Make the Most of Summer Travel

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Whether you homeschool year-round or take time off during the summer months don’t let the season of sunny days fly by without a few fun lessons. Family road trips are the ideal vehicle for hands-on learning.  Rather than allow your kids to blow travel time watching movies, playing video games or annoying their siblings have them master geography using colorful flashcards or practice math facts using your vehicle’s odometer and mile markers along the highway. By involving the entire family in some interactive “car-schooling” your kids will have the states and capitals memorized in no time.  To test your children’s memory … Continue reading

Affordable DIY Grad Day Decorations

Pinching pennies is no fun; however, finding ways to create memorable graduation day decorations without breaking the bank is sure to bring a smile to your face. Instead of getting despondent about not being able to afford expensive embellishments for your graduate’s party, consider buying budget items and jazzing them up at home.  For example, rather than splurging on pricey banners from the store, make your own at home using your laptop and printer.  You can personalize the look by choosing a fun font and some festive images that will enhance the commencement theme. Another way to save on party … Continue reading

A Street Cat Named Bob

About a month ago a friend lent me a really heartwarming book.  I blew through it in a weekend.  I’ve never done a book review for the Pets blog before, but this seems appropriate.  The book is called “A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man and His Cat Found Hope on the Streets,” by James Bowen.  Don’t worry: this isn’t a real tear-jerker of a book.  It’s a sweet, inspirational story of how a very special cat inspired a lost man to take control of his own life. James Bowen was a recovering drug addict in London.  He’d just … Continue reading

Latest Disney Movie News

There’s a lot going on in the world of Disney movies right now.  The Disney Blog has the scoop on all the details.  First I’ll start with the news on one of my most anticipated upcoming Disney films: “The Muppets” sequel.  That’s right: 2011’s Muppet movie was successful enough that the famous puppet troop is headed out for another cinematic adventure. Just like the 2011 Muppet movie drew inspiration from the 1979 original, its sequel shares elements with the original’s sequel.  The Muppets are headed back to London, where they went in 1981’s “Great Muppet Caper.”  In “The Muppets…Again,” the … Continue reading

Genealogy Resources on Pinterest

Pinterest is filled with all manner of interesting things! Some of them are related to genealogy. In fact, there are some genealogy websites that have their very own Pinterest page. Here is a quick list of where to look if you want to find some genealogy resources on Pinterest. When I first started using Pinterest, it appeared to be filled with photos of wedding dresses and intricately braided hairdos. You will find a lot of wedding ideas on Pinterest, but that is not the only thing it is for. The main idea of the website is to use it to … Continue reading

The Worst Genealogy Blog of the Year

Many genealogists take time out of their research to work on their very own, personal, genealogy blog. While some of these blogs are entertaining, informative, and inspirational, others are a chore to try and read. Here are some tips to keep your blog from being deemed “the worst genealogy blog of the year”. Anyone can make a blog. There are several websites that will let you sign up and instantly start creating a blog about whatever topic you like for free. This is both good and bad. It allows every genealogist who desires to make a family history blog the … Continue reading

Top Pick: 100 Pound Loser {eBook}

Book:  100 Pound Loser Author:  Jessica Heights Format:  Kindle, eBook Cost:  $4.99 Book Description: Witty and candid, 100 Pound Loser is a motivational weight loss tool written by a mother of four whose jaw-dropping 100 pound weight loss story and practical advice will inspire, encourage, and motivate readers to conquer their weight loss goals and appreciate their bodies, regardless of the numbers on the scale. From the text: “I wrote this because I’m just like you…I’ve been where you are: feeling tired, sluggish, and out of shape. Wanting to make positive changes for your health, but overwhelmed by the enormity … Continue reading

Let’s Make 2013 a Great Year for Getting Out of Debt!

Happy New Year! I just know that 2013 will be a great year for getting out of debt. We can do this. Let’s size up our debt and then knock it down little by little until we end the year richer and more financially stable. It may take a little sacrifice, but it can be a lot of fun, too. Getting out of debt is going to be a fantastic New Year’s Resolution that will help us make some real progress for our family. Don’t Worry about the Past We may have made some wrong choices along the way, but … Continue reading

End the Year With Family Time

New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to take stock of your life and focus on how you can make the most of 2013.  A new year means a fresh start.  Out with bad habits and in with better ones. For busy parents, evaluating the year gone by is a chance to reprioritize; for many that means figuring out ways to spend more time with their children. Of course, there’s no time like the present to get a jumpstart on that resolution.  To illustrate your newfound commitment, consider spending the last days of 2012 bonding with your kids.  Remember, it’s … Continue reading

First Details from Disney’s “Frozen” Released

While there might not be a lot of new Christmas-related Disney stories to report, there is one wintry seasonal piece of news: the first concept image and story details from next year’s “Frozen.”  “Frozen” is Disney’s adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen,” a story that’s been in the works for years. Production on “Frozen” has been off and on for almost ten years, with the film looking like it’s getting made, and then being shelved.  It’s back on for real this time, and it even has a release date: November 27, 2013.  Just in time for most of … Continue reading