgaria versions of lavender oil – Hungary is my lavender of choice.Add 1-2 drops to 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup fractionated coconut oil for a calming exfoliating body scrub. Store in an airtight container and keep moisture out. Sore muscles? mix 3 drops lavender, 2 drops eucalyptus and jojoba oil in a roller bottle for use on sore muscles. It’s a wonderful massage oil.

THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW IF ESSENTIAL OILS WORK FOR YOUR FAMILY TO TRY THEM

Essential oils don’t work the same for everyone. The only way to really know if they will work for you and your family is to try them. Experiment. See what happens. It is an investment to get started in, but with these four essential oils you should get a pretty good idea how your family will be effected by them. Skip the starter kits with 12 oils and save the money until you know if you like what essential oils can do for your family. Lemon, Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Lavender. That’s all you need to start helping your family feel healthier, happier, calmer and breathe easier.

October 5, 2016 by Krista

Printable Halloween Planner

“How did this happen?” I thought as I stared back and forth between the two invitations. Yep, just as I had feared. I had committed to two different Halloween parties, in two different locations, on the same night, at the same time. Clearly, the holiday excitement had gotten the best of me and my organizational skills had taken a steep nose dive. If only I’d had this Halloween Planner.

LET THE HALLOWEEN PLANNER HELP YOU AVOID MY MISTAKE

Don’t let the holidays get the best of you. Put in a little bit of planning and a little bit of time and you’ll have the best Halloween ever. You won’t double book yourself, you won’t miss any costume details, you won’t forget to do any of your fun Halloween traditions. This Halloween Planner will help keep your October organized.

I looked back and forth between the invitations, trying to decide how to fix my faux pas. We’d committed to bring something to both parties and I didn’t want to leave any one unprepared. Could we go to both parties? The idea of putting my family through all that running around did not appeal to me. If only I’d been more organized and planned it out better…

HOW WILL THE HALLOWEEN PLANNER KEEP YOU ORGANIZED?

Use the Event Tracker and calendar to keep all your commitments and events within a glance. No double bookings!
Plan all the costume details for the whole family so everyone looks their very best.
Make a bucket list together so you don’t forget any traditions or so you can make some new ones.
Plan the perfect Halloween party! With 5 pages of party planning organizers, it’ll be so easy to keep track of all the details.

I called up my brother and had to tell him that we’d try to make their party, but that I’d double booked us. I arranged to drop off our food contribution that afternoon and apologized again. We spent most of the evening at the other party, but we did make a stop by my brother’s before we called it a night. And now I double, triple and quadruple check that we aren’t double booked during the holidays! And I use a planner to keep track of all those details.

GET YOUR OWN HALLOWEEN PLANNER AND TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HOLIDAY.

This 11-page planner is yours. I want you to have it so you don’t experience the same scheduling mishap I did. I’ll even send it right to your inbox.

Print your planner at home, on regular 8.5″x11″ printer paper. Print copies of the pages you really want. And enjoy October while it’s here. Before you know it, we’ll be eating turkey and stuffing around the family table.

Happy Halloween!

Don’t forget to add your favorite Halloween activities to your plans. Get more ideas with this Halloween Bucket List! Or check out this one to find some fun activities the kids will love to do!

October 3, 2016 by Krista

6 Steps to Fewer Toys and a Happier Home

Hey, are you feeling overrun by the toys? Do you fear having to get up in the middle of the night because you know you’ll trip over something? Legos, I’m looking at you. Do you just wish there were fewer toys?

I’m tired of the same scene repeating itself in every room of my house. I’m tired of the toy takeover. No more wishing! I’m taking my house back! I will walk the hallways without fear!

Do you want to take your house back too? Today, I’ve got 6 steps for you that will get the toys under control.

You’ll need some storage containers and some trash bags. Hefty Ultra Strong Kitchen Trash Bags were a huge help with this project. The Ultra Strong bags have active tear resistant technology and were super strong even when I put heavy toys or toys with sharp pieces of corners in them.

The break resistant drawstrings made the bags easy to tie up and to transport around my house, out to my car and into the donation center. Definitely a plus, since I was doing all the heavy lifting and hauling myself. John Cena has teamed up with Hefty and I sure could’ve used a set of muscles like those to haul my bags around during this project.

We are now using the bags in our trash cans and I love the Arm & Hammer patented odor neutralizer that keeps the stink down – no one likes a stinky house! My only complaint is that they aren’t quite long enough for my kitchen trash can, but they are perfect in my bathrooms and my office. The Hefty Ultra Strong Kitchen Trash Bags are Hefty’s best bag ever, at a new low price. Can’t beat that!

6 STEPS TO FEWER TOYS

Follow these 5 steps and you’ll find fewer toys littering your floors. You can try to do it with the kids, but I always find it much easier to get rid of toys without the “help” of my kids. Toys they haven’t played with in months are suddenly their favorite toys ever and their little inner demons are out for vengeance. It’s also faster for me to just do it.. I don’t feel the need to stop and play with every. single. toy. Just the really good ones. Kidding. Mostly. Let’s get started, shall we?

1. Designate ONE place in your house for your toys.

My boys had toys in four different rooms in our house. Of course there were toys out all over the place! They’d play with something in one room, get tired of that and move to another room. I’d run around all day, tyring to get them to clean up a mess that they didn’t care about. Putting all the toys in one place will make it more necessary to clean up what is out now before something else gets pulled out.

2. Find a container for each kind of toy.

Imagine if you were putting your jewelry away and all you did was to drop everything in a box or bag. I don’t know about you, but I would dread trying to find a pair of matching earrings in my collection. What a mess. Put all the Lego bricks in one container, all the cars in another container, and all the animals in yet another container. You see where this is going. When the kids go to pull out the toys, they pick ONE container. Everything is there and the rest of the toys stay put away. There’s fewer toys out and less toy mess. I used several empty animal cracker containers and a few small toy chests and things we already had.

3. The Great Toy Gathering

Begin by gathering all the toys to one room. Yes, all of them. And, preferably the room where you will be keeping all the toys. It’ll just be easier. Check everywhere for pieces and parts. If you have all the toys, the next few steps will be easier and go much quicker.

4. The Great Toy Sort

Sort the toys into types. This will help you see where you can get rid of some toys and if you have any overlap. We sorted ours into building toys, cars, baby toys, dress up, and everything else. We had several different kinds of blocks and it was easier to part with a couple sets when it was clear to see we weren’t losing all the blocks. Same thing with the cars. It was a lot easier to convince my kids (and myself) that we didn’t need a 25 gallon tote of cars. Seriously.

5. A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place

Put the toys away into the space you designated in step #1. Give everything a place. If there’s no space, find one or get rid of the toy. We have a hutch we picked up off of Craigslist about 5 years ago that is now used to store our toys and games. Our general rule is that if it doesn’t fit in the hutch, it doesn’t stay. We do have some exceptions – the dress up bin that gets stored in the top of one of the closets, for example – that are granted a pass. I also allowed each boy to keep 3 toys in his bedroom. We’re talking self-contained toys here, not something with 3,000 pieces. I may allow them to rotate out which toys are in their room every so often. I haven’t decided on that yet though.

6. The Wonderful Purge

This may be the most important step. DO NOT SKIP THIS. All your hard work will be for nothing if you don’t get those banished toys out of your possession. Not just out of the house. Give them away. Donate them. Sell them. Recycle or put them in the trash. The secret to less toy mess is… are you ready for this… to own fewer toys! They will always find a way back if you don’t get them out of your possession. The sooner, the better. You can do this!

I put our “Donate Toys” into Hefty Ultra Strong Kitchen Trash Bags, tied them up so my kids couldn’t get anything out before they made it to the donation center and loaded those bags into my car so we could drop them off the next time we were out. Mr Napping was out of town and I sure could’ve used a big strong muscly man (like John Cena) to carry those out for me… but, no pain, no gain. Right?

Make This Project Even Better

How can this possibly get better than less toy mess? If you use Hefty Ultra Strong Kitchen Trash Bags to gather your toys in for donation, right now, you can save $1.00! Hey, a dollar is a dollar. Now you can splurge on that candy bar you’re eyeing at the check out stand.

Right now, when you purchase Hefty Ultra Strong bags, use Ibotta and get a $1.00 rebate! Don’t have an Ibotta account? Sign up and use code yynqdwj to score an extra $10 when you redeem your first rebate!

Here’s what happened to my home with fewer toys:

Your kids might rebel at first – mine did. You might get frustrated that you got rid of a specific toy – I was. But everyone will adjust and you will love what happens to your home. The change will ultimately be for the good, promise. Here are a few things I saw in my home:

I stepped on, tripped over, and cursed far fewer toys almost immediately.
My kids started to clean up their messes with less nagging after they realized that they would not be getting any other toys out until they cleaned up the ones they were playing with. Because each toy had it’s own container, they knew how to clean up the toys and where to put them. This was definitely a matter of consistency and took a couple weeks.
My kids take better care of their toys because there is less to take care of. The responsibility doesn’t overwhelm them anymore. I noticed this about a month after we donated our toys and I couldn’t stop smiling. Did I just have a mom win?!

I think I did.

You can live a simpler life with fewer toys and have happy kids. It’s possible. Good luck on your toy purge and don’t forget to get $1.00 off with Ibotta when you purchase Hefty Ultra Strong Kitchen Trash Bags.

September 21, 2016 by Krista

Fall Favorites Printable Bundle Must Haves!

FALL FAVORITES PRINTABLE BUNDLE MUST HAVES!

It’s Fall Y’all!

I’m super excited that Fall is finally here! It’s such an amazing season! What’s not to love?! Crisp air and crunchy leaves, cute boots and cozy sweaters, sweet cider and hot cocoa, and pumpkin spice EVERYTHING! Like I said, what’s not to love?!

But hang on just a second because it’s about to get even better! It can be hard to say so long to summer and hello to Autumn, so I have a little surprise, just for you.

Pay attention because seriously… This. Is. Awesome! I’m talking “you-don’t-wanna-miss-this-type of AWESOME! {And it’s only for a limited time so get yourself in gear and get ready for a little hustle!}

I teamed up with The Dating Divas and 20+ other extremely talented designers to create the ULTIMATE fall bundle with ALL of our fall must-haves?!

But wait, there’s more! We’re totally hooking you up with a crazy, killer not-gonna-believe it deal?!

Wait for it…

Yep, that’s right! There are amazing, awesome Fall printables that are going to ROCK YOUR FALL and they are all in one fun bundle… aaaaand the price is a screamin’ deal!

20+ crazy, cute printables—ONE crazy, low price!

You can get over $200 worth of ADORABLE items for only $15!

WHAT?!! No. That’s not a typo. We’re NOT KIDDING! Things like gorgeous wall art, fun family activities, creative gift ideas, and MORE all from your favorite bloggers are included in this awesome deal!

You’re waiting for the catch, right? Well, there is a teeny, tiny one…

You’ll have to ACT FAST- this is for THREE DAYS ONLY!

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

This is a 3-Day sale, buuut the price goes up a little each day. So, you can snag the whole bundle for ONLY $15 today! BUT the price is going up tomorrow! Here’s the breakdown…

Buy on the 21st for only $15
Buy on the 22nd for only $18
Buy on the 23rd for only $20
After that – this deal is GONE FOREVER!

You definitely want to act fast to lock-in the best price! Already sure this is a deal you need to get your hands on? Well, then quick! GET YOURS NOW!

Not quite sold yet? That’s okay, I haven’t even showed you the best part yet! Are you ready to see what’s included?! I think we’ve kept you waiting long enough…

This baby seriously has EVERYTHING you could ever WANT or NEED for fall! Including…

Beautiful Fall Prints to Welcome Your Home to the New Season
Organization for the whole Family and home – made simple and cute
Thanksgiving Table Setting Decorations that are easy peasy to use
Halloween Party Kits and Decor For Every Age
Great Date Nights that you and your sweetie will love
AND SO MUCH MORE! {See the full list of EVERYTHING included below!}

All together – it’s a collection of over 350 PAGES of darling printables… only available for a limited time!

One page of wall art ALONE can be $15 on Etsy! I’ve been eyeing some prints for my kitchen and would die if I could get them all for $15! My 47 pages of printable organizers is more than $15 all by itself! This is such a great deal it really is worthy of being called a steal!! Yeah, BABY!

Get Yours Now for just $15!

WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERYTHING INCLUDED?

I don’t blame you! But, I have to warn you… you’re gonna fall in love. I am seriously crushing on Every. Single. Thing. in this whole bundle. Just wait until you see all of this festive, fall cuteness…

1. The Gratitude Collection: Calligraphy Art Prints, Cards + Tags by The TomKat Studio – A collection of printable designs with sentiments of thanks and gratitude. Perfect for the Thanksgiving season and all year long! Each design comes in 3 different colors: chalkboard with white writing, white with black writing, kraft with white writing.

2. Caramel Apple Date Night by The Dating Divas – Hosting a caramel apple party group date is the perfect way to celebrate fall with friends. Who can say no to some delicious caramel apples!? NO ONE that’s who! Invite all of your friends for a big awesome group date, or just enjoy these heavenly treats and hilarious game one-on-one with your sweetie! The Apples make it somewhat healthy, right?

3. Back to School Plant Pot Wrappers by Somewhat Simple – They’re like cupcake wrappers, but for plants! These Printable Terra Cotta Plant Wrappers would make the perfect gift for teachers, and are so simple to create!

4. An Intentional Fall: Making Memories That Last E-book by Faith Filled Parenting – Are you tired of the fall season slipping by before you really were able to enjoy it? This e-book, An Intentional Fall: Making Memories That Last, is going to help you have the fall season of your dreams. The plan is to use the ebook to give you ideas on fall activities you can do as a family around town, at home, and of course, some crafty inspiration as well. Each activity has connection ideas and photo opportunities to make this a fall to remember.

5. Kid’s Reading Tracker by Andrea’s Notebook – The Reading Enrichment Kit is perfect for grade school aged kids of all reading abilities. There are 10 separate projects in this kit that encourage reading. From comprehension activities, to reading incentives and even a bookmark coloring project and an around the world reading passport.

6. Get Organized Budget Power Pack by Thirty Handmade Days – If you struggle with getting (and staying) organized, this is the perfect pack to get you on track. With weekly checklists, an end of the year 2016 and full 2017 calendar, and a strong emphasis on budgeting in over 30 pages with cute designs, you won’t have any more excuses. You can do it!

7. The Ultimate Printable Menu and Meal Planner by Today’s Creative Life – It’s 3pm and you have no idea what’s for dinner! Your day just went from delightful to stressed. Take control and tackle your weekly and monthly menus by creating your own Easy Meal and Menu Planner Binder with these easy to print forms.

8. Fall Fitness Tracker by Wellness and Workouts – With a theme of thanksgiving and gratitude, this printable planner helps you track all things fitness from what you eat, to your exercise, as well as ways to improve your mental and emotional health.

9. Babysitter In A Bag by The Dating Divas – Getting out the door for date night can sometimes be a gong show, am I right? We Divas know the “Date Night Shuffle” all too well! Our Babysitter in a Bag Kit will make leaving for some alone time with your one-and-only a breeze. We have thought of everything your babysitter needs to make the night a resounding success! (…which means a stress-free date night for you!)

10. Babysitting Co-Op by The Dating Divas – We’ve found that one of the top reasons couples don’t get a weekly date night is rooted in, “What do we do with the kids?!” A babysitting co-op gives couples a dependable babysitter – without the hassle and without the cost!

11. Fall Activity Pack by Mrs. Karle’s Sight and Sound Reading – Learning is fun with this beginning reader fall activity pack! Over 40 pages of activities … make a scarecrow and pilgrims while helping practice cutting and pasting skills. Have fun with fall themed color by letter and color by sight words! Enjoy a few minutes of quiet time while the little people in your life enjoy these activities, OR, have fun helping them complete the activities with them!

12. The Organized Family Starter Kit by While He Was Napping – If you have ever wished you could be more organized and keep all that important information in one place, then you need the Organized Family Starter Kit. This kit has 47 bright and happy printable pages that will lighten your mood and help organize your home. Make the organizers reusable by putting them in page protectors in a binder or laminate them and use dry or wet erase pens. (If you’re on my email list, you got a sneak peek and a freebie from my ebook already!)

13. You’ve been Boo’d by TidyMom – Have fun with your neighbors – You’ve Been BOOed! This Halloween surprise is fun way to create excitement and smiles around your neighborhood.

14. Trick Or Treat Halloween Party Pack by Frog Prince Paperie – Trick or treat, candy is sweet, print out something for Halloween that’s really neat! Make your Halloween party a little extraordinary with our Trick or Treat printable party pack. Orange and black stripes, polka dots, candy corn and diamonds mingle to make spooky do-it-yourself décor for any celebration or just a few extra special touches for treat bags.

15. Blood Bar by Paging Supermom – Create this chilling BLOOD BAR and enjoy a little Vampire Mixology at your Halloween or Twilight party. The bar features official-looking beverage dispensers — or rather “Blood Vessels” from the Transylvanian Blood Bank — displayed alongside fabulous recipe cards to help guests mix up one of three signature Vampire Cocktails.

16. “Boo” Party Printables by Catch My Party – Use these super cute “Boo” Halloween party printable pack to decorate an awesome “not scary” Halloween party for your kids! The collection includes: party invitations, party circles, drink flags, tented cards, party labels, napkin rings, water bottle labels, and favor tags. These are just plain fab-BOO-lous!

17. Festive Treat Bag Toppers by Less Ordinary Designs – These sweet favor bag toppers are the perfect way to dress up Halloween goodies! With two different styles, you have what you need for perfect classroom party favors, gifts for office friends or trick-or-treaters. Just print, trim and attach them to a 4” cellophane bag for an easy way to dress up Halloween treats!

18. Thank You Cards by Sweet Little Ones Shop – A set of beautiful thank you notes designed to help you show your gratitude for the ones you love.

19. Gratitude Journals by Big Ideas Little Cents – Creating a daily habit of recognizing the blessings in your life is simple with these gorgeous printable gratitude journal covers! Easily create gorgeous gratitude journals for your whole family with 4 fun and trendy cover designs. Simply print and adhere your cover choice onto a 5″x 7″ notebook. Quickly record 3-5 things you’re grateful for every day as you jump start your writing with the included 90 bonus writing prompts.

20. Thanksgiving Place Setting Packs by Pace Made Designs – Want to spice up your party throwing skills? All you need is this printable and you have a plate topper, place mat and name card for each guest in two lovely designs to choose from. Simply print as many as you need onto card-stock and instantly you have yourself a glam party. Also included in this kit are beautiful Thanksgiving themed note cards. These note cards serve many purposes. Put them in a frame, on the top of a thanksgiving plate or write a note on the back and send them around the world. You will never need to buy a thank you note again with these.

21. Spice Jar Labels by Modge Podge Rocks – These festive fall labels are perfect to organize your spice collection! Choose between orange and blue. Print out on full sheet adhesive paper and use a 2″ punch to cut out!

22. Random Acts of Kindness Kit by Elise Creates – “If you want to find happiness, find gratitude.”- Steve Maraboli. Nothing turns a tough day around quite like counting your blessings. It’s hard to feel sad about your life when you’re focusing on how grateful you are for someone else. This kit was created for you to have more gratitude in your life and share that gratitude with those you love.

23. Thanksgiving Holiday Kit by Little Sweet Ones Shop – This set includes everything you need to make your Thanksgiving holiday gorgeous in a cinch! With this set, you will receive beautiful 5×7 Thanksgiving dinner invitations with a watercolor fall leaves border and matching tent place cards for your guest’s names at the dinner table and to label the food in the buffet line. To top it off, this set also includes two gorgeous 8×10 autumn prints to beautifully decorate your home this Thanksgiving and for all of the fall season!

24. Halloween Boo-levard: Kid Friendly DIY Crafts by One Good Thing by Jillee – Tricky treats, clever crafts, picture perfect pumpkins, captivating costumes, and ghostly gatherings!

25. Gorgeous Fall Prints by Lolly Jane – These fall prints are perfect for welcoming the crisp autumn season into your home by displaying on a mantle or shelf. Simply print and frame! Included in this 3-pack are classic sayings “Gather,” “Hello Fall,” and “Thankful Grateful and Blessed.”

26. Thanksgiving Felt Pattern & Madlib by How Does She– If you are hosting Thanksgiving and you have little ones to entertain, look no further. We’ve got you covered! Included in the kit are four hands-on Thanksgiving themed activities. Each comes with a printable bag topper that perfectly fits sandwich baggies. Also, grab the kids AND the adults because everyone’s input will create the perfect mad lib! This fun and interactive Thanksgiving mad lib is one that everyone can enjoy!

See?! EVERYTHING you could ever want or need this Fall! Buy now and save BIG! This bundle has a value of well over $200 but you can get it all for just $15 – $20!

Remember the price goes up tomorrow and this is only a 3-day sale!

What are you waiting for?!

Put a little hustle in your step and get on it, because the price jumps up tomorrow and it’s ONLY AVAILABLE FOR TWO MORE DAYS!

Hang on, one last thing! If you do decide you just can’t live without these awesome printables (cause, did you see them?! They are ah-mazing!) and you grab yourself a set through one of my links, shoot me an email to krista{at}whilehewasnapping{dot}com and I’ve got ANOTHER Fall freebie for you!
This freebie alone is $8, so you’re getting a TON of value all for $15! I’ll email your EXTRA FREEBIE back to you as soon as I confirm your purchase.

HAPPY FALL Y’ALL!

August 11, 2016 by Krista

Battling the Back to School Germs with Double Box Tops

Do you dread all the new germs that come into your home when back to school season hits? And maybe you wish you could help out your community schools just by doing things you already do? Well, then you are in the right place. Today, I’m gonna show you how I battle the back to school germs and am earning double box tops so our school can get the things they need!

Yes, it’s official here. We are back in school for another year. Big J started 2nd grade on Monday and so far, so good.

We all try really hard not to start the school year off with the sniffles, but the new germs that come into your home every day can make that a challenge. Kids are not known for their sanitation practices, regardless of how many times we remind them to wash their hands. Going back to school gives those kids a plethora of new friends and new germs.

I think there’s really nothing worse than sick kids; and, almost every time Big J comes back through our door I’m a little apprehensive of what he’s bringing home. I’ve got my arsenal all ready to keep my family as healthy as possible this back to school season.

HOW CAN YOU BATTLE BACK TO SCHOOL GERMS AND HELP YOUR SCHOOL?

What’s in my stay-healthy arsenal?

Not a lot, but you know what they say… Sometimes, a little bit goes a long way. Some simple, natural DIY disinfecting wipes, Kleenex tissues, hand soap and sanitizer and vitamin C supplements are all I’m using.

All you need is a few supplies and a super quick DIY project to be well on your way to banishing those unwelcome germs. What’s so great about this little kit I’ve put together?

it’s quick and easy to put together
grab your supplies while you’re back to school shopping
DOUBLE BOX TOPS for your school!

DIY DISINFECTANT WIPES RECIPE

Do you use disinfectant wipes in your home? We use them all the time… because I live with a lot of boys, there’s always a mess somewhere in my house. Here’s how you can make up your own batch of DIY disinfecting wipes to keep the bugs and germs under control.

Materials:

Paper Towels – Get Viva Vantage rolls at Wal-Mart for DOUBLE BOX TOPS!
White Vinegar
Wipes Container or other container
Small Lemon or Lemon Essential Oil

Directions:
1. Pull the paper towels off the roll. Try not to rip them apart. Cut the towels if you need to so they will fit in the container you’ve chosen.

2. Fold the towels and lay them on the table.
3. If you’re using a small lemon, squeeze 1 tsp of juice. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1 tsp lemon juice or 5 drops of lemon essential oil.

4. Pour the vinegar solution over the paper towels, separating the towels as needed to get the solution all the way through the entire stack. It’s better to separate the towels than to squeeze them. If you squeeze them, they will be harder to get out of the container and more likely to rip because they are wet.

5. Store the wipes in an air tight bag.

Super easy to make and I love the lemony smell. I use these to wipe down our door knobs and light switches and to tidy up counter tops. We use them as wet wipes and I carry a small pouch of them in my car for when we’re running errands. These DIY wipes are super handy at the store and after playing at the park. They won’t withstand deep cleaning, but they help to keep the guck and grime at bay.

EARN DOUBLE BOX TOPS FOR YOUR SCHOOL

Right now, you can earn DOUBLE BOX TOPS for your school with products you already buy. I love when I can help out our school a little more just by doing the things I already do! Grab some Viva Vantage at Wal-Mart to make your disinfectant wipes. Beat those germs and get money for your school so they can buy the things they need.

I love the Box Tops program and I have been collecting those little labels for over 10 years. I’ve seen it help schools purchase playground equipment, new library books, computers for the computer lab and more. Since I am able to help out our school simply with the purchases we make anyway is something I am very thankful for because I don’t always have the time or money to donate as often as I wish I could. Box Tops allows me to help in this small way and, furthermore, doesn’t cause our family any extra burden.

Before you head out to do all that back to school shopping, check out these qualifying Kleenex, Scott and Viva paper products so you can stock up on all the paper products your family needs and you can earn DOUBLE BOX TOPS for your school. Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and check out the fun learning activities that will keep your kids learning beyond the classroom!