Duct Tape Kids Crafts Develop Imagination

What I like most about duct tape kids crafts is they make the perfect activity to let kids' imaginations flow. I have found it helps my kids get unplugged and focused on the craft at hand. Here is a project my 9-year-old son came up with to remedy his "I'm bored" blues one afternoon.

How to Make Duct Tape Colorful Box Masks

1. Purchase several colors of duct tape.

We prefer to use Scotch brand duct tape given the variety of colors it comes in. My son, of course, wanted all of them, even colors they don't sell. We settled on these.

2. Buy or locate several cardboard boxes.

We bought some and used some we had laying around the house. We found that the 11x11 size fit the best on our boys' heads. You'll want to test out your boxes to see what size fits best for your kids.

3. Invest in quality scissors.

While tearing duct tape is easy and a simple way to work with it, having a pair of quality scissors helps with shapes or for getting a tear started. We have found that our CutCo kitchen scissors cut the duct tape the very best for duct tape kids crafts.

4. Choose your colors and pattern and begin designing.

My 9-year-old son loves looking for ideas online before beginning his masterpiece. Sometimes he wants to copy other designs (especially if they have anything to do with Mine Craft), but most often he is just looking for inspiration. On the other hand, my 12-year-old son likes to design as he goes. To each his own, right?

Once your kids have chosen the colors and/or patterns they want to use and have an image in mind, they can begin designing.

5. Play!

Colorful box masks lend themselves to hours of endless unplugged play time. Recommend to your kids to name their creations, play with them, and encourage them make more box masks the next time you hear them utter "I'm bored." They'll love you for it!

What are your favorite duct tape kids crafts?

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If you are like our family, you are always looking for tips on reducing indoor allergens, pollen, and dust. So, I was happy when Sharp PCI provided me with an Air Purifier to review.

8 Tips to Reducing Indoor Allergens and Pollen

Fortunately, I am married to a guy (@Dadventurous) who used to own a flood restoration company and who is an expert at mold remediation and carpet cleaning. He also happens to suffer horribly from allergies. So, I interviewed him about what he learned from his time in that industry and asked him to share his top tips for reducing indoor allergens and pollen. He recommend the following:

1. Prevent outdoor allergens and pollen from entering your house. Do this by keeping windows and doors closed during when pollen is high and changing your air filters on your furnace each season.
2. Remove allergens and pollen when you are cleaning. Vacuum once a week for every person in your household. For a family of four, this means four times a week.
3. Filter micro allergens, pollen, and dust. Use the right type and size of filters for your furnace and air conditioner (HEPA) and change them regularly.
4. Purifier the air in your home. Sharp PCI Air Purifiers provide an automatic and complete air quality for your home while reducing indoor allergens.
5. Deep clean your carpet. Allergens, pollen, dust, and dirt can get trapped in your carpet that regular vacuum cleaners have a tough time removing. Getting a deep carpet cleaning once a year (we recommend steam cleaning), and twice a year if you have kids and pets, is great for reducing allergens. Check out these 5 tips for keeping your carpet looking great between deep cleanings!
6. Dust and sweep regularly. Use cleaning products, like Swiffer Sweepers or Pledge Wipes (lemon is my fave), that grab and remove dust instead of simply pushing it to the side.
7. Bathe and groom your pets regularly. Pets can bring in allergens and pollen. Bathing and grooming your pets regularly will help reduce the amount of pollen they track in.
8. Set rules for your kids. Like pets, kids also track the outdoors inside after they play. Requiring them to shower after playing outdoors and change their clothes before going to bed is an important key in reducing indoor allergens.

Reducing Indoor Allergens and Pollen Through HEPA Filters

While interviewing my husband, he kept referring to HEPA. I finally asked him what the big deal was. Apparently, most disposable filters are designed to remove the largest particles in the air. These filters might only remove 10-40% of the dust floating in your home. A HEPA filter can remove up to 99% of those air born particles. To reduce indoor allergens, you'll want to purchase furnace and air conditioning filters, vacuum filters, and air humidifier and/or purifier filters that are pure HEPA filters.

Tip! Make sure you are purchasing true HEPA filters. HEPA-Type and High Efficiency filters are not true HEPA filters. True HEPA filtration removes 99.97% of airborne pollutants including dust, pollen, pet dander, and smoke particles. This provides almost perfect allergen removal. Fortunately, the Sharp PCI Air Purifier has a true HEPA filter. Score!

Want to learn more about reducing indoor allergens and ways to breathe easier during allergy season, join us for a Twitter party Tuesday, May 15 from 9 p.m. ET ( 8 CT, 7 MT, 6 PT), using the hashtags #gno and #RoomToBreathe. 

Have tips for reducing indoor allergens and pollen? Share on SharpAirUSA's Facebook page.

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Must-See Sites When You Travel to Paris

I found myself with an extra week in Europe this past January after a trip to Ireland. So, when a friend invited me to visit her quaint farm house in Normandy, I immediately looked into flights from Ireland to Paris and train fare from Paris to Normandy. I had the weekend of a lifetime and after a few days with my friend and her family, I took the train back to Paris and enjoyed a few days on my own before returning to the US.

Since I only had three days in Paris and it was snowing while I was there, I focused on a few prominent and easy-to-get-to spots: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Versailles.

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower should be the first must-see spot on any tourist's travel to Paris list. Whether you are a tourist attraction type of a person or not, this Paris icon is breathtaking. I especially loved visiting there right around sunset to be able to see it in daylight, at dusk, while the sun set, and in the evening. Something I didn't realize was that each evening when nightfall hits, they light up the Eiffel Tower, beginning with twinkling lights. The ceremonial lighting of the tower took me by surprise and was so beautiful.

To get the full tourist feel, buy tickets and head to the top of the Eiffel tower, where you'll get a great view of the city.

Notre Dame

I had visited Paris twice in the past, but my last travel to Paris was with my family more than 20 years prior to this trip. Both of those trips were filled with visits to art museums. On neither occasion did we visit Notre Dame and I've want to ever since. So, it was fortunate that the apartment I rented through Airbnb.com (best decision ever, by the way) was a quick 2 stops away from this beautiful cathedral.

I highly recommend visiting Notre Dame during mass. I went for prayer service and it was a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Versailles

Since I had already been inside Versailles, but had never been in the gardens, I took the 45-minute train ride outside of Paris, walked from the train station to Versailles, and spent a good couple of hours there just wandering through the gardens.

The sculptures, shrubs, and trees are astounding, even in the middle of winter.

Many other things made their way onto my travel to Paris list: eating quiche and crepes, walking along the Seine River, checking out the love locks on the Pont des Arts (bridge), riding the Metro, and weaving my way through quaint city streets. But visiting the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Versailles were three that topped my must-see recommendations list.

What are your favorite places to see and things to do when you travel to Paris?

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Seeing Spring Flowers: The Perfect Family Outdoors Activity

If you live in or near Utah, visiting between April 12-27 this year (or a similar time frame in other years) will land you smack dab in the middle of the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival. Open Monday through Saturday and costing between $8 to $12 per person, the Thanksgiving Point Gardens are a great place for the whole family to explore nature together.

For those who know me, you have heard me talk about Thanksgiving Point. It is my happy place. Located 10 minutes from my house, I have been taking my boys there since they were toddlers. We enjoy the flowers and activities in all seasons. And the boys especially love rolling down the hills located throughout the Garden's 55 acres.

Last weekend, we enjoyed seeing the spring flowers during the Tulip Festival's Dutch Days. Vendors served traditional Dutch goodies and were selling all different types of products from toys, handbags, and food to jewelry and candles. Besides the sweet treats, my boys were most interested in the photo opps!

Whether you want to brave the crowds and check out the spring flowers on a Saturday or enjoy a little more quiet time and go on a weekday, make sure to take advantage of the more than 250,000 bulbs planted from Holland and other varieties coloring the landscape at the Thanksgiving Point Gardens.

What are your favorite spring flowers?

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Traditionally, our dinners involve both the stove top and the oven, which results in lots of dirty pots and pans. So even though I was new to the world of slow cookers and using counter top appliances in general for making complete meals, I was happy when Ninja sent me a Ninja Cooking System to test out. And what I discovered is that it so much more than a slow cooker.

Slow Cookers: Making Mealtime Easy and Delicious for Families

The same day that I received the Ninja Cooking System, my husband, who is a blog ambassador for Kraft Cheese, received a delivery of several varieties of Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese with a Touch of Philadelphia. After setting aside what he needed for a delicious meal he will be making soon (What's not to love about an ambassador program that encourages guys to be in the kitchen more?), I noticed we had lots of cheese left over. Therefore, we decided as a family to make the Upside Down Mac & Cheese from the cookbook that came included with our Ninja Cooking System. And you can only imagine how thrilled I was to not have to shred the 6 1/2 cups of cheese required for this recipe (Thanks, Kraft!).

In addition to the shredded cheese, my husband's box of Kraft products included some packages of Fresh Take (delicious cheese and bread crumb mix). Since the Mac & Cheese recipe called for bread crumbs, I swapped out plain bread crumbs and used a couple of Kraft Fresh Take packages, which added a variety of cheese as well as bacon. And yes! Bacon does make everything better. Switching out plain bread crumbs for the Kraft Fresh Take packages increased the yumminess and gourmet factor a million percent (at least according to my kids!).

Now, you know my love for all things cheese. And this Mac & Cheese, with its amazing bacon and cheese flavored crust, was remarkable (major points for the cook book having awesome recipes)! But the real bonus of using the Ninja Cooking System was the convenience factor.

Since the Ninja Cooking System has the ability to not only slow cook, but sauté, roast, sear and bake, we were able to cook everything all in one place. We used one bowl and one pot for the entire meal. How can you not enjoy dinner when the kitchen is clean before you even sit down to eat? Score!

Benefits of the Ninja Cooking System

To be candid, I have always wondered why people rave about slow cookers. We received 13 for our wedding and returned all but one, which we have only ever used occasionally, and just to make pot roast. But, here are the top reasons I recommend purchasing the Ninja Cooking System (approximate ARV: $160) and why I can't wait to check out more of the recipes:

• The versatility (all in once appliance) and convenience make it so much more than a slow cooker.
• It's a must-have for moms looking for quick and easy meals. You can make complete meals, layering the main course, vegetables, and pasta or rice, in 30 minutes.
• It would be great for anyone looking for portable cooking appliances.
• You can steam-bake cupcakes, cakes, and more with half the butter or oil of your favorite recipes. (Gonna try out this feature for my next post! Blueberry muffins anyone? Mmmmmm!)
• If your stovetop and oven are otherwise occupied (like for meals at special occasions), you don't have to go next door to borrow your neighbor's stovetop or buy a double oven. You'll be covered!

The only real downsides I experienced? The serving size for the Mac & Cheese said eight. So, we were thinking we'd have leftovers and be good. But, the person writing the recipe must have had giants in mind or a table full of teen boys, because our dish made at least 16 servings. Good thing it was delicious. My tween son had some for breakfast and an after-school snack the next day!

What are your favorite recipes involving slow cookers?

The post Slow Cookers: Gourmet Meal Ideas With Less Mess appeared first on Mom it Forward.

Not only does Dole Fruit Parfaits fall into the vitamin C rich foods category, but they are also low in fat, cholesterol free, low in sodium, and contain all natural fruit. As a parent, what's not to love about that?

But if your kids or grand kids are anything like my boys, the first question they'll ask is: "But how does it taste?"

Dole Fruit Parfaits Taste Test

We've found that one of the best ways to get our kids excited to try new foods is to have a simple taste test.

This time, we had a taste test at a family get together with 12 people. Each person tasted each flavor and rated it on a scale of 1-3, 1 being the highest (best taste) and 3 being the lowest. We also allowed the kids to put a 0 if they absolutely didn't care for a flavor.

The kids loved that they weren't just handed something and told to eat it. We helped them feel that their opinions mattered. Even the picky eaters tried all three varieties just so they could weigh in on the vote.

Though my personal favorite was Pineapples and Creme, the overall winner was Apples and Creme, which everyone thought tasted like apple cobbler. My niece, Noelle, especially liked it and asked if she could eat one cup all to herself after the taste test had concluded. Score!

Looking for vitamin C rich foods that contain natural fruit that kids will love? Head over to the canned food section of your grocery store and check out Dole Fruit Parfaits. They're delish!

What are your favorite vitamin C rich foods to serve your family at home or on the go?

The post Vitamin C Rich Foods: Dole Fruit Parfaits appeared first on Mom it Forward.

For me, those places have included India, Kenya, and perhaps odd to some, South Dakota. Travelers, and their tales of many cities can be contagious. I attribute much of my traveling experiences to those who have shared their stories with me.

Many years ago, my parents visited Normandy in France. Their tales of that trip included painting a beautiful picture for me of the French countryside and delicious meals. But, nothing stood out as prominently in their stories as their passion for and pictures of Mont St. Michel. After recently visiting it, I concur with them that no Normandy travel is complete without a visit there.

Visiting Mont St. Michel in the Winter

You would think that visiting Mont St. Michel, including the beautiful drive through the French countryside to get there, should be saved for seasons other than winter.

I'm sure that the list of benefits for visiting in warmer weather months is long. But, for me, visiting Mont St. Michel in January was the perfect time to go and here's why...

I had come to Normandy via Ireland, where each day was filled to the brim with site seeing. I arrived in France tired yet excited for a new experience. Normandy travel in winter allowed me and my friends to see the church and abbey at Mont St. Michel without having to walk through crowds or wait in lines. So perfect, especially when traveling with little ones. Can you even handle the cuteness that is June's wellies?

Must-See Sites at Mont St. Michel

But, whether your Normandy travel takes place in the winter or another season, consider visiting the following three places when at Mont St. Michel:

• Abbey—We took a self-guided tour and it was fabulous. I highly recommend purchasing tickets and visiting while you're there.
• Parish Church—I am always fascinated by other religions and love visiting churches and other holy places.
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• Museums—Mont St. Michel has four museums on property: 1) showcasing the construction and sacred history, 2) focusing on the history of the attraction, 3) focusing on maritime and ecology, and 4) highlighting the art, decor, tapestries ,and more at Tiphaine’s house.

As you can see, I had a hard time limiting my pictures for this post. Mont St. Michel is truly magical and I haven't even mentioned the views yet? Amazing!

Have you ever been to Mont St. Michel? What are your recommended must-see spots for Normandy travel?

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Not that there is anything wrong with shows about food or losing weight, unless you happen to be watching the Biggest Loser while eating Girl Scout Cookies. I mean Thin Mints? Really? Who can give those up?

But, finding good clean family entertainment options, especially clean comedy, is tough these days.

Studio C: The Perfect Solution for Good Clean Family Entertainment

When we discovered Studio C, we scored a home run, finally finding the perfect clean comedy show and one that regularly has us in stitches, laughing together.

The comedy gods must have noticed our love for Studio C when they had their PR agency reach out to me mere days before @TroyPattee's birthday and offer our family tickets to attend a taping. Seriously? Best surprise birthday present ever! I don't know that I'll ever be able to top myself.

So, mid-March, during the taping of Season 2, we drove down to Provo, went to Troy's favorite restaurant for dinner (Brick Oven), and then headed to the BYU Broadcast Building on Brigham Young University campus.

Troy figured out where we were heading as we pulled into the parking lot and was beyond excited and trying to figure out all at once how on earth we scored tickets.

We went in and were immediately escorted back stage where we got to meet the Studio C producer and cast member, Whitney, and check out the sets. The taping started shortly after that and I can't remember the last time my family laughed so hard. In fact, I'm a little embarrassed to watch the episodes they filmed that night for fear of hearing myself in the crowd. It was that bad... or good, depending on how you look at it.

But the story doesn't end here. My birthday, less than 2 weeks later, arrived as expected. And what did the family do for me? Put together their own rendition of a Studio C sketch, entitled "Studio P," complete with Shoulder Angel. Don't know what Shoulder Angel is? Have a watch. Seriously! Don't wait another second. He's hysterical!

Do I have the best family in the world or what?

Studio C, Season 2 started this past Monday, on April Fool's Day no less. How appropriate, right? If you are looking for good clean family entertainment, be sure to check out Studio C on BYUtv. I promise it won't disappoint!

What are your go-to sources for clean family entertainment?

The post Good Clean Family Entertainment: Comedy on BYUtv’s Studio C appeared first on Mom it Forward.

This past January, I went to Ireland and booked an extra week at the end of my stay. My original intention was to spend the second week visiting a country I hadn't already been to. But when my friend, Gabby, invited me to visit her and her family in the quaint Normandy countryside, I reconsidered and put Normandy travel on my itinerary. And I was so glad I did!

Although traveling on your own to unfamiliar places is exciting, I love visiting friends who live in and are familiar with a foreign city. Having your friends be your travel guide gives you insight into a life and helps you gain appreciation for a culture that you would otherwise never experience. My favorite moments during my Normandy travel included going to dinner with Gabby's friends, doing day-to-day tasks like making dinner together and going grocery shopping, and just hanging around the house.

Fortunately, Normandy travel is easy. Argentan, where I stayed, is located only an hour and a half outside of Paris by train. So, all I had to do was hop on a flight from Ireland to Paris and make my way to the train station. From there, I paid approximately $50 for a ticket and enjoyed the hour-and-a-half ride to the countryside where my friends welcomed me.

Must-See Sites for Your Normandy Travel

I could have spent all my time on a road trip during my Normandy travel, weaving from one small French town to the next, taking in the breathtaking countryside in between. But, no trip to Normandy is complete without visiting two places: the D-Day Beaches and Mont St. Michel and fortunately, my friends were gracious enough to take me to both.

Had I have had more time, I also would have loved to have visited cities like Bayeux and Honfleur. I hear the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Museum of the Bayeux Tapestry are amazing. I guess I'll just have to go back!

Omaha Beach and American Cemetery

Entrance to Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery requires passing through a visitors center, featuring informative films, photographs, and other paraphernalia from the D-Day attack (uniforms, food cans, ammunition, and more). I especially loved the photographs and details about the preparation and carrying out of the attack shown in chronological order.

My most favorite part of my experience at Omaha Beach was visiting the American Cemetery. Words cannot describe how breathtaking it is to emerge from the visitors center under ground, walk down the pathway overlooking Omaha Beach, and turn to see the expanse of the beautifully manicured green grass covered by 9,387 white-marble crosses and Stars of David, honoring those who sacrificed their lives to help end World War II. Omaha Beach is an enormous expanse of sea and sand and it was hard for me to imagine the carnage that existed there during World War II given how reverent everyone is today. It was a very peaceful place.

We didn't have much time, so this was our only stop at the D-Day Beaches. Gabby, who has been there many times (see her photos here), especially recommended Pointe du Hoc. So that will be on my Normandy travel wish list for my next trip.

What are your favorite American memorials and cemeteries?

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This is the last in a six-part series on travel to Ireland. Check out the previous five posts on recommendations for planning your trip, must-see sites, how to pack, driving recos and watch outs, and photography tips.

Travel to Ireland: Fabulous Food Finds

If you've ever thought of or have planned an Irish vacation, you have probably heard that the food is bland. We did as well. So we were pleasantly surprised for the fabulous food finds we encountered every step of the way. Here are some tips for food, drink, and eating establishments to check out on your travel to Ireland.

1. Pay a visit to a local grocery store upon arrival.

The first thing we did when we arrived in Ireland was visited the local grocery store. We stocked up on food for breakfast and lunch, snacks, and treats for on the go. We made sure to get things everyone would like, but we also ventured out and tried some of the local food flare.

2. Eat breakfast at home.

Since we had limited daylight hours due to the fact that we were traveling in winter, we made the most of our time by getting a quick bite of breakfast before we left the house each day. We kept it simple and had cold cereal, hard boiled eggs, and toast and jam.

3. Pack a lunch and eat on the go.

Our goal was to save up during the day so we could enjoy meals in the evenings. We bought fixings for sandwiches: bread, lunch meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and mustard and prepared them each morning before heading out. We also bought ice packets and a small cooler at the grocery store so we could keep the sandwiches fresh. We also bought lots of bottles of water so we had plenty of drinks, especially at meal time. We found that the long driving days required a bit of caffeine, so we bought soft drinks that we saved for those extra tired moments on the road.

While we did pack a lunch most every day, we opted to eat out a couple of the days. One place we absolutely loved and would recommend was on Dingle Bay, an artsy cafe of sorts right on the main road. The seafood chowder and salads were to die for and worth spending your food budget on.

4. Buy snacks for on the go or late-night munchies.

Because visiting Ireland requires so much time in the car, make sure to have snacks on hand. We loved the chocolate in Ireland, but also appreciated having fresh fruit like clementines and apples. Check out what your local grocery store has to offer and buy snacks you love. These also come in handy after a long day of site seeing and in time for late-night munchies.

5. Enjoy traditional Irish food at pubs and recommended restaurants.

While we didn't spend a fortune on dinner, we did allow ourselves to spend a little more in the evenings. Traditional Irish food to try that you can most commonly find in pubs includes basic comfort food items like these:

• Fish and chips
• Irish Stew
• Potatoes (they come in all varieties)
• Shepherd pie
• Toffee Pudding

If you are looking for a more traditional restaurant and meal, I recommend following the choices as outlined in Lonely Planet: Ireland's book. They always recommend fabulous food finds.

6. Have a pint at your local pub.

Ireland wasn't prepared for a group of four women, three of whom didn't drink. Alcohol is probably a country snack in Ireland and is certainly appreciated. Pub owners and servers scratched their heads when we'd order soft drinks or water for our pints. But, whether you are looking for a soda, a Guinness, or something a little stronger, the local pubs will have you covered.

We loved the colorful and friendly nature of pubs. They serve dinner, will always let you stop and use a restroom if you are in need during your site seeing, and typically have a night or two dedicated to live music. We highly recommend visiting for dinner and during the live music.

If you visit Dublin, go on the Guinness factory tour to learn more about how the pint and this prominent family plays a role in Ireland's history.

What are your tips for eating on a budget while on vacation?

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