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If you don’t have a pool, don’t fret. There are tons of great ways to cool of during the hot days of summer without one. As long as you have a garden hose, you can do all of these fun activities. Don’t have a garden hose? Take an empty ketchup bottle {wash well} & fill with water. These make great “squirt guns” for kids. To save time, fill a bucket of water & refill that way.

Slip n Slide is another fun water toy that kids just love.  We have one that has 2 lanes & the kids can race to the end.  Makes it easy with 2 kids as well, no fighting over who’s turn it is, lol.

Make a Sponge Ball. These are super easy & lots of fun!

You need 5 household sponges & a plastic tie wrap.

1. Lay five different colored household sponges on your work surface. {you can use all the same color also}
2. Cut each one into three equal strips, roughly 1¼” wide.
3. Cut each strip into three again, roughly ¾” thick.
4. Separate two strips of each color and set them aside from the rest.
5. Line the strips up in four piles of three strips each, mixing the colours up. Make sure all the ends of the strips are roughly lined up.
6. Gather all the strips at the middle in your hand.
7. With your other hand, wrap the tie wrap around the middle of all the pieces. Insert the end of the tie through the eye and pull tight.
8. Cut off the end of the tie close to the eye.

If this isn’t making sense, here is a great video tutorial.

Sponge Tag – throw a soaking wet big sponge at the person; if it hits her, she’s it.

Sponge Relay Races – Fill two buckets with the exact same amount of water. Form two teams and give each team a big car-wash sponge. At the start of the race, the first person on each team soaks up as much water as she can in the sponge and carries it to another bucket, squeezes out the water and runs back to hand the sponge to the next person on her team, who repeats the process.

Water balloon games

Water Balloon Toss ~ Form two lines of paired players, facing each other. Have each pair toss a water balloon back and forth, taking a step backwards after every two tosses. The further back you step, the further the toss and the more likely the water balloon will burst. The last pair to have their water balloon intact wins.

Hula Hoop Water Balloon Toss ~ One person holds a hula hoop to his side and the other person tries to toss a water balloon through the hoop.

Water Balloon Race ~ This game needs 4 or more players. You will need water balloons and something to mark end of course {empty pop bottles work well}. Split into 2 teams. On the word “go,” the first player on each team puts a water balloon under his chin, races to the end of the course and back. When he gets back to his team, he has to pass the water balloon to the next player without using his hands. If the balloon breaks, the player has to go get a new balloon and start over. If the balloon falls but doesn’t break, the player has to pick it up, put it back under his chin without using his hands, and keep going. The first team to finish wins.

About The Author:

Ginny is a work at home mom of two daughters. Blogs at http://scrappyd.blogspot.com and owns http://www.gkcollectibles.com

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Kelly over at WAHM 2.0 posted about the face you show everyone on the web.

She made some great points like how it might not be the best idea to post your graduation photo unless, of course,  you’ve really just graduated! Or how it’s probably best not to post a photo of yourself after having imbibed a bit too much…..and how it’s ok to NOT have a photo of yourself if you’d rather not.

She also shared some great pictures and she inspired me to take some new ones of myself to share, especially since I just got a new summer hair cut with snazzy highlights that cover the gray just the right way

My daughter got out the camera she took silly pictures for quite awhile until I realized that it wasn’t going to get much better….and just choose one of the passel she took. 

….then I had to get brave enough to share!! 

 

 

 

 

Now, if you’ve been hanging on to that old, although flattering, picture of yourself, I challenge you to share your new photos with us by leaving the link in the comments section.

 

 

 

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Tracy is having a wonderful time in her new role at Chrysanthemoms. As the owner of Getaway Virtual Services and Above All Travel.com Tracy is available to help you manage your WAHM business or plan your next family vacation. She lives in Central Florida with her husband, 4 children and an English Bulldog.

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From the publisher:

In her five previous books, Maria Shriver has drawn on her own life experiences and the questions of her four children to address concerns such as how to talk to kids about Alzheimer’s and how to face life’s challenges with courage and conviction. Readers have responded to her wisdom and candor and to her inspiring life lessons, sending her books to the top of the nation’s bestseller lists. Now in her latest New York Times bestseller, JUST WHO WILL YOU BE?: Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within (Hyperion? Hardcover; April 2008), Shriver addresses one of life’s fundamental questions: “What do I believe and who do I want to be?”

In her own life, Shriver always walked down her own distinctive path, achieving her childhood goal of becoming “award-winning network newswoman Maria Shriver”. But when her husband was elected California’s Governor and she suddenly had to leave her job at NBC News, Shriver was thrown for a loop.

“Just like that my career was gone, and with it went the person I’d been for twenty-five years.” She went into a tailspin of doubt, questioning the direction her life should take. Right about then, her nephew asked her to speak at his high school graduation. She resisted, wondering how she could possibly give advice to kids, when she was feeling so lost herself. But in the end she relented and decided to dig down and dig deep. Shriver looked hard at her own situation and at how to deal with life’s transitions. These topics became the subject of her speech—and ultimately of her new book.

Part poem, part hard-earned advice, the speech wound up changing her own life and resonated not just with the young adults in the audience, but the adults too. She urged her audience to ask themselves not WHAT they want to be when they grow up, but WHO they want to be and WHO they will become. In JUST WHO WILL YOU BE?, she writes that these questions are important throughout life—not just when you are starting out. Here Maria Shriver reminds us that change and failure are essential to living a rich life. She urges readers to shake off other people’s expectations and, above all, to listen to your own voice.

JUST WHO WILL YOU BE? is a candid, heartfelt, and inspirational book for seekers of all ages. Shriver’s message is that what you do in your life isn’t what matters. It’s who you are. It’s an important lesson that will appeal to anyone of any age looking for a life of meaning. Maria Shriver’s message it that what you do in your life isn’t what matters. It’s who you are. Shriver’s latest book reminds us that the answer to many of life’s question lie within — and that we’re all works in progress. That means it’s never too late to become the person you want to be. Now the question for you is this: Just who will you be?

Praise for JUST WHO WILL YOU BE?

“Maria Shriver is wise, funny and caring — and it all comes through in her winning guide to life, Just Who Will You Be? We’re lucky to have her show us the way.” –Tom Brokaw

“Maria teaches all of us in the graduate program of life to seek meaning through the joy of following your heart. Just the kind of advice a heart surgeon cherishes.” –Mehmet Oz, M.D.

“This slender, inspirational book is a candid self-portrait of a woman in transition. . . .Shriver’s earnest self-inquiry and her humility and readiness to regard herself as a 50-year-old work-in-progress make for a charming and genuinely inspiring read.” —Publishers Weekly

For an audio excerpt and more details on Maria Shriver and JUST WHO WILL YOU BE?, visit HERE.

For Maria Shriver’s appearances, be sure to click here.

Now the question for you is this: Just Who Will You Be? by Maria Shriver?

My thoughts on the book:I love the title of the new book out by Maria Shriver, Just Who Will You Be? by Maria Shriver?
and at the bottom of the book it boldy states: Big Questions, Little Book, Answer Within

There are many things in this “little” book that stood out to me, one of them being “Remember: You are the only person on this planet with your story. What’s the point of being here unless you share it, pass it on, and help somebody else?

I’ve had some struggles actually figuring out the same questions she asks herself in the book, I was able to relate to this phenomenal woman who I had figured already “knew” who she was and what her purpose in life would be, but apparently we are all human and not everyone has it all together like we think they should.

I’ve had a pretty crazy life, what I mean by crazy is that before and after my first marriage and the whirlwind in between I didn’t know who I was at all.. in fact I didn’t even recognize myself , who I was really destined to be until 2007.
But who I am isn’t all that important right now, I’ll write about that in another post!

Be sure to read this phenomenal , seriously “little” book, you’ll finish it within maybe an hour or two, you won’t be able to put it down, and such a simple book that can really open your eyes.

Just Who Will You Be? by Maria Shriver?

*Special thanks* to Nicole Bruce (Nicole at authorsontheweb dot com) from The Book Report Network for allowing me to have the pleasure of reading and reviewing this book!
Be sure to check out Books a Million for all your reading needs:

About The Author:

I'm a stay at home Mother to 2 boys, preggo with a baby girl on the way (due in September) and a proud Navy Spouse. I love blogging!

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Before I even had kids, I wanted a daughter that took ballet. My husband told me, it had to be our kids choice. Which I was fine with, as long as my little one at least took one class. Since money was tight, Aly took her first class at age 4. I enrolled her in a Ballet/Tumbling combo class. She instantly fell in love. She just finished her 7th year of dance, and she has taken Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acrobats, Lyrical, Modern, Hip-Hop, Pom, Pre-pointe & even Musical Theater. {That is her being lifted}

My youngest was able to start dance at 3. She just finished her 4th year of dance, and she has taken Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acrobats, Pom & Musical Theater. She isn’t as enthusiastic about dance as my oldest, but she does have a love for it.

Over the years, I have realized that my kids have learned many lessons from dance classes other then the actual Dancing.

• Teamwork
• Social Skills
• Respect and Manners
• Great friendships
• Strength & Exercise
• Good posture
• Patience
• Risk taking
• Love of the arts

If you have a child, try taking them for a Dance class. It doesn’t even have to be ballet. I know that can be boring to many kids, luckily both mine love it. Ballet is the core of dance and makes any other dance lessons that much easier to learn. However, if your child just does not like ballet, don’t right off any other classes. There are so many benefits to dance. Summer is a great time to try out a class. Many studios offer discounted classes during the summer, Summer Camps & even some have free classes.

About The Author:

Ginny is a work at home mom of two daughters. Blogs at http://scrappyd.blogspot.com and owns http://www.gkcollectibles.com

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My 2 year-old walked up to me the other day, a corner of a baby blanket tucked under her chin. She tried to wrap it around her waist and asked me, “Can I cook?”

We have a lot of baby blankets around here. Since most have stains on them I haven’t felt good about donating them or passing them down to other new babies. I also haven’t wanted to throw them away because the material is still in pretty good shape on most of them, and my daughters like to use them with their dolls. We still have far more than we actually need though.

When my daughter came up and asked about using the blanket as an apron it gave me an idea. Since I don’t know much about sewing, these blankets would make great material for practicing. I can try out some different textures of material, different techniques, and play around a bit without feeling like I’m wasting material. We may even be able to make a dress-up dress or two for my 5 year-old who occasionally asks me to tie a blanket around her waist or shoulders to be a dress. So, I’m now looking for patterns for kid-size aprons and simple dresses.

Of course, the whole thing got me thinking about what other kinds of materials can be recycled into other projects. Can worn-out t-shirts, jeans, or other clothing be turned into other things? How do I go about “harvesting” and storing the usable fabrics for new projects? I feel a whole new wave of craftiness coming on.

Of course, along with a new craft or hobby also comes all the new tools and supplies. How do you decide which to get first or how to store them? I need all the ideas I can get, especially for sewing, so please leave a comment or share your best ideas on your blog and leave me a link.

About The Author:

Jennifer Lavender is a wife, mother, home educator, and craft enthusiast. She is mostly interested in paper crafts, but is currently teaching herself to knit and do some basic sewing. When she isn't busy doing the mom thing or crafting she enjoys surfing the internet, reading books, or just hanging out with her family.

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In June of each year, we celebrate the wonderful Fathers and father figures in our lives!  The modern celebration of Father’s Day has ancient roots, dating all the way back to the Babylonian period of history. 

The earliest record of Father’s Day was found in the ruins of ancient Babylon. A young boy named Elmesu carved a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. He wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life. The tradition was passed down from generation to generation and is currently celebrated in several countries throughout the world.  In many countries, where the Catholic Church has had an important influence on the culture, Father’s Day is celebrated on St. Joseph’s Day (March 19) but in others, the date varies with the calendar year.   In the United States, we typically purchase greeting cards or small gifts for our fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, etc.  In other countries around the globe, they have unique and different ways to celebrate the Father’s Day tradition.   1.      The UK and Australia:  Breakfast meetings for fathers and families are held along with public games and activities that strengthen the father-family bond.  These events include picnics with sports or games, fishing contests and hiking or running races.   2.       Canada:  Different colored roses are worn by families signifying the well-being of their fathers.  A white Rose is worn if the father has passed away and a red Rose signifies father or grandfather in good health and vitality.   3.       South Africa:  Social and cultural societies host large community Father’s Day celebrations to stress the role of fathers in building a stronger society and in nurturing their children.  They read stories and poems that have strong male characters.   4.       Ireland:  Families make donations in the name of their father or perform acts of community service that pay tribute to the important men in their lives.   This year in June, we can all look into some different ways to express thanks and gratitude for the fathers and father-figures in our lives.  Whether we spend time strengthening our relationship by participating in an outdoor activity, performing some community service together or just sitting down to a meal together, we can all look to different cultures around the world to see that celebrating fathers is not just something we do here at home.  It is an ancient and wonderful tradition that can be expanded upon to create some wonderful new memories and traditions of our own.

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Lisa Smith has a BA in Psychology & is the Owner/CEO of Regionz Kidz, a multi-cultural infant & toddler clothing line featuring ethnically diverse characters and designs. She publishes a blog on her website http://www.regionzkidz.com that discusses cultural diversity & children & is a frequent guest blogger on other blogs and websites regarding parenting and children’s issues. You can contact Lisa directly at: lisa@regionzkidz.com

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Two more celebrities became proud mama’s to little baby girls this past week. Jessica Alba, who married Cash Warren in a private ceremony last month, had her first child on June 7th. Her little girl, Honor Marie Warren, was born in a Los Angeles hospital.

Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott also welcomed a baby girl on June 9th. 6lbs, 8 oz Stella Doreen McDermott was also born in Los Angeles and was delivered by C-section. Stella is the second children for Tori & Dean, with one year old Liam waiting at home to meet his new baby sister.

Congratulations Jessica & Cash and Tori & Dean.

About The Author:

Crystal is the founder of Chrysanthemoms, and a mother of 3. She is a graphic designer, specializing in wedding invitations, baby announcements and photo greeting cards. She is also an avid blogger and loves to write.

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One way to help protect you from identity theft, is by having a good password. It is a fine balance trying to have one that is a safe password to having one you actually remember.

There are two main ways that hackers get into your accounts. There is the password recovery (an administrator’s technique) and “brute force” repetition.

So, how can you find the right balance? A long password of cryptic characters will be strong, but hard to remember. Yet a short password that is easy to remember, will get cracked within minutes by a good hacker.

I found some tips over the years that have worked well for me.

• Have a long password. Most sites now, require at least 6 - 8 characters. If you can, make it 10 - 15 for an even better password. 15 characters is highly recommended for added security. Now most thing probably don’t need that many characters, but you might want to consider for your banking, if you run a business, etc.
• Make your password memorable to you. A phrase or something with multiple words works best. Then you make it secure. Make some of the characters upper case & some lower case. Change a few of the letters to numbers. I found it easiest to match up with the phone, so the letter g would be a 4.
• If allowed, then add some non letter/number characters. Examples would be . * - ~ /
• Another option is taking a phrase and turning it into a license plate phrase of 8 characters.
• Change your password often, every month or so. Yes it is a pain, but it is worth not getting hacked. Especially with big sites like Ebay & Paypal.
• Be careful when writing password down. Make sure it is not where just anybody can find it. If possible, don’t write down at all. It is also recommended not to use a program to store your passwords. A good way to store passwords is by writing down a hint vs. the actual password.
• This may seem obvious to some, but never give your password out. If you have children, make sure to stress to them the same thing. When my kids first started playing Webkinz, many of the girls were sharing passwords. It is important to teach kids not to do that. Especially with all the cyber bullying going around in middle & high schools!

Make sure never to change your password because you received an email saying your password has been compromised. These are scams to get your password. They are especially popular for Ebay Auctions, Paypal, banks & credit card companies.

Here are just a few bad password choices, make sure you are not choosing something from this list ~

• Only letters or Only numbers
• Names of family members: spouse, children, parents, etc
• Pet Names
• Any word from the dictionary
• Your user name or variation of it
• Social security number, telephone number
• Passwords with double numbers or letters

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Ginny is a work at home mom of two daughters. Blogs at http://scrappyd.blogspot.com and owns http://www.gkcollectibles.com

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Stubby Pencil Studio is giving away a “Green to the Letter” arts + crafts kit including:

3 multi pack sets of Color ‘n Kids cards (winner’s choice of styles), 10 Smencil pencils, a box of 12 eco-friendly colored pencils, a box of 24 Soy Crayons, and a tub of natural play dough.

To read a review of the Stubby Pencil Studio products and enter for your chance to win, just visit Nature Moms Blog and leave a comment. Good luck!

About The Author:

Jennifer Lavender is a wife, mother, home educator, and craft enthusiast. She is mostly interested in paper crafts, but is currently teaching herself to knit and do some basic sewing. When she isn't busy doing the mom thing or crafting she enjoys surfing the internet, reading books, or just hanging out with her family.

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Let me just admit it.  I like to stay busy. I thrive on having something to do and packing my schedule to the gills.  I am not one to sit idle and be bored.  Television doesn’t even fascinate me enough to sit and stare at it for more than 5 minutes.  Now, a computer screen where I can interact with 100s of people from around the world is a different story, but I’m still doing something my fingers are still typing away or something.

So, I tend to pack my schedule because it brings me happiness.  I pack in more and more, client work, church responsibilities, kid’s activities, family events, outings with my girlfriends, trips out of state (not often but it applies right now), pregnancies, you name it I put it on my plate.

They say (whoever they is) that if you want something done and done well go ask a busy person.  I have to agree with that statement 100%.  You see this week I took on my church’s Vacation Bible School, which begins in 2 weeks, normally it’s all planned by now, but not this year, it got dropped and now I am at the reigns attempting to make it happen in a very short period of time with a great many other things on my plate including a pregnancy, a trip out of state and client work.  Call me crazy, but I think I can do it.  WHy? I’m a busy person.

So, like any other busy, but organized person, I set out to develop a plan.  You gotta have a plan!!  And with this plan I think I can make it happen.  So, that my friends is how you deal with a packed schedule.  You create a plan.  Sit down, write down everything you have to get done, including deadlines, sort through, make a list of priorities, but them all on your schedule or calendar and go at it.  Don’t complain, don’t sit around and twiddle your thumbs, just do it!  It can work!

About The Author:

Alyssa is the founder of Beauty by Design Ministries, a ministry to girls of all ages and their moms. Its newest branch, Organized Life by Design, helps moms to create an organized life by God's design. She is also a ghostwriter, wife and mom. Visit Alyssa's Mom Blog, Life from my Laptop.

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