Simple snow day craft projects for kids & gift card giveaway #FCbloggers

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, February 16, 2015
Thank you to Family Christian for sponsoring today’s review and giveaway. All opinions and love of crafting are my own.

Rain, sleet, snow, ice.  Four words nobody wants to hear, but much of the south has been hit by a winter storm the likes of which we haven’t seen in many years. And those words are still in our weather outlook for at least 24 hours.  Thankfully, we had ample notice of our impending snow days, so we stocked up on necessities.  One of the necessities for this work-at-home mom is craft supplies! Nothing keeps my girls happy and engaged more than a new bunch of craft supplies.


Thank you card #craft #paper #stamps #pens


We’d had the opportunity to shop at FamilyChristian.com a couple of weeks ago and I’d made a point of putting up the order for just such an occasion, and I’m really glad I did. Like me, you might think of Family Christian book stores for Christian based books, like the newest Max Lucado book, Before Amen (which I highly recommend), or their awesome selection of Willow Tree figurines; but their craft section shouldn’t be missed! 

Bright Card stock MyWAHMPlan.com



My youngest recently celebrated her birthday, so she decided to make personalized thank-you cards with the cool card stock and stamp set she got from our online shopping trip.

The great thing about the card stock we chose, besides its vibrant color choices, is the way the pad form keeps the sheets inside from getting damaged. Plus, the edge around the top cover shows the assortment of colors for you to easily find the color family you want. The texture of the card stock has a woven linen look, which makes it perfect for cards.


Princess stamp set MyWAHMPlan.com


After my daughter chose her paper, she got out all the stamps and pencils from this awesome princess stamping set from Melissa & Doug and set to work making her own unique thank-you cards. 
stamping craft time MyWAHMPlan.com



I love how each one turned out a bit different and how much fun my birthday girl had making her own cards. Clean-up and storage was a breeze, because all the stamps and pencils fit right back in their wooden tray. 

sew cute owl kit MyWAHMPlan.com



My oldest daughter had picked out an owl sewing craft kit that is beyond cute! The Sew Cute kit includes everything you need to make two fun and easy owl projects!  She set to work by familiarizing herself with all the supplies provided in her kit. 


owl craft kit supplies MyWAHMPlan.com


This is an easy and fun craft she can do in an afternoon. I think she’s going to give one of the cute owl friends to one of her friends for an upcoming birthday gift too. 

I love how our snow day craft projects not only made my girls’ day happy, but how they will be spreading that happiness to their friends as well. That’s the great thing about doing crafts and D.I.Y. projects; you usually wind up sharing that love with others. 


How about I share some crafting love with you by giving you a chance to win a $10.00 gift certificate to shop at FamilyChristian.com? 


#FamilyChristian logo MyWAHMPlan.com

Win it!


Thanks to Family Christian, one lucky reader will win a $10.00 gift certificate to use at any Family Christian store or online! Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. 


Terms:

Open to U.S. residents 18+. No purchase necessary to enter. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. One winner will be randomly selected using the Raffle Copter tools random selector and notified via email. Once notified, the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Google. Void where prohibited.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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Color of the month February 2015 Sunset Pink

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Oh February, how I want to love you.  You are positively filled with celebration days: National Freedom Day (2/1), Groundhog Day (2/2), Valentine's Day (2/14), Mardi Gras (2/17) Chinese New Year (2/19). 

 All of these days fill my mind with vivid colors just thinking about how I might decorate to celebrate the day- but it's not enough. I want to look out my window and see a colorful landscape, but dear February, you just can't manage that.  

What you can manage and do provide most beautifully is glorious sunrises and sunsets. It was a toss up which I'd pick for this months color, but in the end, the sunsets won.


Here's a photo of a resent sunset in my neck of the woods.


February #sunset pink


And here's my Pinterest board for this month. I hope you like it! 




If you have a sunset photo you'd like me to see, or other pins (family friendly) that boast a sunset pink vibe, let me know in comments and I'll add it to my board.

Stay Warm! 


Please share in comments: Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets and why?


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Hallmark wants to help us #PutYourHeartToPaper this Valentine’s Day

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, February 04, 2015

I love giving and receiving cards for the big holidays and celebrations of life and Valentine’s Day is an important one to me.  When Hallmark asked its bloggers if they’d like to receive some complimentary Valentine’s Day cards to review and share our thoughts, I had my virtual hand way up high in the air! My thanks to Hallmark for sponsoring today's post.  All thoughts and love of love are all my own. 


#Hallmark Valentine's Day cards MyWAHMPlan.com


As another Valentine’s Day draws near, I was drawn to the stack of cards I’ve saved from my husband over the course of our 22 year marriage. Countless ones are from Hallmark, so it comes as no surprise that from now until the very last minute on February 14th, Hallmark cards are jumping off store shelves and with very good reason. They speak to us. They help us say what we want to say to all the special people in our lives.


#Hallmark puppy butt! card MyWAHMPlan.com


When I saw this card from Hallmark’s Shoebox collection, I immediately though this would be perfect for my daughter who loves puppies! After reading the sentiment inside the card- I thought, this would also be perfect for any single friends or family in your life because it isn’t about “coupledom” or happily ever after.  It’s just a card that’s funny and says, Hey, I’m thinking about you today.



#Hallmark Beetle Valentine's Day Card MyWAHMPlan.com


Next, I fell in LOVE with the wonderfully artistic and colorful cards by Mirna K. Stubbs for Hallmark’s Studio Ink collection.  If you had asked me about putting a couple of Beetles on a Valentine’s Day card for adults, I would have looked at you like you were crazy talking, but this card works! It’s simple, yet beautiful. It makes me think of far off destinations full of color and promise.  I could see somebody receiving this card and putting it up on their bulletin board, or in a frame to treasure. As a matter of fact, I’m giving this one to my oldest daughter because I saw her positive reaction to it. 



#Hallmark Valentine's Day card collection #MyWAHMPlan.com

While looking through the rest of the collection Hallmark sent me, I would think “Oh, this one is perfect for my husband!” Then, I read another and then another and honestly, there were 3 beautiful cards from different Hallmark collections and artists including Sarah Jessica Parker that I could give my husband and it would be perfect!



Hallmark #PutYourHearttoPaper MyWAHMPlan.com


Hallmark wants to help all of us find the right card and find the right words to express how we feel about those most important to us; to #PutYourHeartToPaper. That’s why they have set up an awesome site full of inspirational ideas on how we can fully express ourselves. There are even some tips for writing a love-letter!  Can you imagine receiving a hand written love letter? Be still my heart. 


The site even have a series of videos that Hallmark shot with six couples (they’re really awesome) that will touch your heart. These couples were asked how they would express their love without using the word love. Their answers are so heartfelt; you may get teary eyed like I did. You will come away feeling hopeful that love can conquer all. As a wife of some 22 years, I was drawn to Bob and Kim’s story. They have been married for 56 years! What an amazing testimony to marriage and life really.  Told you I love love. 


 Watch their video:






I invite you to visit the new  Hallmark holiday today site and get inspired to share all the love that’s in your heart this Valentine’s Day.  Ten head on over to Hallmark.com and shop their Valentine's Day card selection. You can personalize it, purchase it online and Hallmark will mail it for you! There's plenty of gifts to choose from as well. 



No matter how you celebrate Valentine's day, remember to lead with kindness, shine your light, and let love live in your heart.

From all of us to all of you: Happy Valentine's Day!




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February means love is in the Air #Giveaway

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, February 02, 2015


Happy Monday dear readers and welcome to February! Even though it's officially Ground Hog's Day, this post is for another special day in February- Valentine's Day!



#Love is in the Air #Giveaway prizes
Valentine's Day is a happy day for most of us;  because we get to share our love and appreciation  for the special people in our lives. That's why I've  teamed up with a great group of bloggers to bring you the Love is in the Air giveaway event full of fabulous Valentine's Day gifts for the whole family, sponsored by some of our favorite companies!


Shopular: Founded in 2012, Shopular is well on it's way to becoming the world’s leading mobile shopping community. To put it simply, Shopular delivers the best deals from your favorite retailers right to your phone, saving you time and money. This innovative app is able to intelligently combine cell tower, Wi-Fi and GPS signals to tell when you're at your favorite retailers. Then, you'll automatically get an alert with the latest deals and coupons available. That means NO work for you. You simply go shopping at your favorite mall or shop and the best coupon and deal will pop up on your phone. Over 2 million people are already using Shopular, so make your Valentine's Day shopping a breeze and download their free app today! It's available for Apple and Android users. Shopular wants to make sure you're able to get that special someone a new ring, necklace, or watch this Valentine's Day, so they have generously sponsored a $500 Zales gift card for this giveaway!


V/NO Alcohol Removed Wine: Calling all people who love wine, but need to limit their alcohol consumption - we're excited to introduce you to a new wine made especially for you! V/NO is a delicious beverage for moms, dads, families and friends to enjoy with an alcohol content less than .5%, half the calories and sugar of traditional wine, no added sugars or chemicals, and it comes in an appropriate serving size for health conscious consumers. V/NO Red, White, and Rosé are premium dealcoholized wines made in Napa Valley, California. Using traditional wine methods, the fruit is crushed, fermented and aged in stainless steel, and just prior to bottling, the alcohol is gently removed by cold filtration, leaving less than 0.5% alcohol. V/NO captures the health benefits of wine and is packaged in a unique and convenient 187ml bottle that doubles as a serving glass. V/NO is a more fun and tasty choice as an everyday beverage to pair with your food for lunch or dinner, with virtually no alcohol. No more need for another boring water, soda, tea or juice - opt for V/NO instead! You can purchase V/NO exclusively through their website. Use code LoveVINOwine to save $5 off each case (case = 12 flutes) through March 31st, 2015. Be sure to connect with V/NO on Facebook and Twitter.


I See Me!: Are you looking for the highest quality, most personalized children's books available? Look no further than I See Me! Since opening in 2000, the mission of I See Me! books is to increase self esteem in children through personalized books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child. The goal of their books is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skills. I See Me! books have become popular among celebrities including Courteney Cox, Brooke Shields and Jessica Alba. This Valentine's Day, show your little one just how much he or she is loved with the Who Loves You, Baby personalized board from bestselling author and illustrator Nina Laden and I See Me!. Your child’s name and photo are featured on the cover and inside this high quality board book and the thick, durable pages will stand up to repeated readings and are just right for little hands to hold. As an added personal touch, this book also includes the child's birth date and a printed dedication from the sender. It's available for $29.99 on the I See Me! website.
Step2: The Step2 Company, headquartered in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world's largest rotational molder of plastics. They strive to be the leading innovator of children's products that build imaginations and enrich the family's celebration of childhood. Step2 products are made to last and will hold up despite the beating that children tend to give everything they come in contact with. Their toys are colorful, fun, and encourage imaginative play. Your smallest Sweetheart(s) will have a blast in the Sweetheart Playhouse, now in a white & pink color palette! The Sweetheart Playhouse resembles a charming gingerbread-style cottage. Children will enjoy its colorful design and large interior. Several toddlers can fit inside this durable playhouse for backyard fun. An outside grill allows children to flex their creativity and imagination flipping burgers. Toy electronic phone and working doorbell will enable kids to play house and have a fun clubhouse experience.


Personalization Mall: PersonalizationMall.com was founded in 1998 with a goal of making personalized gift buying quick and easy. Their revolutionary preview technology takes the guess work out of personalization, by allowing you to see what your gift will look like, personalized with your details, before you buy it! Nothing Says, "You're special" like personalized gifts! It shows you went out of your way to find a unique gift and to personalize it to make it theirs alone! The personalized gift is the one that gets passed around at the party, for everyone to see! It makes you feel good to give, and it's even more special to receive! At PersonalizationMall.com, the gifts are as unique as the person receiving it! The majority of the designs have been created by their team of talented artists, and are available exclusively on the Personalization Mall website. Personalization Mall is giving one lucky couple his and her bathrobes, in your choice of size and color (black, ivory, or pink) with personalization included!

Win it!
One lucky person will win this $1100+ Valentine's Day prize package from Step2,
V/NO, I See Me!, Shopular, and Personalization Mall!
Open to the Lower 48 US states only, ages 18 and up. Ends 2/16/15 at 11:59 PM EST.


Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below. Good Luck!



Disclosure: This giveaway is hosted by Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro, and generously sponsored by the participating brands. Thrifty Nifty Mommy, Viva Veltoro, and the participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Please contact thriftyniftymommy(at)yahoo.com with questions about this giveaway. One winner will be randomly selected using the Giveaway Tools random selector and notified via email. Once notified, the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Google. Void where prohibited.
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Before Amen by Max Lucado stays at the top of my reading list

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, January 30, 2015
I was so excited when I was approached by Family Christian Blogger group to write a post and receive a free copy of their 2015 Book of the Year pick: Before Amen by Max Lucado. All opinions expressed are my own.


Before Amen by Max Lucado book MyWAHMPlan.com

Before Amen stays on top of my reading list! 


The idea of a simple prayer, one that would be good enough, powerful enough, dare I say it- Christian enough was intriguing to me.  I am a Christian woman, living smack dab in the middle of the Bible belt, so I have heard my fair share of impassioned prayers. 


In church, in bible study group, in the pick- up line at my kid’s school… and my simple prayers always felt small and somehow less than when compared to others wordy and usually, lengthy prayers. To put it bluntly- I would never be asked to join the Prayer Warriors group! 


After reading and in some parts, re-reading the amazing Before Amen, I now know something that gives me great confidence and helps me stand tall when I feel the need to pray. My simple prayers of “Dear Lord, please help me in this moment”, are perfectly okay to the only one that matters; Christ.  






Before Amen book by Max Lucado MyWAHMPlan.com


“We all pray ... some. We pray to stay sober, centered, or solvent. When the lump is deemed malignant. When the money runs out before the month does. When the marriage is falling apart. We pray.

In Before Amen, bestselling author Max Lucado joins readers on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubts and confidence even for prayer wimps. Distilling prayers in the Bible down to one pocket-sized prayer, Max reminds readers that prayer is not a privilege for the pious nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. Let the conversation begin.” 



My Thoughts:

Max Lucado welcomed me into this book, like a dear friend would welcome me into their home. He hit the perfect mix of being an authority on the subject of prayer and the Bible without being overbearing. There wasn’t one single moment in this book where I felt I was being talked down to, or preached to.


I actually learned biblical lessons from reading Before Amen that I somehow hadn’t retained from church sermons or bible study. For instance, did you know the first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance? In fact, the only tutorial they ever requested was on prayer!

There really is something in the delivery of information folks and Max Lucado teaches in a way that I get.


I have leaned heavily on the pocket prayer since first reading because it is such a simple, yet powerful prayer.




The Pocket Prayer:

Father,
You are good.
I need help. Heal me and forgive me.
They need help.
Thank you.
In Jesus’ name, amen.




Now that I know more about Intercessory prayer, I can expand on my prayers without feeling I’m not “Christian” enough. 

As Max says; “Intercessory prayer isn’t rocket science. It acknowledges our inability and God’s ability.”


If you are just entering your walk with Christ, or if you are like me and you feel like your prayers don’t quite measure up, I highly recommend you read Before Amen because the author is a self- professed prayer wimp that gets us!


The best part about reading Before Amen is that the words and teachings are staying with me. I’m praying more in the moment, not just for myself or my family, but for the world at large. 


I’ve shared many passages with my family as well and they have been moved as well. In fact, my youngest daughter who’s 12 asked if she could please read this book next. That’s how impactful this book is.


Family Christian has named Before Amen their 2015 book of the year, so I invite you to visit their website where you can read more thoughts on Before Amen and if you are so moved, purchase a copy for yourself or a loved one. You’ll be able to discover more books and guides from Max Lucado as well.

Please share in comments: How many books do you have started right now?

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Kickin’ Chicken Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip recipe #NaturallyFresh #sponsored

in , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, January 26, 2015

My thanks to Naturally Fresh® dressing and The Motherhood for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring our recipe shared below. All opinions and love of wholesomely good dips are 100% my own.


With the Super Bowl just days away, my husband and I were happy to take on the challenge of creating a Big Game recipe to share using Naturally Fresh® dressing.  My family has loved their Classic Ranch salad dressing for some time now. In fact it gets the “Dang-Diggity” seal of approval! The only trouble we had was deciding which Naturally Fresh® dressing we would use. 


Chickin' Chicken Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip #NaturallyFresh #recipe



About Naturally Fresh® dressings and dips:

#NaturallyFresh #giveaway on MyWAHMPlan.com

NaturallyFresh® is a line of high-quality, homemade-tasting salad dressings and dips. Many foods on store shelves today contain artificial flavors and colors that change the way the food tastes and looks, as well as preservatives that extend their shelf life. Naturally Fresh® refrigerated dressings are different. The company creates products that taste great by using wholesome ingredients, and leaving out artificial preservatives and artificial colors.  That's a total win in our book!


Their product line includes:

  • Classic Ranch- made with Naturally Fresh’s ® own buttermilk.
  • Lite Ranch- made with Naturally Fresh’s® own nonfat buttermilk with half the calories of the original.
  • Bleu Cheese: Made with Naturally Fresh’s® own buttermilk and aged bleu cheese chunks.
  • Lite Bleu Cheese: Made with Naturally Fresh’s® own nonfat buttermilk and aged bleu cheese chunks.


Chickin' Chicken Buffalo Blue Cheese dip party tray #NaturallyFresh


For the big game, we decided to take a classic entrée and turn it in to a dip that eats like a meal! Our Kickin’ Chicken Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip will have your guy stepping away from the wings to try this yummy dip. He may even pick up a veggie to dip. Score! This “better for you” dip is super easy to make too. Here’s what you’ll need.


Ingredients:

  • 1 Large can of Chicken Breast meat in water
  • ¾ jar of Naturally Fresh® Blue Cheese Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons (or more to taste) Cayenne based Hot sauce (think Tabasco®, Franks® or Texas Pete®)
  • 1 cup celery, diced small (reserve celery greens for garnish)
  • 1 package Neufchatel Cheese or softened Cream cheese



Directions:

  • In large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together until Chicken breast meat is broken apart and ingredients mixed in.
  • Garnish with celery greens and chill for at least an hour before serving.
  • Serve with your favorite chips, crackers, carrots, celery sticks or any dip-able veggie.
  • Makes 3 cups.

Digging into the Chickin' Chicken Blue Cheese Dip #NaturallyFresh



Are you ready to make our Kickin’ Chicken Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip recipe? Then make a grocery list and head to your nearest Kroger or Publix to pick up a jar of NaturallyFresh® Blue Cheese Dressing found in the refrigerated section. If you aren’t sure which of your local grocery store carries Naturally Fresh®, just use their mobile app to locate them. 




Win It!


#NaturallyFresh dressings #giveaway MyWAHMPlan.com


Thanks to the nice folks at Naturally Fresh®, one lucky reader will win 5 coupons for free 12 oz. #NaturallyFresh dressings! Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. 


Terms:

No purchase necessary to win. Must be 18+ years old and live in the United States. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is in no way endorsed affiliated or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This event will end on 12:00 AM (EST) 2/6/15. 



Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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