I love that both of my little boys costumes are perfect for Utah Halloweens. I hate having to cover up their cute costumes with coats. They’ll be warm and cozy in their full body suits this year.

When we are done with all these adorable costumes, it is nice to know that we can donate them back to Deseret Industries. Donations are tax deductible and help fund local training programs for employees in my community.

The post How to Score Ridiculously Inexpensive Halloween Costumes! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

School starts oh so soon! It’s time for back to school shopping. I am excited to share with you a few of my favorite places to shop as well as a fantastic giveaway for Gymboree!

1. ONLINE. Stores like Gymboree are having fantastic back to school sales. I always shop through cash-back sites like Ebates or Shop at Home to get the most bang for my buck. Those two sites usually tell me the best coupon codes available. Nothing beats back to school clothes delivered right to your door!

2. OUTLETS.  I make a visit to the Park City Tanger Outlets at least twice a year. My shopping secret – I buy the next size or two up for my kids when I find a good deal. I go with my mom and sisters and we make a weekend of it. Shopping is more fun in a group and more eyes see more deals!

3. ONLINE DEAL SITES.  Zulily is one my absolute favorite deal sites. They post all my favorites from Jelly the Pug to Disney at marked down prices. I’m watching Zulily daily for Christmas present ideas along with back to school clothes shopping!

4. CONSIGNMENT/YARD SALE/FACEBOOK SALES.  I prefer buying new and usually do with killer clearance and markdown sales. However, I’ve had lots of luck with facebook yard sale sites as well. Check and see if your town has one. Last week I got two bags full of name-brand clothing in good condition for my kindergartner – all for free! I’ve also been selling all of my daughter’s too-small clothes on there as well. My daughter’s Gymboree clothes hold up really well and always resell for a great price. Definitely helps to build up some cash for this year’s clothes!

Hope those tips help you get the most bang for your buck this year during back to school shopping! I’ve teamed up with my blogging pals to give one luck winner a $75 shopping spree to Gymboree. I adore the matching outfits at Gymboree as well as the high-quality materials.

Check out some more reasons why I love Gymboree and enter the giveaway below:

Gymboree has been dressing children since 1986. The brand’s fashionable clothing and accessories are created to celebrate kids being kids in unique head-to-toe looks. Available in sizes newborn to 10 years, Gymboree clothing is designed with colorful, high-quality fabrics and detailed touches throughout.

Whether your child has already started school or is starting in a few weeks, Gymboree is the place to shop. Currently they are offering an extra 30% off markdowns which means you can save even more on your back to school shopping! Plus new arrivals are 20% off!

Now want to know the really awesome part about Gymboree? Well, when you refer a friend, they will give you $20 to spend at Gymboree! That is like a totally free outfit for sharing with your friends how awesome Gymboree is! Check out all the details here.

So what are you waiting for? Head into your local Gymboree store and get shopping (and saving).

Giveaway Time!

Gymboree wants to help make back to school shopping a little easier on your wallet. So they are giving away a $75 Gymboree Gift Card to 1 lucky winner! All you have to do is enter using the giveaway widget below! Giveaway ends 8/17! Good Luck Everyone!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is sponsored by Gymboree. This post contains affiliate links. 

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(Be sure to enter the GIVEAWAY for a 5-day Survival Backpack at the bottom of this post!)

Are you you feeling more prepared yet this month? I hope so! Last week I shared how to teach children about preparedness and I am excited to elaborate on one of those tips.

Ever since watching The Impossible, a true story about a family’s survival during a tsunami in Thailand, I’ve been concerned about identification in case of an emergency. In the movie, they write people’s names and info on their arms. Genius! I am making sure that Sharpie Permanent Markers, are in every 72-hour kit just for this purpose!

I also think that it is smart to have a key ring with photos of each family member in each 72-hour kit. If someone is lost, it is much easier to show a picture than try to describe a child. I recommend writing your child’s name, age, and height/weight on the back of the picture. Also include the name and phone number of your out of state contact as local phone lines may be tied up during an emergency.

For photos, work with what you have that is recent. School pictures are happening this month and are perfect for this project. Laminate them for durability, hole punch them for a Key Ring, and you are set! I will be updating mine later this month, but I will show you the first set I made. For laminating, I like to use Thermal Laminator 2 Roller System (TL901) and Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches 8.9 x 11.4 Inches 3 mil, 100-Pack (TP3854-100). I recently bought these two products and they have definitely come in handy! 

Check out this post for more EASY tips to get prepared if you have small children. 

Now for the fun part! Who is ready to win a little something that will help them be more prepared? After all, you are going to need a home for those photo key rings!

I am happy to be teaming up with Honeyville and local bloggers to giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also get 10 percent off your order with the code READY10! Love a deal on emergency preparedness and food storage! Honeyville is a national food supplier leader specializing in storable foods, quality baking  ingredients, and kitchen appliances. Be sure to check them out!

1. What is in your 72-hour kits?

2. Are you getting school pictures this year? Did you ever have any crazy ones when you were little?

This post includes affiliate links, but all opinions are my own! I love shopping online and making it easier for my peeps to get the products I love! 

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This post is sponsored by Intermountain LiVe Well. All opinions are my own. 

My Lily loves to pack and take her own lunch to school. Plus I have two preschoolers at home so healthy and fun lunches are a pretty big deal around here. Last week I had the chance to sit down with dietician Mindy Probst from Intermountain Healthcare and brainstorm healthy school lunch ideas as well as ways to help make sure our children are eating them AND enjoying them. As part of the event we tested out Rubbermaid’s popular Lunchbloxes and built our own healthy lunches.

Let me tell you, since I have been home – that Lunchblox is a hit! My husband and all three of my children want to use it for their lunches! They love the Bento style and that it has a cooling component that will keep their food safe and fresh during the day. Intermountain LiVe Well is giving away 8 of these parent and kid-approved Lunchbloxes on  their facebook page this month. I’ll be talking about that more later, but first let’s check out some fun lunch ideas!

The first step to fun and healthy school lunches is all about the planning! I know my daughter will be much more likely to eat her lunch if she has had a hand in planning it and making it. We made these simple ham and cream cheese roll-ups this week and they were a hit! Lily could easily make them herself and I knew that she would devour them. Hooray for knowing she is getting some protein in at school!

 Intermountain LiVe Well has put together some great printables to help you and your child plan out their lunches. Sometimes it helps them to see that they need a fruit, a vegetable, a protein, etc. It also helps if your little planner to see what is on the menu that week! (Am I the only with a child who likes to know EXACTLY what is going on each week?!?) You can download these printables here. 

Another huge aspect of making sure that your child is eating and enjoying lunches is to make it fun! These Princess Sandwiches and Fruit Cars always disappear in a hurry when we have little friends over. You can find the princess cutter on Amazon.com and they are perfect for cookies, too!

Some of the bloggers I attended the event with have been sharing their fun lunch ideas as well. How darling are these Halloween Mini Pizzas from Just Between Friends?

I also love this healthier version of a Lunchable Bento Style by Mountain Mom and Tots. She will be listing more lunch ideas this week as well! Be sure to check them out!

I hope some of these ideas have inspired you to get creative and healthy with your back to school lunches! Now you just need the perfect container! Intermountain LiVe Well is giving away 8 Rubbermaid Lunchblox containers this month on their facebook page. . Head on over to win! They also have oodles of healthy lunch ideas on their Pinterest board!

You can also check out more healthy lunch ideas on Intermountain LiVeWell’s Pinterest Board

Do your children pack a lunch from home?

What lunches are favorites at your house?

What is one lunch food your family could not live without?

The post Healthy Back to School Lunch Tips and Ideas + Lunchblox Giveaway! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

There are few things better than seeing your children in the temple! I am so grateful for the chance to take my children through the temple open houses in Utah before they are dedicated. Lily has been able to visit the Draper Temple, the Brigham City Temple, and now the Ogden Temple. What wonderful experiences for a little girl! Each time she remembers a little more and asks questions about the previous visits. My boys have been to two of the temple open houses. Each time Cort asks questions about what he is feeling and it practically makes my mother heart burst!

The Ogden Temple Open House continues through September 6th and there are still tickets left! Tickets for the Ogden Temple Open House are available at this link. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about what goes on in the temple and why they are so important.The beautiful artistry inside is so incredible. I think Lily whispered, “this is so beautiful! It is so sparkly,” at least a dozen times during our tour.

Lily will be turning 8 years old next year and will be baptized. During our move, I found my baptism dress that I have been saving for her. My girl has the Parker genes and is growing so tall so fast that I decided I better try the dress on her now. And I am so glad I did because she has practically outgrown it! After Lily tried it on, she came out with these adorable Taylor Joelle pants underneath – always the little fashionista. She asked if she could wear my wedding pearls and I couldn’t think of anything more perfect. I have to admit that I teared up a little bit seeing my girl in my baptism dress and wedding pearls in the brides room at the temple!

It’s days like this that remind me that my little family is growing up so fast! It definitely tugs at my heart strings and makes me want to hold them a little longer. I am grateful for my membership in the LDS Church and the knowledge that my little family can be together forever!

I love these boys of mine! Even if they are too busy exploring to take a picture!

I had to sneak in a picture, too! I’m more comfortable behind the camera, but know that it is important to get in the picture, too.

P.S. I love my new skirt from Sweet Salt Clothing. Darling style and incredibly comfortable!

“As we go to the holy house, as we remember the covenants we make therein, we will be able to bear every trial and overcome each temptation. The temple provides purpose for our lives. It brings peace to our souls—not the peace provided by men but the peace promised by the Son of God when He said, ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’” President Thomas S. Monson

So glad that we were able to spend a beautiful day at the remodeled temple! I am excited for the cultural celebration and dedication next month. Get tickets here if you want to attend! The next temple open house will be in Arizona. Kind of tempted to do a road trip!

The post I Love to See the Temple – Ogden Temple Open House appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

My little girl is just like her dad – she loves technology. At six-years-old she can whip through apps much faster than I can. As much as she loves art projects, playing outside, and dressing up as a princess, some days she can’t wait to get on the computer and play. As a mom, I want her computer time to be simultaneously fun and educational.

That’s why I was so excited to try out PowerMyLearning. PowerMyLearning is a free, web-based K-12 learning platform. It has taken thousands of free learning activities from across the web and placed them in one easy to navigate site. The site is sub-divided by grade and by major subjects including:

Math
Language Arts
Science
Social Studies
Art & Music
Technology
World Languages
Your Life

I created an account for myself and my daughter – they are linked so I can track what activities she completes. The cool part is that the account can be linked up to her school class as well. I am looking forward to talking to her teacher to see if they use PowerMyLearning.

Lily and I selected first grade activities and she was thrilled to see some of her favorite games pop up like Curious George from PBS Kids and Who am I from Starfall. I love that PowerMyLearning has done the work for me and has put many of our favorite sites in one place. It is uber convenient that my daughter does not have to type in web addresses when she wants to move from sites like PBS Kids to Starfall. One mistyped word and she could end up on a site inappropriate for her or simply be frustrated because she can’t get to where she wants. With PowerMyLearning it was easy to click in and out of games.

The organization of the site is superb. It took me seconds to locate a first grade level geography game to compliment what she learned at school this week. PowerMyLearning has basically just simplified many of the online learning activities we were already participating in. There is enough high quality content that I don’t have to worry about googling sites to meet more of my daughter’s educational needs.

Lily gave the site two thumbs up. She spent a half hour on the site the first day and begged for more. She even told me that a math game was fun – that’s a big win for this mom!

I am excited to use this program on those days that my daughter asks to “play on the computer.” Now she can play away and I can have the peace of mind that she is participating in age-appropriate educational activities!

Do yourself a favor and check out PowerMyLearning for your school-age child. You can also find them on the following social media sites:

Facebook PowerMyLearning

Twitter @PowerMyLearning

Pinterest PowerMyLearning

This is a sponsored post. While I received compensation, all opinions are my own (and Lily’s!) I only write about products that my family personally uses and loves! 

What are your favorite online educational sites? 

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Today I needed some major Cool Mom Points (CMP). In between salvaging my neglected house from the weekend of sickies and refereeing the children who had been cooped up for way too long inside, I read a fabulous post by The House of Smiths. While a puppy is not in our immediate future, I did hope that a fun trip to Jamba Juice and the park would earn me some quick points!

My babies love their fruit smoothies and I’ve been dying to try out the new Fruit and Veggie Smoothies as part of the Mom’s Meet program. I’m a green smoothie gal myself – love me some kale – but it’s always nice to get the kiddos on board with the veggies, too. I had my husband order me the new Tropical Harvest smoothie. It’s made with a fusion of mangos, peaches, and passion mango juice blended with juices from butternut squash, sweet potato, and carrot. Packed with Vitamins A & C. I’ve never had butternut squash and sweet potato in a smoothie so I was intrigued as to what it would taste like. At first sip – I was certain my husband had handed me his smoothie instead. The flavor was oh so delicious and refreshing – this mama couldn’t even taste a hint of veggies. Major bonus points!

I peeked over at my children to see how they were liking the Jamba Kids Berry Beet It! Smoothies. Their smoothies were made with a delicious blend of strawberries, mangos, bananas, and mixed berry juice with carrots, beets, broccoli, spinach, kale, and lettuce. Standing ovation for a smoothie that is an  excellent source of Vitamins A, C, B6 and fiber! My kids devoured their smoothies. It was hard to sneak one away from them to get a sip. Inwardly I was celebrating the two servings of fruits and one serving of veggies in each of their smoothies. Even better, their smoothies were made from only real, whole fruit and vegetable juice—no added sugar.

As the mom to an adorable three year old who is often quite selective with his food, those servings of fruits and veggies mean a lot. Especially when he happily drinks it and asks for more! That’s my kind of snack! You can even pair a smoothie with one of the whole grain items and make it into a Kid’s Meal. Perfect for a summer meal on the go.

All three of their Jamba Kids smoothies quickly disappeared during the ride to one of our favorite playgrounds. It seemed the fitting conclusion to our Jamba Juice evening. Jamba Juice is a proud sponsor of “Team Up for a Healthy America” in the fight against childhood obesity. For our family, the more we can get outside to run, jump, and play the better! Fueled by their smoothies, Lily, Cort, and Kyle played happily all over the park (and quickly fell asleep when we got home!) Thanks Jamba Juice for a yummy and healthy family night that earned me some Cool Mom Points! If you want to treat your children to more delicious fruits and veggies you can connect with Jamba Juice on Facebook and Twitter!

What is your favorite Jamba Juice flavor?

Do you drink fruit and veggie smoothies?

How do you help your kiddos eat fruits and veggies? (I love links! Always looking for ideas!

The post Family Night with Jamba Juice appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Cascade Springs

I am so excited to be participating in Girl Love Glam’s Summer Fun Series! Be sure to check out all the fun projects and activities at the end of this post!

Hiking is one of our little family’s favorite activities. With three children under the age of five, my husband and I have learned some tips and tricks to make hiking with toddlers and babies fun for everyone.

1. Practice Makes Perfect. 

Before our first hike of the season, we take our little ones out in the backyard or on a walk around the neighborhood for a practice hike. We emphasize the 3 W’s – watch, walk, and wait.

Watch where you are going.

Walk, don’t run.

Wait for family.

I love to give my children the opportunity to run wild in nature, but not on uneven mountain trails! Practicing these three things on walks at home makes the actual hike much easier. We turn the 3 W’s into an easy mantra – watch, walk, wait – so that our children know exactly what to do with just three simple words.

2. Dress for Success

Dress your children assuming that they are going to be dipping their toes in the stream and sitting in the dust/mud to examine insects. Much less stress for everyone when mama doesn’t have to worry about clothes getting stained or good shoes being ruined!

3. Well-equipped with Water

Little bodies get thirsty fast, especially in the sun. We love our Ledge Hydration Pack. Since it is a backpack, it is hands-free and simple enough for all of us to use. As our children get older, we plan to get them their own.

4. Sneak a Snack

A quick snack goes a long way on the trail. My kiddos love GoGo Squeez Applesauce and they are perfect for on the go. Be sure to pack all your litter back out.

5. Stop for Service

Last year we participated in the Governor’s Summer of Service – got to start them young, right? One of the easiest ways for our five-year-old daughter to serve was to pick up litter on the trails. We looped the handle of a plastic grocery bag through my daughter’s belt loop and bought her child-sized gardening gloves to use to pick up the garbage. Lily loved it and thought it was as fun as a treasure hunt. As an added bonus, she and her little brother were much less likely to litter on the trails.

6. It’s a Wrap

When hiking with the under two-years-old crowd, a good wrap or hiking backpack comes in handy. I love my Moby Wrap for my babies who are still little bobble heads. With my young baby contentedly snuggled to my chest, my hands are free to help my older children. As my babies get older, we transition them to a hiking backpack that my husband typically carries. Our Sherpani hiking carrier has great storage and a sunshade for the babe – we love it! The biggest advantage of the Moby Wrap, hydration pack, and hiking carrier is that they are all hands-free making it much easier to hold other little hands on the trail when they need help.

I hope these tips have been helpful! See you on the trails this summer! Some of our favorite trails to do as a family include:

Idaho

Mesa Falls & Harriman State Park

Utah

Grotto Trail by Nebo Scenic Loop

Bridal Veil Falls and the Provo River Trail

Battle Creek Falls in Pleasant Grove

Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Cascade Springs on the Alpine Loop

This post includes Amazon.com affiliate links.

What are your favorite hikes with your kids?

The post Tips for Hiking with Children appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

I am so happy to be sharing our family’s end of the school year traditions over at Keeping it Simple today. Head on over to check out what we did to celebrate Lily’s last day of kindergarten. From water balloon fights, to secret gifts, to banners, and photo shoots – it was a fabulous day!

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