Time for another Family Movie Night Movie!

I so remember the good quality programming growing up and watching "Family Movies" on TV with my family. The ""Wonderful World of Disney" was a weekly movie feature that was very family friendly when I was a child. I also remember the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" movies. I really enjoyed these type of movies. I find it difficult to find good quality programming for my boys like there was when I was a kid!

 Well, in the Spring of 2010 that all changed when WalMart and P&G began sponsoring Family Movie Night.  Our family has been enjoying all the movies since they came out. My boys enjoy the movies so much they don't want them erased from the DVR. I have been really impressed with the Family Movie Night movies and the idea of Family Movie Night, that I want to implement a weekly Family Movie Night in our home. I am thinking of making Saturday Night Family Movie Night for our family with either TV movies or movies on DVD! 

Family Movie Night is back this Saturday Sept 3rd with a brand new movie: Game Time: Tackling the Past

Game Time - Promo from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo.

Game Time: Tackling the Past stars Beau Bridges, Catherine Hicks("7th Heaven"), Ryan McPartlin("Chuck"). The movie addresses Humality, Forgiveness and Hard Work Ethic. 

Moms 4 Family TV are a  wonderful group of moms who stand behind the Family Movie Night movies and other great Family TV programming. You can learn more about this great organization by visiting Moms 4 Family TV.  The group of moms have even put together an Info Sheet about the movie, which includes some "family discussion questions" about the movie.  Each week they search and find the "best" in Family entertainment on TV, and give Weekly TV Tips. 

Game Time: Tackling the Past airs on Saturday September 3rd on your local NBC station at 8PM EST/7PM CST. Grab your family favorite snacks, the remote and sit down and enjoy the show together! 

Time for another Family Movie Night Movie!

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Training our Daughters Study

HaHa!! Seems pretty weird to be posting that title on my blog which is about Managing my Household of Boys! I just couldn't pass up this opportunity to let all the mom's of girls know about an awesome Study coming up next week!!

A friend of mine Barb, one of the co-leaders of our homeschool support group, is implementing a study into their homeschool using Training Our Daughters to Be Keepers of the Home by Ann Ward with her daughter and has created a blog so that others can join in on their journey and create a journey of their own in their home. You can read An Introduction to the blog and study goals to find out more about what is planned for this coming year. I really wish I had a girl because I would sooo be participating in this study if I did!

The official launch is next week and there will be a Launch Party and Giveaway Sept 5th-9th. Go on over and  join the fun and hopefully you can win a prize!!

Click on the button below to take you to the blog and join the study:

I hope moms of girls will join the study and be encouraged by my friend and her daughter! 

Training our Daughters Study

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Works for Me Wednesday

Ever had a document that you would love to share on your blog or via email and have found it difficult to share? I found the best solution a couple years ago: Scribd- a document sharing website and social networking site. I discovered Scribd while searching online for some Homeschool printables. I was hooked immediately!

I really like the ease of use of Scribd for uploading and saving my own documents. I also search Scribd to find documents or ebooks that I can use from others who are posting their documents. The documents can be made public or private.

Scribd has evolved over the past couple of years and has changed for the better since I started using it. Once you upload a document it gives you various ways of sharing including on Facebook, Twitter and other social network sites. Scribd also provides "embedding codes" so the document can be easily added to blogs, websites and more. You can follow other users that post documents of interest to you.

Scribd WORKS for me for document sharing and for finding FREE documents of interest to me, especially to use in our homeschool.

Check out this great document sharing website here: Scribd. 

For more great hints and tips visit Kristen;s blog carnival WORKS for me Wednesday  at We are THAT Family.

Works for Me Wednesday

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Simple Womans Daybook

Outside my window:  The sun is shining beautifully! Cars are zooming by on the road! 

I am thinking: The boys and I are having a picnic in the park today! It is such a beautiful day and they will have fun! 

I am thankful: The wonderful summer weather we have been having in Chicago  over the last 2 weeks. Sunny and highs in the 70's and low 80's!! LOVE IT! 

From the learning rooms: We are starting our school year next Tuesday September 6th.

In the Kitchen: I am making Whole Fryer Chicken in the Crockpot with Mashed Potatoes and Veggie Medley. Our menu plan for 8/28-9/3. 

I am wearing: Black Cotton Shorts and a Green T-Shirt. (house clothes)

I am creating: Lesson Plans, Chore Charts and Routine Chart. I have to get our boys ready and willing for starting "back to homeschool" next week! 

I am going: To the park today with the boys. I will also be going to the library later tonight and to redeem my FREE Gyro coupon for Gyro Day! 

I am wondering: How all the East Coasters are doing now that Hurricane Irene has passed through and done plenty of damage. I hope those affected by the storm will be OK!

I am Reading: Lots of great Library Books and books that I am going to be reviewing. (see the right sidebar for Reading Chair book list) I am currently reading Never Far from Home by Mary Ellis

I am hoping: My boys will be able to get "on track" and be ready for new routines and changes within our household. 

I am looking forward to: The start of our "Homeschool Year 2011-2012. I always think and believe the "new year" begins at the beginning of the school year. I feel that new routines, changes and more happen more at this time of the year rather then on Jan 1st. 

I am hearing: The pounding of hammers, furniture moving about and things getting put in place. The apartment above us has a family moving in today and they are getting things in place. 

Around the house: I have to put the folded towels on the shelves of the linen closet, sort and organize Back to School Supplies and put them away in the cabinet, vacuum the whole apartment today. 

I am pondering: The changes that I want to implement in our family life. I know the boys will love some of them, but will hate some also. LOL Laying it all out in my mind before putting it to paper. 

One of my favorite things: Our Magic Bullet. YES it one of those "As Seen on TV" products, but this is one product that does work like the infomercial claims. We purchased it back in April from Costco and it was a great $45 investment. I love being able to make 4 individual smoothies for breakfast for the boys and I in a matter of minutes. Beating Eggs is so quick and easy. It really is a great product! 

A few plans for the rest of the week: Working on Lesson Plans and getting things in order for the start of Homeschool on Sept 6th. My 39th B-Day is Friday. Saturday we are going to a local Forest Preserve for a Bike and Hike with our Homeschool Group. Sunday church and Monday we will have a BBQ in the Forest Preserve and let the boys run off energy! 

Here is a picture to share:  

Our Fixed Mirror and the story about it

Are you a blogger? Join the fun at Simple Woman's Daybook and see what others are doing!!

Simple Womans Daybook

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Menu Plan Monday 8/29

I am so glad for being able to plan a Menu for the week. I didn't do a menu plan last week because of being busy and distracted with other things, and it was truly a crazy week when it came to meal time. I feel so much better and more organized when I do my weekly menu plan. I did make Homemade Crockpot Yogurt last week and will be making another batch this week. We love Yogurt and here and Homemade Crockpot Yogurt  is so inexpensive and tastes GREAT! We also love Homemade Fruit Smoothies, having them for Breakfast at least once a week and snacks a couple times a week.

Here is our menu plan for the week. (the words underlined and in blue are clickable links to the recipes). I am going to be revising our snacks over the next week and changing up our snacks a bit as we are "tired" of the same ole' same ole', needing a change!!

Weekly Menu Plan

For more menu plans and recipe ideas visit Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday 8/29

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I love when a "crisis" turns into "better"

A couple weeks ago my 9 yr old son, Joshua, tried to "punch a fly" that was on our bathroom mirror. Well, the fly got away but we were left with a broken mirror and thankfully Joshua was not hurt in the process.

I "flipped out" when I saw the broken mirror, mainly because we are renters and I saw "money going down the drain" having to pay for this to be fixed. I calmed down a bit, posted a pic on Facebook and then kinda saw the humor in him trying to "kill a fly" on the mirror.

We decided we would just fix it our self by purchasing a mirror and getting it cut to fit. We began at Menards and Home Depot. Mirrors were quite expensive and neither of them cut glass. I was telling my dad what happened and he mentioned to me that ACE Hardware cuts glass. I called our local ACE Hardware to verify that our location does. I was soo happy to find out our location does! YEAH for Dad and his wisdom!! The hunt was on for an inexpensive mirror.

A week ago I was pulling out of our parking spot in the alley behind our apartment building. I headed north in our alley and noticed a neighbor across the alley had a HUGE bathroom mirror out by the garage that they had just put out because they were remodeling their bathroom. I couldn't stop as I was heading somewhere, but I called home and told the hubby of my "find". I was afraid he wouldn't see the significance of my "find" because he really doesn't care for my "treasure hunting" most of the time. I am glad to say I was wrong this time. I went and ran my errand and then when I got back hubby and I went out to check the mirror out. Hubby agreed that this was a great find, he grabbed it and bought it inside.

Hubby took the mirror and the doors of our medicine cabinet to  ACE Hardware to have the mirror cut to fit the doors of our medicine cabinet. The associates at ACE Hardware were really helpful and told DH that even though the glass was a little thick, it could/would work if he added some "holders" onto the door frame. ACE Hardware cut the glass, hubby purchased the hardware and screws needed and $6 later this is our new "Fixed Mirror":

We decided that since we had a big enough mirror that we would switch the small section from the patterned design to a regular mirror. Hubby had the guy at ACE Hardware cut a piece for that section also. The "flowered" section has had a crack in it since we moved in 5 years ago. I actually think it makes it look larger and much nicer!

I am so glad a "Crisis" turned into something better and that we were able to fix our bathroom mirror by ourselves for very little money! God sure blessed us greatly!

A great incident of  

"One person's trash is another person's treasure"!

I love when a "crisis" turns into "better"

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Homeschool Educator Discounts

I really love a good bargain and I love to save money on just about anything, but who really doesn't!?!? I started seeking out discounts and sales for Homeschoolers a few years ago when I first started homeschooling. I had complied a list and put it on my old blog. I think with "Back to Homeschool" time here: either already started or starting in the near future, it would be a great time to post the list on this blog. 

Office Supply Stores:

Office Depot:  My Star Teacher Program

Staples Teachers:  Rewards for Teachers

Here are some more Teacher and Homeschool Discounts:

Apple Store: Apple Homeschool Store

Barnes and Noble: Barnes and Noble Educator Program

Book Warehouse:  Book Warehouse Educators Club

Container Store: Organized Teacher Discount Program

FedEx Office: You can receive 15% off most services at FedEx Kinkos. For more info go here: FedEx Office National Educators Discount Program

Half Price Books: Educators and Homeschooler can receive 10% off their purchase. For more info on their program go here: Half Price Book Educator Program

JoAnn Fabrics:  JoAnn Fabric Teacher Rewards 

Lakeshore Learning: Lakeshore Learning offers a Teacher's Club Card that is valid on in-store purchases only. You'll save 15% on most teacher resource items; receive advance notice of upcoming sales & events, and more. Fill out the application in the store & they'll hand you your card. 

Michaels Arts and Crafts: 15% Discount for Teachers and Homeschoolers

Scholastic Book Fairs: These book fairs are a great way to save money on books and other materials for homeschooling. For more info and to find a sale near you: Scholastic Book Fairs

I hope you enjoy the discounts as you begin your Homeschool Year! 

Homeschool Educator Discounts

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