Back to School Theme Kids Crafts Creative DIY Fun for Home, School or Homeschool
Eco Crafts
All images in this post from PBS Parents
Whether your kids will be going off to traditional school or you homeschool, there's nothing like Back to School to get you thinking about fun things you can make together!
Here is some GREAT creative inspiration from PBS Parents to get you started, all incorporating recyclable materials you'll already likely have at home.
Giant Pencil
This craft starts with an empty Pringles can roll. The finished product has multiple purposes your child could use as a pencil box, a treat container and more.
Directions
Milk Carton School Bus
All you need to make this is an empty 1/2 gallon milk carton, bottle caps, construction paper, hot glue gun, yellow paint and a few other items.
Directions
Pretty Homemade Paper
Here's a fun way to recycle paper to create something completely new: fancy stationery. In addition to some old paper, you'll need a picture frame and screen, some seeds, flowers, vegetables and food coloring and a few more easy to find ingredients.
For LOTS more Back to School theme art projects, visit the kids crafts section of PBS.org
FTC Disclosure: The content in this post was inspired by PBS Parents. No payment or other compensation was exchanged in connection with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's home page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
The Ultimate Beer Lover's Happy Hour Cookbook Review + #BeerLoversHH Photo Contest
Good Food
This is a sponsored post
Recipe of the Week #BeerLoversHH Photo Contest
Details for this fun challenge below the recipe in this post
I absolutely love and appreciate really good food and drinking quality beer. So, when I first read the Sourcebooks email, my mouth began watering just thinking about the newly published The Ultimate Beer Lover's Happy Hour cookbook by John Schlimm (August 2014, $14.99, Paperback). But when the review copy actually arrived by snail mail and I cracked open this new book, that appetite turned from a trickle into a waterfall.
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| Grilled Portobello Burger & Beer, Photo by Amy Roth Photo |
"Cooking should be as fun as eating," says Schlimm, "and with The Ultimate Beer Lover's Happy Hour all my fellow beer lovers can now hit the ground running, chugging, and partying all day long!"
There's truly something in this book for every beer lover as well as each connoisseur of world-class fare, whether of the sophisticated junk food or healthy variety. Alehouse Agave & Chipotle Mixed Nuts are an example for fans of the former, while The Grilled Portobello Burgers (see recipe below) is just one of the many healthier delicacies you'll discover inside this book.
Recipe of the Week
Grilled Portobello Burgers
From The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour by John Schlimm, Page 198
Pair with: Belgian Ale, American Wheat Ale, American or English Pale Ale
Grilled Portobello burgers are popping up on menus
everywhere, but none of them can hold a candle to this marinated version
boasting a culinary treasure trove of ingredients – balsamic vinegar, vermouth,
Old Bay, soy sauce, and chiles, to name a few. The only thing that can possibly
make this burger better is its sidekick of a Belgian Ale, American Wheat Ale,
or American or English Pale Ale. And that’s before you even hit up the
potential variations that follow, including a Portobello Fire Burger, Buffalo-Style
Portobello Burger, and Sauerkraut & Portobello Burger.
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| Fresh Portobello Mushrooms at the market, MommyBlogExpert.com |
¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dry white vermouth
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon to 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, divided
2 Anaheim chile peppers, seeded, each pepper carved into
2 wedges
2 jalapeƱos, finely chopped
8 portobello mushrooms (about 1 pound), black gills under
the caps scraped away
4 potato bread rolls/buns or regular hamburger buns
2 to 3 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
¼ cup mayonnaise
4 romaine lettuce leaves, halved and trimmed to fit
inside the rolls
1 tomato, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Directions
Whisk the canola oil with the balsamic vinegar, vermouth,
garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay Seasoning, soy sauce, Tabasco sauce, and ½
teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add the Anaheim chile wedges, jalapeƱos, and
mushrooms, and toss to coat thoroughly. Marinate the mixture at room
temperature for 45 minutes.
Lightly
oil the grates, if necessary, and heat the grill to medium. Grill the pepper
wedges, skin side down, until blackened, about 10 minutes, turning after 5
minutes to create crisscross grill marks. Set aside until cool enough to
handle, then rub off the skins with paper towels.
Meanwhile, grill the mushrooms,
covered, until tender, about 8 minutes, turning once after about 6 minutes.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
Split the buns and toast them.
Stir the tarragon into the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Generously spread the
mayonnaise mixture on both insides of the toasted buns. Place two grilled
mushrooms on the bottom half of each hamburger roll, and top with a lettuce
leaf, and tomato and red onion slices. Close the burgers, and serve promptly.
Yields 4 Burgers
MBE Note: You'll find four variations to this recipe in The Ultimate Beer Lover's Happy Hour including Mushroom Lover's Burger paired with Amber Lager, Portobello Fire Burger paired with Chili Beer, Buffalo-Style Portobello Burger paired with India Pale Ale, and Sauerkraut & Portobello Burger paired with Oktoberfest beer.
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| The Ultimate Beer Lover's Happy Hour book cover |
The Ultimate Beer Lover's
Happy Hour Challenge
Here's how to Enter to Win
- Try the Grilled Portobello Burgers Recipe in this post
- Snap a photo of your masterpiece with a smartphone or camera
- Share on Twitter and/or Instagram with hashtag #BeerLoversHH
- Entry deadline is midnight PST on 9/4/14
- One lucky entrant will get The Ultimate Beer Lover's Happy Hour
John Schlimm is a member of one of the oldest and most historic brewing families in the U.S., Straub Brewery. His claims to fame are many. He is an international award-winning author of several books, having appeared on national shows like Ellen, NPR's The Splendid Table, Martha Stewart's Everyday Food and Fox & Friends. Schlimm also holds a master's degree from Harvard University.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook featured from the publisher to facilitate this review and photo contest. Sourcebooks is also providing the prize and shipping for the #BeerLoversHH challenge I'm hosting. I did not receive any payment or other compensation and all opinions in this post are those of MBE. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
Free Strawberry Shortcake Printable Coloring Sheet Celebrates Upcoming Fox DVD New Movie Release
Printables
This is a sponsored post
All images in this post from Fox Home Entertainment
Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Best Friends
- Read the Movie Review
- Enter to Win the DVD Giveaway - Ends 10/28/14
Loyal readers know that Strawberry Shortcake is no stranger to this blog. In fact #BerryBestFriends and this very pink girl character that has been beloved for several generations has made multiple appearances on MommyBlogExpert. So I'm excited to announce the newest DVD in the series, Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Best Friends, will be released nationwide on September 16.
To give you a head start on all the fun the Strawberry Shortcake video series is known for and to celebrate the upcoming new release, here's a free printable coloring sheet for you to download and print out now for your child.
Click image below, download & print out...
Then let your child
Color to their heart's content!
Color to their heart's content!
While parents and kids wait for the forthcoming Strawberry Shortcake Berry Best Friends movie release keep up on all the Strawberry Shortcake fun by following
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programming. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.
FTC Disclosure: This is a #BerryBestFriends #FHEInsiders sponsored post. I disclose that I am a Fox Home Entertainment Insider brand ambassador. 20th Century Fox has provided the printable in this post for MBE readers and I have received the DVD to facilitate this post as well as the related review and giveaway. Fox is also supplying the prize and shipping for the Strawberry Shortcake Berry Best Friends DVD Giveaway MBE is hosting. However no payment was received and opinions here are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
#JourneytoCollege Twitter Party Aug 20 1-2 pm ET w/ Prizes With Kaplan SAT ACT Test Prep
Twitter Party
This is a Sponsored Post
If you know a high school student planning on attending college, you don't want to miss this informative and fun twitter party discussion tomorrow. You're invited to join us for a chat about the college planning process with @KaplanSATACT. We'll be providing tips and tricks to destress the college application experience for parents and kids, plus we'll be talking about the KapMap, a monthly guide published by Kaplan Test Prep that provides you with a FREE downloadable checklist of what needs to be done and when. The party includes prizes, of course!
See the full week's MBE Master Twitter Party Calendar HERE
If you know a high school student planning on attending college, you don't want to miss this informative and fun twitter party discussion tomorrow. You're invited to join us for a chat about the college planning process with @KaplanSATACT. We'll be providing tips and tricks to destress the college application experience for parents and kids, plus we'll be talking about the KapMap, a monthly guide published by Kaplan Test Prep that provides you with a FREE downloadable checklist of what needs to be done and when. The party includes prizes, of course!
$1000+ in Prizes
including an iPad Grand Prize
Thursday, August 20 at 1 pm ET
@KaplanSATACT
@Aquabrwn
@DevonWible
@LisaSamples
@Zipporahs
@StacieinAtlanta
@MommyBlogExpert
@EllenBlogs
@SuuperG
$1000 in Party Prizes
- $75 Amazon Giftcards
- iPad Grand Prize
FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert is being compensated by SheSpeaks/Kaplan Test Prep as a panelist for this #JourneytoCollege Twitter Party. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
Destress the College Application Process for Your Child + Turn it Into an Exciting Experience Instead
College
This is a sponsored post
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| College Applications Loom Ahead Everywhere, MommyBlogExpert.com |
My Family's #JourneytoCollege
Where have all the years gone? Recently I learned from the first-hand experience of raising four children born within a year, including triplets, that kids really do transform from babies into high school seniors and college students over night. If you're reading this post, chances are that you may be approaching this same milestone in your own family's life or are already in the thick of it now. Either way, there's no better time than right now to talk about the Big C -- College.
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| Hard to believe my triplets are now high school seniors, MommyBlogExpert.com |
With my oldest having successfully completed his first year at college on the East Coast I've already been through the college prepatory experience once. No sooner did we send my big boy off to school, we found ourselves again entrenched in the heat of the college planning process, which of course doesn't only include picking out the schools each will apply to but also preparing for and scoring well on the SAT and/or ACT standardized assessment tests.
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| Next fall all 4 of my kids will be in college at the same time, MommyBlogExpert.com |
4 Essentials for Preparing for the College Application Process
The College Discussion Should Begin Freshman Year of High School
This may come as a surprise, as it did to me. Believe it or not, it's not too early to start chatting with your child about preparing for becoming a university student at the beginning of 9th grade. That's because unlike in middle and elementary school what kids do between 9th and 12th grades both in and out of school matters. Seriously.
Grades are Just the Beginning, Get Your Child Involved
We're not just talking about getting good grades, applying themselves or doing their best in every class that will eventually appear on their high school transcript, either. It also involves developing into well-rounded individuals with extra curriculars that students are passionate about and of course, giving back to the community.
Partner With Your Child's College Counselor as Early as Possible
Many schools don't seriously encourage freshman and sophomores to meet with a college counselor early on. But, as mentioned above, the clock starts ticking when a child enters high school as to what will matter when it comes to applying to colleges, so it is in you and your son's or daughter's best interest to get to know their college advisor as soon as you can. If none is available at this point, you can always seek out and hire a private college counselor to make sure your child is doing everything they need to right now.
Tap Into Free Resources like the KapMap
There also are some really good free advice and guidance resources on the Internet for those of you in the same boat as I am with one or more kids in high school this fall. One of the most helpful guides I've found and downloaded for each of my triplets is called KapMap from Kaplan Test Prep. Essentially KapMap is your go-to month-to-month guide of everything you and your student need to be doing on the college preparation front throughout the high school experience starting at the beginning of freshman year. Then, when things kick into high gear when your child is a junior or senior, all the important dates are listed such as prompts for taking practice ACT & SAT tests and registering to sit for the actual exam(s) as well as information on scheduling college interviews and the various university application like Early Action, Early Decision and regular college deadlines.
It's easy to get stressed out about the college prepatory experience -- believe me, I know because I've been there and done that. Here's a word of advice from a mom who knows: Don't. By remaining calm, collected and methodical throughout the process you can turn this potentially stressful time in your child's life into something that instead is an exciting and upbeat time of looking clearly toward the future.
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| Student's Tools of the College Prep Trade, MommyBlogExpert.com |
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| Win an iPad at the #JourneytoCollege Twitter Party, MommyBlogExpert.com |
Know someone who is college bound? Then you won't want to miss the #JourneytoCollege Twitter Party August 20th from 1-2 pm ET - including chance to win $1000+ in prizes: an iPad and $75 Amazon giftcards with @MommyBlogExpert serving as one of the panelists.
#JourneytoCollege Twitter Party
August 20th 1-2 pm ET
FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Kaplan Test Prep. I received compensation to write this post, however opinions expressed are my own and reflect my actual experience. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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