Crown Center and Kaleidoscope Kansas City ... Make Your Own Puzzle!

So my plan for the day was to go to Crown Center and take the kids to Kaleidoscope. We made it! We got tickets around 2 for the 3:30 session and waited in line at 3:20 with a ton of other people. This is a popular attraction in KC because it’s FREE and awesome. Sponsored by Hallmark Cards, who has their headquarters right next door, this is a fun, bright attraction for kids of all ages.

Each session only lasts 40 minutes so your kids who really like to take their time creating will want to put supplies into their bags for working at home. By supplies I mean paper cut-outs in different shapes, stickers, bows, yarn and more. Make sure the kids make a puzzle while they are there, though! They color on a square of cardboard then put it through a puzzle-maker!

Also don’t miss the glow-in-the-dark room, where you can paint with melted crayon wax.

This is a must-visit thing with kids when you come to Kansas City!

The Curious George exhibit was nuts, so we vacated fast

Eating our snacks in the food court area

A quick pic at Fritz's

Sam's puzzle at Kaleidoscope

At Kaleidoscope

My Function Junction bowls

Here's a post about my new bowls; it's fascinating. Here's a post of all sorts of fun things to do with kids in Kansas City at Crown Center.

Redecorating Without Losing Your Sanity ... a Post for My Mother

In case you missed it, here's a post about Picking Paint Colors with my Husband.

My mom won't be over anytime soon and I really wanted her to see my colors, so these pictures are for you, Mom! The colors are called Adorable and Peach Bud. Two walls are dark and 4 are light, as per Mr. Kerrie's decision. I don't really care. I could live here forever like this or move tomorrow. Can you believe we stripped pink wallpapers and now are painting pink? At least the pink carpet will be ripped up soon! Don't ask how we arrived at this decision ... looooooooooong process but not really to painful this time around, as now Aron knows I have awesome taste from watching decorating shows (not from being girlie)!

Now we are stripping the other 2 big walls to paint them light, then ripping up the carpet. At the same time, we are thinking on kitchen fun and loving the new oven!

And check out what your amaze-balls son-in-law also did for me! It's temporary for now, but will be permanent! Counterspace!

Free Entertainment for Kids in Kansas City ... Watching Construction Workers

I told my mom I would post these pictures because they are hilarious. This is our current summer fun: watching our street get torn up and our driveway get torn out (notice in the top picture we only have 1/3 of our driveway left!). Soon we get to watch them put in new curbs and a new hike/bike trail and tear into our backyard and tear down and replace our wood fence, etc. More free entertainment to come!

Here's what I was doing in the garage at a table while they were watching the show for a few hours.

July 12: Chick-fil-A Cow Appreciation Day = Free Food

Yes, it's that time of year again! Time for Chick-fil-A's Cow Appreciation Event! Here are our pictures from last year! I am challenging you to do this because you entire family will eat for free and all you have to do is put on a trash bag and tape dots to it if you aren't creative (like me!). Let me know how it goes!

BUY IT! Try It Dry, Dry Shampoo Review

Holy cow, I have been living in a cave or something because I knew dry shampoo existed but I didn't know I should not have been living without it! I mean, I am FORTY-TWO years old, people, and I had never used dry shampoo, let alone this rockin' Batiste brand dry shampoo! Let me calm down and discuss this product rationally:

1. I needed this all those days I could not shower due to having a baby nursing all day long on me.
2. I needed this when I went camping with my boyfriend (now husband) and could not shower all weekend but still wanted to look pretty.
3. I need this NOW because I only shower every other day in the interest of saving 1/2 an hour every other day of my life. I take care of my other body parts as far as keeping them refreshed, but my bangs get a little GREASY! I had started putting face powder on them to dry them out, but Batiste Dry Shampoo works so much better, smells great and can be touched up anytime.
4. I also tried this on my girls and they love it. And their two girlfriends who were over love it.

Here's my before picture, first thing on a Saturday morning, hair greasy, no makeup touch-ups. This photo has not been retouched, friends, and when you get to be my age, you just don't care!

And my after picture. Stunning, if I do say so myself ... haha!

Here's some info from the sponsor:

"Summers are full of events, outdoor activities and long weekends. Batiste is a quick 
and convenient way to give your hair the boost it needs! Batiste banishes oily roots 
and revitalizes greasy, dull & lifeless hair between washes, without water. 
Most dry shampoos are made with corn starch - but not Batiste! It's made with 
rice starch, which is lighter on your hair so it won't weigh it down or leave a 
heavy residue! It can also be used to add volume to fine hair. Give Batiste 
a try when you're running late, camping, or just because you want to!"

Here are some of their pics:

You can do what I did and connect with Batiste on Facebook and Twitter!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Beer Bottle Covers!!!! Neoprene Bottle Koolers Bottle Suit Review

Okay, we all have those can koozies laying around, right? They're alright for keeping a can cool and keeping the can sweat off of us, but someone has come up with a Neoprene bottle koozie (well, they call it a bottle kooler because they are klassier than I am!) for BOTTLES! Man, when I saw this, I had to secure one for Mr. Kerrie (Aron) to review!

He's busy watching Daredevil right now, so I will just say it's a super fun product! It has a little zipper and you can secure an optional bottle opener to it (or just use your teeth if you're all super manly). It keeps your beer ... um, I mean your ROOT BEER (yeah, that's the ticket) all snuggly and cool and safe from breaking when it gets knocked over by some random naughty child.

Do you know what Neoprene is? It's wetsuit material! They call this a bottle suit, like it's all ready to go off to work or something. The other cool thing is that you can have your company name/logo put on these and pass them out. You will not be forgotten! I'm thinking The Kerrie Show needs some of these!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Uglee Pen Ergonomic Pen Review and GIVEAWAY

Dr. James Lee has invented this cool new ergonomic pen called an Uglee Pen. Yeah, it's not a pretty pen, that's for sure, but it feels good when you're writing with it. I used to always get a callous in my middle finger from writing so dang much in longhand when I was a kid (yeah, I was always a writer). This ugly thing has a  nice, squishy pad where your fingers go, so it's very comfortable to use. The ink flow is nice, as well, so writing is smooth. It comes in a bunch of different colors.

Here's what Dr. Lee has to say about kids and Uglee Pens:
You already know that it takes years of practice learning how to write. Did you know that it also takes years to build up the correct muscles to do so efficiently? Kids are also at risk for repetitive stress injury, in fact that can be where it starts! Because of their underdeveloped muscles, it is easy for children to accumulate small injuries early. Get your children an UGLee Pen and help prevent future hand problems!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

You Know You're a WAHM When ...

... you are too busy to talk to your friends so when they ask, for example, what you did for your birthday, you rudely send them to a blog post instead of actually talking to them about it.

... you can be found cooking grilled ham and cheese sandwiches while simultaneously writing an article, proofing an article or just doing what you do for money online.

... you try to outsource tasks to your kids, like urinating. "Callie, would you please go pee for me?"

... you live and die to go to the pool in the afternoon because it means a nice break for you away from work and to just be able to watch and appreciate your kids.

... in order to keep the house running smoothly, you work SUPER FAST on any chore, like putting away laundry or putting away dishes.

... you cut time corners on meals. Applesauce instead of cut-up apples. The slow cooker is king!

... you work in the dead of night and in the morning when the rest of the household is sleeping.

... your mom friends come over and you have Adult Working Playdates.

How do you know you're a WAHM? Share with me!

Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and dad figures out there! Here's a post over at Bubblews about how I feel about my own dad ... he kinda rocks. I'd love to know how you feel about your dad, husband, uncle, grandpa, stepdad, father figure, etc. in the comments section!

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless ... #EndlessLashes

Yeah, I know I'm your super brave hero right now, posting my eyes without makeup. The things I will do for free product ...

Speaking of free product, here's a shot of what I got in my recent Influenster box. We all know I'm a mascara addict, so this was PERFECTION, and it's not even available until July!

I start with Voluminous Million Lashes as a base, let it dry, then follow up with this Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless. All mascaras do different things, and the older I get the more different products I need to achieve the look I'm going for (which the look I'm going for is, um, well, AWAKE).

C'est moi! Yep, this is me after putting on my duo of lash products. Also, when it's morning and I'm not taking a shower that day or yet but need some lash love, I will curl my lashes, then put on more of the Rimmel to perk up my eyes. I will definitely buy this as part of my mascara stable!

Here's what they have to say on their website:

Our first ultra lengthening mascara that defies the laws of lash length!

- Length that defies limits

- Formula with Micro-Fibres

- Instant wow: Extends lashes by up to 99%

- Lash-catching brush grabs every lash for perfect separation.  No clumps!

2 AVAILABLE SHADES

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

The Perfect First Aid Kit Suitable For Many Different Purposes

The following is a guest post by Danielle McAnn, and it's great information for summer or anytime!

Picture yourself in a life threatening scenario. Who will come to your aid? Paramedics, fire fighters, police?

The reality is not quite like the one depicted in Hollywood blockbusters. What’s more than likely is that you’ll need to call upon your own First Aid Management skills. Because it’s basic first aid that so often spells the difference between life and death, between inconsequential and catastrophic injury. Equipping yourself with a good, multi-purpose first aid kit is one of the more practical gestures of love you can extend toward your family and loved one’s (and yourself).

The perfect first aid kit should see you through many different scenarios. Insect stings and bites, for instance- not the stuff that disaster pictures are made of, but far more likely and extremely painful. To tackle these sorts of injuries, crepe bandages of varying sizes, micropore tape, sting relief and scissors should be part of your kit.

Families will need plenty of materials on hand to combat the litany of cuts, bruises, and falls that are par for the course in childhood. Be sure that your kit includes plenty of bandaids, ice packs, alcohol swabs and burn aid sachets. You’re also well advised to do a course in CPR, which is of vital importance for heart attack victims.

Without a good first aid kit at your disposal, you may as well be a sitting duck. One for the car and one for the home should provide adequate peace of mind. Think carefully about what kind of mishaps you’re most likely to encounter, and choose the materials for your kit accordingly. Don’t let a minor injury become something more serious just because you forgot to buy a first aid kit.

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Decorating Kit!

I'm trying to figure out how I feel about this one. Part of me says a donut is AWESOME all by itself. It's like when someone remakes a freaking BEATLES song. REALLY? You thought you could improve upon the masters? I get that it's maybe a tribute to them, but COME ON. Just leave it.

Then part of me says DANG, frosting and sprinkles for a donut so you can decorate it? WOW! Great idea!

Then a third part of me, the financial part says, "THAT IS EXPENSIVE!"

Then a fourth part of me, the one who likes peace and quiet every now and then, says, "Hmmm, for $20* ($4 times 5 kids; yes, I can do math from time to time) I can have all the kids at the table working on decorating their donuts quietly for about 10 minutes!" That's 10 minutes of sanity!

*(yes, they each need their own kit)

What do you think?

FREE LEGO Life Magazine Subscription!

We have already established that my 10-year-old son Michael is a LEGO LOVER EXTRORDINAIRE! We signed him up for LEGO Club Magazine a few years ago and he loves getting them about every couple of months. It's always fun for me to check the mail and be able to call out to one of the kids that they have their very own piece of mail. (pen pals, anyone?)

Update: Michael is now 21 as of the cleaning-up of this blog post, and he's just gotten a full scholarship for his final two years of college for Mechanical Engineering!

Head here for a free LEGO Life magazine subscription.

Traveling with Kids by Car and Airplane

Irvine, California

Phoenix, Arizona

Evanston, Wyoming

Salt Lake City, Utah

These are some of the places we've been with my husband while he was working.

In 2002, my son Joel, who has 16 months old at the time (along with Michael in my womb), flew with my husband to Irvine, California (southern), where he had been working for a while doing engineering work. We stayed there for three weeks and then Joel and I flew back to KC alone. We didn't want to leave so soon, but I had taken donations for a World Breastfeeding Week walk and felt like I should actually do the walk.

My grandma thought I was nuts to travel with a little kid while also pregnant (she pretty much always thought I was nuts — five kids, homeschooling, traveling, working from home). But I always wanted to be a flight attendant, and travel was in my bones from the time I was born. My mom always understood, though, as she was a GO GO GO person who married my dad and went to Germany with him immediately (where I was born). That woman will travel ANYWHERE! My dad also likes to travel, so I come by this naturally.

Juppy Baby Walker Review and Giveaway

Alright, so obviously I don't have a baby around anymore, so I gave this Juppy Baby Walker to my friend Merriett to review since she has a little girl who is trying to walk. Here is what Merriett had to say and here are some photos. (stay tuned after this for a giveaway!)

"When she is in it she tends to lean forward so it really wasn't helping her "get her balance" and learn to walk. It might have been better for a baby just figuring out what to do with their feet but for our daughter she has been holding our hands to walk for several months now...she just can't get the balance thing down yet. It does say that it is normal for it to take a little time for the child to grow accustomed to it...but we used it 3 separate times and each time she would lean forward. 

The funny thing is that I actually think this product would be awesome for a child that is already walking. I could see us putting her in it while we went shopping or something so we could walk with her and she can't stray too far from us and we don't have to bend down to hold her hand. (Kind of like those leash things but looks a little nicer).

I also was really impressed with the craftmanship. The material is very sturdy, I imagine it lasting for quite some time. "

Later ...

"See how she is leaning forward? I just don't think this will help her walk at all. Its nice on our backs but I don't believe she is learning this way." Merriett also included a photo that was funny ... of the Juppy being used as a carrier!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Mint Dress for the Upcoming Wedding and Pictures at Funerals?

I went out last week looking for a swimsuit and had ZERO luck (see this post about bras and boobs). I kept passing by these super cute dresses and finally this one SPOKE TO ME and I had to just grab it and try it on along with all the swimsuit disasters I had. It's from JCPenney, it was about $40, and it's a size 12 in case you were curious. It makes me happy because it is comfortable.

I don't care if my arms are too big for a sleeveless dress or that I will have a pooch belly in it. It is gorgeous and it makes me feel gorgeous. I am wearing it to a family wedding with totally inappropriate shoes because we now don't have the money for new shoes for me;. Likely I will be barefoot much of the time anyway.

The point is, it makes me feel pretty and it reminds me of my Great Aunt Eva for some reason. It's washable and I can wear it all summer long.

What makes you feel pretty?

Mom, are you happy now that I posted this like I said I would? I love you.

Updated April 2017. So when I wore this dress to the wedding, it was the last time my grandfather recognized me and he died a few months later. I wore it also to see him in the nursing home and snapped a selfie of us which I won't share here because some of my family FREAKED OUT when I shared it on Facebook. How dare I capture one last memory of my Poppy and myself and share it? In a nursing home? Then I went on to have my friend take pictures at the FUNERAL as well. I treasure those pictures as well and am glad I don't think like "everyone else" ... I am more sensitive, that's for sure, and I love having pictures to look back on, even if they are sad.

Also, even though I felt like I was busting out of it, I wore this dress also to Easter Mass this year. I love this dress :-)

Butterfly Day at the McLoughlin Academy of Rock

This morning when Callie got up we hit the books right away. You see, we homeschool in the summer. We pretty much do light school all year so we can take breaks, explore other interests, travel, socialize, play and more. It just works for us.

Anyway, we learned about insects today, which led to coloring pictures of butterflies (just Google "butterly coloring pictures") and fairy butterflies and reading poems about butterflies and learning about the life cycle of the butterfly. We'll inspect our parsley plant daily for caterpillars so many we can make a butterfly jar like we did another time. Eva and Sam color pictures, some have a B on them. Callie is going to color a bookmark with butterflies on it.

I love when learning one thing leads to another. It's like I start the conversation by cracking open a book and they continue it themselves, taking me along for the ride.

Later, since we're heading into social insects like ants and bees, I'll put "Bee Movie" on hold at the library. I also have to remember to put The Secret Garden on hold!

Check out my piece over here with 6 Family Friendly Outdoor Projects, as well, if you're feeling outdoorsy!

Review: Ride Along Dolly Doll Bike Seat

Okay, so this Ride Along Dolly Doll Bike Seat came in the mail so I could review it and stuff.

My girls were super excited, but only one has a "real bike" ... so Callie was chosen to try out the product. So after she put on the included decals and had so much fun doing that, it was time for Mr. Kerrie to assemble the seat.

Mr. Kerrie gives it a thumbs-up in the easy-to-assemble department

Callie would not get off her bike and rode up and down, up and down the sidewalk with her American Girl Doll-knockoff (how well do you think a $100+ doll would fare in my house, people? So we just don't even go there ... we get the $30 Our Generation Dolls from Target, thank you very much). Rather, SANTA does.

My little model loved this so much. The doll needs a ponytail, though, because her hair almost got caught in the spokes. And I noticed that the seat was saggin' a couple of weeks after it was installed. Mr. Kerrie said he fixed it but it sagged again. Just sayin'. If I was not honest you would not love me.

 

Hook up with them at Facebook and Pinterest!

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

WebHangman.com ... Play Games Online for Brain Power

I hate to admit this, but I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. When I was a working girl (not that kind of working girl, people), I used to play games on the computer during my downtime. I'd mostly play solitaire and other things that were pre-loaded onto the computer, but that was a long time ago.

These days there are so many options for the person at work on a lunchbreak or for the mom or dad who is a bit bored during the day when kids are in school. Online games are also great for those who can't sleep at night ... play some games, build up your brain power, make your mind sleepy and head to bed!

Remember how Hangman was the go-to game for anytime you were bored as a kid and especially for long car rides? Now you can pay it online, too!

This great site WebHangman.com has all sorts of games! They have different versions of Hangman, as well as word puzzles like crossword puzzles, word searches, word scramble and bouncing letters. There are also retro games on this site like PacMan and Space Invaders. SCORE! I'm back in the early 1980s again!

Here are some Hangman Game Strategies from the website WebHangman.com

"The most common used English letter is 'e' so you better start by using it. The 4 other vowels ('a', 'o', 'i', 'u') are next. The other most commonly used letters are 't', 'n', 's', 'h', 'r', 'd' and 'l'.
Using these letters can give you better odds for guessing the word, but they can also decrease the level of fun while playing and not necessarily will help you win, words that are less common like "rhythm" don't qualify for this strategy."

They also have other brain teaser games ...

"For those of you who want to play more brain teasers and puzzles there are tons of possibilities out there but only a few are also super fun. Try Tetris, Jigsaw puzzles or Sudoku. If you want to play arcade games you should pay a visit to our gaming portal Funzola. It has the most fun games we pick by hand and also a large collection or retro games such as Pacman, Super Mario Bros and Space Invaders. All games are kids friendly of-course."

Next time the kids say they are bored, send t hem to WebHangman.com!