Would you like to learn how to create a website or blog?  For me, creating emomsblog has been fun.  I started off with the intention of making money but this blog has turned into one huge learning opportunity for me; learning how the World Wide Web works and learning a lot about parenting.  You can make a lot of money but that has not been my focus to date.  I really love it! 

The program I learned from has 10 free videos showing you how to get your website going and a free eBook.     They also offer a course that only opens up about 2 times each year.  You receive weekly lessons and they do a live conference call once per month.  It is an awesome course.  I am learning about putting audio and video on a website now. 

The reason for this post is just to let you know that they are offering the course right now.  The first day you can sign up is July 29^th and the last day is July 3^rd.  If you already have a basic blog, or if you just go through the 10 free videos to set one up and would like instructions on how to take your site further, this is the program for you.  I highly recommend it.

If you are interested and have questions about the program, please feel free to email me at shanna@emomsblog.com or send a comment below.  I will respond within 24 hours.

In the summer when it is hot and your kids are bored, water is always a fun and cooling activity.

What if you could entice your kids to “play in the water” doing activities that actually help you?

Here are 6 activities that you can benefit from and the kids are having fun doing them:

1.   Wash your car

2.   Wash their bike

3.   Wash windows with a squeegee (they love the squeegee)

4.   Water the flowers by hand

5.   Soaking the dry spots on lawn with the hose

6.   Bathe the dog

Here are 4 more fun activities the kids will enjoy:

1.   Running through the sprinkler

2.   Squirting guns or bottles

3.   Water Balloon Toss

4.   Jumping on the trampoline while water sprays on them (as long as they are not high jumpers)

Have a fun and wet summer!

In conjunction with the Kids Summer Planner, I have put together a list free things to do in the summer with your kids.  You can fill your summer with fun activities without breaking the bank.

Here are the free things to do with your kids in the summer:

Local library activities

Free park concerts

City events, check the local city website for their calendar of events

Visit a pet store

Some local museums and zoos have a free day

Tour your local city buildings (fire, police, and capitol)

Tour a local college campus

Help your kids start a collection of rocks, seashells, uniquely shaped twigs or sticks, or leaves and flowers that can be pressed

Go rock hounding

Go on a hike

Go on a bike ride

Go fishing

Go to the lake or beach to swim

Have a picnic

Camp in your back yard

Stargaze (look for constellations and satellites)

Start a book club for neighborhood friends to meet weekly

Exchange movies with neighbors and have movies nights or matinees

Allow late nighters with friends

Please let me know if there are any free fun activities that I have left off this list so I can share them with other readers. 

Thanks for visiting emomsblog!

Are you ready for summer?  Have you made any plans to keep your children productive and occupied for the summer?

School is almost out and I want to share what I have created.  This is a summer planner that works on a system of earning tickets.  It helps you structure the summer through chores and rewards.  Use this system to schedule reading, learning activities, and chores.  Then offer the incentives and rewards your children can work toward and look forward to.

I have created a blank calendar specifically for your chore chart.  Your children can look at the calendar to see what incentives they are working toward and on what date you will be able to provide the incentive they have earned.  Placing an exact date on the calendar for the incentive is your option.  You choose the chores, the incentives and how many tickets they must earn to receive that incentive.  Here is an example of a chart that is filled in.   Sample Summer Planner

You can print up the blank templates and fill them out by hand or if you prefer you can fill then out on the computer.  I am providing everything in PDF and Word format, including the tickets so you can make changes to the standard version if you prefer.

At the end of each day have your children total the tickets they have earned and you hand them out.  Then they may redeem the tickets for the incentives you have chosen.

Ideas for incentives:

• Amusement park
• Kids Choice
• Swimming
• Zoo
• Park
• Bike Ride
• Picnic
• Sporting event
• Play date
• Sleep over
• Candy bar or treat
• New swim suit or other item

Ideas for activities to earn tickets:

• Learning activities
• Read 30 minutes
• Write an essay on a subject (use the computer for research)
            Camping – Camping safety
            Swimming – Swimming safety
            The purpose for helmets
            Saving money
            Fishing – How to fish
• Complete an extra credit assignment
            www.kidzone.ws   Pre-K through 5^th grade, printable worksheets
            www.superteacherworksheets.com   1st-4^th grade, printable worksheets
            www.softschools.com Pre-K through Middle School, online learning  
            www.mathworksheetsworld.com  K-12th grade, create your own worksheets with the worksheet maker – free!

Healthy activities

• 1 hour of energetic activity
• Spend less than 1 hour on computer playing games (extra credit and research time doesn’t count)
• Spend less than 1 hour watching tv
• Eat fruits and vegetables
• Try a new food
• Behavioral activities
• Play nicely with siblings all week
• Good behavior all week
• Be helpful when asked without complaining
• Chores
• Make bed
• Vacuum
• Clean room
• Dishes
• Laundry
• Set table    
• Help with dinner
• Take out the trash
• Feed and water animals
• Water the plants
• Yard work
• Family vacations/camping trips are no points but maybe $ for tickets to spend on the retreat.

tickets Word format          tickets pdf format

June 2010 Calendar (word format)  June 2010 Calendar (pdf format)

 July 2010 Calendar (word format)  July 2010 Calendar (pdf format)

 August 2010 Calendar (word format)  August 2010 Calendar (pdf format)

I am really excited about this program and there was great success in 2009 for those that used the system.  I am implementing it again for my children this summer.  Please email me at shanna@emomsblog.com or place a comment below if you can help me improve the program.  I would love some suggestions and feedback.

Are you interested in building a membership site?

I wanted to share a free eBook called The Membership Site Masterplan. The free book is very informative. Here is the link to get your copy: Membership Site Masterplan

When I find free information on building blogs and websites that I feel is of value, I will share the links with readers of emomsblog because this blog has been such a wonderful experience for me. My start came when I found 10 free videos that walked me through, step by step, how to set up a blog, this blog. Writing emomsblog has been so much fun and is still a work in progress as many of my pages are still not complete, but will be soon.

Watch for the kids’ summer planning information coming soon. I am excited to share what I have been working on!