DIY Matching Disney tees!

I don't know why, but for some reason when we go to Disney I LOVE having matching t-shirts. We don't wear matching shirts anywhere else, but at Disney we have matching shirts for everyday we are there. The kids roll their eyes and grumble under their breath, but they know that Disney means matching, and don't even try to get out of it! I think they secretly like it and that's why they don't complain more. Here's us last year in front of the castle in one of our shirts.

Check out the family to the right in the background they have matching shirts too! I just love the pictures when we all match. We even made Mickey tye die shirts. (I'll have a post on how to make them soon!)

For our iron on shirts I always get the awesome disigners (yes it's spelled that way!) on the DIS Boards to design them for me. Go to disboards.com, and there is a forum called creative disigns. There are disigners on their who personalize shirts for people in their spare time. The best part is, it's free! After getting the designs I print them on iron on paper and then iron them on. I always use the Avery brand transfers. You can get them at Wal-mart, Office Depot, or Staples. I have found they stick on the best and last the longest.

I usually make the shirts a tad big for the kids so we can wear them a couple years. We don't wear them at home, just at Disney so they will last longer. The ones we have now we have worn for our past 2 trips, so we decided to make a few new ones this year, and we will still wear some of the old ones. These are the new ones I made for this year!

Another advantage of having matching shirts is they make it easier to find your kids. We were at the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground one time and I was trying to find Junior. I asked a cast member "Have you seen...?" and he automatically pointed and said "over there!" I didn't even have to describe him or anything. This could be really helpful if you have small kids who wander or can't talk yet!

Some people thing matching shirts are geeky. I think they are adorable. And as long as I can make the kids wear them, we will be one of those matching families at Disney!

Family Christian Store review and giveaway!

I recently had the pleasure of checking out Family Christian Store's website and their great summer sales they have going on. I loved looking through all the books, music, and more on their website. I found so many books on there that I wanted to read or get for the kids! 

My favorite, which I did end up ordering, is Between Us: A 52 Week Keepsake Devotional Journal for Moms and Daughters. 

"Throughout the year, mothers and daughters can use these 52 devotions to share their thoughts and grow their faith. Written by best-selling author Vicki Courtney, each devotion unpacks a focus Scripture and offers guidance and biblical truth that is relevant to today's tweens. Daughters and moms will find questions to ask each other and to journal about and fun activity ideas as well. As the devos are shared and the journal is passed back and forth from mom to daughter, readers will be building their relationship with each other, strengthening their faith in God, and creating a keepsake to treasure for decades to come."

It doesn't come out until Sept 1, but you can order it now and they will ship it when it is released. Brianna and I can't wait to get it! I love that it is a keepsake! I am looking for something like it for moms and sons. 

I found this for boys. The artwork and graphics in here are awesome! I can't wait for Junior to read it! I think he is going to love it!

The Action Bible presents 215 fast-paced narratives in chronological order, making it easier to follow the Bible's historical flow and reinforcing the build-up to its thrilling climax. The stories in The Action Bible communicate clearly and forcefully to contemporary readers. This compelling blend of clear writing plus dramatic imagery offers an appeal that crosses all age boundaries. 

Internationally recognized artist Sergio Cariello has created attention-holding illustrations marked by rich coloring, dramatic shading and lighting, bold and energetic designs, and emotionally charged figures. Let this epic rendition draw you into all the excitement of the world's most awesome story.

Head on over to Family Christian and check out the great deals they have going on through Aug 25. Their journaling Bibles are 30% off. These are great for taking on road trips! You can also get 50% off all books, dvds, and music, so grab a cd to listen to and a dvd for the kids to watch!

It's not too late for the kids to complete the Family Christian Store summer reading program. Encourage kids 12 years and younger to take their reading to new heights by joining the Summer Reading Club. When they read six books, they'll get a free book of their choice. Jump start their reading now with the Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off sale on all Kids’ Books! The Club is going on now and ends August 25, so get them reading!

Link to learn more: http://www.familychristian.com/summerreading

They also have a new apparel line that just came out called Active Faith.

  "We’re thrilled to be the exclusive retail partner for Active Faith Sports! Formed by a group of Christian athletes, Active Faith offers apparel with Christian-inspired designs and messages, encouraging you to share your faith whether you’re on the court, out for a jog or running errands around town.

·         Pro athletes seen wearing Active Faith apparel include Stephen Curry, Demaryius Thomas, Clayton Kershaw, James Harden and more!

·         Men’s apparel is available now in stores and online. Women’s and youth apparel will be available mid-July." 

You can watch their promotional video here.

The best part about Family Christian is that they are a non profit organization now. When you shop with them your purchases help support ministries worldwide! 

About Family Christian

   Family Christian is a Christian retailer, operating in 250 stores across the country. They are committed to helping you find, grow, share and celebrate your faith through a wide selection of Christian books, music, Bibles, DVDs, gifts and more.

 When you shop with Family Christian, your purchases support their efforts to unite with ministries that are helping children and families in need around the world. 

              Family Christian has generously donated a $25 certificate for one lucky reader to win! Enter below, and don't forget to share with your friends! I hope you had as much fun shopping as I did!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Fun with Word Ladders

We've recently found a workbook that the kids love! It's called Word Ladders, and it's a 10 minute a day skill builder.

We first encountered Word Ladders when I picked up a workbook for fifty cents at a curriculum sale. It was for grades 1-2, and they were in 5th, but I thought it would be a good review, and something I could give them to keep them busy when I had to work. The premise is simple: you start out with a word, and then you climb the ladder, adding or removing one or two letters at a time according to the clues.

To my surprise, the kids LOVED it! They did the first couple pages I gave them and begged for more. They finished the first book in a couple weeks, and asked for harder ones. I went online searching and was able to buy more off of Amazon for a good price. This time I got grades 4-6.

Whenever I'm busy and give them work to do on their own they always ask for Word Ladders. I don't know what I will do when they finish all the books and we don't have anymore! Each book has 100 lessons in it, and it helps with spelling, phonics, vocabulary, and more. I'm so glad I found schoolwork that they actually like to do!