This is a great craft gift I did for my dad for Father's Day. My mom was the one who first suggested doing something with my daughters hand prints on canvas, since I couldn't figure out what to get him. It's very inexpensive and doesn't take very long to go. What You Need: 1 8x10 stretched canvas (under $5 at Walmart for a 2-pack) Paint (Acrylic paint is $0.50 a bottle at Walmart) Stencils Foam paint brush (for putting paint on hand) Foam Stencil Paint Brush How To Do It: 1. Open up your canvas and lay it down flat. Put your stencil down and use the stencil brush to put your message on it. I used FolkArt Peel and Stick stencils so that I could get everything lined up straight as possible. I purposely went over the lines a little to give it a stamped look. The brush I used was a rounded foam brush with a flat end that you dab at the stencil with (got it in an assortment pack). Once the paint dried a little, I peeled up the stencils and ...
Vacation time!
Yay! We all made it to the beach in once piece. Unfortunately, my husband found out at the last minute he couldn't come since he has a second interview for a store manager position tomorrow. He's still on vacation, he just can't go anywhere. And even if he decided to fly in, it would only leave him about three days. So, he's doing stuff around the house. He wanted to work on stuff outside, but it has been raining nonstop since we left and it doesn't look like it will let up until the end of the week. My daughter made the trip all in one day without getting car sick. We stopped several times and she did really good. She's been having a blast and spent a good chunk of this morning running around on the beach. She's zonked out on the couch right now. The best thing has been that my grandmother came down for the week too. I haven't seen her since I got married and she's never meet my daughter. She's having a great time. ...
The Orkin Backyard Explorers Giveaway! [ENDED]
When life hands you dung, just roll with it. At Orkin, we never stop learning. Our new “Bug Wisdom” video series is a reminder that some of life’s biggest lessons come from small places. Bugs are smart, curious creatures – we humans can learn a lot from their ways. Take the quiz to discover your “Spirit Bug,” and check out all the GIFs to soak in every nugget of wisdom that these bugs have to offer! The Orkin Man always knows what to look for when he shows up at your home. If you want to get exploration down to a science, be sure and enter to win Orkin’s Backyard Explorers Kit! Orkin Backyard Explorers Kit: The Orkin 9-Page Activity Bug Book Orkin Bugview Bug Catching Tool and Magnifier Red/Black Summer Wayfarer Sunglasses The Giveaway Orkin wants to give one lucky reader their own Orkin Backyard Explorers Kit. To enter, take the What’s YOUR Spirit Bug? quiz and post your results in a comment below. Once you do that, you can complete the extras entires on the ...
Make a Pledge to the Reading Rainbow Kickstarter Campaign!
While I was growing up, one of my favorite shows was Reading Rainbow. I help instill a love for reading that I still have to this day. The massive stacks of books in my bedroom and living room bookshelf is a testament to that. LeVar Burton has been working on bringing back Reading Rainbow as an app for children to use both at home and in schools. A few weeks back he started a Kickstarter Campaign and reached his goal of $1 million in less than 11 hours. Since then, he has set the goal progressively higher so that the app will be available free to as many schools as possible, and now he needs your help. It is the final two weeks, and he is trying to reach the current goal of $5 million and break the record of Most Support with 91,600 backers. If you haven't already, make a pledge now...even if it's just a dollar. Every little bit will help make a difference. Here are a few quick links to get your pledges in: Make any pledge: http://bit.ly/RR-Pledge Make a $5 pledge: ...
Recipe – Scalloped Potatoes #FoodieFriday
In honor of THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY, which arrives in theaters everywhere on August 8th, here is a special Scalloped Potatoes recipe for #FoodieFriday. Just click on it to see it in full size and save it to your computer. ...
Guest Article – A Single Mother’s Guide to Surviving the First Year
If you’re a first-time mom and a single mom on top of that, you’ll encounter some unique challenges that it’s good to prepare for. Many couples find it difficult to survive their first year of parenthood, so doing it on your own will offer certain challenges that may be even more difficult to overcome. You may be overwhelmed, but it is possible to survive and even enjoy your first year of single motherhood. Many women have gone before you who have done the same. Here are a few tips from them to help make it easier. Loans Medical bills and general life expenses can feel overwhelming. Even if you get maternity leave after the baby is born, many companies only offer the minimum amount the government gives for maternity leave, and this often isn’t enough to live off of. You may find yourself needing extra cash to cover unforeseen medical expenses, the purchase of a new vehicle or necessary equipment to keep your baby safe, or money to cover general expenses while you take time off work ...