Southern Made Simple

Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm

Free Printable

Nesquik Brownies – A Perfect Back to School Treat + FREE Printable!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StirImagination  #CollectiveBias

As kids all across the country are headed back to school, I can’t help but reminisce on my own school days – particularly my college days. I remember the late nights studying that turned into mornings, struggling to make it to class, finding ways to make ends meet, and trying to figure out what in the world my next meal would be. When you have a crazy schedule and a limited budget, you find ways to get creative when it comes to making life work! One of my saving graces during college was using coupons to buy my groceries.

But using coupons to stretch my budget didn’t stop there. I took my frugal-ness right on onto my marriage (which started exactly 8 days after I graduated, by the way.) I’ve always strategically planned my shopping trips so I could get the biggest bang for my buck, but one day I stumbled across an unexpected deal that surprisingly made a pretty big impact on my life (and my taste buds) that I’m excited to share with the world!

We all know that Nesquik make your milk taste amazing, but adding it to your brownie mix takes things to a whole nother level! Nesquik brownies are simple, delicious and even contain 7 essential vitamins and minerals! #StirImagination #ad…

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4 Ways to Celebrate the Olympics with Kids + FREE Coloring Sheets

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With the 2016 Olympic Games quickly approaching, excitement has started to fill the air as American athletes are putting a lifetime of hard work into the qualifying rounds to see who will take a coveted USA team spot and represent our great country in the Olympics in Brazil. I get chills just typing that, y’all!

The Olympics are truly something big and monumental to celebrate, not just something taking a time spot on your favorite TV channel. I hope to encourage you to start a discussion with your children about the Olympics and get excited about the games coming up in just a few short days. I’ve put together a list of 4 Ways to Celebrate the Olympics with Kids, plus I’ve included 3 FREE coloring sheets for you to help get kids interested and inspired about the events!

3 Free Printable Olympic Coloring Sheets + 4 Ways to Celebrate the Olympics with Kids

  1. Make Olympic Inspired Snacks

    • To get your kiddos excited about the Olympic games, whip up a few easy and fun Olympic-inspired treats to munch on while the games are on! I’ve been pinning ideas like crazy over on my Olympics Pinterest Board. Take a look and get your chef hat ready, because you’ll want to make them all! 😉

  2. Create an Outdoor Olympian Obstacle Course

    • What better way to celebrate the Olympics than to get active and play! Create a fun and challenging obstacle course related to your kid’s favorite sports, or bring the fun indoors and get creative! Relay races, laps in the pool, beach towel volleyball, noodle toss, etc. are just a few ideas that come to mind. You can even host a mock opening ceremony with music, dancing and singing. The possibilities are endless!

  3. Get Your Color On!

  4. Learn the History

    • I remember learning all about the Olympics when I was a child in school. Did you know that the history of the games dates back to over 2,700 years ago?! I’ve found this website to be an amazing resource for kids to learn more about the Olympics and how they got to be where they are today. Encourage your children to learn more about this amazing historical event. Who knows, you may be raising your own future little Olympian!

 

What are some other fun and creative idea to encourage children to get excited about the Olympic Games? Will you be watching the games with your family? What is your favorite sport to watch? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

Rainy Day Activity: Indoor Picnic Fun + Free Printables!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StormStockUp #CollectiveBias

If there’s one thing in the great state of Alabama that’s common knowledge, it’s that the weather is never going to do exactly what you think it’s going to do. The meteorologists do the best that they can, but mother nature tends to do what she wants, when she wants, and she really doesn’t care if she ruins your outdoor plans. This especially holds true during the summer months. We all know for sure that it’s going to be hot and humid here, but there’s just no telling when a pop up shower or storm is going to happen.

In fact, I vividly remember 2 years ago when it rained almost every single day during the month of July. It could be a gorgeous day outside, then BAM! A pop up storm comes out of nowhere to rain on your parade. #Rude

Now that I have a little one, I’ve seen how a rainy day can put a major damper on the amount of fun she has. She loves to run around and play outside, but that’s a big no-no when the yard is wet and muddy. Thankfully, Publix has situations just like that in mind! They’ve got a pretty sweet “Summer Storm Stock Up” promotion going on right now that helps us keep the party going when rain creeps up.

Rainy day bringing you down? Bring the outdoors IN and throw an indoor picnic! Tips and ideas on picnic-themed foods and 5 FREE printables included! #StormStockUp #ad

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5 Ways to Boldly Be Your Best Self Each Morning + Free Printable!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ListerineBOLD #CollectiveBias

May is officially here! Can you believe how fast the year is flying by? This month holds a ton of exciting things for myself and my family. We’re just a few days away from our daughter’s 1st birthday, and I’ve been flooded with emotions and memories of watching her grow and learn SO many new things. Even though she’s learned a ton during her first year, I’ve definitely learned quite a bit myself.

This time last year, I was working full time outside of the home. I had a strict morning routine and made it a point to really take care of myself during that time. Once my daughter was born, my previous routine went right out the door faster than a speeding bullet. I put my needs on the back burner because I really wanted to rock this whole “mom” gig.

It wasn’t long before I started  feeling a little down on myself. After some deep digging and a little soul searching, I realized it’s because I stopped taking care of myself. And because I stopped doing that, I was doing my daughter a huge disservice. She needs her mommy to be happy and healthy. She needs me to be my best self at all times so that I can be the best that I can be for her!

5 Ways to Boldly Be Your Best Self Each Morning {Free Printable Included!} #ListerineBOLD #ad…

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When Santa Has No Chimney {+ Free Printable!}

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As a child, I remember reading and singing cheerful Christmas songs about Santa Claus and his magic reindeer. For a while, my mother would decorate our home from top to bottom with Christmas decor. We had a HUGE fireplace where we displayed our stockings. Christmas was a big to-do in our house.

Hello, 1996!

When the night before Christmas rolled around, we’d always break out the book, “Twas The Night Before Christmas” and read it as a family. We’d put on our Christmas pajamas and go straight to bed. At night I would fall asleep imagining Santa filling our stockings after squeezing down our chimney.

Because that’s what Santa does. He goes down the chimney.

That’s what all the books and Christmas carols said, anyway. But because I always had a chimney, I never once gave it any thought as to how he would enter if we didn’t have a chimney.

549405328_Santa_and_Chimney_xlarge

Now that I’m an adult and have a child of my own, I’m excited to share the magic of Santa with her as she gets older. I’m so excited for those few magical years where children believe in Santa, and you know it by the twinkle in their eye once December rolls around.

I’m looking forward to teaching my daughter all of the fun holiday songs, reading her my favorite Christmas-y books, and sharing with her that Santa and his reindeer fly around the world bringing people presents. He lands on the roof, slides down the chimney, nibbles on the cookies you leave him, and fills your stocking with fun surprises.

We just have one tiny little problem, though.

Our house has no chimney.

I looked everywhere, y’all. Sadly, it’s just not there. And then it occurred to me that this is actually a normal problem. And frankly, it’s really not a problem at all! People live in apartments, trailers, condos, and all sorts of different dwellings that have no chimney. Santa still visits them somehow, right?! Of course he does! And this is the type of thing that I know my daughter will inquire about one day. How DOES Santa come down the chimney when you don’t have a chimney?

Why, he uses his magic of course!

Santa Key + Free Printable! When there is no chimney for Santa to go down, he uses this magic key and enters through the front door!

If that fat man can squeeze down a chimney and make his reindeer fly, then he can sprinkle some of that jolly ol’ magic on our special Santa Key and walk right through our front door!

The Santa key can only be used by Santa himself. We leave it hanging on our Christmas tree until Christmas Eve. Before we slip off to bed, we hang the magic key outside our front door so he knows how to enter.

My daughter is will be 7 months old this Christmas, so she will know nothing of the jolly ol’ elf this year, but it won’t be long before she starts picking up on who Santa is. We’ll gladly explain to her how he’ll come into our home quietly while she sleeps and work his magic filling stockings and leaving presents. When we put out his milk and cookies, I’ll let her hang the key on our door just for him.

If you find yourself in the same chimney-less situation as us, here’s a free printable that you can download and pair with your own magic Santa key!

SantaKey_Printable

I hope this brings a little more joy to you and your family this holiday season! If you don’t have a chimney, how has Santa been entering your home? I’d love to hear about all the ways he works his magic!