Read. Write. Mom!

Valentine’s Day Printable Matching Game Activity

Posted on February 1, 2016September 29, 2022 by Mandy

As a kid, I loved the Memory game. My friends and I spent many an hour in front of those little square cards trying to see who could match the most pictures. It’s a game I keep in my library and use often with my students. This Valentine’s Day printable matching game is free to download and is played just like the popular matching game. If you have a kid who loves matching games, print off one of these and enjoy some fun Valentine’s Day activities.

VALENTINE’S DAY PRINTABLE MATCHING GAME

This is a great little boredom buster at home or in the classroom! It would also make a fun activity for a school Valentine’s Day party. You could even print this out and cut the squares and package them in these fun little Valentine’s Day DIY Pillow Boxes that are super easy to make and hand them out as party favors or even as Valentine’s.

I have printed out a few sets of these and will use them in my library as a center for the week leading up to Valentine’s Day. If you plan to use them again in the future, laminating them is a good idea. I use my Fellowes laminator all the time at home for my classroom projects and so much more! It fits right on my desk and gets the job done!

Click here to download the free Valentine’s Day Printable Matching Game

Looking for more great Valentine’s Day activities, printables, and recipes? Click here!

MetLife TRICARE Dental Monthly Premium Changes for 2016

Posted on January 31, 2016January 31, 2016 by Mandy

This post was sponsored by the MetLife TRICARE Dental Program as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central.

With the new year in full swing, it’s important that you stay on top of your insurance coverage for every aspect of your life, whether it’s health insurance, home owner’s insurance, or auto insurance. This is usually the point in time when your insurance premiums can change, so it’s definitely a good thing to stay informed about what’s going on and how these changes affect you and your family. Have you had a chance to check on your own insurance premiums to see if this has happened?

Staying informed about changes to your premiums can help you avoid some big surprises later on down the road. If you are enrolled in the MetLife TRICARE Dental program (TDP), some changes have been made to your premium and will take effect on February 1, 2016. These changes to your monthly premium will vary by sponsor’s military status and your type of enrollment (Active Duty, Selected Reserve (SELRES) or Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)). The chart below shows how these changes match your current sponsor status and enrollment status.

How do these changes effect your date of coverage?

If initial payment is received by the 20^th of the month, coverage will be processed for the first day of the month following the date of receipt. If the initial premiums payment is received after the 20^thof the month, coverage will be processed for the first day of the second month after receipt of the documents.

Initial Payment Requirements

Your sponsor is required to submit their first monthly premium payment upon initial enrollment. If they enroll over the phone or online, they can pay the first premium payment with a credit card. If they enroll through the mail, they can pay with a check or money order. Please include your sponsor’s Social Security number or DoD Benefits Number in the memo area.

How can you enroll?

There are four easy ways to enroll in the MetLife TRICARE Dental insurance program. I personally love that they offer all of these options to make it easy to enroll no matter what way your prefer.
Online visit www.tricare.mil/bwe
Call 1-855-638-8371 CONUS, 1-855-638-8372 OCONUS, or 1-855-638-8373 TDD/TTY
Fax a completed Enrollment Authorization document (found on www.tricare.mil/tdp) to 1-855-763-1337
Mail a completed Enrollment Authorization document to MetLife TRICARE Dental Program, P.O. Box 14185 Lexington, KY 40512

MetLife TRICARE Dental is easily accessible through their website at www.metlife.com/tricare or call the toll-free customer service number at 1-855-638-8371. They are ready to help with any questions you may have. You can also stay up to date and receive more information through their Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/MetLifeTDP or follow their Twitter account at https://twitter.com/metlifetdp .

As a newlywed, TRICARE was a big part of our family in making sure we had the coverage we needed while my husband served in the military. I am thankful we had this coverage and were able to go for our regular dental visits and also to be able to afford those visits. My husband had extensive dental work right after we were married and I don’t know how we would have afforded it if it weren’t for our TRICARE benefits. It’s too important NOT to have! We all know that affordable coverage is so important, especially when it comes to having to be able to provide it for your family.

So what’s next? Check all of your monthly premiums now so you know what to expect for the year ahead. It’s so important to stay informed about your coverage so that you can make sure you have the correct plan you need and know the costs up front.

The One Little Money Trick that Helps Me Save Cash

Posted on January 19, 2016December 26, 2018 by Mandy

I’m more of a spender than a saver. It’s something I have always struggled with when it comes to managing my money. I’m getting so much better at this, but it’s always been hard for me to just have a little cash on hand for emergencies because I can always find an emergency: a new beauty product, a new book to read, etc. Can you relate? If I know I have money in the bank, why should I worry about having a little cash on hand anyway? I could always drive up to the ATM if I actually needed cash. I’m happy to report that I no longer think like this and I wanted to share the one little money trick that helps me save cash. You may already know this trick, and if you’re reading this, I apologize in advance for wasting your time, but this just worked so well for me and it has become a habit now.

The One Little Money Trick that Helps Me Save Cash

Why Save Cash?

You may be thinking to yourself, why in the world would I want to have cash on hand when, like I mentioned above, I can just drive up to the ATM and get cash anytime I need it, day or night? It’s simple: in case of an emergency. What if your town lost power due to an ice storm and there was no electricity to get your cash out of an ATM and you needed food or water? This happened when I was a teenager and I can remember the stores only accepting cash. Of course, back then, this wasn’t a concern to me. My parents handled that. I don’t have that excuse anymore because I’m a parent now. This is only one example, but I’m sure you might could think of more. I recently had to take a trip for work and having a little cash savings stash kept me from having to make a trip to the bank before leaving town. I always think you should have a little cash for traveling as well.

And Now For My Magic Trick…

There’s really no magic to it at all. It’s simply this: every time I go to a store and make a purchase using my debit card, I always choose the option of getting cash back. It might be only ten or twenty dollars, but if I can spare it, I take it. I then take it home and put it in a safe place. I also make sure it’s a place that’s kind of a pain to get to, so I’m not tempted to run and borrow from it anytime I need some extra money. It eventually starts accumulating and you would be very surprised how fast it adds up. It gives me a sense of peace to know that if I needed a little cash in an emergency situation, I’ve got it covered. You might be wondering why I don’t just go to the bank or ATM and get a lump sum and be done with it. That’s certainly an option, but a convenient ATM isn’t on my daily path to work and back and since our paychecks are directly deposited, I rarely go to the bank. Getting a little extra money back when I’m already grocery shopping is just easier and a gradual way to keep building on my emergency savings.

A Word of Caution, Though

While this one little money trick that helps me save cash works for me, it may not for you, and that’s certainly alright. If you decide to give it a try, I would caution you against saving lots of cash in your home, for obvious reasons. It’s much safer in a bank if you are saving large amounts of money. I would also advise you to find a very secure place, perhaps a safe or fireproof lock box that can be hidden very well.

That’s the money trick that works for me to help me save cash! I would love to hear from you if you have other ideas that help you save cash as well.

Photo Credit: ©carballo/Dollar Photo Club

Inside Out Inspired Chore Chart for Kids

Posted on January 18, 2016January 17, 2016 by Mandy

I personally don’t think it’s ever too early for kids to start learning how to do chores. Anything as simple as feeding a pet or taking their dirty clothes to the laundry basket can be a huge help, am I right, moms? These are more than just chores they are learning; they’re life skills. The last thing I want to do is send my son out into the world someday without the basics of how to manage himself and where he chooses to live. A chore chart for a kids is a great little motivational tool to get them helping around the house all while getting a visual tracking of their progress. This Inside Out inspired chore chart for kids is just the thing to get your child motivated to complete their chores and earn their rewards if you offer them. If they loved the Inside Out movie, they will super excited about using this!

INSIDE OUT INSPIRED CHORE CHART

This chore chart for kids is completely customizable, so you can write in exactly what chores you want to see your child complete and then check them off each day. You may be new to chore-charting and wondering what sort of things you could get your child to do around the house. Here are a few suggestions:

Keep their bedroom tidy

Feed the pets

Make their bed

Load the dishwasher or was the dishes

Clear the table after meals

Be in charge of getting the newspaper and mail

Brushing their teeth/combing their hair/etc.

Doing their homework

Taking dirt clothes to the laundry basket

I’m sure you can probably even think of a few more to add to this list or even a few that may be unique to your own situation. I think we sort of underestimate what kids are able to do. I know I’ve been guilty of it before and mainly because it seems like things get done a whole lot faster if I just do them myself. I know this isn’t the way to teach by example, though, so I’m putting my own son on this chore chart starting this week to see how it goes for us.

Have a classroom? Get your students to pitch in and help keep their classroom tidy. Print one of these off and display it in your room.

Get your free printable Inside Out Inspired Chore Chart here!

Valentine’s Day Popcorn Recipe- Perfect Valentine’s Day Snack

Posted on January 17, 2016June 26, 2021 by Mandy

This Valentine’s Day popcorn recipe is easy to make and only looks like you spent a long time preparing it. It’s almost too adorable to eat! Are you stumped as to what to bring to the classroom Valentine’s Day party this year? This would be a fun snack for those Valentine’s Day school parties. Just make up some individual bags of this, tie on a red curly ribbon and add a fun note to each one. Do you know why I love this snack so much? It’s salty and sweet…which is perfection in my book as far as snacks go!

VALENTINE’S DAY POPCORN RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

5 oz dark chocolate

M&M’s as desired

Sprinkles as desired

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add a couple of popcorn kernels and cover. Once the kernels begin to pop add the remaining kernels to the pan and give it a good shake. Keep popcorn on the stovetop until popping slows down to 2-3 seconds between pops. Remove from heat and add to a large mixing bowl. In a double broiler melt the chocolate, constantly stirring until it reaches a smooth consistency. Once fully melted drizzle over the popcorn. Allow chocolate to harden. Add in M&M’s and sprinkles. Serve!

This Valentine’s Day popcorn recipe would also make a fun little treat for your coworkers or just anyone you would like to give a special little “happy” to on Valentine’s Day. Having a mushy movie marathon with your girlfriends or maybe a family movie night? Here’s your perfect snack!

Looking for even more Valentine’s Day fun? Check out this post with some great ideas for school Valentine’s Day cards to make or this Valentine’s Day word search.

Dr. Seuss Snacks to Celebrate Read Across America Week

Posted on January 13, 2016April 2, 2024 by Mandy

Bring the crazy world of Dr. Seuss to life with these Dr. Seuss snacks and treats. Read Across America week is almost here and I’m busily planning for our school’s week of celebrating the love of reading and the works of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Our week will be jam-packed with dressing up, wearing silly hats, eating green eggs and ham for breakfast in the cafeteria, and welcoming some extra special guest readers that will visit our classrooms. The students look forward to this week at school so much and we always have a fantastic time! We even send them home with Dr. Seuss themed bookmarks, pencils, and notepads.

Bringing a child’s storybook to life creates so much excitement and these 15 snacks and treats will do exactly that! Make these Cat in the Hat Pancakes to start your child’s day off on the right foot or these One Fish Two Fish Aquarium Treats for an after school snack. You can even have your kids help you make Homemade Butter, but don’t forget to read the all-time favorite Dr. Seuss Butter Battle Book. That way, everyone can choose; butter side down or butter side up! These delicious Dr. Seuss snacks and treats would also be great ideas for a birthday party or even a classroom party.

Dr. Seuss Snacks & Treats

What are your favorite Dr. Seuss snacks and treats?

Save Money for Christmas – 7 Ways to Get Started Now

Posted on January 11, 2016January 10, 2016 by Mandy

Now is the perfect time to make a plan to save money for Christmas! Christmas is an easy time to blow the budget! There is always a last minute gift to buy, an idea that catches your eye for your significant other or child, and an endless string of unexpected expenses. Planning is not always enough to avoid overspending during the Christmas season. Using these 7 tips you can start to save money for Christmas. These tips will help get you ready with gifts, supplies, and money so that Christmas does not have a chance to catch you unprepared!

7 Ways to Save Money for Christmas

1. Shopping the sales on supplies after the holiday seasons is one of the best ways to save money on Christmas. You can get wrapping paper, gift boxes, and tape on big sales and mark-downs. There’s no need to pay a premium price for things that are going to be discarded during the frenzy of Christmas morning. There is also a ton of sales going on right after the holiday seasons. Pick up stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, even themed presents or decorations at a steep discount to help save now on expenses for next Christmas.

2. Start a Christmas club or savings account specifically for Christmas spending. Tucking away a few dollars here and there can really add up. It can be even easier if you have that amount automatically withdrawn each week and added to your Christmas club account. Just think, if you start now and have just $15 each week deducted you can have over $500 in an account ready just in time for Christmas next year. That can really help take the strain off of shopping expenses as well as post-holiday bills!

3. Yard Sale / eBay all of the things you no longer use from years past. All of that money can easily be placed into your Christmas account. It’s “found” money or money that you didn’t expect to have in this case and would make a fantastic addition to your Christmas club account or a savings account. Even an old fashioned yard sale can generate more cash than you might expect to help you save money for Christmas

4. Start a list of items that your kids, friends, and husband or wife mention they want or like. If you know what to look for throughout the year you can easily shop sales and mark-downs for items that your loved ones are really interested in receiving. This will also help keep you from overspending when you do your holiday shopping. If you know someone wants a specific item it makes it easier to buy that and then quit. Being uncertain can easily lead you to buying lots of items that you don’t need!

5. As we creep up on tax refund season consider setting aside a small portion of your tax refund for your Christmas account. Even $200 is a great start to the year when it comes to saving for Christmas!

6. One super easy way to accumulate money is by saving all of your coins. Keep a coin jar handy and keep all of your change for an entire year. End of the year rolls around and you can cash in for the Christmas fund! Another fun way to make this system work for you is by setting aside all of one kind of bill. $5 bills seem to be the popular choice but I believe $1 bills would work just as well! In theory what you do is set aside each bill in a savings account or an envelope and at the end of the year you’ll have accumulated a nice amount to be used towards expenses!

7. Finally, try out a savings challenge. These are a great way to accumulate quite a bit of money over the course of the year. You follow a simple guideline and the amount you end up with will surprise you! One 26 week savings plan I saw left you with a total of $1,000 and didn’t require a deposit of more than $51 (the final week)! Go through this cycle twice and you are ready for Christmas! You can even adjust the amounts to work with your budget and needs to save money for Christmas!

In reality your plan may end up looking like a mash-up of all these ideas to save money for Christmas, and that’s okay too! If you start out with one idea and it doesn’t end up working for you at least you tried! Saving a little bit is better than saving nothing at all! Hopefully you are able to find a system that works for you and your budget. No matter if you like to shop to save money, squirrel money away a bit at a time, or make a large deposit once a year, saving now for Christmas will take away financial stress during a time when you should be celebrating!

Ways to Recycle Christmas Cards- Clever Ideas to Keep Reusing Memories

Posted on January 9, 2016October 10, 2023 by Mandy

Did you know there are some pretty clever ways to recycle Christmas cards? This year instead of taking down all of those beautiful Christmas cards and tossing them into the trash consider using one of these fun methods to recycle them into something fun and beautiful! We all send and receive Christmas cards during the holiday season; most of them come with beautiful messages and images. It seems such a shame to let their lives end after just a few weeks hanging on the doorframe or the refrigerator. Give those beautiful cards a second chance at life with these fun and inventive ways to recycle Christmas cards.

Ways to Recycle Christmas Cards

Gift Tags

One of the easiest and most fun ways to recycle Christmas cards is by making them into gift tags for next year’s gifts. You can use a stencil, a holiday cookie cutter, or even freehand them with craft scissors; all you need to do is select a pretty section and go to two with your scissors! Once they are all cut out, you can store them in a bag or box with your decorations, and come wrapping season next year, you will be prepared!

DIY Christmas Cards

Using holiday-themed stencils or cookie cutters, you can select beautiful images and messages from the cards you receive each year and repurpose them into elements for your Christmas cards! Hand-making your holiday cards might only be feasible if you have a small list, or perhaps you can personalize handmade cards for your closest family and friends instead of your entire list! Add some ribbon, stickers, and stamps; your Christmas cards are ready to mail! You have some free craft supplies; you can see those beautiful messages and images live on for another season!

Christmas Garland

Using a few simple items, you can create a beautiful Christmas-themed garland. You will need some scissors, fishing line (or fine twine), a small punch, and a pile of Christmas cards from friends and family! Cut out shapes (matching or mismatched) to dangle from the garland using scissors. These can be large or small and in any pattern you might like! Using the punch, you will need to put a small hole near the top of each piece. String the cutouts onto the fishing line and secure them with a simple knot. Leave a few inches between each piece and continue stringing on cutouts until your garland is as long as necessary! If you are hanging your Christmas garland low enough for guests to read, you can even include some cutouts with beautiful messages on the inside of your cards.

Puzzle Time

One super simple idea you can use to recycle your old Christmas cards is excellent for kids: cut them into puzzles! You can create a homemade puzzle by cutting off the front side of each card and then cutting the image into smaller sections. These are great to keep kids busy during the holiday seasons, and because they’re so slim, you can travel with them! Pack a few in your travel bag to keep kids interested and happy while driving, flying, or hanging out at grandma’s house!

No matter what you decide to do with your Christmas cards, these fun ideas are great to keep in mind for crafting during the holiday season! If you are ever stuck for a craft project, you can easily pick up some Christmas cards and upcycle them into any of these fun and beautiful objects! What do you do with your Christmas cards each year?