Links to a Great Article – How & What to Share with Your Children When Tragedy Strikes.
Photo Credit: www.themobsociety.com
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I am at a loss of words about the events that have transpired today in Connecticut. I homeschool my kiddos, so I haven’t seen any of the news coverage thus far. In fact, I didn’t hear about it until later this afternoon from a facebook status. First, I just wanted to hold my babies. I cannot imagine what these families must be going through. At the same time, I’m was at a loss about what to tell them. I was careful not to turn on the TV in front of them, but I know there will be updates on the radio or comments they might hear out in public. What do I tell them? I read an article linked on facebook and thought I’d share with y’all in case you were wondering the same thing. I’ve got several posts scheduled for the evening already, so I’ll be spending the rest of the evening with my family holding my babies tight.
25 Days of Christmas Fun: Snowman Soap Craft
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We thought it would be fun to start doing a post each night about a fun Christmas craft, recipe, family tradition and all things holly jolly. If you would like to share a craft, recipe or tradition that your family enjoys – please email us at time2saveblogger@gmail.com! We’ll possibly feature you one night this month….
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Reader Sylvia emailed us this fun craft idea – I’d never thought of doing this, but I have several bars of Ivory soap in the stockpile, so I might have to try it with the kids! You know how you MUST proudly display your kids’ strange, malformed interpretation of a “bud vase” – precisely because your kid malformed it just for you? I think that’s how this soap might go over in the grandparents bathrooms. 
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ABC family’s 25 Days of Christmas Programming
Source: chipandco.com via Amy on Pinterest
My kiddos look forward to ABC family 25 Day’s of Christmas Programming every year. Truth be told, I love Christmas movies and look forward to it almost as much as them. It’s a great way to unwind in the evenings, enjoy family time together, and create new traditions.
Hulu Kids Launch Today!! (Ad-Free, Kids Shows Galore!)
I’ve always used Hulu Plus for catching up on my shows – but used Netflix for the kids because they have a) “Just for Kids” a Kids-Only Section of Netflix and b) No Commercials. Well, it looks like Hulu Plus is about to take them on!
Today, Hulu Plus launched Hulu Kids – a kid-friendly hub where your little ones can safely navigate appropriate content, choose from a library of kids shows (43 so far) … and all of it is totally AD-FREE.
Hulu Kids on Hulu Plus is now available on the PS3 and to Hulu Plus subscribers logged in on the Hulu website. Right now you can get a FREE Trial of Hulu Plus - which is enough time to check out the Hulu Kids section, but also marathon a show you’ve been wanting to try or catch up on a favorite series. (This is how I got hooked on Once Upon A Time – and several other fun shows that I can catch in my rare “me” time.)
Advent Calendars for $6.49 Shipped!
Advent: The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event
Every year, we get all the kids an Advent Calendar to count down the days until Christmas. Each day they open one door on the calendar to reveal a piece of chocolate and a Bible Verse – it’s a “sweet” reminder that the days leading to Christmas are days to prepare our hearts for the most special gift ever. It helps keep the excitement and awareness of Christ’s birth fresh in their minds – a daily remembering that has become part of our Christmas tradition.
They actually wake up every morning and can’t wait to open that day’s door to see what it says – and of course they want chocolate with breakfast. What other time of year can you get that? 
I remember doing the same thing when I was a kid – I love passing this on to mine!
It’s sometimes hard to find good Advent Calendars – they’re either just covered with elves and presents, or they have truly horrible chocolate inside (think waxy and tasteless). I found some great ones made by Vermont Christmas on Amazon today – there’s a good selection and it’s good chocolate too!
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Peaceful Prince Chocolate Advent Calendar – $6.49
The Stable Advent Calendar (Special Chocolate Series) – $6.49
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Newborn King Chocolate Advent Calendar - $6.49
Christmas Day Advent Calendar (Special Chocolate Series) - $6.49
Find more ways to Keep Christ in Christmas with your kids HERE!
Make a Costume Chest with Halloween Clearance Costumes!
Now that Halloween is over, you’ll be able to find some awesome deals on costumes. Costumes make great gifts, they bring out kids’ imaginations and get them away from a glowing screen for awhile. Make a costume chest and you’re kids will always have a go-to place to let their imaginations run wild.
One of my kids’ favorite past-times is playing dress-up. They’re boys, and so for them that means dressing up as ninjas, pirates, knights, dragons, cowboys, cops and robbers – and of course, every superhero known to man. My niece’s dress-up box is full of princess gowns, ballerina tutus, feathery boas and sparkly wands. It’s all a far cry from my own childhood dress-up box, which was full of mom’s hand-me-down 70′s jumpsuits, and a few maternity dresses. Still, it was my favorite thing to play and I love dressing up still!
Mom & Son Date Nights – Why I Love Them
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My Crazy Crew!
Do you have more than one child? Do you find it hard to find time to connect with each one? Here’s an idea that’s taken root in our household – maybe you’ll decide to make it work for your family too!
Jamie here! Being a mom to four boys means my house is usually really noisy. It’s good noise – don’t get me wrong – them running through the halls, yelling and laughing – slamming in and out of the house with various kids from the neighborhood – pounding on the piano downstairs or playing ninjas in the living room. It’s the soundtrack to my happy home – even though it is a little crazy.
But when all those boys are doing their thing and constantly interrupting to tell a story, make requests, or seek a referee – it’s almost impossible to get any one-on-one time with either of them individually. That’s why a few years back we started taking them on “nights out”. It was my husband’s idea – that handsome, genius man of mine! – to start planning one night a week when one child got to go out by himself with one of us.
We take turns – my husband will do 4 weeks in a row of “dad nights” and then we’ll switch to 4 weeks of “mom nights”. We go somewhere after dinner (or sometimes during dinner) with just one child and spend an hour or so just letting them talk to us. Encouraging them, understanding them, reconnecting. The idea of a date or a night out isn’t to “splurge” on them with money – but to splurge on them with ATTENTION.
Our date nights range from a cozy dinner for two at McDonald’s to a visit to the pet store just to look. It all depends on what your child enjoys and it needs to be something where you’re not distracted. One of my favorite dates with my oldest son was taking him to Dairy Queen for a Blizzard. (I had a BOGO Free Coupon at the time) I brought a deck of cards and we sat at a table outside, eating ice cream and playing all the games we could never play with the younger siblings. He reminded me that it can be frustrating to be the oldest – something I could relate to and talk about my own childhood as the oldest. Moments like that don’t stand a chance in my rowdy house – and I want to have lots of moments like that with him before he reaches an age where he’d rather not be seen with me
