Mommy Octopus

A few years back, I wrote a post on 55 candy free Easter egg filler ideas.  At the time, this was a must for our family because my son was diagnosed at 4 years old with a soy allergy.  It was a scary time for us and he was so incredibly sick.  I wanted to keep his childhood as normal as possibly despite the fact that he couldn’t have most candies.  Chocolate was especially out of the question since soy is used as an emulsifier in almost every affordable brand.

Last fall, I thought it would be a great idea to delete some old posts and in deleting, I mistakenly deleted the post I had written on this topic and several others.  That’s what happens when you bulk delete things.  It was a good post, but many things on that list aren’t so readily available or so popular anymore.  Like those rubber band bracelet thingies.  I don’t even know if they sell those anymore!  What were they even called?

I figured a 2017 edition of the candy free Easter egg ideas was in order.  Happily, I add that I don’t have to do candy free Easters anymore for our family.  My son has outgrown his soy allergy!  We do try to keep the candy to a minimum for behavior issues around here.  I hope the rest of you can enjoy this post and even comment to tell me some other things to add!

1. Stickers
2. Disney Tsum Tsum mini figures
3. Pretzels
4. Gold Fish
5. Tops
6. Coins
7. Hair Clips
8. Glow Stars
9. Lipgloss
10. Nylon Bracelets
11. Mini Rubber Ducks
12. Bouncy Balls
13. Mini Play-Doh
14. Miniture Bubbles
15. Mini Yo-Yo
16. Silly Putty
17. Plastic Rings
18. Lego Minifigures
19. Magic Grow Capsules
20. Stick-on Earrings
21. Gift Certificates
22. Erasers
23. Pencil Toppers
24. Chuck E Cheese Coins
25. Nail Polish
26. Mini Plastic Animals
27. Finger Puppets
28. Seashells
29. Marbles
30. Jacks
31. Polished Stones
32. Coupons for Special Moments
33. Toy Cars
34. Temporary Tattoos
35. Crayons
36. Whistle
37. Mini Stamps
38. Confetti
39. Stuffed Disney Tsum Tsum
40. Pencil Grips
41. Sticky Hands
42. Mini Parachute Toy
43. Mini Squirt Gun
44. Glow Sticks
45. Mini Skateboards
46. Slap Bracelet
47. Plastic Jumping Frogs
48. Mini Foam Gliders
49. Mini Rocket Launchers
50. Mini Hand Clappers
51. Stretchy Flying Animals
52. Party Poppers
53. Mini Slinkies
54. Pretend Fun Teeth
55. Finger Lights

Whew!  That list took longer to come up with than I had expected!  Good thing my kids were helping out 🙂  What else would you add to a non-candy Easter egg?

Source: http://www.sciencealert.com

The kids and I have been studying astronomy in our homeschool this year.  We are so excited to hear about Solar Eclipse 2017, which will occur on Monday, August 21, 2017!  Even more exciting is that we can take a short drive and be right in the Path of Totality!  If the Moon’s inner or umbral shadow sweeps across Earth’s surface, then a total eclipse of the Sun is seen. The track of the Moon’s umbral shadow across Earth is called the Path of Totality.

I think we plan to head toward the Dillard House area for great viewing.  The Dillard House will be having an Eclipse Extravaganza Party to celebrate the occurrence, and they are in the Path of Totality!

Michael Zeiler, www.GreatAmericanEclipse.com

Info on Solar Eclipse 2017:

In researching to find our more about the eclipse and how we could see it, I found these websites to be the most helpful:

• Great American Eclipse: This website lets you know the full path of the eclipse.  It also offers info on where are the best places to see  throughout the US.
• Eclipse2017: You can find the states in the path of totality and it will tell you which cities you want to be in!  It also lets you know about how long totality will last so you can make plans for a short or a long duration depending on which you prefer.

Things you Need to Know:

If you plan to view Eclipse 2017, be sure to purchase the special Eclipse Viewing Glasses so you do not damage your eyes.  You can also find some fun gear on Amazon.

You may want to go ahead and plan to have August 21st off from work so you can get to a location for viewing.  Another thing to consider is getting a hotel room if you plan to drive far or just want to relax for the day.  MANY places are already booked!

Do you plan to see Solar Eclipse 2017?  Tell me your plans!

What a great weekend!  It was super busy, but fun.  Our youngest daughter turned 6 over the weekend!  We celebrated with a quick trip to the mountains, followed by a party with her friends.  She thought it was perfect!

Our baby is getting to where he hates getting off the horse! Gotta love my little cowboy!

Here’s what we are making this week:

Monday: Lazy Lasagna

Tuesday: Chicken Quesadillas, salad

Wednesday: Dinner out

Thursday: Trim Mac Salad

Friday: Lazy Chicken Parmesan, okra, salad

Saturday: Omelettes

Sunday: Taco Pie, salad

What are you making this week?

Rook and Pawn Board Game Cafe

I’m happy to say that I’ve been about 95% on the Trim Healthy Mama plan since January 2nd.  That’s a new record for me 🙂  It truly is “Food Freedom” and I can enjoy many favorites including chocolate while I’m getting healthier!

Here’s what we plan to make this week!

Monday: Bean Soup

Tuesday: Meatball Parmesan,  broccoli, and pasta for the kids

Wednesday: Chicken Fried Rice (with cauliflower instead of rice), salad

Thursday: Lazy Lasagna

Friday: Grilled Chicken, sweet potatoes, veggies

Saturday: Pizza for the kids, pizza made on a cheese crust for me.

Sunday: Superbowl Food!  I’m not quite sure what yet!  May have some friends over and make it a potluck.

What’s on your meal plan for the week?

Now is the time to try ABCmouse.com if you’re looking for a way to get through the cold months!  Get 2 months for only $5 total!  Then you can cancel or continue subscribing at their published rate.

We have been using ABCmouse.com for many months now and my little girls enjoy it.  It now goes from 2 years of age through 2nd grade!