Healthy Wealthy Living

T omorrow Valentine cards will be passed out in Preschools everywhere, including in my little one’s class. This weekend we had the task to buying cards..or so I thought! I went to the local drug store only to find cheap looking cards ALL attached to candy of some sort. I really didn’t feel that this was appropriate to bring into a preschool setting so off I went to the local supermarket…only to find the same thing.  Frustrated that I couldn’t find Valentine cards sans candy, I had to come up with another idea. I came up with a super easy Valentine card that is not only appropriate for 2-3 year old but personalized too. Personalized Valentine Cards How To: 2-3 Decks of Alphabet Flash Cards (you may need more if you have a few children with names that start with “A” etc) Rectangular Foam Boards Stickers Glue Stick Sharpie Marker Take out a letter card for each child. “A” for Ava, “B” for Bella, “C” Cameron, etc. Write the child’s name on the card Glue the flash card...

My preschooler is at the age where she no longer wants anything babyish because she's "a big girl now". This includes the nursery rhyme decor that we had on her walls. I really didn't want to spend a lot of money on  prints but wanted a personalized look.  She is really into princesses right now. I went to a local  department store and found a calendar on sale for $2.97.  I already had picture frames from her old artwork that could be reused. Steps to making homemade artwork: Buy a calendar or inexpensive children's book   Cut out pages Either place pages directly in frames or cut out images and place in a collage Another idea: scan your child's artwork and then print on photo paper for less than what you would pay for store-bought art If you're child is old enough, have him/her help you. As your child grows and interests change, so will the artwork!

Buy or Sell Kids Clothes in Easy as 1-2-3! Are you inundated with clothes that your kids have outgrown? Do you need to buy pants of a bigger size so your child doesn't look like she's going to go clam digging? I have recently found and am a fan of ThredUp! A convenient, easy-to-use site dedicated to buying and selling kids clothes. I found it so much easier to use than the the larger auction sites. All you do: 1. Click on the ThredUp box above 2. Sign up for FREE 3. They will send you FREE concierge bags to mail in your   goods 4. List what you have and mail it in. 5. To buy clothes just search listings. You can purchase full boxes of clothing for as little as $9. It's that easy!

" ME Time" Spa Gift Certificate Giveaway! I know from a recent Facebook post, that many FMS moms do not get enough "Me Time".  I know we want to be there and take care of the needs of our children, husbands and extended family. We take care of home responsibilities such as cleaning, cooking and endless laundry. We are dedicated employees. We are fabulous friends. We just don't leave time for ourselves. We often feel selfish about taking time for "ME Time". Ladies, "ME Time" is necessary. We need it to refresh and rejuvenate so we can be the Super Moms that we all are! Whether it means taking a long bath or shower, reading a book, getting pampered at a salon, you need to set aside some time each month. Because of this, I'm having a "Me Time" at the Spa Giveaway ! To Enter: Go to the Family Made Simple Facebook Page SHARE the Giveaway Link with your mom, sister and girlfriends COMMENT under the Link that you shared. ...

If you’re anything like me, you have a ton of pictures from the Holidays either on your phone or camera. You want to do something to save the precious memory. You can either print traditional photos or you can print on a canvas for a one-of-a-kind look.  I was searching for canvas prints and found this offer for a FREE 8x10 canvas print or $55 off your purchase!  Enjoy! I'd love to see your creations. Please share on Family Made Simple

Game Day Dish That is Sure to Score A Touchdown! With playoffs and the Super Bowl right around the corner, I’ve been trying to think of a game day dish that will sure to please the under and well above 5 year old groups alike. Here’s a hearty and close to healthy recipe that is super easy to make.  I happened to have cooked chicken breast and spinach in the fridge, so that’s what I used. Yet, it is versatile; you can change the ingredients to pretty much whatever you have on hand (deli meats, hot dogs, pepperoni, hummus, veggies). Game Day Braid Puree cooked chicken breast. Cook frozen spinach in microwave for 5 minutes. Drain all water. An easy way is to put in a strainer and smash with a spoon until dry.  Mix, chicken, spinach, 2 cups of shredded cheese and 1 can of cream soup (cream of chicken, mushroom, broccoli, etc).  Season with your favorite spices.  Place croissant triangles on baking sheet with edges touching.  Put a tsp full on wide end...

Bald Barbie Movement : As a Mom, How Can You Not Support It? I just learned of the Bald Barbie Movement.  I can't even begin to tell you how touched I am by this story. I'm a mom of a 3 year old little girl that loves Princesses, Barbie dolls, anything girly and frilly.  She has short, super curly, Shirley Temple like hair and gets distressed that she doesn't have long straight hair like her Princess dolls.   I've never even thought about how little girls bravely fighting cancer must feel. Now I have.  Why is it that most dolls have long, straight hair? Is this considered the ideal beauty?  Well, now is the time to make a change!  Mattel, Hasbro, Fisher Price, etc, please listen to the outcry. Little girls that have short hair, curly hair or no hair should have a doll that they can call their own! Way to go Bald Barbie Movement for bringing this topic to the forefront! I'm pleading with all Family Made Simple fans and followers to do two th...