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Cub Scout Participation Chart

October 4, 2013 By Michelle Barneck 3 Comments

In Cub Scouts we start each week by repeating the Pledge of Allegiance, the Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack. We work with the Wolves so it is good practice to help them learn it for the rest of their time in Cubs. Between asking for a volunteer for each one, them looking for it in their book and standing up and sitting it each time was taking up to 20 minutes to get through this which is ridiculous considering we only have an hour. We needed a chart to streamline so each cub scout got a chance to practice.
I threw this participation chart together with some clothes pins, cardstock and paper scraps. I covered a clothespin with paper for each scouts name to rotate through the chart. I added an “arrow point” for each assignment and we just move the names down each week so everyone gets a turn.
We are a religious pack so we start and end each time with a prayer. You could easily leave these blank or change them to something specific for your pack. The boy who says the Pledge asks the boys to stand and the boy who does the Law of the Pack says ” too” to have them sit.  I left the last one blank, but the boys decided to add treats on that one so each scout will taking a turn bringing treats to share at the end. 

To eliminate the book searching, I wrote the Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack on the back of the chart for a little cheat sheet until they have it memorized. The chart has been a huge help and now it takes under 10 minutes to get through all of it so we have the bulk of the time for the activity. 
Do you work in/have boys in scouts? What things have helped you?

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15 Baking Soda Uses That May Surprise You

August 15, 2013 By Michelle Barneck 1 Comment

This post is sponsored by ARM & HAMMER and contains affiliate links.

Household:
1. Deodorize Wastebaskets – Apply regularly as you add to the container and when you empty it wash with a solution of 1 cup baking soda per gallon of water.
2. Cleaning Furniture – Clean and remove marks (even crayon) from walls and painted furniture by applying baking soda to a damp sponge and rubbing lightly. Wipe of with a clean, dry cloth.
3. Musty Towels – Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the rinse cycle.

Kitchen:
4. Dirty Microwave – Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge and gently wipe the inside and outside to clean and deodorize. To keep odors away place a box of baking soda in the microwave between uses.
5. Dishwashers – Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher to absorb lingering food odors.
6. Fruit and Vegetable Scrub – Sprinkle baking soda on a vegetable brush,, scrub and rinse. For soft skinned or leafy produce, sprinkle baking soda in a bowl of water, add produce, agitate and rinse.
7. Sponges – Soak smelly sponges in a solution of four tablespoons baking soda dissolved in one quart of warm water.
8. Deodorizing freezer – To keep foods and ice cubes tasting like they should, use the ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda Fridge-N-Freezer Odor Absorber and replace every 30 days. The flow-thru vents expose twice the baking soda to absorb odors that make foods taste funky.

See more creative uses for baking soda.


Cooking:
9. Mashed Potatoes – add a pinch of baking soda to make them fluffier.
10. Tomatoes – cut the acidic level of tomato sauce or chili by adding a pinch of baking soda.

Hygiene:
11. Hair Care – sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into your palm along with your shampoo. Shampoo as normal and rinse well avoiding eye area. The baking soda helps remove the residue styling products leave behind.
12. Brushes and Combs – Remove natural build-up and hair product residue by soaking in a solution of one teaspoon baking soda in a small basin of water. Rinse and allow to dry.
13. Smelly Sneakers – Shake a little baking soda in them between wearings to absorb odor-causing moisture while neutralizing odors. Tap out excess baking soda before wearing again. Use once a week or more if you wear them often.

Garage and Outdoor:
14. Grungy Grills – Sprinkle dry baking soda on a damp brush, scrub as needed, and rinse clean. For greasy stains, scrub with a wire brush and baking soda paste made of three parts baking soda to one part warm water. Rinse Thoroughly.
15. Oil and Grease Stains on Garage Floor – Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush to clean up light duty spills.

Pets:
16. Dry Shampoo for Dogs – To freshen up between baths, give dry fur a light sprinkle, use a brush to work it through, and thoroughly remove.

BONUS TIP: We recently had a week where my son got sick and it traveled through the rest of us like clockwork. I swear every sheet we owned was in the wash. I loaded a “sick load” (to spare you from being more graphic) in the wash with the my usual detergent, some color bleach, and turned on the extra rinse to be sure it would come out clean and sanitary. It was bad people. So bad that every time I walked by the bathroom that leads to the laundry room I looked for something rank in the garbage or a non-flushed toilet. Nope it was the laundry…post wash. Gross! Luckily, ARM & HAMMER had supplied me some of their Ultra Power 4X Concentrated detergent to try out. Not only did it kick the ick, but it came out smelling fresh and delightful using half the amount of detergent! Seriously, I pulled it out and buried my face in it to be sure. I have a new laundry superhero! Use it, for real, you will not regret it.

Be sure to visit our ARM & HAMMER $100 Visa Card giveaway!!

Disclosure: I received product and was compensated for this post, but the opinions are all mine.

We have decided to truncate our feed to help protect against stolen content. I apologize for any inconvenience. Please love us anyway. 🙂

Tips for Back to School Shopping

August 5, 2013 By Michelle Barneck Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by Gordmans because they love back to school almost as much as I do.

For some school shopping back to school shopping is something to look forward to, but for others it can be a real challenge. Here are some tips that have helped us make it an experience parents and kids can enjoy:

  1. Set expectations beforehand on budget and items you will be looking to purchase. This way you will be on the same page once the search begins.
  2. Let kids have a choice, but also let them know mom (or dad) has veto power. Since my boys are still small I like to choose three items and let them choose out of them. It gives them the final say, but I still make sure they don’t end up with something ridiculous.
  3. If they want something that is out of the budget, let them know there are plenty of chores to make up the difference. 😉
  4. Take them to stores where they’ll find brands they love and you’ll find prices you’ll love.

I have a teenage nephew who has great style. I asked him where he got his jeans…Gordmans. I asked him where he got his shoes…Gordmans. This went on a few times and I knew we had to check it out.

 Gordmans back to school boys

They had awesome jeans and a great selections of cool Nike and Jordan t-shirts as well as lots of great stripe options, which is saying something because usually boys sections are full of questionable graphic tees. The best part? The shoes. They had so many stylin’ boys shoes (Converse, Fila, etc)! 

Gordmans back to school girls

I don’t have any girls, but wandered over to see what I would pick if I did. They had the cutest owl mini dress and polka dot skinnies! Again, tons of cute shoes. One of the best selections of Skechers Bobs I’ve seen.

Gordmans back to school accessories

I love that you can also pick up any accessories you might need: backpacks (starting at $8), lunch bags, phone and tablet accessories and more!

Gordmans grandstand and gordmans giggles

But, the best part had to be the areas for the hubbies and the kids! The grandstand totally cracked me up. It is so smart because my husband is always done shopping before me. The kids area is surrounded by the kids clothes so they can just sit and watch a show while you pick out their wardrobe and then take it over for approval. What service! We honestly had a hard time getting my son to leave. 

 

Be sure to sign up for the Gordmans rewards program. It’s free, you get a point for every dollar you spend, and receive a $10 rewards card for every 200 points you earn!

 

Like free money? Then, answer the question below for the chance to win $1000 and $100 to Gordmans! It doesn’t get any easier than that!

Official Rules

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gordmans. The opinions and text are all mine.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gordmans.  The opinions and text are all mine.

We have decided to truncate our feed to help protect against stolen content. I apologize for any inconvenience. Please love us anyway. 🙂

5 Reasons to Love Vacation Rentals #VRMonth

July 25, 2013 By Michelle Barneck 1 Comment

Did you know July is National Vacation Rental Month? Fittingly so. I feel like we are always running around crazy trying to squeeze the last little bit of summer in with family reunions and vacations before we head in to year round school. 

We discovered vacation rentals about five years ago and man has it made a difference in our travel plans! We have used vacation rentals for tropical trips, family reunions, national park discovery and more! So what’s so great about them?

Five Reasons to Love Vacation Rentals

1. Vacation rentals offer more space. We often travel with my family which means well over 20 people. Try squeezing that in to a few hotel rooms! I love the options vacation rentals present for family common areas to watch movies or play games, sitting for meals together, etc. It can also mean a private pool/hot tub which is fabulous!


Click for more reasons to love…


2. Enjoy the many of the conveniences of home such as fully-equipped kitchens, washer/dryers and multiple bedrooms/baths to accommodate multiple couples/families or separate napping babies from the rest of the noise.



3. You can enjoy the best of both worlds – the space and comfort of home with the conveniences and amenities of a hotel stay like housekeeping, Wi-Fi, shuttle services and a concierge desk. Who doesn’t love someone to clean up while you are on vacation?

4. I love that you are not tied down to one type of place, there are a nice variety of offerings. For example, in the U.S. Wyndham Vacation Rentals’ properties range from private homes, resorts condos and villas in beach destinations such as Florida, South Carolina, Delaware and Alabama’s Gulf Coast to mountain-side condos and luxury cabins in Colorado, Utah, Tennessee and Idaho. 



5. If you’re like me you do your vacation research and planning online. Online listings and booking are essential to me. If rentals make you nervous, ease your mind by booking with a professionally managed vacation rental provider such as Wyndham Vacation Rentals® that has a “Vacation Rental Bill of Rights®” service pledge ensuring quality standards (rental listings with accurate images), comprehensive customer service and real-time payment and bookings. I hate having a phone tag booking hassle or like my poor aunt having things fall through last minute.

All this talk make you feel the need to get away? Give it a whirl! The time could not be better to book. Wyndham Vacation Rentals is offering summer deals at up to 35 % off nightly rates on bookings made throughout July at www.WyndhamVacationRentals.com!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

We have decided to truncate our feed to help protect against stolen content. I apologize for any inconvenience. Please love us anyway. 🙂
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Hi there! I'm Michelle. Mother of three little boys and one little princess. Welcome to A Little Tipsy, a place for exploring creativity and sharing inspiration.

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