DIY Kids - Rock Candy

Do you remember as a kid when you would visit a candy shop and there would be this jar full of crystal edible rocks? Ah, the famous rock candy I can still remember the taste and the feeling of the crunching in my mouth.  Years later I began seeing rock candy sticks and wondering how could one make this at home.  Thanks to the blog Gluesticks and their simple to follow how to instructions you and I both can not only make our own rock candy colorful sticks, we can also teach our children how to create this fun and edible candy.

Click here for the complete how to and recipe.

Family Book Club - Family Fun

Create family fun this weekend by starting your own family book club.  You will create wonderful memories while you inspire your children to read.  Begin this weekend reading a book aloud together that your entire family will enjoy.

Once you begin a book continue to take time to read aloud to your kids on the weekends, bed time or while waiting at appointments. 

Here are some of our families recent favorite books to read together

Wally McDoogle Series – by Bill Meyers

The Elijah Project Series – by Bill Myers

The Chronicles of Narnia Series – by C.S. Lewis

The Adventures in Odyssey Series – by Paul McCusker

The Kidsboro Series – by Marshal Younger

What are your family favorite books to read together?

Apple Fritters With Bisquick

Just take one look at this picture and you will be running for your big yellow box of Bisquick to make sure you have at least 2 cups left in your box so that you can make thees amazing Apple Fritters this fall on a chilly morning. 

Click here for full recipe.

Do you have a favorite Bisquick recipe - share it with us be emailing trisha@247moms.com.

WIN - Snapfish $25 Gift Card

Snapfish by HP, the number one online personal publishing service, offers custom photo gifts to help your little ones with personalizing all their school gear using their imagination and personality! Create school supplies that are easy to keep track of and fun to use, like a personalized notebook or notepad in their favorite color or hobby. For more back to school ideas, click here to visit the back-to-school Snapfish store.

WIN: 24/7 MOMS and Snapfish are giving away one $25 Snapfish gift card.

Enter for a chance to win:

 
1. Become a 24/7 MOMS subscriber enter your email address below and comment that you subscribed along with your email address.

2. If you are already a subscriber just leave a comment that you are a subscriber along with your email address.
 
Extra entries for each:

• Like 24/7 MOMS on Facebook.
• Vote 24/7 Moms for Best Mom Blog on Parents Magazine click here
• Follow 24/7 MOMS on Twitter. 
• Vote 24/7 MOMS Best Parenting Blog in the Northwest click here

US entries only and one entry per person. Winner will be chosen on October 15, 2011.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by

* We received a complimentary Snapfish gift card for review no financial compensation was received.

3 Giveaways Ending Saturday at Midnight

WIN: Schick is giving away a Schick Intuition Limited Edition Razor in Renewing Moisture and refills. Click here to enter now.

 

 

WIN: Glidden is giving away one $25 gift card to The Home Depot. One lucky winner will be able to select a can of Glidden Trim and Door of their choice.  Click here to enter now.

 

 

WIN: Entertainment Promotions is giving away one Entertainment Book (winner can pick any edition). Click here to enter now.

Table Talk

Tonight's Table Talk

....to create conversation 
Q: What's the most dangerous situation you have encountered? How did you react?

Riddle:
Q: What did the glue say to the teacher?
A: "I'm stuck on you."

(each day 24/7 MOMS posts a question and riddle to help you create dinner time conversation with your families)

Strategic Shopping and Frugal living tips

Did you miss this weeks Live webcast?  Watch now as this weeks show guest Tiffany Dirks from Glammore.com  Chats with us about her Strategic Shopping and Frugal living tips and Trisha shares some Sweet Halloween Alternatives .

Be sure to join in next week for our live webcast at 6pm PST or 8pm PST

Video chat by Stickam.com

5 Frugal Tips I Learned

This past week our live Webcast guest Tiffany Dirks from www.glammore.com shared 5 frugal tips to assist us in becoming Strategic shoppers and live a frugal lifestyle the glamorous way.

1. Get the newspaper! 

It is the #1 source of coupons.  You need it to be successful!

Get 1 paper/person in your home that way when there are stock up opportunities you can create a manageable {what you will use in a year's time} stockpile, shop from yourself, and PAY yourself! 

Don't we all want to spend our money on things that we WANT!?

SIGN UP HERE

 

To read the rest of Tiffany's frugal tips click here.  Be sure to check out her website and  Become Shoppertunistic classes she offers filled with two hour of frugal lifestyle tips.

Crock Pot Cooking With Meat -Recipe List

Looking for new Crock Pot recipes for a particular cut of meat .  We found a  list of recipes that includes various cuts of meats from chicken, turkey, ham to steak, ground beef and so much more.

If you are ready for new recipes to fill your families tummy up using your Crock Pot click here to see Utah Mama from Today's Mamas list of recipe ideas she used during her 365 crock pot day cooking adventure.

Click here for list of recipes.

WIN - Franz Bread

We received a box of three new Franz Organic Breads to sample. What an exciting opportunity to try some new breads. We received the Franz San Juan Island Organic Nine Grain Bread, Franz Willamette Organic Great Seed Bread and the Franz Big Horn Valley Organic 100% Whole Wheat Bread. What a treat for our family. We all loved the new Franz Organic line of Breads we received.

Here are some fun facts about Franz Organic Bread line.

Nutritious and Delicious: Franz Organic Breads use premium, 100% all-natural organic ingredients and bake in small batches, home-baked, great-tasting bread is their promise.

Sustainability is an Ingredient for their Success: Every day they take steps to reduce emissions by a third, return water to its natural state and offset their electrical use by purchasing wind credits.

Naturally, Everyone Benefits: It's delicious! When you consider 2-3 grams of Fiber, 5 grams of Protein, 16 grams of whole wheat for only 110 calories, it easily fits into your healthy lifestyle.

WIN: 24/7 MOMS and Franz are giving away 5 FREE Product Coupons for Franz Bread.

Enter for a chance to win:

1. Become a 24/7 MOMS subscriber enter your email address below and comment that you subscribed along with your email address.

2. If you are already a subscriber just leave a comment that you are a subscriber along with your email address.
 
Extra entries for each:

• Like 24/7 MOMS on Facebook.
• Vote 24/7 Moms for Best Mom Blog on Parents Magazine click here
• Follow 24/7 MOMS on Twitter. 
• Vote 24/7 MOMS Best Parenting Blog in the Northwest click here

US entries only and one entry per person. Winner will be chosen on October 8, 2011.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by

* We received a complimentary Franz Bread for review no financial compensation was received.

Table Talk

Tonight's Table Talk

....to create conversation 
Q: What is the best bargain you ever found?

Riddle:
Q: What does an alligator sing?
A: Scales.


(each day 24/7 MOMS posts a question and riddle to help you create dinner time conversation with your families)

Holiday Planner Binder

By Trisha Novotny

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you begin to think about all of the shopping, planning, cooking and preparing you will need to do this holiday season.  We all know that the more prepared and organized we are the less stress there will be during the holiday season and the more we will enjoy it!

Nearly 15 years ago, I simplified all of my planning and preparing by creating my first holiday planner binder, which I continuously use year after year to keep track of everything. This binder is filled with past gifts purchased, favorite recipes, our holiday card list along with pictures that I have taken of my home decorated so that I can remember how I decorate from year to year.

Create your own Holiday Planner binder with my full how to instructions  over at SC Johnson Home Economic blog.  Click here to read them now.

Be sure to leave me  a comment over at SC Johnson

*Each week Trisha Blogs on SC Johnson Family Economics website as a paid writer be sure to read her weekly articles

DIY Moms - Sweet Popcorn

During a recent trip to our state fair I was able to sample sweet popcorn - I choose huckleberry and caramel apple to test and both of them were amazingly sweet.  Now I'm wondering how I can make up a batch of sweet popcorn at home.

How do you make a sweet  popcorn?  Less Cake More Frosting shared her secrets and tips to sweet popcorn. Click here for compete how to instructions and the recipe.

Do you have any tips on creating sweet or flavored popcorn?


*Stop by each week for our DIY MOMS feature.

WIN - Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension Video Game

Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension (Disney Interactive Studios) –  Based on the #1 rated animated series and tied to the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie, the game offers more playable characters than ever before as players choose from Phineas, Ferb, Agent P, an all-new agent and more. 

Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension is now available in stores for the Wii, Nintendo DS and PlayStation 3, and is rated E10+.

WIN: 24/7 MOMS and Disney Interactive Studios are giving away Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension on Wii, Nintendo DS or PlayStation 3.

Enter for a chance to win:

1. Become a 24/7 MOMS subscriber enter your email address below and comment that you subscribed along with your email address.

2. If you are already a subscriber just leave a comment that you are a subscriber along with your email address.
 
Extra entries for each:

• Like 24/7 MOMS on Facebook.
• Vote 24/7 Moms for Best Mom Blog on Parents Magazine click here
• Follow 24/7 MOMS on Twitter. 
• Vote 24/7 MOMS Best Parenting Blog in the Northwest click here

US entries only and one entry per person. Winner will be chosen on October 8, 2011.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by

* We received a complimentary Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension Wii Game for review no financial compensation was received.

You Saw It This Week on 24/7 MOMS Live Webcast

Dipped Cake Pops

Click here to visit Dipped Cake Pops website.

Dumbo: 70th Anniversary Edition/Blu-Ray & DVD

Click here to find Dumbo: 70th Anniversary Edition.

Laura's Lean Beef Cooked Italian-Style Meatballs

Click here to visit Laura's Lean Beef

 Gotcha! by Buffalo Games

Click here to visit Buffalo Games website.

MasterKitz - The Starry Night

Click here to find at The New Toy's website.

MasterKitz - Tree of Life

Click here to find at the New Toy's website.

101 Offline Activities You Can Do With Your Child book

Click here to visit Offline Activities website.

Table Talk

Tonight's Table Talk

....to create conversation 
Q: Who was/is your favorite teacher? What did you most like above him or her?

Riddle:
Q: What kind of soda do Australian bears drink?
A: Coca-Koala


(each day 24/7 MOMS posts a question and riddle to help you create dinner time conversation with your families)

I Love You Family Message Board

A fun way to remind your family members why you love them on a daily basis is to create a re-useable framed I Love You Today sign.  You can create one for each family members bed room, bathroom or use one for your entire family and leave random messages to a different family member each day.

Simple to create with Creative Juice Free printables - they come in three color choices red, blue or pink.  Print them out place inside a frame and use dry erase markers to leave a message.

Click here to get your FREE Blue or Pink I Love You sign

Click here to get your FREE Red I Love You sign

Chalkboard Pumpkin

Pumpkins are beginning to fill my local grocery store sidewalks and my kids are excited about the upcoming craving festivities.  I often think is there a simple yet creative way to incorporate a pumpkin into my home fall decorating without having to carve it?

Guess what, I found a super simple idea that will not only be great for Halloween festivities but one that I can also use all fall in my decorating.  Creating Chalkboard Pumpkins.

Stop by Greenbean's Crafterole and see her great idea on creating a Chalk board pumpkin that would be a perfect kitchen counter fall decoration. You could use it to announce what is for dinner or leave messages for your kids of encouragement or to do lists etc.



Or stop by the Pumpkin Lady site and see her fun Halloween Chalkboard pumpkin design and tutorial . Click here to go there now. Do you have a fun simple idea for decorating pumpkins?

Share your ideas with us here by leaving a comment

APP Of The Week - WHERE

WHERE helps users find nearby places they’ll love.  WHERE uses its advanced “recommendation engine” to deliver place suggestions that are relevant for individual tastes –connecting its over 50 million users with real time info and deals  from businesses they actually want to visit.  When roaming around town or jet-setting to new locations, WHERE will point you in the right direction  and comes equipped with useful and easy to navigate features including:

Discounts: Use the handy quick search function for finding nearby deals and discounts.

Best Bets:  Get personalized recommendations for places and offers selected specifically for your tastes.

Favorites: Save your Favorite places and share them with friends. 

Crowd Pleasing Tools: Bump with a friend or connect via Facebook and get suggestions for where to go together.

Detailed Descriptions: Get directions/maps, reviews, approval ratings and more for each location.
Local Info: Quick reference tools for localized news, weather, traffic, ATMs, cheap gas stations, attractions, etc.

Available for FREE on iPhone, Android and Blackberry phones.





Click here to get your FREE app now.

Table Talk

Tonight's Table Talk

....to create conversation 
Q: Is school easy or difficult for you? How so.

Riddle:
Q: What do mangos like to read?
A: Mango-zines.


(each day 24/7 MOMS posts a question and riddle to help you create dinner time conversation with your families)

Strategic Shopping and Frugal living on This weeks 24/7 MOMS Live

Do you  love to Shop till you drop ? Love bargains? want to live a frugal lifestyle?  Join us during the weeks LIVE Webcast as Tiffany Dirks of Become Shoppertunistic chats with us about  Strategic Shopping and Frugal living.

The mom chat and fun all begins on Tuesday night at 6pm PST or 8pm PST -  Two shows Two times right here at 24/7 MOMS the TV show for moms on your computer at www.247moms.com

Chatting, winning and being in the MOM know are what it is all about.  Don't miss out join in the mom fun.


This Week 24/7 MOMS Live Features:  

-  Strategic Shopping and Frugal living. 
- Sweet Halloween Alternatives 
- Giveaways for Moms
- MOM Time

The FUN begins each Tuesday night with 60 minutes of MOM Time on 24/7 MOMS Live

The weekly mom addiction that once you watch - you will be hooked week after week. So, join us during one of our two shows at  6pm PST or 8pm PST right on your own MOMputer at   www.247moms.com

Join the chat to WIN prizes

Tweet, TXT, Facebook , invite all of your MOM friends to this weeks  24/7 MOMS Live webcast

6 Things To Make In A Muffin Tin

Muffin tins are great for more then just baking cupcakes and muffins in - here are 6 simple ideas to create in your muffin tins that your family will enjoy:


Oven Baked Eggs - to eat or to make egg muffin sandwich's with.
Directions:  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, Grease each muffin section with either butter or cooking spray, crack one egg into each muffin section, place in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes. 


Corn Dog Muffins - If your kids love Corn dogs they will love this new recipe I discovered  from once a month mom.  It is a great make ahead recipe to freeze for future meals and snacks.  Simple to make with boxed cornbread mix and hot dogs.  Click here for complete recipe and how to instructions.


Flavored Ice Cubes - With holiday entertaining coming up you will love using these lemon flavored ice cubes made in your muffin tins.  Perfect to use in your punch bowls. Place 2 to 3 thin sliced lemon and/or limes into each muffin section.  Fill each section with water leaving space for freezing expansion.  Place in freezer on flat surface.  Freeze for 6 or more hours. Remove from muffin tin and place in pitcher or punch bow. Alternative ideas - Use berries instead of lemons, use flavored beverage instead of water.

Individual Meat loaves -  My son calls these meat loves - my kids enjoy meat loaf when I make them individual muffin size loaves using my muffin time to bake them in.  Make your family favorite meat loaf recipe and instead of placing in a loaf pan place prepare a muffin tin with cooking spray then fill each muffin section with your meat loaf mixture.  Bake at temperature stated in your recipe but cut baking time in half or even less.  These small meat loaf versions will cook much quicker.  Need a meat  recipe click here for Kraft Foods Marvelous Mini Meatloaves recipe.

Soup Stock - Fill each muffin section with chicken or turkey stock then freeze.  Once frozen pop out and place in freezer bag for future use when cooking and in need of stock.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Yes you can make cookies in a muffin tin.  They come out thick and yummy.   Cooking With My Kid shares simple how to instructions and a chocolate chip cookie recipe on her website.  Click here to get your instructions now.

Do you have a recipe you use your muffin tin for?

FREE Countdown To Halloween Printable

My kids are already talking about what they will dress up as this coming Halloween and yes they are also thinking about the fun candy collecting they will take part it come October 31st.  Are your kids counting the days till Halloween?  Create a fun way to help them count it down and help end  the daily question "Mom,  how many more days?".  Print out the FREE Halloween countdown calendar from Family Fun ( there are three pieces you will need to print out).

Click here to print yours now.

WIN - Omaha Steaks

Easy Dinner Meal Ideas

Omaha Steaks® gives you the joy of bringing your family together for a delicious meal without spending the time that preparing a wholesome, well rounded meal would usually require. The thoughtful planning and work have been done for you. You simply decide which gourmet dinner will bring them running to the table. Remove it from your freezer and follow the easy directions for microwave or oven preparation. You'll have a mouthwatering entree and delightful side dishes. And relieved of the hustle and bustle of preparing a complete meal, you'll be relaxed and eager to enjoy their company and stories of their day.

One of the Easy Dinner Meal Ideas...

Serve an elegant meal with no fuss and no mess! Chicken Cordon Bleu, made with boneless, skinless breast of chicken and stuffed with delicious Swiss and American cheese is an entrée they won't soon forget. Add delicious Twice Baked Potatoes and Whole Green Beans and you've got a meal that will get rave reviews! Meal serves 4.

Click here to like Omaha Steaks on Facebook.

Click here to receive this dinner package at an exclusive promotional rate of 50% off the regular price of all 3 items. Expires on 11/30/11.

WIN: 24/7 MOMS and Omaha Steaks are giving away (1) $60 gift card to Omaha Steaks.

Enter for a chance to win:

1. Become a 24/7 MOMS subscriber enter your email address below and comment that you subscribed along with your email address.

2. If you are already a subscriber just leave a comment that you are a subscriber along with your email address.
 
Extra entries for each:

• Like 24/7 MOMS on Facebook.
• Vote 24/7 Moms for Best Mom Blog on Parents Magazine click here
• Follow 24/7 MOMS on Twitter. 
• Vote 24/7 MOMS Best Parenting Blog in the Northwest click here

US entries only and one entry per person. Winner will be chosen on October 8, 2011.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by

* We received a complimentary Omaha Steaks meal for review no financial compensation was received.

Table Talk

Tonight's Table Talk

....to create conversation 
Q: What pets have you had growing up? What were their names?

Riddle:
Q: What do cows read in the morning?
A: Moos-paper.


(each day 24/7 MOMS posts a question and riddle to help you create dinner time conversation with your families)

Simplify Your Childrens Morning Routines

As moms we are constantly training our children - with a new school year and trying to get our kids back into the morning routine you might be feeling like your the drill Sergent each morning asking your kids if they brushed their teeth, backed their backpacks or to go get dressed.  Simplify your Sergent role by using a morning to do chart with your children and help them to become responsible for getting themselves ready and out the door each school morning.

 Here are two ready to print charts to simplify your mornings:

Iheart Organizing created a simple free printable kids morning to do chart for those just beginning their school years - Click here to print out your chart to help your kids become morning responsible children.

 Priceless Parenting created a chart perfect for the older student.  Click here to print out Priceless Parenting's morning routine chart.

First Things First

By Steph Fink

A three hour daily commute.  Need I say much more?  My husband’s three hour daily commute was wearing him out.  At the time, our boys were one and four years old.  As a stay at home mother, I was wearing out too.  My husband felt like an absentee father.  

Out of the blue, my husband received a phone call from a corporate recruiter.  After several interviews, he was offered a job in San Diego, California.  After we prayed many prayers we decided to accept the off.  While we were sad to leave our families and life on the east coast, the three hour commute just wasn’t cutting it; we wanted more family time.  So we put our home on the market and prepared to say goodbye to Virginia.  Within that same month, we had a buyer for our home.  Things were working out…or at least that’s what we thought.  

Two weeks before our move to California, we received a phone call that the buyer had backed out of the contract.  My husband's head dropped like a wilted flower.  I grabbed my best friend's hands and looked at him square in the face and said, "Babe, don't look down, look up - God's doing something. I don't know what it is, but I trust Him. Trust Him babe."  

We kept our house on the market and after an unsuccessful house-hunting trip to California, we decided to put our household goods in storage and live in temporary housing until we found our new home.

We felt confident God wanted us to keep family time a top priority but weren’t sure why God allowed certain doors to open and quickly closed others.

Three days before our first car was to be shipped west, my husband received an offer that he couldn’t refuse.  No, the Godfather didn’t call him but his current boss did and counter-offered with a closer work location and matched the other salary offer too.  

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (New International Version)

Our top reason to move across country was to protect our family time.  But God in His awesome love gave my husband a two hour less commute and more money too. 

But that’s not where the story ends.

The following month my father had open-heart surgery.  We knew if we moved to California I’d not be able to be there with my dad.  My heart was very heavy about it.  While my father is important to me, my top priorities are God, my husband and young children.

Since we remained in Virginia, I was able to travel to New Jersey to be there with my father in both the pre-op and post-op rooms on the day of his surgery.  The day after, I went back home to Virginia.  When my father was ready to go home, my then baby and preschooler went back up with me and helped care for my widowed father for the following three weeks.  

I would never had been able to care for my father and help him transition back home if we were living in California.  

God never ceases to amaze me!  

God's signature was all over this non-relocation.  God blessed us and reminded us to keep our priorities in the proper order, which started with seeking God first.  

How do you manage your family priorities?  

Steph's writing has appeared in Proverbs 31 Ministry, P31 Woman magazine.  In her free time she can be found encouraging numerous MOPS group in the northern Virginia area on the "Colorful Art of Friendship - Allowing God to Paint the Masterpieces" and MOPS leaders on "Being a Bright Light".

Steph can be found blogging at www.encouragedinheart.org or on Facebook at Stephanie Fink or on her Facebook page Encouraged in Heart - Stephanie Fink.  She loves big hair, big cups of coffee and big bear hugs.

WIN - Shaun the Sheep: Animal Antics

Ready to sow some seeds of fun?  Join the always delightful, baaaaa-dest sheep in the flock, Shaun, in the all-new Shaun the Sheep™: Animal Antics from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.  In these seven wild and hairy farm adventures released for the first-time-ever on DVD, Shaun and his barnyard buddies deal with a fiendish fox, attempt some clever catering, take to the links, run a farmer’s market, stage a daring rooster rescue and more!  With his woolly cronies in on the fun, “ewe” can’t go wrong with Shaun!

Five minute shorts of the series currently air in the U.S. on the Disney Channel and the series ranks in the top five animated shorts on the network!

DVD SYNOPSIS

Get ready for farm-fresh fun and laughter with Shaun the Sheep and his barnyard buddies, as they set the scene for more mayhem on the farm. Laugh out loud as Shaun tries to outfox a fox, Bitzer discovers his jazzy side, and the sheep try to sell everything on the farm to the highest bidder. Shaun and his friends deliver seven hilarious adventures full of animal antics that will make the whole family cock-a-doodle doo!

Episodes include:

• Foxy Laddie
• Whistleblower
• Frantic Romantic
• Who’s the Caddy
• Everything Must Go
• In the Doghouse
• Cock-a-Doodle Shaun  

WIN: 24/7 MOMS and Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment are giving away a Shaun the Sheep: Animal Antics DVD.

Enter for a chance to win:

1. Become a 24/7 MOMS subscriber enter your email address below and comment that you subscribed along with your email address.

2. If you are already a subscriber just leave a comment that you are a subscriber along with your email address.
 
Extra entries for each:

• Like 24/7 MOMS on Facebook.
• Vote 24/7 Moms for Best Mom Blog on Parents Magazine click here
• Follow 24/7 MOMS on Twitter. 
• Vote 24/7 MOMS Best Parenting Blog in the Northwest click here

US entries only and one entry per person. Winner will be chosen on October 8, 2011.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by

* We received a complimentary Shaun the Sheep: Animal Antics DVD for review no financial compensation was received.

Table Talk

Tonight's Table Talk

....to create conversation 
Q: What's something you have done that has surprised even you?

Riddle:
Q: Why aren't robots ever afraid?
A: They have nerves of steel.


(each day 24/7 MOMS posts a question and riddle to help you create dinner time conversation with your families)

Building the Community You Want to Live In

by: Kristen Mason The truth is we don't all live in on tree-lined streets with white picket fences.  These are the types of communities that movies portray as perfect and safe.

Most of us live in garage-door communities.  We come in and out of our garages with little or no interaction with one another.  Maybe this is why our kids are living in the "most protected generation ever."

What type of community do you want to live in?  I assume it's one where you know your neighbors or it's similar to the type you grew up in.

I gleaned ideas from some of my  friends to see what they're doing to bring the community they want to their neighborhood.  I love how intentional each of these women are!

Laura invited over the bus stop crew for pancakes on the last day of school.

Kerry coordinated a community yard sale and bake sale to raise funds for a family in need.

Stacy invited rising Kindergarten parents in her neighborhood over to her house for a potluck dinner.  This was after a meet-up at the school playground (neutral territory).

Amy is working with two other neighborhood moms to host an end of the school year bash.

Casey hosted a Fourth of July celebration last year with a bike parade (loved it!)  This year she's projecting movies on her garage door.

My parent's neighborhood has a monthly Trike Night and Halloween Parade (we crashed it last year!)

We invited our neighbors over for an Easter Egg Hunt.  The boys planned it, had a budget, and I made a cake.  Fun and simple.

What are you doing in your neighborhood to promote community?

 

 

Kristen Mason lives in Northern Virginia and blogs at Busy Kids = Happy Mom!  She teaches part time in an elementary school, is involved in MOMSnext, and loves all things crafty!  She is married and has 2 sons.