My WAHM Plan

Nashville, TN- Come get lost in Shuckles Corn Maze at Fiddle Dee Farms

in corn maze, entertainment, fall, family fun, FamilyLife, kids, Nashville TN, pumpkin patch, by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, September 02, 2016

Happy Friday and happy September dear readers! It was a glorious 66 degrees outside this morning, so I took full advantage of the coolness by spending time in my neglected flowerbeds. The breeze felt so good and listening to all the birds and squirrels in my yard reminded me Fall is coming! I can't think of a better way to spend a pleasant fall day with my family than at a local farm. If you live in the greater metro Nashville, TN. area, you are going to want to visit Fiddle Dee Farms in Hendersonville!

About Fiddle Dee Farms and Shuckles Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch:

"Shuckles Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch located at Fiddle Dee Farms has been getting families lost in the corn for over seven years. Come spend the afternoon and have hours of fun. New this year is our large Fiddle Dee Jumping Pillow (see photo below) and Rope Maze. Pet the animals and ride the 40' Super Slide. Come buy a pumpkin, decorate it and race it in The Great Pumpkin Derby -- new this year at Fiddle Dee Farm. Over twenty-five activities included in General Admission."

Check out the new jumping pillow at Fiddle Dee Farms

Mark your calendars now because the Fall fun starts September 24, 2016 and goes through November 6, 2016!

Pumpkin bowling for the little ones at Fiddle Dee Farms, Hendersonville, TN.

Important Updates and Savings:

Visit Music City Kids to get $2.00 off Shuckles Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch! Shuckles corn maze and pumpkin patch has moved, but not very far! Come see their new pumpkin town, wild Fiddle Dee kingdom and Fiddle Dee sticks hollow! This sounds like lots of Fall fun for the whole family! I'll be sure to share photos when my family and I visit soon.

Disclosure: My family and I will receive complimentary admission to Fiddle Dee Farms as part of the blogger family at US Family Guide, for sharing this announcenent post and after visiting, sharing our family day! All opinions and love of local fun spots are my own.

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Indulge your sweet tooth with Nonni's Dark Chocolate Almond thin cookies

in after school, almond, cookies, dark chocolate, family, snacks, by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, August 29, 2016

Labor day is drawing ever closer and my home and garden magazines are chock full of delightful “fall” desserts, tempting me to bake pies and breads and cookies! Tempting as all those recipes are, it’s still too hot for me to consider having my oven on for more than a quick broil here and there, so I was thrilled when asked to try out the latest THINaddictives cookies from Nonni’s. We got to indulge our sweet tooth with dark chocolate almond thins when I received a complimentary box of items from Nonni’s who did the baking for us. If it’s still too hot for you to bake sweet treats as well, then this giveaway is for you! All opinions expressed are my own.

Nonnis dark chocolate almond thin cookies are perfect with fruit

About Nonni’s Dark Chocolate Almond THINaddictives:

Made for dark chocolate lovers wanting a guilt-free treat, each cookie is lightly drizzled with real, dark chocolate.

Nonni's dark chocolate almond THINaddictives #snacks

Nonni’s new line of THINaddictives comes in three tasty flavors:

Dark Chocolate Almond Banana:

My daughters liked these best, noting they could tell these were made with real bananas and the dark chocolate drizzle had just the right amount of sweetness.

Double Dark Chocolate Almond:

These were my favorite, which came as no surprise to anyone! I love dark chocolate and almonds! I love that I could see and taste the chunks of almonds.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond:

These were my husband’s favorite, with good reason. The flavor profile is subtle, yet very tasty. He wants to pair them with some cream cheese and grapes.

I served each flavor of Dark Chocolate Almond THINaddictives with fruit for and afternoon snack and found it a delightful flavor combination!

Peaches and dark chocolate almond cookie thins

I can feel good about my family enjoying these since each treats average 70 to 80 calories and come in pre-portioned freshness packs with two almond thins each, making it the perfect on the go snack for busy families!

I invite you to learn more about the Nonni’s brand by getting social with them. As a small business owner, I’m always intrigued by the family behind the brand. Learn more about their newest line of THINaddictives featuring dark chocolate and almond here. Be sure to visit them on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Win It:

Would you liked to indulge your sweet tooth with Nonni's Dark Chocolate Almond thin cookies? Thanks to the generous folks at Nonni’s, one lucky winner will receive one box of each new Dark Chocolate Almond THINaddictives (3 full size boxes with 7 pouches each).

Terms:

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter from below. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please share in comments: Which new dark chocolate almond THINaddictives flavor will you try first if you win?

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Wordless Wednesday: Morning Dew

in dew, flowers, Garden, morning, nature, summer gardening, walks, by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Berries dripping with morning dew #nature

Clematis bloom soaking in the much needed moisture from morning dew

Rose of Sharon flower with dew drops #nature

Please share in comments: Do you take early morning garden/nature walks too?

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Win the newest Fiber One Cheesecake bars flavors Key Lime Pie & Chocolate

in cheesecake bars, chocolate, fiber, healthy, key lime pie, snacks, by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, August 19, 2016

It’s a special day at our house- we have made it through another full week of back to school! Friday means slowing down, no alarms going off at 5:15 am on Saturday and because I’m feeling festive- a giveaway for you!

I love kicking off the weekend with a giveaway any chance I get and you are in for a sweet treat this time. My thanks to Fiber One for sending me a cute tote bag, coupons and complimentary Fiber One bars to try and giveaway. All opinions and love of Friday’s and sweet treats are my own.

Keeping good for you, or at the very least better for you snacks in the pantry for my family is a priority for me all year, but most especially when school is in session. My girls get off the bus famished every afternoon. I always have bowls of fresh fruit available and they eat multiple servings a day- but sometimes they just want something sweet and the new Fiber One cheesecake bars are a treat my family can’t resist.

The first box opened was the chocolate Fiber One cheesecake bars and I can see why. I adore most everything chocolate myself, so I was happy to let the girls grab a bar and take it with us as we ran errands after school.

Treat yourself to Fiber One chocolate cheescake bars

They gave the sweet, chocolatey, chessecakey bar high praise and said it really was a sweet treat! I can feel good about serving Fiber One bars because they have 20% daily value of fiber with each small bar having 5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of fat and 150 calories.

When my husband got home from work and asked for a quick snack before dinner snack, I offered him a Fiber One Cheesecake bar and he chose the Key Lime pie bars and loved it!!

Treat yourself to Fiber One Key Lime pie cheesecake bars

The next day, the girls took a Key Lime pie cheesecake bar to school and believe it or not chocolate lovers everywhere- my family prefers the Fiber One Key Lime pie bars over the Chocolate!

I invite you to learn more about Fiber One Cheesecake bars by visiting their website. For more information and inspiration connect with them on Pinterest and Facebook.

Win It:

Thanks to the great team at Fiber One, one lucky reader will win this prize pack! 1 cute Fiber One cheesecake bars tote, 1 box each of Fiber One Chocolate Cheesecake Bars, 1 box Fiber One Key Lime pie cheesecake bars and two coupons for free boxes to use later.

Terms:

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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4 tips to ease back in to gardening after a summer break

in fall prep, Garden, planting, summer gardening, watering, weeding, by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Oh, August, you sultry, full on summer month you. I have a love/hate relationship with August because of all the heat and humidity in the south. I walk past my flower beds and cringe at the weeds popping up and the slightly uncared for vibe I seem to be cultivating this summer. I vow to get out there before it gets “too” hot tomorrow, but that’s the problem with August- it is just plain hot and it makes me lazy! I wish my flowerbeds looked like this, but sadly they don't even come close anymore.

Vincas and mulch #gardening how I want my flowerbeds to look

Gardening is more than a passing hobby to me, it feeds my soul and I miss the daily rewards when I don’t garden. I know I need to get back on track, just like a runner or dancer would after a hiatus from training. I’ve come up with 4 tips to ease back in to gardening after a break so I can be ready for fall and all its gardening glory and I wanted to share them with you today.

Tip One: Be kind and stop comparing my garden to others!

The first tip is what I would tell anyone trying something new, or reaching for a goal. Be kind to yourself. I’m going to cease all negative talk about the state of my garden and move forward. In keeping with the kindness vein, I will also stop garden comparisons! It does me no good to see what others have done right now, which leads me to tip two.

Tip Two: Make a plan of action.

You know I love a good plan around here, so for me to overlook putting gardening time on my busy schedule was a recipe for disaster. If I’m honest here – I knew back at the beginning of June that I wasn’t allocating enough to gardening endeavors and I erroneously assumed life would slow down and I’d hit it hard the next weekend, but that next weekend never came. Now, I’m trying to make bite size jobs out of the mess that remains. That’s tip three.

Water container plants and herbs often #gardening

Tip Three: Take small steps towards your goal.

I’ve decided the best course of action for me here is to break up my gardening tasks into 15 minute increments, like this. Since I work at home, my schedule is a little more flexible.

Early- morning (after kids are on bus and hubby is off to work): pull weeds and dead head a quarter section of front flower bed. Add Vinca and Marigolds to borders and containers to add pops of color now.
Mid- morning break: water all container plants/herbs. Dead head as needed. Pick tomatoes/berries as needed.
Late afternoon: take a 15 walk around property with family. Make mental notes of what needs done. Pick up sticks/branches as needed. Take to burn pile.
Dusk: Water again as needed. Fill bird feeders. Change bird bath water. Start adding mulch to cleared areas.

plant container plants for pops of color

Tip four: Visualize what your garden looks like in the next season and add plantings where needed.

I’ve always thought of our home as a “fall” home. Maybe it’s because we first looked at our home and bought it in the fall. I fell in love with the trees and pond and beautiful sweeping green lawns. Maybe it’s because secretly, I’m a fall gardener at heart, preferring the rich colors of Mums and Asters and the blessedly cooler temperatures. Whatever the reason, my lack of gardening this summer is going to make planning for fall critical.

Thankfully, I made note of what was doing well in my garden last fall, so I know I need to focus on bulbs this fall. Some bulbs need to be divided, like my bearded Iris, while I’ll need to replace other bulbs like Crocus because an industrious critter dug the up.

Now that I’ve mapped out ways to get my garden back on track, I will be adding a daily gardening task reminder to my planner and on my phone, just like I would for exercising or picking up the girls from an after school event, because gardening is such a rewarding way to spend your time. Communing with nature is great for the body, mind and spirit.

Please share in comments: Do you have a favorite gardening season? What makes it your favorite season?

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Easy ways to be #PositivelyPrepared for #BacktoSchool with teens #ad

in #AD, #backtoschool, #PositivelyPrepared, aches, FamilyLife, pains, routines, school, teens, by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

I have received information and materials from JOHNSON & JOHNSON CONSUMER, Inc., McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division, LLC. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post. #PositivelyPrepared #BacktoSchool #CollectiveBias

#‎ad‬ Be ‪‬#PositivelyPreparedfor ‪#‎BacktoSchool‬ this year with these tips and savings from #Target‬ and #Tylenol‬.

We are in our third full day of the new school year here at casa Kinsman and I will confess to feeling a little more pressure than usual as I take in the scope of what this milestone year will bring for my family. ”Busy” doesn’t seem to adequately cover the 2016-2017 school year ahead! My oldest daughter is a senior with a heavy class load, clubs, prom, graduation and college looming large. My youngest is an eighth grader with tough classes, banquets, club events, and graduation from middle school. Instead of letting this pressure filled year overwhelm me, I found easy ways to be prepared for this school year with my teens and want to share them with you today.

Have fun! I’ve read several back to school checklists and oddly, this simple way to stay positive during this crazy, hectic time of year wasn’t mentioned. I snapped the above photo on our recent family vacation to the Smoky Mountains. We were having so much fun, so I’ll implement time for fun into our daily routines.

Take time to stretch everyday! #PositivelyPrepared for #BacktoSchool

Stretch! You may think that back pain is strictly parent’s domain, but that is not the case. Our teens lug around a loaded down back pack full of books, or carry their books to class daily. Not to mention having to look down at their desks to do their assignments. This can lead to back pain and a serious crick in the neck. Setting aside just 10 minutes after school to stretch out those tired muscles will help refresh and invigorate our kids to finish the day on the right foot.

Hydrate! By the time we feel thirsty, we are probably already about a quart low on fluids! Most kids don’t drink enough water during the school day, so it’s very important that we offer tasty ways for our kids to re- hydrate after school. Be sure to stock up on after school snacks that are super hydrators like watermelon and grapes. Make a cool and refreshing fruit smoothie if your busy schedule allows, or try this trick. Fill a water bottle halfway and place in the freezer when you making lunches for the next day. Grab and fill with water to take with you to after school activities.

Inevitably, no matter how well we plan our days, back to school time can bring on aches and pains, colds and headaches, so my last tip is to stock up on reliable pain relief products like TYLENOL® and MOTRIN®. Afterall, TYLENOL® is the #1 Doctor Recommended Brand of Pain Reliever and offers trusted pain relief.

#ad Get #PositivelyPrepared for #BacktoSchool at Target

I find all the products my family trusts at Target. Get positively prepared with the right pain relief for you and your family by visiting your local Target and heading towards the pharmacy, or by shopping for pain relief online at Target. Each family is different and will have different pain relief needs, but here are my suggestions based on what works for me and my family.

#ad my trusted pain relief to be #PositivelyPrepared for #BacktoSchool

TYLENOL® Regular strength Liquid Gels:

Trusted pain and fever relief now in a liquid gel. Temporarily relieves minor aches and pains due to headache, muscular aches, backache, minor pain of arthritis, the common cold, toothache, premenstrual and menstrual cramps, temporarily reduces fever. For adults and children 6 years and older. Use only as directed.

MOTRIN® IB:

Works fast to stop pain where it starts. Temporarily relieves minor aches and pains due to: the common cold, headache, backache, minor pain of arthritis, toothache, muscular aches, premenstrual and menstrual cramps; temporarily reduces fever. For adults and children 12 years and older. Use only as directed.

TYLENOL® 8 HR Muscle Aches & Pain:

Take control of your muscle pain and take back your day. Temporarily relieves minor aches and pains due to: muscular aches, backache, minor pain of arthritis, toothache, premenstrual and menstrual cramps, headache, the common cold; temporarily reduces fever. For adults and children 12 years and older. Use only as directed. Acts fast and lasts all day.* *Up to 8 hours. Tough on body pain. Gentle on your stomach.

Want to learn more about TYLENOL® products and read reviews? I suggest you follow them on Facebook here. Be sure to get social with Target too! My teens and I love shopping at Target and I follow them on Facebook and Twitter to learn about current sales and giveaways. You can save more when shopping with Target by using their Cartwheel savings app! Head on over to Target’s website to learn more.

Whether you are relishing the last days of your summer vacation, or your kids have already headed back to school, I hope my today’s post will help you ease back into school mode and help you be positively prepared for what the school year holds in store for you and your family.

Please share in comments: What is your best tip for easing back in to school routines?

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Wordless Wednesday:Smoky Mountain Views

in clouds, family, ferns, Garden, nature, sky, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, trees, Vacation, by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Smoky Mountains layers of blue and green

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Save $1 on1 bag of IAMS dry dog food & get a $5 Target Gift Card when you buy 2 bags AD

in #IamsDogOffer #Ad #CollectiveBias, dog, food, IAMS, pets, save, Target, by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, August 08, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias Inc., and it's advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #IamsDogOffer #CollectiveBias

Double the savings for your pet! Save $1 on any 1 bag of IAMS dry dog food, PLUS get a $5 Target Gift Card when you buy 2 bags!

If you are a dog owner, I'm sure you will agree this is a great way to save on your furry friends Iams dog food!

Please share in comments: Do you shop at Target often?

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Upgrade your gaming system needs with Groupon

in family, fun, gaming, system, Xbox #ad, by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, August 01, 2016

The dog days of summer are upon us and most of America is experiencing a major heat wave. When it gets this hot, even a dip in the pool doesn’t sound as refreshing as staying indoors with the AC on. To combat boredom during these long summer days, our family enjoys playing video games together; but we need to upgrade our gaming system and accessories badly.

My thanks to today's post sponsor, Groupon. While I will receive compensation as a thank you for my time, I only share products/services I feel will benefit my readers. All opinions are mine.

My husband is more of a gamer than I am, but I do like playing Zelda and Mario Brothers with my girls. However, now that they are older and are more experienced gamers, their skill levels outpace mine. We were talking about which games we liked over dinner recently and we all agreed, we had to get serious about our gaming system upgrade. We’ve been watching out for a great deal on the Xbox One system and luckily just learned that we can save a bunch by shopping with Groupon Goods!

Most of the time we use Groupon for food and entertainment savings, so we were pleasantly surprised at the variety of high quality games, controllers, systems and more you can find when you check out the video game section at Groupon. It’s easy to find. Just go to the Groupon site, then Goods and then look for video games under Popular categories.

My husband discovered he could purchase the Nyko Xbox One Controller Charge Base for just $21.99! This cool charger keeps your controllers ready to play with a dual-port dock that can charge two controllers at once, which is perfect for playing multi-player games on a family fun Friday night.

If your gaming system needs an upgrade too, I invite you to head on over to Groupon Goods and get shopping, or at least dreaming of the upgrades you want!

Please share in comments: Are you a gamer? If so, what is your favorite game?

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Wordless Wednesday: Fair Season

in corn dogs, county fair, FamilyLife, ferris wheel, fun, horses, state fair, tractors, by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Whether it's your local county fair, or big state fair- the season for all things fair is upon us!

Here's a few pics from our previous visits to Tennessee fairs. I'll be sharing more from this season soon.

Happy fair season! Stay cool and hydrated out there!

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15 chores to tackle in 15 minutes or less

in activities, chores, cleaning, easy, homemaking, kids, list, quick, summer, by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, July 18, 2016

Ah, Summer! How we love you. When you aren’t here we dream of your warm days and perfect star filled nights. We long for juicy peaches and messy popsicles. July is half over and we still happily look forward to summertime fun like swimming, taking road trips, picnics at the park, family cookouts, gardening, morning trips through the farmer's market and bonfires, just to name a few. The one thing we don’t plan and dream of is summer chores. Today I'm sharing 15 chores you can tackle in 15 minutes or less to help you get back to enjoying this amazing season quickly.

15 chores to tackle in 15 minutes or less

I don’t know about you, but at my house, once the kids are out of school my chore time increases. From sticky kitchen tables and counters to the ever present need to sweep up tracked in grass and dirt, I felt like I could not keep up until I made this one simple change.

When I'm home, I take a break from work every 30 minutes or so and do a quick chore. Taking these mini-breaks helps me be more productive, helps increase my energy while decreasing my seat time and helps lessen my chore list when I do switch gears and stop working for the day. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in 10 - 15 minutes!

Fold towels and stack in like sizes for a more organized linen closet

Here are 15 quick chores that I do. Feel free to copy my list to get you started.

Fold a load of laundry, put it away and start a new one.
Sweep the kitchen and mud room floor.
Wipe down bathroom counters and mirrors.
Water plants on front porch.
Clean out trash in car.
Go through mail and recycle junk mail.
Dead head flowers and pinch back herbs.
Check pantry supplies for weekly meal plan.
Dust a room and put away discarded items.
Unload dishwasher.
Wipe down kitchen table and chairs.
Clean out Frig drawers or organize shelves.
Clean photo frames in the hall.
Update coupons.
Wipe down glass doors.

Clean one portion of your frig weekly to keep it tidy

If you work away from home all day, you can still use this list to tackle your chores. Taking a break every 30 minutes to do something you enjoy like sipping a cool drink while reading will help you feel re-energized once you do return to your chore list.

Be sure to delegate some of your chores to your kids if they are old enough and especially if they find you mid-task and tell you they are bored! I always find a task my daughters can handle. Just remember to be good to yourself and step away from work too so you can fully enjoy this special season.

Please share in comments: What is the toughest area of your home to keep clean? For me, it's the bathroom counters!

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