Mommy Octopus

I don’t know about ya’ll, but we are certainly enjoying this beautiful weather!

Alpha-Bits recently challenged me to come up with a fun activity to do with their Alpha-Bits cereal.  Then sent me 2 boxes and we started brainstorming of what we would attempt for the challenge.

For this activity, you will need:

• Alpha-Bits Cereal
• Sight Word Cards
• A kid

Being homeschoolers, I decided to integrate the Alpha-Bits into our homeschool work.  We fit this challenge right into our language arts studies.

We pulled out our trusty old sight words cards and I put my 1st grader to work finding the letters to create the words on his sight word practice cards.  This simple activity incorporates both spelling and reading.

It kept my son busy for a while hunting for the right letters.  The shaped pieces can help little ones become familiar with the letters of the alphabet.

He enjoyed the activity and then, even more fun, he was able to “eat” his school work 🙂  My 4 year old tried to help as well, so I definitely think this could be a fun activity for busy pre-schoolers as well.

This activity is especially great for tactile learners!

For more information on where to buy Alpha-Bits, click here.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network.  I was compensated for this post.

I know there haven’t been too many postings on the blog this past week and a half.  It’s been craziness around here.  Last week 3 out of 4 kids were sick (2 had ear infections) and then one of them ended up in the ER for a breathing treatment for pneumonia.

She’s doing much better and we have found out that she has asthma which is causing her to get so sick when the other kids heal pretty quickly.  She was ridiculously cute in the hospital though and had us laughing like crazy after she had some steroids and other medicines.  They made her very goofy!

So on top of all of that, we had a birthday around here!  My favorite (and only) son turned 7 on Tuesday.  I’ll be posting more about that in a few days.  We had a Star Wars theme birthday party and it was a ton of fun!  Lots of great ideas to share with ya’ll!

Hope ya’ll are having a great week and that your family is staying healthy!

This is another guest post by my friend Alexia.  Alexia is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida.  When she is not helping plan magical vacations, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Click here to contact her and she’ll help you find the best rates for your magical vacation!  

There are two special holiday events that take place in the Magic Kingdom every
year: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  For both events, guests will need to purchase a special ticket to attend. Today we will go over what to expect at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party takes place from 7:00 pm until midnight on
select dates in September and October (and sometimes the first few days in November as well). Guests are allowed to wear costumes to the event. This is the only time that adults are allowed to wear costumes in the parks. Ticket prices vary depending on what night you go; however you should expect to spend between $55 and $70 per ticket per person. Although the party does not begin until 7:00 pm, guests with tickets to the event will be allowed to enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4:00 pm. When you enter the Magic Kingdom, you will receive a wrist band and a trick or treat bag. After 7:00 pm, only guests with a wrist band will be allowed to remain in the park. The Halloween festivities won’t begin until 7:00 pm, so between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm is the perfect time to visit your favorite characters, eat at your favorite restaurant, or ride your favorite rides.

When Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party begins, you will have several options.
First, you can meet characters that are only available for meet and greets during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (some are also available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party). For 2013, these characters include Jack Skellington and Sally, the seven dwarves, Monsters Inc. characters, Tarzan, Terk, and Jane, Aladdin and Abu, Jasmine and Genie, various princesses with their princes, Winnie the Pooh characters in Halloween costumes, the Fab 5 in Halloween costumes, and, of course, various villains.

Second, there are various trick or treat locations and trails throughout the Magic
Kingdom. One thing to keep in mind, the trick or treat bags that are given out when you enter the park are small and get heavy easily. If you plan on doing a lot of trick or treating, you might want to bring your own larger bags.

For 2013, there are three dance parties: the Villains’ Dance Mix and Mingle,
Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball, and Woody’s Happy Harvest Roundup. The characters at these events usually do not sign autographs or pose for pictures with guests. However, they do mingle and dance with guests. It’s a more relaxed way to meet characters rather than standing in a long line and being rushed along.

There is also limited edition merchandise and food and snacks. Merchandise
usually consists of pins, shirts, mouse ear hats, etc. For 2013, snack options included candy corn soft serve, pumpkin waffle sundae, specialty cookies and cupcakes, and hitchhiking ghost popcorn buckets.

The highlight of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is Mickey’s Boo To You
Halloween Parade and Hallo-Wishes Fireworks Specular.  Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a great way to meet different characters and see special dance parties, parades, and fireworks plus trick or treat in the Magic Kingdom. However, the tickets are expensive, the villains might scare some small children
(I know my three year old is terrified of Jafar), and the party lasts until midnight, which is know is way past most kids bedtimes. I know my three year old would never last that late.

Have you ever been to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party? Did you think it
was worth it? Would you do go back? I would love to hear your thoughts!

As I’ve told ya’ll before, my crockpot is practically my best friend.  So many different ways to use it and it is happy to cook all night while I sleep 🙂

Here’s a super simply egg casserole recipe that we’ve been using for a couple months now.

For starters, cook a pound of bacon.  While it’s cooking, chop up your onion, peppers, mushrooms, or whatever else you’d like to include.

Throw some washed potatoes through the food processor to make hashbrowns.

Layer the items one by one, with a layer of cheese in between.

Whip up your eggs using your handy dandy stick blender.  Toss in a little salt, pepper, and milk and pour your eggs on top over everything.

Cook about 6-8 hours on low.  Enjoy!

I love the Brown Bear books.  They are a staple in our house and we have given them often as gifts.  Head on over to Amazon and you can grab the Bear Book Readers Paperback Boxed Set for only $12.54.  This includes all 4 of the popular bear books!  This would make a great holiday gift set!

Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle’s classic Bear books have been a hit with children, parents, and teachers for many generations and have sold more than eleven million copies. With a 6″ x 9″ trim and a classic beginning reader layout, these books give children a more “grown up” version to read by themselves.

This boxed set of all four beloved bear books in paperback invites readers to enjoy Bill Martin Jr’s rhythmic text and Eric Carle’s stunning illustrations in a brand-new way!