Summer Bingo Board is Back! {Free Printable}

Summer Bingo Board with 49 Squares

I’ve already had a few of you email to get this printable again. You’re on top of it, I tell ya! With our school year coming to a close on Wednesday, I thought this week might be the perfect time to bring back the Summer Bingo Board.

You may either print the blank board with 25 or 49 squares and fill it in by hand, or go ahead and type in your squares before printing.  It’s fully customizable!

Summer Bingo Board ~ 25 Squares

Summer Bingo Board ~ 49 Squares

 

Summer Bingo Board with 25 Squares

Use it to keep track of your lazy, hazy days in any way you please.  My plan this year is to fill about 1/2 of the 49 spaces with things *I* want each child to do (clean your room, get rid of 10 items from your room, water the garden…) and then let them fill the rest in with things *they* want to do.  That should give us a productive, fun balance for the summer.  Here are a few more ideas:

Incentive Chore Chart

With all the fun and lazing around to be had in the summer, sometimes chores and reading or writing activities aren’t as appealing.  Use the bingo board to record the “gotta get it done” tasks of summer.  (And feel free to repeat in several squares.)  Heap on a reward for each Bingo and enjoy a fun family outing after a blackout!  Alternatively, have a “pay day” for each Bingo and a shopping date for a blackout.

  • clean out the car
  • water the garden
  • sweep the porch
  • clean your room
  • plant flowers

Bored No More

It happens.  “Mom, I’m boooored.”  Save your breath!  When you hear that infamous phrase, point to the Bingo board.  Child must complete one (or five? ;) ) tasks on the board before uttering another complaint.  Likely, the child will get caught up in the activity and be bored no more!

  • complete a puzzle
  • read for 30 minutes
  • write a letter to a friend/cousin/grandparent
  • create a clay sculpture
  • practice and perform a skit

Reading Chart

Have a long list of books to read this summer?  Record their titles on the chart.  Provide small prizes for every bingo and a larger one for a blackout.  (trip to the zoo, out for ice cream)  The same idea would work for a “homework review” type of chart.

Summer Bucket List

Enter all the activities and outings, large and small, that your child has to look forward to this summer.  Have fun looking ahead and marking them off as you go.  The goal?  Have a blackout summer!

  • feed giraffes at the zoo
  • scream down the water slide
  • catch a fish
  • write your name in the sand at the beach
  • spin around the roller rink

Eat Your Way Through Summer

Summer is a great time to load up on fresh fruits and veggies and frozen treats.  It’s also a good time to get kids in the kitchen learning new recipes.  What would you like to eat this summer?  Make a Bingo chart and eat your way through summer!

  • new-to-you veggie from the garden
  • fruit salad
  • sno cones
  • homemade popsicles
  • yogurt parfait

Bingo Your Way

Rules schmules.  Our Bingo boards are definitely hybrid.  A mixture of fun, chores, big outings and the small stuff that makes summer… summer! (That’s why I like the BIG board… we need 49 squares!)

  • sleep in the tent
  • bake and take cookies to a neighbor
  • sleepover with cousins
  • write a letter to Imon
  • play bocce ball
  • rub Mommy’s back

 

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Filed Under: Family Life

Mombo Nursing Pillow ~ {Giveaway}

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comfort and Harmony for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Since I spend approximately 25 hours a day nursing my baby in the recliner (dramatic much?) I was happy to receive an infant nursing pillow to try out for our little one.  Here's what she thought of it.

Fun toy, Mom!

Apparently active 9 month old babies don't need no stinkin' nursing pillow.  She's a bigger baby and we're in our groove, so for our nursing purposes the Mombo wasn't necessary.  However, I do think it's a quality, beautiful pillow that would be very helpful to a new mom nursing her tiny infant, so I'm gifting my Mombo to a friend expecting a baby next month!

Mombo has a unique shape and a two-sided design called Firm2Soft™, with each side offering a different experience. The firm side gives essential support for mommy and her nursing baby. The soft side is extra cozy—an inviting place for lounging or tummy time. And mombo is the only nursing pillow with a vibration feature, to give baby the ultimate soothing experience while lounging.

The Mombo would be helpful in those early days when mom is constantly hunched over the baby.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  That ache in the neck and between the shoulder blades?  With proper support and posture, nursing the baby would be a much more comfortable task. 

Mombo™ products, made by Comfort and Harmony, are available at Toys R Us (maybe Babies R Us).  You can follow Comfort & Harmony on Facebook and Comfort & Harmony on Twitter for special deals and product information. 

Want to win a Mombo™?  

Comfort and harmony sent me an extra mombo™ deluxe nurser to give to one of my readers!  To enter, simply leave a comment telling me why you want a mombo™ (is it for you? a friend? a loved one?  your wild 9 month old baby who will find it super fun to climb on?).

Giveaway ends Monday, May 20, at 11:59 pm.  Winner will be randomly drawn and notified by email.  US addresses only, please. 

Visit Sponsor's Site

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Menu Plan ~ Week of May 19 {Because I should probably start cooking again.}

All week I’ve been singing to myself:  Back to liiiiiiiife, back to reality as I try to regain control of our home and schedule.  Funny thing after arriving home from a trip.  The people in my house still want to eat, and there’s “no one” here to cook for us!  ;)   Truth?  I left my house a wreck when we walked out the door at 4am last Thursday.  I didn’t plan ahead.  I didn’t pack soon enough.  I didn’t have breakfast made like I wanted.

I’m a mess.

However, I did do one smart thing.  Our freezer held a few crucial meals for our arrival.  We got home Monday.  Today is Saturday.  I haven’t been to the store yet, and we’ve been eating well all week with very little effort on my part!   We feasted on brown bag burritos, steak fried rice, and chicken pot pie this week.  Hooray for freezer cooking!  (And hooray for a new-to-Tiny Town thrift store that happens to carry 1/2 gallons of milk.)

Today’s the day, though.  We’re out of fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, milk, sugar…  I’ll likely seek out some “Manager’s Special” items that may change the menu plan, but here’s what I’m starting with.

Also?  School’s out for the year at 11:00 on Wednesday!  That means we’ll most likely revert to “summer eating” which, most days, means two bigger meals (big breakfast and late lunch/early supper) and a snacky meal.  Add to that the beginning of summer ball season, and you’re about to see how “real” food gets around here.  Why did I agree to that series again?!  ;)

Easy, Overnight Granola from AmysFinerThings.com

Breakfasts

Snacky Meal

Skillet Enchiladas

Supper

Does your menu strategy change when school’s out?  What summer foods are you most looking forward to?  Thank you for putting up with me and my Disney Hangover.  Just keep swimming… just keep swimming…

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: In the Kitchen, Menu Plans

A Magical Invite

At this time (8:38 am, CST) last week, we were in Atlanta, racing through the airport with five kids, hoping to catch the second leg of our flight to Florida.  Want to go along for the ride?  I best back up…

Disney Social Media Moms Celebration

On March 5 I was shaking as I opened the email.

Dear Amy

We are pleased to invite you to the 2013 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. This invitation-only professional conference for social media-minded moms and dads will take place May 9 – 12, 2013 at the Walt Disney World® Resort near Orlando, Florida.

The email goes on to say that it is a family-friendly conference and we should all attend.

Are you kidding me?!

Friends,  a trip to Disney World was never on our radar.  Spending thousands upon thousands of dollars to get my family of seven to Florida just isn’t in our budget right now, nor our dreams.  We have embraced our lifestyle and have been very content with day trips here and there, sporting events for our kids, and occasional overnighters to buy a new-to-us vehicle.

This was a shocker.  Other than the flight (6 plane tickets = ouch!) the conference was greatly subsidized.  We knew right away that if we were ever going to “do Disney” in the near (or far???) future, the time to jump was now.  Plus, I quickly found out that some of my dearest blogging friends were also invited.  Getting our families together for the very first time?  At Disney World?!  No way was I turning that one down!

Walt Disney World

Lance and I checked the details, estimated the total cost, and registered that day.

This is where living below our means comes in handy.  This is where saving first comes in handy.  This is where making do comes in handy.   Though we never expected this, the saving philosophy reins true.  Blessedly, the money was there.

We’re going to Disney World!

And we aren’t telling a soul… (more to come)

 

Disclosure:  I attended the Disney Social Media Moms Conference and received discounted rates and tickets to various events and attractions. All opinions are my own.

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Filed Under: Debt-Free Living

The Best Birthday Ever

Photo source:  Shannon Shaffer Our oldest turned 10 last Monday. Double digits, Baby. She's a goofy one. Headstrong. Opinionated. Passionate. Sassy. Some say she's my clone, poor thing. For her birthday this year she requested a Girls' Day … [Keep reading…]

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Filed Under: Family Life

I owe you an explanation.

Let's start with this.  (If you're a subscriber, you may need to click through to see the video.) More to come just as soon as I can string a few sentences together. So.Very.Tired. Guess that's what happens when you're up for 21 straight … [Keep reading…]

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Filed Under: Family Life

Instead of Blogging

Instead of Blogging

Instead of blogging, I've been... ... sucking snot out of little noses. ... snuggling a sweet 2yo for a 30 minute nap. ... sweeping crumbs 498 times before the baby gets to them. ... thoroughly enjoying a quality hair cut.  (No more … [Keep reading…]

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Filed Under: Family Life

Because Kids Keep Growing {Saving Money on Children’s Clothing}

Saving Money on Children's Clothing

So.  As it turns out, my kids keep growing right out of their clothes.  How dare they!  ;)  With 5 children in the house, the prospect of keeping them dressed in decent, clean clothing that fits and doesn't break the bank is slightly daunting.  … [Keep reading…]

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Motherhood is Glamorous ~ Giveaways for Mom!

Motherhood is Glamorous

Happy May!  Despite the winter weather advisory for tonight (yes, really) I'm ready to to celebrate spring and celebrate YOU with several giveaways lined up for the next few weeks.  You know, because Motherhood is Glamorous, and you deserve a … [Keep reading…]

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Filed Under: Family Life, Motherhood