Are you the parent of an infant or toddler? Check out this awesome opportunity from our friends at HappyBaby Organics!
The Happy Parents Community by Happy Baby is the place for all parents. A group to support each other, laugh together, give advice, share offers and education, and above all, work together to raise happy, healthy kids!
The community features exclusive offers, product previews, and other surprises.
And there are coupons too! Click here to print $1 off a 4-pack!
If your kids are anything like mine, quarantine2020 has been one long art project, punctuated by snack breaks.
The cool peeps over at Chalkola sent us a 40 pack of Chalk Markers and these are a game-changer!
The 40 pack is a mix of neon, classic, and metallic color.
Whether you’re a mom looking for holiday decorating with kids, a clean alternative to standard chalk or paint for the kids, a teacher on a quest for the most sought-after education classroom supplies, these markers are a must-have!
Not your average chalk markers! Unlike other chalk markers I’ve tried in the past, Chalkola offers high-quality water-based ink is washable and delivers smudge & dust free – saturated, clean, flowing fine lines that go on smooth and quick dry within minutes.
The best part- Chalkola Chalk markers are Kid safe and odor-free. The Xylene-free, dustless, nontoxic formula is both eco-friendly and safe for use at home, For Adults Coloring & Painting Canvas, Wedding parties, DIY crafts projects, in the classroom & kindergarten, and anywhere else that could use a vibrant touch.
Does all of that sound fun? Well, now it’s your turn to give these Chalkola Chalk Markers are try! I am giving away a 40 count box! Entering is easy- Leave a comment with your kid’s favorite color. I’ll select a winner on October 27th in the evening. The winner will be notified via email. Winner must reside in the US.
If you have kids, you know they lose stuff all the time. Labels are great, but in the age of stranger danger and keeping our kids safe, tagging their belongings with something safer than their names seems like a good idea.
Lola Tags are the answer to our needs.
Lola Tags don’t reveal your name or personal phone number (conserving your and your kid’s privacy). They are dishwasher and washing machine safe, and best of all, there is no app or other costs to use them.
And the best part is that they are a really good deal! 1 sheet (of 7) for $5 or 3 sheets for $10.
I’ve put them on our water bottles, backpacks, and jackets. Fingers crossed we don’t lose them, but if we do… Lola Tag has my back.
Fall and Winter are the prime time for illnesses to go around, especially the flu. While the flu shot isn’t effective against all strains of influenza, it does help to keep those to receive it safely again many strains.
Most insurance companies offer no or low-cost flu shots, but if you are uninsured and facing financial difficulties, even $20 for a flu shot can be out of reach. Thankfully there are organizations and resources to help keep you healthy and safe.
If you are in San Diego County, Champions for Health offers free Flu shots, PCV13 shots for those over 65, and Tdap shots for those between the ages of 10-64. They have opportunities all over San Diego County throughout the fall.
If you or your children are in need of vaccinations (flu and beyond) but are without insurance, the san Diego County Health and Human Services Agency offers no-cost vaccines. More information can be found here.
In addition to vaccines, there are a lot of other ways you can stay healthy this fall and winter. Most of us are already doing them!
My kids are ready to celebrate! I’ve found some freebies and low-cost deals for those of you looking for some sweet deals (see what I did there??) and some of our family recipes if you are in the mood to cook.
If you are trying to stay on budget, here are a few of our family favorite dessert recipes:
If you’ve discovered any other awesome deals or freebies for this National Dessert day, please leave it in the comments below!
My kiddos were all about Kabrita when they were little squishes. I got an email from them this morning with a really great deal!
For the rest of October, Kabrita USA will help families enjoy even MORE gentle Organic Goat Milk Porridge: buy ONE case of Porridge, get a second case of Porridge FREE!
Prefer to stock up on Formula?? In November, buy ONE case of Goat Milk Formula, receive a case of Porridge FREE!
That’s two great deals! If you haven’t tried Kabrita for your kids yet, check out my post here with a deal on their free sampler package. If your kiddos have sensitive tummies, I recommend Kabrita.
All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. I’ve used Kabrita for both of my kids. This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
I’ve started doing weekly meal planning on Sundays, but yesterday was a busy day (swimming reservation at the Y, a special needs conference, and lots of playtime), so I didn’t have a chance to post.
It’s easier to do it while I’m writing up the weekly calendar/schedule and prepping the snack box for the week.
I’m hitting up the store this morning for some last-minute items that I thought we had (note to self: Do not put empty cereal box back in the cupboard). I’m thinking about making a batch of cookies today to have a sweet dessert for the kids.
Thanks to some local deals, offers, and the school lunches the kids bring home, I have been able to keep our grocery budget to $60 per week for the past 3 weeks! It’s amazing. The extra money is going into our holiday savings account.
If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.
For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.
I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.
I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.
Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids (they love the Kodiak Cakes Mix). I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.
Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.
Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.
Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.
Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?
You may have noticed that BRC Bowls is a regular item on our weekly meal plan posts.
Beans and Rice are pantry staples in our home. You can do a lot with both, but the BRC bowl is a quick, easy, and healthy meal that everyone in our home can agree on. If I’ve got more time, I can add roasted veggies too.
We use vegetarian, fat-free refried beans because a lot of commercially made refried beans contain lard, and since I’ve got a small vegetarian in the house, I gotta keep meals vegetarian as often as possible.
It’s also a great recipe to make extra servings of and store in the fridge for lunches throughout the week.
Here is the basic recipe:
Bean, Rice, & Cheese Bowls
Ingredients
Directions
Once all ingredients are cooked, assemble individual bowls as follows (from the bottom up):
You can do it in whatever amount each person wants. Kids don’t like cheese? Skip it. Watching your carbs? Go easy on the rice.
As I said before I make a few extra servings in leftover containers and stash them into the fridge for lunches later in the week. The girl kiddo loves rice with butter for lunch, so I always make extra rice for her.
If you haven’t heard about this movie, Be prepared to be wowed! I’ve seen stills all over Facebook (mostly in my costuming groups- the costumes you guys, THEY ARE FABU!) and I am so excited to share Jingle Jangle with you!
First off, here is the official trailer (on youtube).
A musical adventure and a visual spectacle for the ages, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a wholly fresh and spirited family holiday event. Set in the gloriously vibrant town of Cobbleton, the film follows legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker) whose fanciful inventions burst with whimsy and wonder. But when his trusted apprentice (Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key) steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter (newcomer Madalen Mills) — and a long-forgotten invention — to heal old wounds and reawaken the magic within.
From the imagination of writer-director David E. Talbert and featuring original songs by John Legend, Philip Lawrence, Davy Nathan, and “This Day” performed by Usher and Kiana Ledé, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey reminds us of the strength of family and the power of possibility.
This movie looks like it is going to be a hit with our family. And one thing I love is that it’s so different from the traditional holiday movies- There is no Santa Claus, no small town where the holiday love story happens (sorry Hallmark movies, you get no love from me).
I can’t wait to watch this movie with the kids- Jingle Jangle comes to Netflix on November 13th.
The UCSD Eyemobile for Children will be making its way around San Diego County this month offering free eye exams and free eyeglasses to kids 3-16-years old. Call to make an appointment (858)822-2585.
For more information, please visit their website. Thanks to Lena at San Diego Regional Center for the heads up on this program!
And if you are looking for freebies and deals on glasses and contacts for adults, check out my post here from July 2020.
Hewes Family Fun 