First Grader Snack Rollups and a {Giveaway}

Thanks to Azteca for sponsoring today’s post, as well as today’s after school snacks!

Back to school has happened, and now I think we’re just in “school” mode. After 10 days, the shiny newness of their supplies and the routine has worn off, and now our goal is just not to be marked tardy each morning. That Back to School fever is nice while it lasts, but it’s getting shorter every year around this place.

We’ve also adjusted to the “school year” grocery list, which includes ample lunch supplies, snack-in-the-car supplies, snack-before-dinner-supplies, and snack-because-I’m-STILL-hungry-and-can’t-wait-til-six-o’clock-supplies. I’m making lunches every day, and feeding them non-stop from the time they get home until dinner time every afternoon. Learning seems to make them just as hungry as swimming, which is weird in my opinion, but so it goes. They don’t get to snack during the school day, and they can only drink water, so I kind of understand. But pre-packaged snacks, as easy and tasty as they are, can get expensive. And honestly, a little boring. “Oh look! It’s granola bar #48 from the 60 count box I bought on Monday.” And while the giant warehouse sizes look like they’ll last forever, they won’t. I make MaM do the math when she requests more than one of something- if there are 32 in a box, and everyone in the house has one per day, how many days will it last? is how I get her to see my side of the rationing. Of course I offer a good selection of fruit, and you know, there are always carrots, but that doesn’t always hit the spot either.

When Azteca invited me to share with you the goodness that is their no-preservative  tortillas, it gave me an idea. What if there was a snack the kids could make themselves with them? It would be more of a process than tearing open a wrapper, but it could be a good experience! Plus, it could slow down the mass consumption of everything within arms reach every week day between the hours of 3-6pm.

Now before you think my kids suddenly started making tacos or something crazy that involves vegetables and seasoning other than ketchup, let me explain. What I discovered is that peanut butter and/or  chocolate hazelnut spread  on a tortilla is easy enough for my first grader to concoct himself. That’s it. Nothing fancy, no knives or offensive vegetables required. I always have these ingredients on hand (Azteca no preservative tortillas can be found in the refrigerated section of Kroger), and it’s something they can orchestrate on their own.

Their favorite combinations include:

  • peanut butter and chocolate chips
  • chocolate hazelnut spread and raspberries
  • peanut butter and bananas
  • chocolate hazelnut spread and peanuts

 

snackrollupscollageWant to give this make-your-own snack idea a try? Azteca would like to help in that department!

{The Giveaway}

Azteca has graciously offered up the following prize pack for one lucky reader:

·         $50 Kroger Gift Card

·         Azteca Free Product Coupon

·         Meal Planning Notepad

·         Tupperware Containers

·         Dry Erase Wall Decal Calendar

 

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, telling me how you handle the munchies- from your kids or even yourself. For additional entries- do any of the following, and leave a separate comment for each action. A winner will be chosen on Friday, August 22nd around 9pm, and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Additional Entries:

-go like my Facebook page:

-promote this giveaway on Facebook to

-promote this giveaway on Twitter

-pin this recipe on Pinterest

Good luck and happy snack making!

Disclosure: I received a prize pack identical to the giveaway provided for Azteca for the purpose of this post. All opinions, snack ideas and kitchen messes are my own.

Here are some other friends running the same giveaway- go visit them and increase your odds of winning!

Chaos Is Bliss

Mom 4 Less 

 

 

Back to School Health Needs? MinuteClinic Has You Covered.

Two weeks from today (eek!) the kids will go off to school for the start of another school year. Where did the summer of Six and Nine go? It took forever to get here, and now it’s winding down.

As we get ready to for back to school, I’m glad the ages of six and nine don’t require any immunizations- fitting those in with everything thing else back to school brings is never easy. Last year, the boy went to kindergarten one immunization short, and I got weekly notes from the school nurse until I (well, BgK) got it taken care of. Little did I know, the MinuteClinic (inside CVS), which we pass two times a day en route to school, could have taken care of that for us. For real. Had we only known. 

We’re in the clear for a couple more years, because in Indiana, it seems that sixth grade is the next “big shot” year. I won’t tell the kids if you won’t. As much as it’s a pain (literally and figuratively for all involved), I know it’s important to vaccinate. Do you know who the biggest pro-immunization person I know is? My grandma. At nearly 101, it was her friends and siblings who fell ill (sometimes fatally) with diseases that are now vaccine preventable. It comes up in conversations with her, oddly enough, more often than you might think. She remembers quarantine signs and the terror that came with disease outbreaks. It’s amazing that now my family can get all the immunizations needed at our local pharmacy.

ChalkboardCollageCVSKeep the MinuteClinic in mind as you see what immunizations your child may need to start school- no appointment is necessary and most insurance is accepted. MinuteClinics are also open seven days a week, which can come in handy when trying to fit in medical needs with everything else. The other thing I really like about the MinuteClinic is the price sheet. I know it’s unheard of, but they actually have, available online, a price sheet for their services. Even if you’re submitting to insurance, this handy price sheet can give you an idea of what kind of bill you’ll be looking at. Also accessible through their website is a list of which immunizations are required by state. Handy, right?

Other services offered at the MinuteClinic near you (chances are, there’s one near you- there are 5 of them within 5 miles of my house) include:

Right now, any visit to the MinuteClinic will net you a coupon book worth $22 in savings. MinuteClinic will be hosting a Twitter Party on Monday, July 28th at 1pm filled with information to help all kids #GoBackHealthy. Join in the the discussion about back to school health & safety, and you could win some fun prizes.

Disclosure: Thanks for Minute Clinic for sponsoring today’s discussion.

First Day of School! First Day of School! {and a Hallmark Giveaway}

{Edited: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for playing!}

We did it. The kids made it through their first day of school on Monday with flying colors. Four hours of swimming on Sunday ensured an appropriate bed time, and things continued to move along easily after that.

Lunch boxes, homework, and after school snacks have all made a comeback like they never left. The emails are coming in from the school list serve, and the fall calendar is filling up with school obligations.

Here’s the thing- this year, I’m not kicking and screaming that summer is over. I’m enjoying falling back into the rhythm of my half-days at the office and few hours with the Fox alone before picking up MaM. I love that the kids are both in the exact same classrooms as last year, and that they are reunited with so many of their friends.

My friends at Hallmark are celebrating back to school season as well, and sent me some goodies to help during those days that aren’t all A+’s and gold stars. They have a whole line of products tagged “Kids Encouragement”, and it’s full of ways to show your kids how much you care.

Their LunchBox notes are making a repeat appearance this year, which thrills me because  MaM LOVES them. I love putting them in her lunch box, and she loves getting them in her lunchbox.

They also sent an assortment of kid-friendly greeting cards (I have 14 nieces & nephews, so they will come in handy), some of which include *gasp* JUSTIN BEIBER!!!!!

 

New for this year is this adorable Bug ‘Em plush. This plush pal can be outfitted with treats a few different ways to show your kids how much you love ’em. Visit Hallmark.com/BugEm for all kinds of ideas on how to use this little guy. I haven’t quite decided when he’s going to make an appearance at our house, but I know he’ll be popular when he does.

{The Giveaway}

To celebrate back to school, Hallmark would like to send one lucky reader a back-to-school prize pack that includes greeting cards, lunchbox notes and a Bug ‘Em plush.

To enter, please leave me a comment telling me one thing you love about back-to-school time (or what you don’t love) and be sure you use your best email so I can reach you. For extra entries, feel free to do any of the following, and add an extra comment for thing you do.

1) Go like Family Fun in the City on Facebook and leave a comment telling me that you did.

2) Post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page and tell me that you did.

3) Tweet about this giveaway- something to the effect, “Celebrating Back-to-School with @HallmarkPR & @gotchababy, you can too! http://gotchababy.com/?p=2904”

This giveaway will be open through Monday, August 20th at about 9pm. The winner will have 24hrs to repsond before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!