Spring has spring, & it's time to have some fun!

Here are some great ideas to get your family outside and enjoying the warmer weather!

1. Take a family picnic.
2. Quick fix for fun: hula hoop and bubbles.
3. When it’s hot: Slip slide, sprinkler, or water balloon fight!
4. Family bike ride.
5. Create and outdoor scavenger hunt in your backyard!
6. Fly a kite!

Ways to Raise Kinder Kids

It's more important than ever to raise kids be kind to others.  The best way to do this is make it a part of your families day-to-day life. Small actions can help foster your child's ability to empathize.  Here are some suggestions how to promote kindness to your children.

Be Kind yourself.  One of the best ways to teach your children about kindness is to set an example yourself.  For young children being gently with them and encouraging them to be gentle with others is a great way to start.  Tone of voice is another way to have a large impact on your child. Children mimic behavior of their parents. If they see you yelling at others or talking nasty they will too.  It's a learned behavior.

Encourage helping.  Helping can start at home with chores.  By doing chores around the house your kiddos will learn, even at an early age what it's like to help others.  Another great way is to teach your children about donating their time and possessions.  Donate toys, books and clothes they've out grown.  Volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen, at your church or even at a community event or the library.  Explain to your children why you are doing these things and how everyone including themselves benefits from it!

Enforce Rules and Manners. Encouraging good manners, not tolerating aggressive behavior, like hitting or name calling and providing structure are the corner stones for raising a caring, compassionate and respectful child.  Not addressing bad manners or misbehavior on a regular basis can lead to a self-centered child.  It's as simple as insisting your child apologize when they hurt or make a mistake. Habits form character. Encouragement of good habits in respect to behavior and treatment of others will lead them down the right path.

Create a Home Spa this Mother’s Day.

Celebrate Mother’s Day by taking a little time for yourself . Get your family out of the house and enjoy these do it yourself spa treatments in the comfort of your own home.

Indulge in a spa like bath.  Set the mood with candles, a little light music and a fresh towel.  Add your favorite bath salts or bubble bath to a warm bath and soak away your troubles for 20 minutes.  Extra:  double duty your bath salts by adding them to your favorite liquid soap. You’ve got an instant exfoliating body scrub!

Create your own Face mask out of natural ingredients
RECIPE: Raw Honey Face Mask:

Follow these simple steps for a cleansing mask that helps keep blemishes at bay.

• 4 1/2 teaspoons 365 Everyday Value® Organic Raw Wildflower Honey
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Lemon juice or lavender 100% essential oil (optional)

In a clean ceramic or glass bowl, combine honey with vinegar, juice or oil (if using). Using clean fingers, massage honey or the mixture over your whole face (avoiding the eyes). Allow to dry and become slightly tacky, and then pat and tap to get blood flowing to the surface of the skin. Remove with warm water. Per Whole Food Market

Use essential oils.  Essential oils are fantastic to trick your sense of smell into believing your at a luxurious spa and not in your family bath room!  Add a few drops of your favorite sent to body lotion or add a few drops of peppermint oil to your daily conditioner for an invigorating scalp treatment. 

Spring for $20 or less

Pick up one or several of these fun Spring friendly items to put the "spring" back in your step!

Spruce up your home.  Pick up a new doormat or brightly colored storage basket to give your house a quick pick me up! Get ride of the winter grime!
 
Get Digging!  Pick up some new gardening tools (kid size ones too!) and get the whole family involved in sprucing up your yard.  Kiddos love any excuse to get dirty and play in the mud and you'll love the new flowers or veggie garden you've planted!  

Enjoy the outdoors.  Spring is one of my favorite times to be outside.  Give your family alittle push out the door by picking up a new picnic blanket to use for a last minute outdoor lunch.  Another of my spring favorites is to serve homemade lemonade in Mason Jars.  So fresh so Springy!

A Special Mother's Day Shopping Event with Stella & Dot

Hello, Mommy Magic Moms! It's Katie - an Independent Stylist with Stella & Dot, and I'm here to create a special, online Mother's Day shopping opportunity (WITH AWESOME REWARDS & GIVE AWAYS) for you several times a day, every day until Mother's Day (May 12th).

Throughout the next two weeks, we'll be offering special giveaways throughout each day, and entries to win flash specials AND the GRAND PRIZE - which will be ALL THE HOSTESS REWARDS from the entire Mommy Magic online Trunk Show.

So, what will the Grand Prize be? That's up to you, the more shopping there is the greater the rewards are (read more about Stella & Dot hostess benefits here.) But, my committment to you awesome Mommy Magic Moms is that the grand prize will be at least $25 in FREE STELLA & DOT jewelry and accessories PLUS at least ONE item at 50% off.

Day 1 - Sunday, April 28th
PRIZE = FREE SHIPPING for THREE MOMMY MAGIC MOMS

How to enter?

(1) LIKE Mommy Magic on Facebook (www.facebook.com/mommy-magic/).

(2) Already a Mommy Magic fan on Facebook? Invite your friends to LIKE Mommy Magic on Facebook. All you have to do is comment on the contest post and TAG YOUR FRIENDS! For every tagged friend who likes Mommy Magic, you'll be entered to win & they will be entered to win. Unlimited entries but only one prize per person!

Stay tuned for more prizes and chances to enter for the grand prize!