Mommy Octopus

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Meal Plan Monday

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Well, our weekend started out great.  We went to the mountains with some dear friends, then church Sunday and community group.  After community group, my husband, one of our daughters, and a friend were going to pick up another daughter from youth group and were hit by a likely drunk driver.  They are all ok, but it scared us all for sure.  Unfortunately, the driver ran off the road a few more times and then drove off and they were unable to get a tag, but got a decent car description.  My husband will be out looking for that car, I’m sure.

I’m just so thankful everyone was ok and no one was badly injured or killed.  My husband is on a mission to find the person that did the hit and run.  Hopefully we will.

Now that I can breathe again a little, here’s what is on the menu:

Monday: Creamy Cajun Chicken from the THM Cookbook, broccoli

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Taco Pie, salad

Thursday: Quinoa and veggies

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: Breakfast for dinner

Sunday: Poppyseed Chicken Casserole, salad, green beans

What are you having this week?

Review: The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls

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My kids are avid readers.  Almost anytime that they have a moment free, a book will be in their hands.   We recently received The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls from WorthyKids/Ideals to review for you guys and my kids have been reading them like crazy.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls      The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls

About the Books:

Written by M.J. Thomas and geared toward readers ages 6-9, The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls are sure to be a favorite in your house.  There are currently two books in the series – The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Beginning (Book #1) and The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: Race to the Ark (Book #2).  In the books, characters Peter, Mary, and dog Hank go on adventures through the Bible and back in time while they learn history in a fun way.

Interested in a sneak peek inside the first book?  Head on over to their website and put in your information to receive a preview! I always like doing sneak peeks so I can get an idea of how the book will flow.

Our Thoughts:

As I mentioned before, my kids love to read.  My 10 year old son picked up book 1 and could not put it down!   When I asked him about his thoughts on the book, here’s what he said:

“These books are great!  I like that the kids are able to go to the past and I like Hank.  I like that it followed along with Bible stories that I know.  My favorite was book 2 because I was wondering if they would get the ark done in time and trying to get all the animals ready. I can’t wait to find out if they are going to make more books.”  

The books were a little easy for him, but he enjoyed them nonetheless.  I plan to read them with my younger kids soon as a bedtime story.  They’ve been eagerly waiting their turn to read through The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls.

The first book talks about the beginning of the world at creations and the second book is based around Noah’s ark.

For More Information:

For more information, you can visit their website.  You can also find out more on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  You can find the books on Amazon and also at Barnes and Noble.

You can also read more reviews on this product and others by clicking the Homeschool Review Crew banner below.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls. {WorthyKids/Ideals Reviews}
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Fall Decorating on a Budget with At Home

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I received an At Home gift card and compensation for this post.  All opinions are my own.

Fall is my favorite season.  Watching the leaves change colors, all the wonderful smells, the crisp fall air, it’s all so wonderful.  Since we host a community group at our house each week, I wanted to go ahead and start decorating for fall.  I decided to try out a store that I haven’t been to before called At Home.  I’ve heard that At Home offers home decor with everyday low prices to fit in most budgets.

Upon looking around, I fell in love with the At Home store.  So many items to choose from and the prices!  They were lower than I’ve seen elsewhere!  Plus there was a fun clearance section where everything had an additional 50% off!  I will definitely be going back soon!

Anyways, I decided to decorate our beautiful farm table with my finds from At Home.  I grabbed the following for under $50!

  • Table Runner
  • 2 Candle holders
  • Pumpkin Spice potpourri
  • Cornucopia

Very pleased with my finds and they seem to be great quality, too!  Adding tea lights to the candle holders gives off a soft glow and makes it even more festive.  I love the intricate details on every item, but my favorite of all is the table runner!  It is a beautiful color and has a nice pattern of inspirational words throughout.  These items will be perfect for fall and all the way through Thanksgiving.

Once set up, my table looks simple, inviting, and smells absolutely fantastic with the addition of Pumpkin Spice Potpourri!  Now my table is “fall ready” and waiting for company!

To find an At Home store near you, visit their website.  You will be glad you did!

Meal Plan Monday

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Whelp.  It’s been a week.  Kids were irritable, the AC went out, the toddler drew on nearly everything with permanent market, etc. However the hubby and I did get a nice date out at Cirque du Soleil and we took the older kids to their first concert.

With the AC being out, we are utilizing the grill more than ever.  It’s sooooo hot in the kitchen.

Monday: Brats, zucchini, green beans

Tuesday: Sandwiches or create your own dinner

Wednesday: black bean burritos

Thursday: Meatloaf, salad, mac and cheese

Friday: Grilled Chicken Salad

Saturday: Eggs, bacon, biscuits

Sunday: Burgers, hotdogs, chips, beans, salad

Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA at Atlanta Station

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We received tickets in exchange for sharing.  All opinions are my own.

 

Last night my husband and I had the great privilege of going to Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA show at Atlantic Station in Atlanta.  If I had to describe the performance in words, it would be BREATHTAKING.  SPEECHLESS.  INCREDIBLE.  AMAZING.

Those words don’t even begin to describe the wonders that we saw!  You can see some sneak peeks in the official LUZIA trailer below.  The contortionist was beyond amazing!  I’m still baffled on how in the world he was able to move like that!  I definitely recommend this show for the entire family!

115 performers in LUZIA represent 25 different countries in the show and have quite an array of talent.

Huge thanks to our Cirque du Soleil friends for inviting us in for a view!

For Tickets and Information:

Cirque du Soleil’s newest show LUZIA will be opening on September 14 and runs through November 19 at Atlantic Station in Atlanta, with plenty of shows that are sure to fit in your schedule.

Throughout the show, LUZIA takes you to an imaginary Mexico.  With a surrealistic series of grand visual surprises and breathtaking acrobatic performances, LUZIA cleverly brings to the stage multiple places, faces and sounds of Mexico taken from both tradition and modernity.

Currently, you can score LUZIA discount tickets, saving 25% off with their Big Top Magic special.

 

Meal Plan Monday

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It was a messy week with the bad weather.  Took “the baby” to his 2 year old checkup.  That kid is going to end up being over 6 feet tall! 31.4 pounds, 37 5/8 inches. 75 percent for weight. 97 percent for height!

What a great weekend!  Weather was lovely and perfect for all the yard cleanup we needed to do from the bad weather last week.  With the temperatures back up, we are going to make sure we get in a few last pool trips!

This week, I’m looking forward to checking out Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA show this week and will be telling you about it soon.  Still time to grab tickets!

Here’s what is on the menu for the week:

Monday: Sandwiches at the pool

Tuesday: Southwestern Chicken in the Crockpot

Wednesday: Burgers, salad

Thursday: Dinner out

Friday: Quinoa, sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Lasagna, salad

Meal Plan Monday

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This past week, we moved “the baby” to a toddler bed.  Since he turned 2 and has always been in a playpen for sleeping and was seriously outgrowing it.  He’s doing fantastic with the transition!  Much better than I had expected.  Weather is supposed to be a little bumpy the next day or so as we prepare to see what Hurricane Irma will be bringing us.  We’ve put up all the outdoor toys and patio furniture and are as prepared as we can be.  Praying for all of us in the path.

Monday: Chili

Tuesday: Cajun Cream Chicken, salad

Wednesday: Quinoa and Veggies

Thursday: Leftovers or fix your own dinner or cereal

Friday: Steak, broccoli, salad

Saturday: Grilled chicken, sweet potatoes

Sunday: Egg Casserole, biscuits, fruit

What’s on your menu this week?

Atlanta: Disney Social Media Moms Celebration “On-The-Road”

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Wednesday I had the ultimate privilege of being part of the Disney Parks Social Media Moms Celebration (#DisneySMMC) in Atlanta.  For those of you that don’t know what this is, it is a wonderful time to get together with other bloggers and learn about what is happening at Disney Parks and learn a few tips and tricks related to blogging or social media.  It was a complete honor to attend and has me itching to get to Disney ASAP.  My biggest take-away from the event was the quote, “Great things never come from comfort zones”.  Very profound!

For the outing, I kept going back and forth on what to wear! I ended up deciding on a Figment theme since he’s my favorite character.  I had on a purple shirt with an orange and white chevron scarf and I brought along my Figment hat.  I ended up not wearing it though since DisneySMMC gave me some new ears!  How cute are these!

 

Disney Dreamers Academy

Some of the things talked about were new to me and some were more of common knowledge.  My favorite part of the conference was hearing from some of the students involved in the Disney Dreamers Academy.  For those of you that haven’t heard about this wonderful opportunity, you’re going to love this!

Disney Dreamers Academy is a 4 day event at Walt Disney World where students can be prepared for future careers and become prepared to be a role model as they reach their dreams.

Students ages 13-19 can apply, but only 100 are selected each year.  The window is open now for applications and closes October 31, 2017.

During the conference, we heard from 2 amazing students and their stories.  Those kids are seriously going to make a difference in the world!  Wow!

Disney Moms Panel

Do you think you know Disney like the back of your hand?  If so, it’s currently time for Disney to accept applications for the 2018 Disney Moms Panel! Through September 13, 2017, you can head on over to apply for the Disney Moms Panel.  Be sure to read all of the qualifications before you apply.  Sadly, I’m not eligible this year.

Disney Parks Blog

One avenue of Disney that I was not aware of before the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration is the Disney Parks Blog.  It’s a great way to keep up with everything Disney, between the changes, upcoming events and festivities, and even a little fun!  I loved hearing from speakers involved in the blog and how they come up with ideas and photos to share.  The creative stories behind these fun light drawings at Disney World were fun to listen to and seeing all the photos they created.

Special Meetings at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration

At the end of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we had a few surprises!  Actress Kim Fields stopped in with an incredible moving speech about finding balance and taking time for self-care.  I know that is something I have been trying to work on.  Lastly, Mickey Mouse himself arrived!  He also brought along Princess Tiana to meet with us.  We had time for photos shoots and left with a goodie bag that included a stuffed Mickey Mouse, a rice krispy treat, a water bottle, and more!

Thank you so much to the crew behind Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.  I had a fantastic time and hope to see you all again very soon!  

Meal Plan Monday

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Great weekend celebrating our youngest, our caboose, turning 2.  Time has flown so quickly and I can’t believe our little man is two!  This upcoming week, we plan to move him to a big boy bed, which means we will officially be done with most baby stuff.  I really have been falling off the Trim Healthy Mama bandwagon lately, but I hope we can get back in the groove soon.  I’ve got a couple friends starting it soon so hopefully we can keep each other accountable.  Here’s what we are making this week:

Monday: Spaghetti

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken, zucchini,

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Create your own omelette

Friday: Pizza for the kids, Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Saturday: Southwestern Chicken in the Crockpot

Sunday: Taco Bar

Printable Scripture Writing Plan for Teens: Grace

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About a month ago, I shared with you all that I have been enjoying scripture writing to stay in the Word.  My kids wanted to follow suit and so I created the first in our series of scripture writing for teens and tweens.  This month, I ask my older kids what they wanted the scriptures to be about and they suggested Grace.  I though that was a great idea, so I’ve spend the better part of today searching for verses.  It took a bit, but I came up with enough for this scripture writing plan.

Scripture Writing Plan

I think they will enjoy this one.  It’s the perfect length for teens and tweens to take a few moments out of the day and write.  It would be great for adults that want to try out scripture writing for the first time as well. As for myself, I really enjoy the longer writings and follow a website called Sweet Blessings for my writings.  This upcoming month, she’s created a plan about joy!  I’m really excited about that one!

Free Printable Scripture Writing Plan: Grace

Without further ado, below you will find the scripture plan.  Click on the image to download it and print.  I would love to hear any feedback.

You can also find our other printable scripture plans here:

Scripture Writing Plan

Have an idea for a future study?  Leave me a comment and tell me what you’d like to see as our next topic.

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