Parenting in the Social Media Age: Don't Fall Behind!

The Social Media age is a major part of our life now and our children's lives now, usage increases among younger children every year. What can you do as a parent? Have you caught up yet? Don't fall behind mom and dad, it is your responsibility to keep your kids safe. I know it is not easy, we are struggling everyday 

with the same things you are. I am right there with you with a pre-teen and teen daughter that are glued to their iphones and laptops everyday.

The best thing you can do as a parent is keep the lines of communication open, dialogue about social media with your kids is one of the best tools you have. Keep your conversations open and very honest, let them know just how you feel (they can't read your mind, just like you can't read theirs). They need to know the consequences and real dangers that are out in our world today. Don't think that bad things only happen to other people, it can easily be you.

This info-graphic credit "Teen Safe" shows some great thoughts. 

Creating some ground rules from the beginning about how your kids will use social media, how you will monitor their computer and cell phone usage will help you tremendously later on. 

I like the statement that online lives should never take priority over real lives. Keep that in mind and have family nights often, no phones allowed, even you mom & dad. Remember kids will watch and do just what you do too (remember monkey see monkey do?)

Are you always face- deep in your smart phone? Do you post online photos, messages or tweets that are not becoming of the person you want your child to be or see?

How is your social media and phone use, what example do they have to follow. Don't be the bad monkey!

Social Media and Tech Savvy Kids: Can You Catch Up?

Now, I love the internet and my social media sites, they are not ALL bad if they are used in the right ways.
The growth of the internet has opened the world to so many opportunities for learning, education and connection. As a homeschool family we use the internet daily for learning and education, but we also know that being online can be a huge time waster if we don't watch out.
As a mom I have tried my best to keep up with the latest technology and social media sites that my children might be visiting. All three of my kids are tech savvy and have a passion for being online.
I realized that I must stay at the same level with them and educate myself about all the possible social media sites out there. This includes knowing what apps are on their phones and what sites are visited via their laptops.

How technology and socially savvy are your kids? How close do you watch their activity on social media sites? You may think you are a media smart parent, but even the smartest of parents may not know just what those kids are up too. Letting your guard down even for a little while can have dire consequences.

Long gone are the days that we worried about our kids sneaking out and meeting others down the street in the middle of the night. Today they can be talking to anyone, anywhere in the world, right in their bedroom via their cell phone. With the advancements in technology our smartphones have almost gotten too smart. Webcams, cameras, gps tracking devices and many different apps can tell a child predator exactly where your child is and just how to lure them out and away from the safety of your home.

Case in point 13 year old Nicole Lovell, a middle school student who was killed by 2 college students just recently after being lured by one of them via the social media app named "KiK". Apparently the 13 year old was social media savvy and a victim of bullying, the college student took advantage of that and used it against her for his own selflessness. Such a beautiful young life gone.....

Story here http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/us/virginia-tech-students-arrested-girl-killed/

Middle schooler "Nicole Lovell" age 13 stabbed to death

Do you regularly check your children's phones? laptops, tablets etc? why not? Do you ask them what they are doing? Do you discuss the risks of posting online photos, tweets or posts that might not be smart or might harm someone else?

Parental controls can also be a tool to use for parents, many cell phone and internet providers have this. Control when and how your kids are accessing the internet. No cell phones at bedtime, it is proven to affect their sleep. 

Educate yourself on all the latest social media sites, apps and language that is used in text messaging. You are the parent, you pay the bills remember that. 

Tomorrow we will explore more of those social media and smart phone apps that you might need to know about.....stay tuned

T is for Triberr of course! #atozchallenge

T is for Triberr , heck yeah!





You ask what on earth is a Triberr, most bloggers know what Triberr is, but for those of you that are not using this awesome community of blogging fantastics, I will tell you.

Triberr a Blog Amplification Platform. The basic principle of Triberr is that each member shares their latest blog posts, and other members amplify the blog by sharing each other's posts to Twitter, as well as Facebook and LinkedIn. Members join Tribes based around specific topics and categories so that each blogger is sharing and reading blogs from other similar bloggers. I've been a member of Triberr personally for a while now, and can attest to the enormous impact it's had on website traffic and reader interest. Triberr currently boasts over 50,000 tribes and over 2,000,000 visitors a month sent to member blogs. 
As a very busy mom blogger, health and medical specialist & blogger (ERnursescare & Ed4Ed4All.com) and social media advisor for The Mommies Network, I need easy, anything that can help me multitask to many social media platforms at once gets an A+ in my mommy book! My own triberr outreach has grown to a massive 8 million, I can not be more pleased with that number.
Wow that is a lot of people!! I can say that my tribes have grown, my twitters followers have grown immensely and I have met some of the most amazing people on Triberr.  I cannot say enough positive about Triberr, you just need to get yourself over there and check it out yourself!! 
The newest changes that the creators of Triberr, Dino Dogan & Dan Cristo have made have done nothing but improve the concept and the ease of sharing blog posts. Every time a new change rolls out it improves my overall feel, ease and love of the platform. 
Imagine posting your blog post and then having it posted again via your fabulous tribemates to their own Twitter followers, Linkedin, Google +, Facebook, Stumbleupon,  and more social media avenues. Your one blog post has the potential to reach thousands, even millions of other people that you would not have reached before Triberr. In turn you are also helping others by amplifying blog posts you choose to send out of your tribemates. It is nothing but a win- win situation! 

Now get your hiney over to Triberr and sign up! Don't know what the heck you are doing? Here is a great complete guide video on how to use Triberr. 

Yes the video is long, but very helpful if you are a Triber newbie and need some help starting up. Key points I can add.

• Join Triberr
• Update your profile with a picture and all about you -- here is my profile Leslie Conway Block 
• Follow some tribes that are in your niche, 
• Be diligent to visit daily and approve posts
• Ask to join tribes you think are a perfect fit for you
• Visit the Bonfires and post a note about yourself, asking to join tribes
• Create your own tribe and start looking for tribemates if you want 
• Sit back and enjoy Triberr! 

Happy blogging and sharing with Triberr!! 

Elementary My Dear, Awesome Online Education List #atozchallenge

Elementary my Dear! 

Elementary Online Education List

This awesome list deserves a repost for #atozchallenge month since E is for Education and Elementary.

No matter if you are the parent of an elementary aged student, a teacher of elementary aged children or a homeschool mom like myself, you will love this totally AWESOME list!! 
How many times have you sat for hours upon hours looking online for that resource that fits the need you have for your lesson plan? Search no more! This list has been compiled just for you, so you can spend more precious time teaching those blessings at home or at school! 
I have used many of these sites and they are very good! 
Credit for the list goes out to http://www.goedonline.com/101-websites-for-elementary-teachers , Stop by and check out their website, leave a comment to tell them thank you!
Now Enjoy!! 

GENERAL / MULTI-SUBJECT

1. GoEd Online Elementary
GoEd Online is more than just a blog—it’s a one-stop shop for teaching materials! There are over 3,000 downloadable eBooks and games for elementary teachers, including resources for early childhood, English (ELA), math, science and social studies.

Click here to check out our elementary materials.

2. FunBrain
FunBrain has over 100 fun, interactive games that develop skills in math, reading and literacy. Plus, kids can read a variety of popular books and comics on the site, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Amelia Writes Again, and Brewster Rocket.

3. e-Learning for Kids
At e-Learning for Kids, you can search through educational games by grade level or subject. There are materials for grades 1-6 in math, science and language arts.

4. Turtle Diary
Over 1,000 educational activities, games, animated lessons, printable worksheets, interactive storybooks and more.

5. FueltheBrain
Have your elementary students practice their math, science and language arts skills with games and interactive activities from FueltheBrain!

6. Free Rice
This website allows your students to review English vocabulary and grammar at varying levels of difficulty. For each correct answer, the website will donate one grain of rice. Have your students play Free Rice when they finish early and keep track of how much rice your students have contributed to combat hunger.

7. Mr. Nussbaum
Mr. Nussbaum is a website with tons of interactive games and activities for math, language arts, history, geography, science and more.

8. SmartyGames
Free games for learning how to use money, tell time, count and read. Also, you’ll find mazes, memory games, puzzles, Sudoku and more!

9. Ask Kids
The Ask Jeeves search engine for kids.

10. KidsClick!
KidsClick! is a web search site designed for kids by librarians -- with kid-friendly results!

11.Librarians’ Internet Databse
Find websites you and your students can trust in this directory that has been compiled by librarians.

12. YouTube
With millions of YouTube videos, there’s bound to be something that’s relatable to your lesson. There are step-by-step tutorials, news clips, editorials, short documentaries and more. Recently, YouTube launched an education-specific version of the website called YouTube for Teachers.

13. TeacherTube
TeacherTube is exactly what it sounds like—YouTube for teachers (not to be confused with the Youtube-specific version above!). The design of the website is getting a little outdated (it’s reminiscent of past versions of YouTube), but there are many educational videos to choose from.

14. Appolicious
The education section of Appolicious is a listing of thousands of educational applications with descriptions and reviews. It’s a great place to go if you’re looking for something new, or just to check something out before you buy it.

15. IMDb
Use IMDb, the internet movie database, to see if there are any movies that are relevant to the topic you’re teaching. If you find one, you can also check the rating to make sure it’s appropriate for your classroom, and read reviews to see what others have thought (and to see if it's historically or scientifically accurate!).

16. Pinterest (my favorite spot)
A colleague and fellow GoEd Online blogger (can you guess who?) got me hooked on using Pinterest! There’s no end to the great elementary teaching resources you can find on there. Educators from all over the world have created boards that are PACKED full of great stuff.

If you want to check out what we’ve found on Pinterest, follow us.

17. Learnist
This social network is kind of like Pinterest for people who want to learn about different things. Users create and share collections of knowledge. It is still in its beta phase and requires an invite to get full access, but it’s very cool already! The “education” topic is full of great posts about using tech in the classroom, industry trends and shared resources.

I do have to add here the Khan Academy to the list, a great resource for video learning!! 

EARLY ELEMENTARY

18. Seussville
Because everyone loves Dr. Seuss… This website is full of interactive whiteboard-friendly games, activities, printables and ideas for lesson plans focusing on the subjects made interesting and accessible (and discussible!) by Dr. Suess' stories.

19. Sesame Street
Sesame Street has a variety of activities that help students work on basic skills like counting, forming sentences, recognizing different shapes and objects, etc.

20. TheColor
TheColor is home to hundreds of free online coloring pages that don’t even have to be printed. Everything is interactive and done online! Your pages can be saved to your gallery and shared with your students’ families. This is a great activity for students who finish early.

21. FunFonix
FunFonix (it's the pronunciation that counts!) has a variety of early elementary phonics worksheets and online phonics games. Their worksheets are completely customizable!

22. Phonics Student Online Components
Sadlier Phonics has a number of grade-appropriate online games and activities for students PreK-6.

23. Alphabet Zoo
An entertaining interactive game for early elementary students who are learning how to match their upper and lowercase letters.

BONUS:
Starfall (Recommended by Kirsten)
This website is a free resource for young students to practice letters and sounds! Its phonics-based approach is perfect for PreK, kindergarten, first grade and second grade.

ENGLISH (ELA)

24. Grammar Ninja Game
This fun game helps your students learn the different parts of speech! There are three levels of difficulty that can be assigned to your students.

25. Scholastic Graphic Organizers for Reading Comprehension
Use these printable graphic organizers with your elementary students on a variety of reading comprehension activities. They are great for literary elements, reading assessment, reading comprehension, curriculum development and more.

26. ReadWriteThink
ReadWriteThink is a comprehensive collection of classroom resources for teachers. It includes searchable lesson plans, student interactives, activities and printouts. With this collection, students can explore elements of books and stories; develop characters' create poems, comic strips, newspapers, flyers and more.

27. SpellZone
An online English spelling resource that includes free units, games and word lists.

28. Spellathon
Practice spelling with free interactive spelling games that are compatible with interactive whiteboards, mobile phones and tablet PCs.

29. TVOKids: Spelling Bee Game
This game plays just like a real spelling bee. Students hear the word and get one chance to spell it. They can have the word repeated and can also read a definition.

30. Shel Silverstein
If you love Shel Silverstein and his poetry, you need to check this out. There are two versions of the website—the high-bandwidth version is more glitzy, but they both have the same basic content. There are fun games and activities, printables and you can even watch animated videos of some of Shel’s poems. The coolest thing about the videos is that some of them are performed by Mr. Silverstein himself!

31. ManyThings
This website is a fantastic resource for ESL teachers and students alike. It has an extensive collection of spelling games and activities that are great for non-native speakers. My favorite is the Catch the Spelling Game.

32. Forvo 
Forvo is the world’s largest pronunciation dictionary. It’s very valuable for ESL students because they can look up any word and hear it pronounced by an authentic English speaker.

33. Storybird
Storybird is a website that allows you to combine pictures and drawings to tell a story. It is very user-friendly and you can have several students all working together on the same story.

34. The Story Starter
This automatic generator comes up with over two billion (no joke!) creative ideas for writers. It was named to Writer’s Digest Magazine’s list of 101 Best Websites for Writers in 2012.

35. Creative Writing Prompts
When your students need inspiration, this site is the place to go. It features more than 300 detailed creative writing prompts, as well as journal ideas. You can also use the writing prompts as great warm-up activities each day.

MATHEMATICS

36. Math Chimp
Free collection of online math games for grades K-8 organized by the common core standards.

37. AAA Math: Fractions
The Fractions portion of the AAA Math website is particularly useful because it provides visual representations and easy-to-understand instructions. You can choose from a selection of topics like basic fractions, adding fractions, comparing fractions, converting fractions, reducing fractions, etc.

38. AplusMath: Money Flashcards
These basic flashcards will give your students the repetition they need to master the very important skill of counting money.

39. Math-Play
Math-Play has online math games that are organized by grade level, content and game type. You’ll find resources for addition, subtraction, multiplication, integers, fractions and more.

40. Math Pickle
Some math concepts can be tricky but Math Pickle’s videos are really good at simplifying concepts for your students.

41. Math Game Time
Math Game Time has interactive math games, videos and worksheets that are separated by grade level. Your students will be able to practice everything from counting to decimals.

42. Cool Math 4 Kids
This free website looks like it may have been designed in the early 90’s, but it’s got tons of great content for addition, subtraction, times tables, long division, fractions, decimals and more.

43. Calculator.com
Project one of the free online calculators on your interactive whiteboard.

44. Calcoolate
As the name suggests, Calcoolate is a neat online calculator.

SCIENCE

45. Extreme Science
What is the largest ocean carnivore? How big is the world’s largest tarantula? Just how cold does the Antarctic actually get? Learn all about the extreme animals and places around the world.

46. Earthquakes for Kids
The U.S. Geological Survey website provides students with information about earthquakes. They can learn about the latest quakes, watch animations, get ideas for science fairs or play earthquake-related puzzles and games.

47. Water Cycle Diagram – Earthguide
The interactive Earthguide Water Cycle Diagram provides a visual representation of the different parts of the water cycle, including precipitation, runoff, infiltration, evaporation, evapotranspiration, freezing and more.

48. Plate Tectonics Animations
The University of California Berkeley’s plate tectonics animations demonstrate how the plates work, and the site includes information on the theories behind the motion, as information on the history of plate tectonics and animations of how plate tectonics shaped the world in the past!

49. ARKive
The ultimate resource for breathtaking photos and videos of the world’s endangered species. Each entry also includes a description of the species (or region) and information about its range, habitat, biology, threats, conservation and more.

50. Animal Planet
Watch preview videos for some of Animal Planet’s renowned programming on the Earth’s natural resources, wildlife and more.

51. Infrared Zoo Gallery
Use the Infrared Zoo Gallery to “see” the difference between warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals. It also allows you to study how well feathers, fur and blubber insulate different animals. Very cool!

52. National Aquarium
Take a 360-degree tour of the National Aquarium, located in Baltimore. The official website has tons of resources on the marine animals that are showcased in their habitats.

53. eNature
Use eNature’s Endangered and Threatened Species search engine to enter your zip code and learn about highly-threatened animals near you. There are also animal-related games, quizzes and other freebies available.

54. Bagheera
Learn about endangered and already-extinct species from around the world at Bagheera. Classroom activities and resources are also available for additional learning opportunities.

55. Life of Birds
The website version of PBS' Life of Birds is a great resource for learning about Earth’s most adaptable creatures.

56. InnerBody
An interactive guide to all systems of the human body including the digestive system, immune system, muscular system, respiratory system, skeletal system and more.

57. Planet Size Comparison
This super-cool website lets you pick two planets in our solar system and visually compare them. It’s great for a unit on space!

58. Exploratorium
The official website of the Exploratorium, the museum of science, art and human perception in San Francisco. It includes materials and activities for a variety of subjects,  from astronomy and space to the human body.

59. Rainforest Heroes
Learn about the rainforest and what students can do to help protect it. Rainforest Heroes also has a section for teaching ideas that include creative writing, spelling, reading, science, math and more, all relating to the topic of the rainforest or rainforest conservation.

60. Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
A trove of free science resources from the U.S. Department of Education. Find high-quality materials for the Applied Sciences, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Space Sciences and more.

61. B-EYE
Give your students a different view of the world, literally! B-EYE shows your students what the world looks like through the eyes of a bee. You can zoom in and out to truly experience the effect of compound eyes on one's vision.

62. Coral Reef PhotoBank
Coral Reef Alliance’s photobank is a great resource if you’re doing a unit or center on marine ecosystems like coral reefs.

63. The Dino Directory
View 3D models of five well-known dinosaurs, and learni about the origins of their names, how large they were, what they ate and when and where they lived.

64. eSpecies Fact Sheets
Electronic fact sheets, including photos, protection status, and info on how students can help, for over 50 endangered species.

65. Steve Spangler Science Experiments
A searchable directory of easy and fun science experiments and science fair ideas.

66. Switcheroo Zoo
Let your students create their own animals by assembling different animal parts. Have them imagine a habitat for their new animal, describe how it survives, what it eats and its relationship with other animals.

67. The Magic School Bus Games
Play eight interactive science-based games including Monster Bugs, The Great Habitat Match, Space Chase, and more! There are also quizzes and printable coloring pages, as well as science experiments students can do in the classroom or at home.

68. Lawrence Hall of Science Kids
LHS Kids ("Welcome to Twenty Four Seven Science!") is home to interactive whiteboard-friendly science games and ideas for great supplemental science activities. 

SOCIAL STUDIES

69. Blabberize
Blabberize is a fun Web 2.0 tool that allows you to upload a picture (of a person—think historical figures – depending on one's sense of humor, it might be a good idea to make sure the images students have access to are pre-screened to exclude any teachers or other officials on the premises!), select its mouth, and make it talk by adding an audio file.

70. Mission U.S.
Mission U.S. is home to two free, interactive, immersive U.S. history games. One focuses on the American Revolution, the other focuses on a slave’s quest for freedom, and both bring history to life around the student, giving events of the past an immediate and highly personal appeal.

71. Online Hieroglyphics Translator
Type in a phrase and see what it looks like when it’s translated to Egyptian Hieroglyphics. This is a cool activity to do if you’re covering Ancient Egypt.

72. Playing History
Playing History aggregates all of the free history games on the web into a simple, searchable database. If the era you're teaching hasn't been mentioned elsewhere on this list, use Playing History to see if anyone has yet to bring it to life in online-game form!

73. iCivics
Free lesson plans and interactive games for learning civics. Some of the topics covered by materials at iCivics include citizenship and participation, separation of powers, branches of government and budgeting.

74. Printable World Maps
Free printable maps of the world’s countries. Each map is a blank outline, the better for quizzing students on cities, counties, and terrain!

75. Nat Geo Education: Mapping
Free, printable one-page maps, printable large-format maps and an online interactive student map.

76. Timerime
Search for pre-made, media-rich timelines or make your own using MP3 audio clips, YouTube videos and more.

77. X Timeline
Another website that makes it easy to create and share timelines that include pictures and videos.

78. Time Toast
All you need is a valid email address to create interactive timelines that can be shared anywhere on the web!

79. Tiki Toki
Easily create stunning web-based, sharable timelines with images and video. Tiki Toki also has a group editing feature for collaboration.

80. Dipity
With Dipity, you can find, create and embed interactive, customizable timelines.

81. Capzles
Create your own sharable timeline with images, video, audio, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and PDF files.

82. 50 States
Detailed information about each of the 50 states including abbreviations and capital cities. Excellent for teaching U.S. geography!

83. Have Fun with History
A resource for students and educators with history activities, plus short videos on all major U.S. history topics.

84. Where’s That U.S. State?
This fun geography game times your students as it asks them to locate each state. How fast can your students locate each of the 50 states?

85. Biography: Black History
A comprehensive look at Black History that includes biographies (go figure), videos, photos, a timeline, study guides and more.

86. The Underground Railroad
Scholastic’s interactive Underground Railroad activity provides an in-depth and honest look at what life was like for slaves. It’s got audio, slideshows, videos, teacher’s guides and more.

87. The Seattle Times: Martin Luther King Jr.
An invaluable resource to teach the incredible story of Martin Luther King Jr. This website includes a biography, timeline, seven teaching exercises, a photo gallery, a quiz and more.

88. Education Place: Outline Maps
Another resource for printable maps, this time including historical outlines, as well!

89. Electoral College Calculator
Teaching your students about the Electoral College? Using the Electoral College Calculator is a great activity to show how winning certain states can put a candidate on an easy path to the White House.

90. Plimoth Plantation: Thanksgiving Interactive Activity
Yes, it’s spelled “Plimoth”! Trust me, I double-, triple- and quadruple-checked! This fun, award-winning activity has students role-play as history detectives who investigate what actually happened at the first Thanksgiving.


 WEB 2.0 WEBSITES

91. Prezi    
Prezi is a really neat cloud-based presentation program that allows you to zoom in and out. If you don’t mind your slides being public, you can sign up for a free account with 100MB of storage.

92. Online-stopwatch
Online-stopwatch is a web-based stopwatch that is easy to display on an interactive whiteboard and can count up or down. Use it for timed exams, writing assignments and standardized tests.

93. RubiStar 
RubiStar is a free tool to help teachers create quality rubrics. Registered users can save and edit rubrics online. You can access them from home, school or on the road.

94. Discovery Education’s Free Puzzlemaker
Puzzlemaker is a tool that helps you create and print customized word searches, criss-cross puzzles, hidden message puzzles and more, all using your own word lists.

95. Gliffy  
You can use Gliffy to create attractive and professional graphic organizers like Venn diagrams and flow charts. Unfortunately, full access to their services requires a fee, but you can sign up for a free 30-day trial!

96. Mindomo  
Mindomo is another online mind mapping tool. It’s neat because you can collaborate in real-time with others and share/embed what you’ve created. You can create up to three free mind maps!

97. Tagxedo 
Tagxedo is an awesome word cloud creation tool. You can turn customized text, websites, blogs, Twitter accounts and more into stunning designs based on the frequency of words found in the medium. There are numerous designs and color schemes to choose from, and the results can be saved to your computer or shared.

98.  Wordle
Create beautiful word clouds from text that you provide. Like Tagxedo, it gives prominence to words that appear most frequently. You can save, print and share your creation.

99. Animoto 
Use Animoto to easily create presentations and videos with your own images and music, or choose from a library of stock files. Teachers can apply for a free Animoto Plus account.

100. Bubbl.us
Use Bubbl.us to create colorful online mind maps. It’s great for class discussions and brainstorming sessions.

101. Vimeo  
Vimeo is kind of like YouTube in that it is a place for you to easily upload any kind of video you create—even high definition. A free account gives you access to 500MB worth of storage each week that you can use for a variety of things like customizing your website or blog.

Extra! Code.org : all kids need to learn how to code computers

Whew! You made it to the end of 101 Websites for Elementary Teachers and Homeschoolers. Thanks for reading!

See you tomorrow!! for the letter F.....hmmmm

Blogging Success Tips!

How Awesome, found this infographic on Pinterest of course (I love that place) and it has so many great tips and ways to help you promote your blog posts it was worth the share! Whether you are a mommy blogger or a hot shot corporate blogger all of these tips apply to you. Find that niche, your audience and go for it. Be yourself, honest and your own voice. Consistency is key, you don't have to blog daily if you can't! Just stick with it! Be social and make friends, comment on other blogs, join a blog hop or twitter party, get your name out there, just like real life be dependable. Just be you, we love to read about real life and see your real life pictures (I know I do), giveaways and coupons are wonderful, even lots of charts and statistics, but an interjection of your own personal style, humor and humanism goes a long way to get people back, commenting and following you via all your social media platforms.
Man there are some tips that I did not know about, gotta try them all!!

 Do the 30 things on this infographic and I guarantee that you will notice a huge difference in your traffic and blog followers! Ready ....Set.... Go!!

                                                                             Source: launchgrowjoy.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Tuesday Twitter Hopping with Friends!

So, link up your Twitter account, find some new tweeps and have fun!

If you've never linked up before, use this format:

http://twitter.com/twitterhandle

Like mine is http://twitter.com/BlockmomNC
and twitter.com/ERNursescare

If you'd like to help spread the word, grab the button, tweet, post to Facebook or +1 this post! Or, you can grab the linky code below and post the whole hop on your blog!

Twitter Hop with my fellow blogger Heartfelt Balance/Handmade Life

Sweet Blogger Opportunity for Fall~

 

 Jenn's Blah Blah Blog, Diva Fabulosa and Simply Shawn & Jenn are bringing you an awesome FREE Blogger Opportunity! They will be giving away $200, in their Have it your way event! How will this work? Whatever the winner wants, the winner will get! Kindle Fire, PayPal Cash, Amazing, Wal-Mart, Target! Who cares, they get just what they want! Blogger get FREE Facebook link with the option to purchase additional links! Jenn's Blah Blah Blog had a giveaway just like this called the Sizzling Summer Giveaway that was fabulous, so were going to bring it back over and over and over again! This time Simply Shawn & Jenn has decided to join in the fun to celebrate reaching over 10K fans! About the event

• Prize: Whatever you want up to $200 (shipping included) Do you want a Kindle Fire? Maybe an iPod, hummm maybe gift card to Target, oh wait Paypal cash? We don't care we want you to have it your way! So let the games begin, and let's have some fun with this one!
• Event will run from Sept 20th until Oct 20th.
• Free Facebook
• Additional likes $2
• Daily Votes $3
• Co-host spots $10. (with this you will receive your blog mentioned all blogs posts, FREE Facebook, and FREE Twitter! If you choose this please be sure to add your links in the assigned spots on the form below)

You can sign up for this event, HERE

Lets Count to 100 and have fun learning at home

As a home-school mom I am going to use this bulletin board idea to count to 100 different items that my youngest diva likes and put those into Ziploc backs on our board. Maybe even use the alphabet to put the items in alphabetical order. The possibilities are endless, with a visual and tactile learner like my 8 yr old who is struggling with the alphabet and her numbers, we are gonna have fun with this one.

                                                      Source: rainbowswithinreach.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Gratitude Journaling ~ Go Ahead Say Thank You!

Being thankful is not just for November, it should be all year long, an attitude of gratitude and saying thank you and being thankful is a daily routine. There are so many things in our life that we can be thankful for, start teaching your children as babies to say thank you, to appreciate the smaller things of life and not always material things. They will grow into much more mature thankful adults that have an attitude of gratitude and not of selfish, me all the time. Show them the little things around you every day, and help them appreciate how small we are in contrast to the awesome world that God has created.  Thank you for reading :)

Have you ever made a Gratitude Tree? Sorta like an Avent calendar for "Thank you's" this will inspire your family to always be thankful for little things in life that they may never think about. This would even make a great gift for grandparents or teachers.


Go Here for print outs and further instruction:
http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2010/10/gratitude-tree-advent-calendar-with.html <---I love this little blog.

** At the start of the month, begin with a blank tree. Each day, take turns as a family mentioning something we are grateful for. As we do this, we will add a leaf onto the tree!

You can make your own gratitude tree for your family, too!

Possibilities are endless and you can make your tree design and cap designs however you like. I really like this idea.
 

If you wish, you can download your own set of leaves here.  I would love to see pictures if you make your own gratitude tree advent calendar!  You could even make a tree on your refrigerator and add leaf magnets every day during November.  **These leaves were made to fit my bottle caps, so you may have to resize these just a smidge smaller to fit clear glass pebbles.  Or just trim them up a bit!

Thank you to Oopsey Daisy for such a cute idea and cute little blog, visit her and share some blog love HERE 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Learning about the Olympics and free E-book

Olympics Trivia

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By: Kyrie Collins, Highlands Ranch, CO Publisher Mom

From my local Hickory Macaroni Kids newsletter

The First

The first recorded Olympic Games took place in Ancient Greece in 776 BC. The only event was a "stade," a foot race about 600 feet in length. This is where the word "stadium" originates. The athletes participated nude or "gymnos." This is where the word "gymnasium" originates.

The Countries

205 different nations will be competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Greece is the only nation to have participated under its own flag in every modern Summer Olympic Games.

London Calling

2012 will be London's third time hosting the Olympics, more than any other city. The United States has hosted more Olympic games than any other country, with a total of eight in six different cities.

The Official Olympic Flag

The five rings on the Olympic Flag represent the five continents from which the athletes hail. They are interconnected to symbolize the friendship to be gained. The colors of the rings - blue, yellow, black, green, and red - were chosen because at least one of them appears on the flag of every country in the world.

The Motto

Citius, Altius, Fortius is Latin for Swifter, Higher, Stronger.

The Medals

The medals are designed for each Olympic Games by the host city's committee. Gold medals are actually 92-1/2% silver, covered in six grams of gold. Solid gold medals haven't been awarded since the 1912 Olympics.

It Was A Tie

In 1912, the light heavyweight wrestling final lasted nine hours. Neither wrestler gained an advantage over the other, so both received a silver medal.

Cancelled Games

No Olympic Games were held in 1916, 1940, or 1944 due to World War I and World War II. Major boycotts occurred in 1980 and 1984 because of the Cold War.

The Events

To be considered for inclusion in the Olympics, an event must be "widely practiced" by men in at least 75 countries on four continents and by women in at least 40 countries on three continents. (Who knew that the hammer throw was so darn popular worldwide?)

Length of a Marathon

Many people mistakenly believe the length of a marathon (26.2 miles) dates back to 490 BC when a Greek soldier ran from Marathon to Athens to announce that the Greeks defeated the invading Persians. However, the distance between Marathon and Athens is approximately 25 miles. It wasn't until the 1908 Summer Olympics, which were also held in London, that the queen asked that the marathon begin at Windsor Castle so the Royal Children could see the start of the race and end below the Royal Box at the stadium. The distance from the castle to the stadium was 26 miles and 385 yards. For some strange reason, this became the standardized length of a marathon in 1924.

Strangest Event

Club Swinging was an event in 1904 and 1932. Competitors swung a club decorated with ribbons around their bodies and heads. This event is considered by some to be the grandparent of modern-day Rhythm Gymnastics.

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From Pinterest lots of Olympic Unit study boards and information any homeschool mom will love!! 

                                                                      Source: icanteachmychild.com via Nikki on Pinterest

  This FREE eBook includes:

• A List of Books about the Olympics
• A Gold Medal Map Guide
• 6 Unique Olympic Crafts
• 6 Fun Olympic Games & Activities
• 3 Delicious Olympic-Inspired Snacks

Whether you’re looking to host an Olympic party or just want to have fun with your child during the Olympics…this eBook is for YOU!

So…here’s how you can snag your own copy!

-Go here and enter your e-mail address to subscribe for free e-mail updates.

-You’ll immediately receive an e-mail from “Feedburner E-mail Subscriptions” asking you to activate your subscription.  Click on the first link to activate.

-Directly underneath the link to activate your subscription, you will see the following:  ”As a THANK YOU for subscribing, here is my FREE gift to you.”.  Click on the link to get your 21-page Olympic Activities for Kids eBook as well as our Fascinating Science for Kids eBook.