Chili’s is proud to support St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital through a 10-year commitment to donate $50 million to help fight childhood cancer.  Chili’s has a care center at St. Jude’s.  It is a seven-story, 340,000 square-foot facility that houses major treatment and research programs for catastrophic childhood diseases.

If you would like to help Chili’s with this commitment to St. Jude’s, there are a few ways to get involved:

1)  Eat at a Chili’s restaurant today.

2)  Purchase a Create a Pepper t-shirt for only $12.  Thirty percent of the sales is contributed to St. Jude’s.

3)  Purchase a Klinky Key for only $5.  The key can be customized by a key cutter, or you could use it as a charm on a backpack or necklace.

4)  Donate online. 

Will you eat at Chili’s today?

image from chilis

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Make sure your children understand basic fire safety.

Before teaching your children about fire pit safety you need to first make sure they understand the basics of fire and fire safety in general. Teach them to stop, drop, and roll if their clothing ever catches fire, physically demonstrate this technique and let them do it on their own as well. Instruct them to never use gasoline or oil as a fire starter, and show how to properly use a fire extinguisher in case a campfire does get out of hand. But of course most importantly, teach them never to play with matches or lighters.

Surround your fire pit with large rocks and stones, and always have a fire extinguisher nearby.

This is especially true with larger fires in wooded, dry areas as you never know when a spark or stray flame may set fire to the surrounding area. To minimize this risk even further, you should teach your children to clear away any brush and other flammable debris from the area with a rake and before starting a fire. Teach them to keep a lookout for tree branches hanging overhead also, as taller fires have been known to set fire to these low branches.

Pay attention to the type of branches, logs, or wood you are burning.

Make sure your children know what poison oak and poison ivy looks like, as burning this in a fire can release irritants into the air which can be just as harmful as touching the plant with bare skin. This is especially true if you are roasting marshmallows or cooking over the fire. Finally, make sure they understand the difference between dead wood and wood that is still living; and teach them to only collect wood that has already fallen onto the ground as opposed to chopping down fresh trees.

This guest post is provided by Geoffrey F. Moore of My Fire Pits.  My Fire Pits has a large selection of fire pits, fire pit accessories, and gas burning fire pits.

image from myfirepits.com

Post from: Keeping the Castle

I looked around at Wal-Mart and Target and found that they had similar mattress covers.  Actually, these were more than a cover.  They were actually a mattress case.  These were much similar to a pillow case. 

I also discovered that these mattress covers offered a moisture barrier.  And since we’re still having some issues with bedtime wetting I got one for all three kids’ beds.  The initial expense was slightly painful; $70 for all three covers, but it was well worth it.  I can’t begin to tell you the number of times my husband and I have simply sprayed the mattress cover with a solution of vinegar and water and wiped it off.  Other than the aggravation of added laundry, night time accidents really are that simple now.  We don’t have to worry with scrubbing and airing out mattresses.  Hooray!

The hypoallergenic mattress cover works for me.  What works for you?

For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, visit We Are THAT Family.  image from target

Post from: Keeping the Castle

• patriotic windsocks
• custom koozies to insulate beverages
• fireworks art
• a bubble wrap hopscotch course
• pride pins
• a patriotic candy display
• a candy flag
• loyalty rings
• star-spangled bubble wands
• a flag necklace
• patriotic paperweights
• all-American sweatshirts or t-shirts

Which craft project do you plan to try?

image from bhg

Post from: Keeping the Castle

While I have been fortunate enough to review some plastic organization bags, the cheapest, most frugal and earth-friendly choice is to reuse the plastic zipper bags that we get from purchasing bedding and other home accessories.  I have put to use all of the bags in our house that have come with shams, curtains, sheets, comforters, etc.  I have two of them that are used for sleeping bags and as you can see here, I am using this one for all of the children’s bubble supplies.  This bag came with my daughter’s crib bedding.  It’s been around a while.

The clear zipper bags keep all of the parts contained and since they are clear, you can easily see what’s inside.  In this case, the plastic bag also keeps the bubble solution from leaking. 

Do you reuse your plastic bags?

For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.  Image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Thanks to free resources such as Plugged -In Online and Kids-in-Mind, you can quickly check out a movie’s sexual content, violence, language, drug use, and more.  Just this week a relative came over and wanted to know if my kids could watch Marley & Me.  I said, “No way!”  I pulled up Plugged In Online and started reading all the things about the language and sexual content.

From Plugged-In Online:

Marley & Me is advertised as fun family fare, which should imply that profanity is kept on a leash. But audiences still end up stepping in one s-word and another 10 or so uses of “h—,” “b–ch,” “a–,” “d–n” or “b–tard.” God’s name is misused at least a dozen times. There are references to “boobs” and “balls.”

From Kids-In-Mind:

A husband and a wife kiss in bed and it is implied that they have sex (we hear squeaking springs). A husband and wife kiss, she sits on his lap, she stands up and takes off her dress in front of him (we see her bare shoulders and the side of her breast), she jumps into a swimming pool . . .

We hear a scream, a man rushes to a neighbor’s house and we see that a young woman has been stabbed (she has blood on her side).

As you can see, both of these free websites provide detailed information about the movie and allow you, the parent, to decide if a movie is suitable for your family.

Are there any movie review websites that you would recommend?

images from websites listed above

Post from: Keeping the Castle

I’ve been collecting some Easter and spring articles for your enjoyment.  Have fun and let me know which ones are your favorites.

20 Last Minute Spring and Easter Party Treats @ The Kids Birthday Fun Review

Lead Me to the Cross:  Reflections for Good Friday @ Way More Homemade

Easy Last Minute Easter Egg Dyes @ Bostom Mamas

Jelly Bean Poem @ Little Fun; Little Learning

Bird’s Nest Spring Treats @ The Kids Birthday Fun Review

Kids’ Easter Activities @ Thrifty Mommy

Two Tales of Bunnies: Easter Reads @ Alpha Mom

Super Cute Bunnylicious Cake @ Bostom Mamas

Paper Plate Easter Basket @ Little Fun; Little Learning

Growing Bunny Prints Easter Craft @ Blisstree

Finger Puppets, Decoupaged Easter Pails, and More @ Alpha Mom

A Natural Way to Dye Eggs @ Thrifty Mommy

Adorable Rice Krispies Treats Bunnies & Eggs @ Blisstree

Simple Easter Table Decoration @ She Knows Parties

10 Recipes for Your Easter Brunch @ She Knows Parties

Easter Ham Recipe @ Blisstree

Braided Easter Bread @ Blisstree

Emeril’s Easter Feast Roasted Asparagus @ Good Morning American Recipes

Easter Outfits on a Budget @ Thrifty Mommy

Recipes to Celebrate Spring @ Thrifty Mommy

Keep Your Pets Safe This Easter @ Thrifty Mommy

Easter Safety Tips @ Blisstree

Spring Party Centerpieces – Egg Flower Cups @ She Knows Parties

Egg Songs @ Little Fun; Little Learning

Handprint Flower Craft @ Little Fun; Little Learning

If you have an Easter link, please leave it in the comments.

Happy Easter!  Enjoy!

image: Karen Weideman

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Our younger children are 3 and 5, so we have asked them to do simple things such as bring all the laundry baskets to the laundry room, take the laundry baskets back to the rooms, and put away the socks that I have already folded.  My daughter is 5, so she sometimes asks if she can help fold washcloths or put them away.  Now that we have a 10-year-old in the house, I have asked him to switch the clothes from the washer to the dryer or hang up his shirts. Even my 3-year-old likes to help switch clothes from the washer to the dryer.  I am actually the one that is switching them.  He just likes the throw them into the dryer.  It takes a little longer, but he wants to help and I need to encourage that.

Here are a list of things your children can do to help out with the laundry.  Of course, you must choose which ones are appropriate based upon age and maturity.

• bring laundry baskets to the laundry room
• take laundry baskets back to the rooms
• put socks, pajamas, and underwear away
• get hangers
• help sort the laundry into darks, coloreds, whites, and towels
• switch clothes from the washing machine to the dryer
• match socks
• If you are line drying, the child can hand you clothing and clothes pins.

How do your children help with the laundry?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Keeping the Castle

When you purchase greeting cards, please consider purchasing the Colors of Compassion cards.  It’s a small way to help a child in need.

Post from: Keeping the Castle