13 Reasons Why Home School Works For Us

We are wrapping up our first (almost) full year of virtual (home) school with William. I have to say, if you have ever questioned if you should do it for your child, you should give it a shot. It has been the best decision we could have made and plan to continue all the way through high school. I got to thinking about how much we don't miss public school. Even William shudders at the thought of ever going back. I came up with a list of reasons why our choice to home school works best for us.

1. No being on PTO or PTA. No meetings, no stress about school activities, and no planning school activities or fundraisers. Yes, NO FUNDRAISERS! 
2. No volunteering. Although I really enjoyed it, sometimes you become the default parent who ends up helping with EVERYthing. This leads to a severe case of burnout. 
3. Your kid doesn't get invited to 29,452 birthday parties. That's money saved. 
4. No car pick-up/drop-off line. I have been able to get back a good hour+ into my life each day. It also saved on gas from sitting in the cold with the heater on or the heat with the AC on. Again, money saved. 
5. We have recess any time we want and as often we would like. P.E. is not longer a once or twice a week activity. It's daily. 
6. No dress code. We can do school in pajamas or anything for that matter. 
7. No outside influences. 
8. Freedom to go on field trips or travel any time we want. School can be done anywhere as long as we have a wifi connection. 
9. No distractions! This is a big one for us. William could easily slip away into dreamland if he gets bored. Being at home allows me to bring him back to focus easily. 
10. No stress. This has been the most stress-free school year we have ever had. William is having a positive school experience that goes according to his learning style and pace. 
11. I get to know all of the details of assignments. Being hands-on allows me as his teacher/learning coach to really understand what he needs to learn. This makes it easier for me to teach lessons and for him to really learn and retain information. 
12. Time. Having time is priceless. We can do our work on our own time. This makes life easier when it comes to scheduling doctor or dental appointments or travel planning. 
13. William has become very social! Yes, a child who learns from home can be extremely social. If you give him the time of day, he will chat you up for hours. 

William got to meet and chat with our county Sheriff, Leon Lott. Sheriff Lott was quite impressed with William's ability to speak confidently. 

Honestly, I could go on even more about how great homeschooling is for us. I never thought it was something I would be capable of doing for my child, but here I am! William will finish second grade with straight A's. This makes us know we are doing the right thing that is working for him. He is having a great school experience and has a thirst for learning. His favorite subjects are math and social studies. He is a history geek. We plan to do some enrichment activities over the summer to get him prepared for third grade. Thanks for reading and feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. 

$100 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

Hello, everyone! I hope you had a great Mother's Day weekend. I am so excited to share the latest giveaway that is co-hosted by me along with 8 other fabulous bloggers. You can enter for the chance to win a $100 Walmart gift card. Think about how much you can do with this prize. Maybe you want to spruce up your garden, bathroom or kitchen? Perhaps simply stock up on groceries and household items. Think of all the fun possibilities! Enter below and good luck! 

Leave me a comment telling me how you would spend the Walmart gift card if you are the lucky winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway starts May 10 at 12:00 AM EST and ends May 23 at 11:59 PM EST. USA, 18+. One winner will be randomly selected from all qualifying entries and contacted via the email they provide. The winner has 48 hours to respond. The winner will be announced after they have responded.

What Rocco Thinks About The New TRU harvest® Treats For Dogs At Walmart

Sponsored post by Lunchbox. All opinions are my own.

If you are a dog parent, I'm sure your pup loves his/her treats. Our fur baby, Rocco, is very important to us and we give him the best we can. When it comes to treats, we go with healthier varieties that benefit him and not his waistline. There is a new premium line of treats available at Walmart called TRU harvest® with Ancient Grains. The Ancient Grains include: Barley, Spelt, and Quinoa. 

They come in varieties like:

• Chewy Bars Chicken, Cheese, & Tomato Flavor
• Wavy Strips Turkey & Pumpkin Flavor
• Chewy Bars Turkey & Cranberry Flavor
• Wavy Strips Turkey & Pumpkin Flavor

Sounds really healthy, but would a dog actually want to eat that? We tore open a bag of the Chewy Bars with turkey spelt, and quinoa. Rocco was very curious and snatched the Chewy bar out of my son's fingers and ran away to the other side of the yard to enjoy his treat. He didn't want anyone to get in the way of him and his delicious snack! He ran back over for more with those big puppy dog eyes. 

I always share treats with my neighbors' dogs and tossed over a couple of the Wavy Strips their way. Duke and Sherlock gobbled them up and look at what they did afterwards. Ha! They sat perfectly still in hopes of getting just one more. Of course, I indulged them. The loved their treats and since sharing with them, they take naps close to the fence on my side of the yard. You know, just in case I walk out with the treat bag. 

Look at Duke's tongue! 

The great benefits of TRU harvest® dog treats are:

• These treats are made with Ancient Grains: Barley, Spelt, and Quinoa. Ancient grains are naturally low in fat and contain more nutrients than common grains.
• The very first ingredient is REAL meat.
• Treats contain NO corn, soy, wheat, artificial colors, artificial flavors or poultry by-products.
• Each treat has either chicken or turkey as the primary meat source with a mixture of real fruits and vegetables, such as tomato, cranberry, sweet potato, pumpkin, and or carrot.
• Wholesome goodness found in ancient grains that have been unchanged for millennia with a good source of lean protein as well.
• Product is simply made.

You can feel good about feeding your dog TRU harvest® dog treats. You should let your dog try them out with this $1.00 off coupon from Walmart. My pup loves them so much and I'm glad we found a treat that is better for him. If you get these for your dog, let me know what he/she thinks, although I'm sure I already know the answer. Have a great week! 

Beauty Gifts For Mother's Day

Mother's Day falls on May 8th this year. There's still plenty of time to get the mothers in your life a nice gift. I'm a very practical gift giver and feel like you can never go wrong with the gift of beauty products. Below is a list of some ideas to help you find something that is just right for mom. 

1. KISS Salon Secrets Acrylic Nude Nails- These are perfect for moms who stay on-the-go. They can do their own nails quickly and effortlessly. You can't ever go wrong with a nude look. These are available at Walmart for only $7.99.

2. The NEW Instrumental Beauty Sonic Touch Cleansing System will instantly freshen and brighten your complexion with the unique micro-pulsating action combined with stimulating silicone-cleansing points.  The massaging action wakes up the skin, shakes off loose impurities and encourages healthy blood flow.  It feels SO good!

The dual silicone cleansing surfaces feature one side with fine cleansing points for extra gentle cleansing and the other side with broad cleansing points for deeper cleansing. No replacement brushes needed and it's waterproof. I LOVE this item and I keep it on the side of my shower for everyday use. You can find it at Rite Aid for $34.99.

3. Yardley London Soap- This is a name that has been around for a long time. These bars are perfect if you are looking for an affordable option to pair with the sonic touch system. They come in these scents: English Lavender,  Oatmeal & Almond, Lemon Verbena, Aloe & Cucumber, and Cocoa Butter. They cost around $1.59 each and can be found at most major drug stores and retailers.

4. CLEAN Reserve Six Piece Travel Spray Layering Collection - For the moms who loves fragrance and is very earth conscious, this set it perfect. Mom can wear these natural scents individually or layer to make her own signature fragrance. You can find this set at Sephora for $45.

5. Susan Posnick COLORFLO - Make sure your mom has flawless skin and is protected against the sun's rays with Susan Posnick COLORFLO mineral foundation in a self-dispensing brush that delivers invisible coverage so you don't feel it or see it and powerful, completely natural sun protection of SPF 26. It really gives your face a polished and natural look. It is available at SusanPosnick.com for $68 and there are refills available.

Make sure you don't forget any of the important moms in your life, and most importantly, don't forget yourself! 

I received product samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

The Best Relaxation Methods

One of the hardest things about being a homemaker is knowing when to stop with all of the household tasks and learn to give yourself a little ‘me-time’.

So if you’re looking for some simple ways to relax, then check out these tips that show that whether it’s doing some simple artwork, or even playing online games, there’s plenty of ways you can take some time out in a fun way!

One of the biggest trends in recent years is regarding something called ‘wellness’. This kind of alternative medication has been with us for decades, but it has only really became trendy in the past couple of years for the way that it encourages us to get a healthy balance between mind, body and spirit.

The practice of wellness works in a similar way to meditation as it helps you forget the day-to-day worries by focusing your thoughts on a specific activity rather than manically multitasking!

This is why there’s been such an amazing popularity regarding adult coloring books as they can really help focus your mind and pass the time making some beautiful images.

Focusing your mind on a specific task has also led to the increased visibility of many simple, yet aesthetically-pleasing online games like Monument Valley that provide a soothing way to unwind. And scientists have also proven that engaging your mind in a puzzle game like Color Switch and Swiperoo can have a variety of brain-enhancing benefits. Furthermore Lucky Nugget Casino give you chance to improve your strategic abilities by testing your blackjack techniques thanks to the site’s user-friendly gaming interface that also includes roulette and slots, and can be easily accessed whilst curled up on the couch!

But as well as taking it easy, there’s been many who point to powers of light exercise as being a great way to relax. Even something as simple as walking is a proven stress-reducer as it encourages the production of endorphins which make us feel better, and it can help shed a few pounds too!

If that all sounds a little too energetic then simply having a nice, long bath can work wonders in helping you feel rejuvenated and refreshed for the next day. Just make sure to get some good exfoliating salts, and you’ll feel like a new person in no time!

Of course, it’s important to treat ourselves every now and then, and whether it’s a trip to the local health spa, or a quick weekend break away, there’s nothing like a treat to give you a little perspective.

So whether it’s a few rounds of online blackjack, or just doing some coloring in with the kids, there’s plenty of fun ways to relax.