screen time

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX.

Does your family have nightly or weekly routines around watching NETFLIX that are special?

For our kids, watching tv has always been a bit of a special treat. It's been a couple of years now since we cancelled our cable television service. Our children have always had very little screen time, and Matt & I decided that we were paying way too much for a service that we weren't really using all that much. We also knew that we could rely on NETFLIX to watch our favorite shows. There has always been a great selection of shows from our some of our favorite television networks to choose from! The dedicated kids section is great, especially for Cohen and the kids' special Saturday morning screen time. We don't have to worry about them watching something that they shouldn't, because the shows are all age appropriate.

Convenience is key when it comes to our kids watching shows, because of the lack of screen time they're allowed. And NETFLIX takes the worry of there not being something on that they want to watch when they get that special time. There is no worry, because they can choose from hundreds of shows any time from either our blu-ray player or the iPad. While we love to see our kids playing outside when the weather is nice or spending time playing board games, reading and being imaginative with their play, we can also appreciate allowing them a bit of down time to watch a show or two. Most of their screen time happens on the weekend, but occasionally on days when it's cold & rainy they get to watch some tv on NETFLIX. And, this winter we learned quickly that you there is really only so much you can do to keep the kids entertained indoors for months on end before you give in and let them sit and watch movies or cuddle up to watch a show together. Never have I been so thankful for the ease of streaming shows & movies via NETFLIX as I was during our first frigid Wisconsin winter.

Some of my kids' favorites like Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Batman Beyond, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, H20: Just Add Water, and Sesame Street are just a few of the hundreds of shows that they're able to stream from NETFLIX "just for kids" section. There are so many other fantastic shows that your kids will love as well as many great shows and movies on NETFLIX that our entire family can enjoy together. 

What are you watching on TV with your family? Netflix has family favorites from Disney, Disney Jr., Hasbro, Cartoon Network and Dreamworks that are available to stream anytime, anywhere.

And streaming is easier than you think! Download the free app on your iPad, click on the Netflix app on any gaming device, go to the website on your computer – and you’re in business. Check it out here!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Netflix.

no traditional braces for us: Invisalign Teen

most of us went through the pain and embarrassment of  braces, right? big wires, colorful rubberbands, the cutting up of the inside of your mouth, using wax.. it's probably not necessary to go on, because you know what i'm talking about. 

gone are the days of the nightmares above, thanks to some amazing advances in orthodontia. there are now removable aligners like Invisalign & Invisalign Teen. aligners are quickly becoming the popular choice in orthodontia treatment and really, it's no surprise when you see the differences. who wouldn't choose a clear, lightweight plastic aligner that sits smoothly on the teeth over the traditional, chunky metal braces? 

these aligners allow children and adults to smile with confidence, while their teeth are being straightened. and, no more food filled braces. simply take the aligners out while you're eating or drinking. a confident smile isn't the only positive to Invisalign, the treatment is roughly the same price as traditional braces, but usually far fewer office visits, the visits are shorter and there's no dealing with emergency visits for broken brackets or wires. and, the aligners can be worn while playing sports, even with a mouth guard in!

the entire process is just so much smoother with Invisalign. there are no goopy molds, just digital imaging with digital scanners (like iTero) to take the impressions. the orthodontist simply uses the iTero wand to receive a precise 3D imagery of the inside of your mouth! how amazing is that? treatment prices will vary depending on your doctor and your location in the country, but the average cost for Invisalign's "express" five-stage treatment is roughly $1600 to $2300. these patients need teeth straightening treatment and have minor orthodontic issues, such as mild crowding or spacing. patients who qualify for the "express" treatment option will typically receive a series of five aligner sets. those sets are to be switched out approximately every 2 weeks. teeth will gradually move over time and results are visible as soon as 90 days into treatment!

for more details on how Invisalign works, visit this link. you can even check out your own smile assessment! Invisalign aligners can be used to treat so many different cases, including underbite, crooked teeth, gapped teeth, overbite, crossbite,  fix crooked teeth, spaced teeth, crowded teeth, fix overbite, open bite, dental issues, and dental problems. our kids will definitely be getting Invisalign aligners when the time comes to think about orthodontia treatment. 

Have you or someone you know used Invisalign? How was their experience?
Is Invisalign an alternative to traditional orthodontics that you could see yourself trying?

Invisalign Website  *  Invisalign Twitter  *  Invisalign Facebook

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

diy: boys chalkboard

we're all really missing our chalkboard wall/door that we used to have in our house in california. cohen, especially! he just loved drawing and practicing his writing skills on that chalkboard. but, we're renting for our first year here in wisconsin, so there will be no chalkboard wall. instead i offered to make cohen his very own boys chalkboard for his room.

what you'll need:

a piece of wood (any size is fine really)

paint (acrylic, spray or chalkboard paint even)

chalkboard coating (if you're not using chalkboard paint)

washi tape

scrapbook embellishment letters

mod podge

paint brush

foam brush

twine

chalk

first i painted my piece of wood with 2 coats of the turquoise that cohen had chosen. 

after the paint was dry i arranged my washi tape and scrapbook letters on the board how i wanted them. then, i painted on 3 coats of mod podge.

if you aren't familiar with mod podge, you should be! it's one of my favorite supplies to have on hand for crafting. after a couple of coats, the washi tape and cohens name will stay put for good. and, they've got a nice sheen and finished look to them. 

once the mod podge was totally dry, i painted the rest of the chalkboard with my chalkboard coating and let that dry. the chalkboard coating was one of the many fun goodies that i received in my swag bag from SNAP conference last month. so, thank you to DecoArt for that! i finished it off by drilling some holes through near the top and stringing twine through the holes. 

and then, it was ready to hang! cohen was so excited and he honestly asked me to write "i love mommy". such a sweet kid! he loves his new chalkboard and it was SO simple to make. plus, i had everything on hand already.

 

i am all about simple, but fun and cute crafts lately, especially if they're practical! what have you made recently?

oklahoma

i had a fun chalkboard project to share today.
in light of what's going on in other parts of our country, i felt like i needed to step away today.
to spend time with my babies and think about the families who've lost it all, including their children. 
and to just send positive thoughts and prayers to Oklahoma.

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