Back to School with Netflix #StreamTeam

August tends to be a whirlwind with marching band camp, alternating weeks with my stepdaughter's custody, cramming in the last hurrahs of summer, and this year we added a visit from Oma coming in from Arizona for a few weeks!

The little girls and I love to watch our shows each day. Sometimes they're when we're snuggled up in the morning after the girls first wake up or it could be randomly in the middle of the day too or before bed. The three of us love to lay in bed and watch together.  Netflix is our favorite!  Whether it's Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (Season 2 is now available!), Ever After High, or our "new" fave Reading Rainbow, we definitely have the school theme covered in our house!

Back to school happened for us just last week and it was a super fast week full of new adventures and schedules. Starting kindergarten is a pretty big deal, you know.  I'm not sure more for who though...Lily, Violet, or me. :)  It's a change for all of us with Lily being gone all day!

We have a sophomore, a 6th grade, and a kindergartner in school this year! 

When Violet's in preschool, we'll be the family with 4 kids in 4 different schools...

There's a fun new original show on Netflix that premiered this month called, Project Mc2! The show features four super cool teen spies who show how girls can use their science smarts and math problem-solving skills to save the world. Total #SmartGirl inspiration!  This show is really fun for Lily and Reagan and truth be told, I'm enjoying it too! Who wouldn't want a talking notebook?! Celebrating Smart is the new Cool is a definite theme I can get behind!  I always tell the older two...nerds rule the world!  Check out this new, fun show! Project Mc2

We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the show before its premiere and as a part of the #StreamTeam, Netflix sent the BEST package of goodies that the girls are LOVE LOVE LOVING! Right now, today, I can only show you a sneak peek of them... the girls are so excited about the experiments and Lily said, "Mom! This is top secret stuff right now!"  Ok, kid.
{We have a blog post specifically for them this week that you won't want to miss!}

Lily LOVED that she was asked to be a new spy!  What a creative way to get kids excited and spark imagination! "Mom, they can only see me with this lipstick today and these cool googles (*whispers* they won't know it's not lipstick yet.)"  
pssst...she loves the one with glitter. ;)


We received the perfect doll for Lily! She has glasses and loves volcanoes just like Lily!

Andrew and I like shows like How the States Got Their Shapes and some old favorites of his... Jimmy Neutron was his favorite as a little kid!

And the offspring of favorite fairytale characters in Ever After High's Way Too Wonderland   adventure empower kids to write their own life stories.  Whether Royal or Rebel, your actions, behaviors and choices are your own to make. This is actually a pretty popular topic in our house about being accountable for choices and behaviors. Every choice has a consequence...not all are bad!

Netflix Original: Ever After High: Way Too Wonderland Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius How the State Got Their Shapes Odd Squad

Get the little ones ready for new experiences with shows like the Netflix original Dinotrux from DreamWorks, prehistoric hybrid dinosaur-construction vehicles team-up to use their different skills to solve problems and show that even the most uncommon of duos, like Ty-Rux and Revvit, can form friendships of a lifetime.

Reading Rainbow Magic School Bus The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!

Be sure to check back for our ProjectMc2 specific post this week!

  Disclosure: As a member of the Netflix #StreamTeam I was provided subscription to Netflix and also exclusive insights or other products. All opinions are my 100% my own and I was already a proud Netflix subscriber prior to this opportunity. Please see my full disclosure.

Keep on Moving Back to School (giveaway!)

Summertime is easy to keeps kids busy, outdoors, and active.  After having grown up in Arizona where cabin fever was a non-factor even long after back-to-school happened, living in Pittsburgh, it take effort to keep active into the winter months!  Let's face it, simply layering up kids with coats, hats, boots, gloves, and scarves just to get out the door is a work out in itself. :)

As we wind down the weekend after our first week back to school, I want to share some of what we do to help keep our family active into the fall and winter.  While the weather is still good, we've learned that outdoor play after school is a must.  Even though we have a high schooler, a 6th grader, a kindergartener, and a one year old whose needs are all different, getting outside is important for all of them.  Sometimes the outdoor activity after school simply consists of mowing the grass or some work in the yard.  Walks around our neighborhood as a family are a favorite of mine. Often times they lead to a stop at the park for swinging or just running in the grass, but it's a simple way to get together as a family and stay active.  Trust me, pushing a stroller with one, sometimes two kids is a good workout for me. I need it!  Lily also is excited about walking to the bus stop, so that's been a simple way to get out the door and moving!

In addition to keeping moving outside, one thing I'm grateful for back to school is getting our meals back to regular times and meal planning back in the swing.  Summer is a tough time for us with summer marching band rehearsals, varying custody schedules, work overtime for the hub and sometimes we have 3 people eating supper or it could be up to all 6 depending on the day at any given time in the evening while I try to get everyone where they need to be.  We grill a lot all year long which is nice to be able to toss chicken on the grill and add it to a salad and have a simple healthy meal.  Violet is the only current non-salad fan, so we're almost there! Fruits and veggies are a big part of our kids' snacks and meals, so transitioning into back-to-school mode is easy there, thankfully.

P&G is offering a fun way to help motivate your kids to stay active and as they head back to school this year. Lily has loved being able to see what she's doing with her LeapFrog LeapBand activity tracker! She loves the customization of her "pet" and gets excited to be doing things like leaping like a frog, dancing like a chicken, jumping and roaring like a tiger, or popping like popcorn! Talking about healthy foods and exercise is exciting for her too!

Pop! Pop! Pop! like popcorn!

How can you get a LeapFrog LeapBand?

It's so simple:  Shoppers who purchase $30 or more of P&G products at participating Shop N' Save retailers will receive a LeapFrog LeapBand activity tracker by mail!

$30 is it!  One big box of diapers, done.  Don't need diapers?  Laundry detergent, toothpaste, shampoo... it all adds up! You're going to spend the money anyway, so why not get something back too?!   Click here to find a participating retailer near you:  pghopskipleap.com.

and...

One lucky reader is going to win the prize pack below filled with P&G products like Crest toothpaste, an Oral-B toothbrush, Pantene shampoo and conditioner, Tide pods, and of course a LeapFrog LeapBand activity tracker!

Disclosure: I was provided product sample from P&G and also exclusive insights or other products. All opinions are my 100% my own. 
Please see my full disclosure.

Giveaway will run until 09/05/15 at 11:59pm.  Winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.  Winner will also be displayed here.  Thanks so much!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go! Go! Smart Wheels Speedster Contest!

Rev up for the Go! Go! Smart Wheels Speedster Contest

There's still time! Now's your chance! 

Does your little racer have the need for speed? Be sure to make a pit stop and submit photo for a chance to win a new Go! Go! Smart Wheels® Ultimate RC Speedway™ from VTech®!

How to Enter

Upload a photo of your little speedster and their love of racing for a chance to win a new Go! Go! Smart Wheels Ultimate RC Speedway! 

It could be a picture of your child in their race car themed room, in their favorite racing outfit or even playing with their favorite Go! Go! Smart Wheels toy.

Submit your digital photo by uploading it to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtags #gogospeedster and #entry.  All entries must be submitted between now and August 28.

One (1) winner will be chosen weekly over a four (4) week period. Each winner will receive One (1) Go! Go! Smart Wheels Ultimate RC Speedway (valued at $59.99). ^†

Winners will be selected on or before noon (12:00 PM, ET) on the following dates:

·         Friday, August 7, 2015 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER!

·         Friday, August 14, 2015 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER!

·         Friday, August 21, 2015 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER!

·         Monday, August 31, 2015

For official rules visit http://bit.ly/1hjJY0X.

The contest information has been provided by VTech.

^†Prizes awarded and fulfilled by VTech.