All posts by Anne Younger

Anne is a 30-something full-time SAHM mom of 5 ranging from 3 to 17 and grandma of 1 who resides in Ashwaubenon (Green Bay) Wisconsin. She started blogging in 2008 as a way to regain her sanity. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, cheeseburgers and vodka along with spending time with her husband and kids.

Why We Love Kids Academy Apps

* I received a promotional item in order to facilitate this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.*

Since we got an iPad at the beginning of the year, the little kids have really enjoyed using it.  Right now, my iPad gets used more by the kids than me.  (Thankfully that will change after the holidays, thanks, Santa!),

With the kids using it all the time, you can bet that it is filled with kid friendly apps, and most of them are educational. I am all for my kids learning things when they think they are just playing.

We recently checked out 3 apps from Kids Academy and they have quickly become some of Ellie’s favorite apps.

ABCs Alphabet Phonics & Montessori Learn to Read App for Toddlers

Kids Academy Reading & Writing

Ellie loves this app! She loves tracing letters, doing the mazes and exploring.

Preschool and Kindergarten Learning Kids Games Free for Toddler

Another Ellie favorite, mainly because she can trace letters.

As a mom, I am a fan of both of these apps because Ellie is learning her letters and numbers as well as how to write them and she doesn’t even realize how much she is learning from them but I do!

Bingo ABCs alphabet phonics song with farm animals cards for toddler free

This app will have your kids singing for days! Ellie is not only learning to read and spell with this app, she is also learing songs. Since being introduced to this app, she sings BINGO all the time.

All of these apps are free in your App Store and of course, you can purchase upgraded version of each that will unlock more fun for your toddlers.We use our iPad and educational apps as part of our every day homeschool preschool and love everything they have taught our kids!

 

Gilmore Girls-esque Getaway

Since I first fell in love with Gilmore Girls many, many years ago, I’ve wanted to run away to a quaint little inn or B&B, visit little towns and meet new people.  

Someday, when we have the money, the kids are grown and we have more free time, I hope Alex and I are able to get out of here and explore the country and make this dream of mine become a reality.  

Until that time arrives, I will continue to research and explore and plan our trip in my computer.

So far my goal is to visit Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.  I want to stay in nothing but B&B’s and Inns and only in small, touristy towns.  Of course, since Fall is my favorite season, this is also the time I want to visit so I can experience fall in a variety of locations and see how it differs from ours.  

I want to shop, send postcards, eat at little diners and restaurants and just explore.  When we travel with kids I always have to have a plan in place, when it will finally be just the two of us, we can do what ever we want without any plans.

I really hope that someday, we can make this trip a reality and expierience it all!

 

Don’t Leave the Pups Beggin’ for Purina this Halloween, Be Prepared

*This is a sponsored post brought to you by Lunchbox on behalf of Purina and Walmart.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.*

Halloween is right around the corner and we are busy getting ready.  We’ve been doing a few little decorative things around the house, watching some movies with the kids, trying on costumes and the only person who seems to be struggling with what to be this year is Bubba.

Should he be a Viking?

Should he be a hotdog?

Should he be a shark?

Although he is confused as to which costume he’s going to wear, the one thing he does know is that he is looking forward to enjoing some more Beggin’ Strips, the Official Dog Treat of Halloween.

 

Be sure to pick up some Beggin’ Strips from your local Walmart and share some with your furry friends this Halloween!  Bubba’s favorite are the bacon cheese flavored Beggin’ Strips.

You can celebrate Halloween with your furry friends this year with Beggin’, the Official Dog Treat of Halloween.  Bubba loves his Beggin’ Strips soooo much that we thought we should share the Treat Seeker game at the Purina Pet Park, where you can win one of 25,000 treat samples for your pet.



Win It

In addition to strutting around the Purina Pet Park, you can also enter for your chance to win 1 of 5 $50 Walmart gift cards!


Purina Halloween 2014

My 10 Favorite Oscar de la Renta Dresses

For years I have watched red carpet shows just so I could see what the stars were wearing.  With the news today of Oscar de la Renta’s passing, I thought I would put together a post featuring my 10 favorite Oscar de la Renta dresses over the years.

Sarah Jessica Parker in Oscar de la Renta at the Met Gala

Katy Perry in Oscar de la Renta at the 2012 Billboard Women in Music Luncheon

Emma Watson in Oscar de la Renta at the Harry Potter Premier

Eva Longoria in Oscar de la Renta at the 2013 Golden Globes

Sarah Jessica Parker in Oscar de la Renta arrives at the 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta at the 2010 Golden Globes

Tina Fey in Oscar de la Renta at the 2013 SAG Awards

Ginnifer Goodwin in Oscar de la Renta at the 2012 American Music Awards

The next two dress are my absolute favorite ones!

Oprah Winfrey in Oscar de la Renta at the MET Ball 2010

Amy Adams in Oscar de la Renta at the 2013 Oscars

Oscar de la Renta is a fashion icon who has created so many beautiful pieces over the years.  His work will definitely be missed but it will always be remembered and so will he.

 

My Personal Addiction

It started back in 2006.  

At first, it was just something to do occasionally. You know, for a little added fun on the weekend.  I would go online, make my selection and wait for it to be delivered to my mailbox.

It started with just one at a time, about every two weeks.  From there it became two, than three and then….it became a weekly habit.  

I would spend my time scrolling through the list online, decided what I wanted and then wait for it to arrive.

Then I would indulge myself.

My addiction has not improved over the last 8 years and it has become so much easier to feed.

When I was given the option to have 24/7 access with no need to wait for the mail.

Things got really bad.

And expensive.

My addiction to Netflix is a real problem.

I find a series and I binge watch and make my way to the next.

I watch movie after movie after movie.

I’ve upped my internet and my Netflix account so we can stream to 4 devices at a time.

Things aren’t getting better and I only see it getting worse.  

First, Netflix sucked me in with series such as Toddlers & Tiaras, GREEK, Orange Is The New Black and then…..Netflix made the announcement that ALL 7 SEASONS OF GILMORE GIRLS would be available on Netflix on October 1st.

 

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Thank you @Netflix #gilmoregirls

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Now, Gilmore Girls is one of the things in life that I love more than chocolate.  So, for the last 18 days….I’ve been watching Lorelai and Rory every chance I get.

As of today, I’m more than half way through season 6.

Once I’m done with the series, I can guarantee that I will start back over from the beginning and this cycle with continue until at least January.

In January, every single episode of Friends will be made available on Netflix and then I will be binge watching that and return to Gilmore Girls after.

The problem is that I’m not the only one who is addicted. My children are addicts too.  

Alexander (age 6) binges on Power Rangers and has even created his own subaccount within my account.

Ellie (age 2) knows how to access Netflix Kids on my iPad and watches Strawberry Shortcake, Daniel Tiger and all of her other favorites whenever she can get her hands on the iPad.

Zack (age 15) and Libby (age 14) both watch shows constantly using their phones, tablets, computers and even the PS3.

And, let’s face it…Joey (age 1) will be watching his favorite programs before we know it.  He already knows how to unlock my iPhone and how to talk to Siri on the iPhone and iPad and enjoys the occasional cartoon when we snuggle at night.

 

Of all of our monthly expenses, Netflix is the one that I don’t mind paying because it gets A LOT of use.  I logged into my account to check viewing activity and went all the way back to September 1st and between now and then, the only day Netflix was not used was September 2nd, the 1st day of school.

I wish there was a way to see how many hours are watched with a bring down by day and month.  It would show how badly we are addicted.

Thank you Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings for bringing Netflix to life.