As a member of Master Lock’s Live Secure Safety Squad, I have been compensated for my time in writing this post and receive samples for review. The holidays are a joyous time filled with traditions plus time with loved ones and friends but in order to truly enjoy the season, it’s important to take steps to…
Thank You for Helping Haiti After Hurricane Matthew!
Known for beautiful waters and sandy beaches, the islands in the Caribbean are sought after destinations for travelers but somehow Haiti is overlooked by those craving rest and relaxation. Five years ago I started traveling to Haiti. My first trip was in 2012, just two years after the devastating 7.0 earthquake that claimed so many…
How to Create Effective Routines to Teach Middle School Study Habits at Home
This sponsored post is written in partnership with Workman Publishing Middle school. It’s a completely different ball game from elementary school. A new school where multiple elementary schools converge on a larger campus with more students, having lockers for the first time, figuring out bell times and how to get from one place to the…
How You Can Help Provide Hurricane Matthew Relief for Haiti
For the past five years I’ve been traveling to Haiti. If you’ve been reading the blog for awhile, you know that I first went there in 2012, wanting to get to know the country beyond what was being reported on the news following the devastating 7.0 earthquake that rocked the island in 2010. People who…
Why Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life Movie Gives Parents a Reason to Relive Middle School with Their Kids
Middle school. Who recalls their middle school years fondly? Not many of the adults that I talk to do and while the jury’s still out on how Emily will remember her 6-8th grade years, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is a movie that tweens will identify with. Based on the Middle School…
Why Young Makers Will Love littleBits Gizmos & Gadgets Kit, 2nd Edition
It’s no secret that we love littleBits! We collect sets like they’re trading cards, adding new bits to our collection each time that add to the possibilities of what we can make and couldn’t be more excited about the brand new littleBits Gizmos & Gadgets Kit, 2nd Edition. Usually when we get a new set of…
What Does Your Pet Do When You’re Away? The Secret Life of Pets DVD & Blu-ray Release Dates
This is a sponsored post We often wonder what Oliver, our 8 year old Lab, does when we’re not home. We imagine that he’s at the window with binoculars on squirrel patrol, wishing he had thumbs so he could open the fridge to find a snack, or flipping through channels trying to find shows with…
Free Teacher Resources for Teaching Fire Safety to Elementary Ages
This is post is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and Sparky.org. When I taught first grade, I had a folder for every unit organized by month. This was the time of the year I’d pull out my National Fire Prevention Week folder and flip through my lesson plans, worksheets, and paperback picture books…
October is Fire Prevention Month: Know What to Do After a House Fire #LSSS
This is a sponsored post This summer we woke up to the news that a four story apartment complex near one of the schools where I used to teach had been damaged in an explosion. The fire that followed was fatal, killing seven people ranging in age from 3-66, injuring 30, and displacing 100 residents…
Everything You Need to Know about SSDs & Why You Need One to Backup Your Data
If I lost you with the title, stick with me! You’re about to learn everything need to know about solid state drives, or SSDs. When you think about computer storage, you probably think of hard disk drives (HDDs) that have traditionally been the type of storage put in laptops. These days manufacturers are giving consumers…
