5 Days of Moving Madness- Blog Hop (day 3)

Welcome back!  Today...It's ALL about the Boxes!

That being said, we have never packed ourselves.  Try not to hate me.  It is one of the few perks we receive in the military.  At least, they keep telling us it is a perk.  After 12 moves, I am still not buying it and every move I threaten to just do it myself.  I figure shelling out the money and saving my sanity might just be worth it.  Like why would you pack a bunch of assembled Lego sets in a box with no paper and then pile books on the top for good measure?  Still trying to figure that one out.

Anyway...moving on.

We do pack some things ourselves and that is mostly what I want to talk to you about today.  Whether you pack all of your stuff or sit and watch someone else pack your things for days on end, you will want to pack some things differently yourself.  Through the years we have done these things either in boxes or Rubbermaid containers, and a few times just in the RV we once owned, but however you choose to do them, these things GO WITH YOU!!  Not the movers.  Keep in mind, these are things above and beyond basic toiletries and clothes you would pack in your suitcase.

Here's the key...have a safe room!  This is anywhere you choose that is off limits to your packers and movers.  Clear a space out, put the things that you have packed and are going with you in that room and then all of that stuff is contained and away from anywhere that might get accidentally packed by an over exuberant packer. Contained being a relative word, of course.  Be forewarned, it may not look like that much to you, but it will fill the space of your cars fast.  Do not get too overzealous with your storing...speaking from experience!

Yes, that is a child there.  Sleeping!  Reminds me of a Where's Waldo picture.

OK, now-

Box 1 - Label Bathrooms.  You can either do them all together or a separate box for different family   members.  This is what we have found...you get to your new place and can you believe it, someone has to go potty!  There is not usually toilet paper!  Pack it!  My dear hubby used to say we can buy some when we get there.  No more!  After hours or days of traveling you do not want to get back in the car to go find toilet paper. We also add shower liners.  This is a good time to get new ones, they are only a few dollars, and if you do not get your stuff delivered you still want to be able to take a shower.  For that reason we also pack a towel per person, soap, shampoo and our last few moves, even a bath rug.  Yes, our bathrooms are almost set up as soon as we get somewhere.   Just makes this momma feel better!

Next box - Label bedrooms.  In it we put a set of sheets for each person and some sort of blanket.  This is two fold.  One, if we are without a bed for a few days we pair the sheets with sleeping bags (yes, pack those too) and use them to sleep on.  Yes, we sleep in empty houses.  There is something about paying for a hotel room when I have a house available that I just cannot stomach.  It also allows us to have a set of sheets easily available when the beds get delivered.  You can Make. Them. Immediately!  More on this on Friday!

Box 3 - Label Kitchen.  Here's where hubbies may differ from us.  I sneak extra things in when he is not looking. shhhhhhh.  At the very least pack a few paper plates and napkins and a crock pot.  Seriously!  You will be tired, maybe a little grumpy, and always hungry.  At the very least you have eaten out several meals already.  It is worth it to swing by a store, pick up some meat and throw it in the crock pot the first day there.  All day long the house will smell like home and then when the truck pulls away and you are so tired you can hardly think you will have some homemade food to eat.  No one wants to go out to eat looking like zombies!  I also include a few staples to get us by for a few days- a pot, a pan, serving utensils, a few spices, (ok, a lot) a hot pad, and a knife.  Again, depending on how long it takes before you see or at least unpack and find your stuff, you could be in for a lot of fast food if you do not plan.  Plus, it will save money!

Next, we have containers labeled batteries, light bulbs and candles!   We keep them in plastic containers, they go with us in the car and then right into their new spot in the new house.  The moving companies will not move that stuff anyway and we always seem to need each of those items.  Saves money and another trip, or two, to the local store those first few days.

A few extras to consider...

Games.  If your family likes to play games, pack a few small ones.  Cards are always a good choice.  Hotels get old and an empty house for days gets even older.

Movies.  Same thing... you and a mini DVD player might become new best friends.

Comfort items for kiddos.  If they have a special blanket, toy or lovie, pack them with you.  Now is not the time to experience meltdowns because they miss their favorite animal or pillow.  A handful of Legos have saved us several times!

Again, since we do not pack our own boxes we are at the mercy of someone else to be organized on that part. (Ask me how that's worked so far! ha!)  But one thing we do is mark the youngest child's boxes with fun pictures and colors.  This helps him identify his stuff as it comes off the truck and gets him involved and excited.

Once you are packed up you are ready to go!  So tomorrow...on the road!

Blessings, 

Don't forget...89 other bloggers are writing this week in the "5 Days of..." series.  Have you read any yet?

5 Days of Moving Madness- Blog Hop (day 2)

So you are moving?  Welcome to the fun.  No really, this is the fun part!  Trust me, enjoy it now, because from here on out can be quite a ride.

First things first...where are you headed?  Whether it is just across town or across the country there are some things you need to take on first...like now!

Whenever we get a new assignment, that's military talk for "guess what, you are moving, surprise", we do our research.  Hey, you have to make it fun.  Moving is hard, but if you have to take your family kicking and screaming it gets even harder.  So your first assignment is find out what is GREAT about where you are going.  (If you cannot find something great, find something mediocre and talk it up as the new best thing!)  Whatever you do, create excitement.  Get your family on board.  One, it will carry you through the challenges and even tears and two, it gives you all something to work on as a team.  Teamwork will be your best friend for this move.  Visit your town's Chamber of Commerce website and print out all the info you can find.  Let the kids do some research and make a list of things they want to do and see when you arrive.  This year our move was right as summer started so we centered most of our Summer Bucket List around our new location to help give us things to look forward to!
Next, and not so much fun, but oh, so important...planning your trip.  If you are relocating across town, you get this one off, otherwise find some maps and get planning.  Plan your stops and make reservations in advance, before the madness sets in and you get too busy.  If you are traveling with large families or pets this is especially important.  Just grabbing a room is not as easy as it use to be.  Did you know that some hotels want proof of vaccines these days...for your pets, not your kids!
Visit your post office and fill out change of address forms!  They will eventually find you, but it is nice to help them out.  Remember that magazines and extras such as that will not be forwarded so update those as well.  We keep a running list of magazines and catalogs we would still like to get so I can remember to change those addresses.  Now is also a good time to weed out any unwanted mailings!
Call the utility companies (gas, electric, water, sewer, cable, etc) and schedule cutoff dates.  At that time, ask if you can get a credit reference letter from them...it can help you save money sometimes with your new services.  Now, call those new services and schedule start dates.  DO IT NOW!  Don't wait, or you will get to your new house and your oldest college age daughter who is taking on line classes will have exams to take and no internet and have to take quizzes on her smart phone and exams in the local coffee shop when she doesn't even like coffee.  Just saying!  (Yes, we have done this 12 times and yes, we still messed that one up.) 
Call the movers and double check your packing and moving days.  They are human and they mess up.  All the time in fact.  If you don't believe me I have several friends you can ask!  Right?!!)
Think ahead and plan, plan, plan.  Remember the First Commandment of Moving from yesterday?   The unexpected is just around the corner...lurking.  Careful planning CAN keep MOST things at bay.  Most. See 'ya tomorrow for your next task at hand-packing!
See what my fellow CREWmates are blogging about this week- you are likely to find a subject that will interest you!

Blessings, 

5 Days of Moving Madness- A CREW Blog Hop (day 1)

Since I just finished our 12th move in 21 years, how could I NOT write about moving for 5 days in a row.  After all, I just finished several WEEKS in a row of boxes, boxes and more boxes.  I hope you will join me each day this week for a little fun as well as a lot of the nitty-gritty details and how-to's that we have learned along the way. Today, let's start with the fun!

10 Commandments of Moving 1.  Thou shalt expect the unexpected. 'Cause you KNOW it's coming! 2.  Thou shalt try (hard) to retain one's sense of humor. 3.  Thou shall try to laugh.  A lot.  (I know, it overlaps with #2, but trust me, you WILL need this.) 4.  Thou shalt be patient with thy family members.  5.  Thou shalt be nice to the packers and movers.  Bribery with food is encouraged. 6. Thou shalt forgive any words spoken between family members from 2 weeks prior to 2 months after a move. (You can thank me for this later.) 7. Thou shalt smile and nod.  And smile some more. 8.  Thou shalt keep all furniture hardware in a safe spot.  And then remember where that safe spot is. 9.  Thou shalt label the mattress boxes.  Trust me on this one too, once the sheets are off they all look the same and for some reason everyone thinks the good set is theirs.  Just saying! and finally, and most importantly... 10.  Thou shalt be in prayer!  A lot! See ya back tomorrow with Pre-Move Check List Hop back over to the CREW Blog Hop to read many other 5 days of... From schooling, to crafts, to cooking, you are sure to find something you love!

TOS CREW Review- BrainFood Learning

BrainFood Learning was started by the parents of two kids looking for QUALITY videos that would entertain as well as educate.  hmmmm, been there done that!  Looking, that is, not producing!  By making The Fascinating World of series..., they have accomplished that goal on their own.  Created for all ages, these videos fit the bill with engaging, real footage of animals in their natural habitats to interesting facts and reviews at the end that will test your knowledge.



Our family had the privilege of reviewing The Fascinating World of Mammals, retailing at $14.00.  This 52 minute video highlights 10 mammals- Beavers, Kangaroos, Bats, Dolphins, Lions, Bears, Chimpanzees, Elephants, Giraffes, and Moose.  As it seems with all of the products we review, this one came at the most perfect time!  Yes, when we moved into town it was the first piece of mail waiting for us and my 6 year old son could not have been more excited.  Needless to say, it was movie time.

When you pop the movie in you can choose to watch it all at once, go straight to a specific chapter or go straight to the review.  I love having that option because while so far we have watched it straight through, many times, I plan on using the individual chapters this coming year with our science study.  This year just happens to be the year we are studying mammals so I will go straight to the animal specific chapters to match the animals with the days we learn about them in science.  I love when you can tie in educational videos with school!

Another highlight of the videos is that with each animal a new word is introduced and defined, such as herbivore, hibernation, and bipeds.  Other maybe less familiar words are explained when used as well, which is beneficial to younger students especially.

Anyways... yes, we have watched the video several, OK, lots of times.  The photography is top quality and quite entertaining.  It begins with a brief overview of what mammals are and then talks about the 10 they chose to highlight, with beavers being our favorite.  Don't ask why...we just think they are cute.  Plus, one can do a great character lesson based off the hard work of a beaver!  ;)

Did you know that a beaver mates for life and can live to be 20 years old?

Or that black bears are not all black? 

Or that a kangaroos use their mother's pouch until they are about 8 months old, but only live about 6-8 years?

All new to me!

Once you have watched all ten animals, you can use the review section to see how much you and your child have learned.  While CJ did not want to do those sections each time, he did enjoy them the first time around and we will certainly revisit them again when we do specific animal study.  There are five parts to the review:

Animal Flash Cards- Shows a picture of each of the featured 10 animals and repeats their names 2 times.

Review the Mammals- Multiple choice matching the animal picture with the correct name

Features of Mammals- Review of what makes mammals special or different from other animals (Hair, Lungs, Vertebrates, Milk producing, and Warm blooded)

Review of Mammal facts- Multiple choice of general mammal facts.

Review the big words- Multiple choice of the words highlighted in the chapters.

BrainFood Learning has also recently added free lessons plans for each of the videos that includes suggested activities, quizzes and even writing ideas.  The mammals one includes a matching activity with colored pictures you can copy for your child.

Our final word- BUY IT!  Or all of them!  These videos are done very well, are entertaining, educational and worth every penny!  If you have animal lovers in your family, they are sure to enjoy this series!  

Other CREW members had the opportunity to review the insects and birds DVDs!  You can read those reviews by clicking on the banner below!

Fun Friday- Pizza Edition

Someday I might get back to making Fun Fridays about more than just food, but let's face it, food is a good thing, so we might as well have some fun with it.

So, this month is all about - PIZZA!  

There was a time in my life when I loved to order pizza from a few major, to remain nameless,  franchises out there.  My husband and I could order a small or medium and go to town.  But four kids later, and ya'll that is just expensive.  And quite honestly, just doesn't taste like it use to.

So I started making my own.  And then a friend gave me the easiest dough recipe ever and we haven't looked back.  We may go out for pizza occasionally, Pizza Ranch here in our little town is my youngest's new o-b-s-e-s-s-i-o-n, but for the most part we just make it at home.

Every Monday for lunch.  (you know I have a lunch schedule, right?)
And several Fridays a month since hubby misses the lunch ones.

I was getting tired of cheese and pepperoni so I thought we would try a few new ones.

First up- Buffalo Chicken Pizza!  I tweaked the recipe I found a long time ago and came up with something the kids would eat.  Maybe not their favorite (remember- cheese and pepperoni?) but definitely a keeper! Healthy? Well... sometimes you just have to go with good enough. ;)

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Pizza dough (try it, you'll like it!)
1/2 c. ketchup
1  tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. chopped chicken, cooked
1/4 c blue cheese dressing
2 garlic cloves, crushed
chopped tomatoes (not on ours, but have at it!)
parsley
1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese

Cook dough at 450 for 10 minutes.
Combine ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, salt and garlic.  Add chicken and mix to coat.  Spread on cooked dough.
Top with cheese and parsley. And tomatoes if you like!

Cook additional 5-10 minutes until heated through and cheese melts. Drizzle with dressing before serving.

Enjoy!