Fourth of July Stay-Cation

While millions of travelers hit the road between July 3 and July 8, there is another option to save money and have fun.  Have a stay-cation!  Thankfully, there affordable ways to have fun in your hometown for the Fourth of July. Consider this seven-day stay-cation for your Fourth of July celebration!

July 1: Relax at the beach and bring a picnic with everyone's favorite lunch!  Enjoy building sandcastles, planning which fireworks you will attend during the week and making your own beach games.  You don't have to be outside of your hometown to make the beach feel like a vacation spot.

July 2: Grill out.  Spending time in your backyard together is a great way to get everyone relaxed while enjoying homemade food right off the grill.  Allow the kids to make the side items away from the hot grill so they have an important part in making dinner.
July 3: Make Fourth of July t-shirts.  Decorate shirts with flags, glitter, paint and markers.  Allow the whole family to make their own fireworks display on their t-shirt.  Hang the shirts to dry, and plan a day to wear them out together!
July 4:Get outdoors! Go on a walk or city bike ride. Stop along the way for snacks and photos at your favorite spots. Later that night, grab some dinner outside and pick your place for your city's fireworks display. Remember that the crowds will be busy and the bigger the city, the bigger the crowds!

July 5: Be a tourist for a day. Visit new areas of your city and try new restaurants. Take a lot of photos and make your own photo album of your town! Stop in stores that you have never been in and try something on that you may never wear out on the town!

July 6: Get scared and Get wet! Go to a local water park or amusement park. You can find discount tickets at a local grocery store or websites such as Groupon or LivingSocial. Plan ahead of time and make sure everyone gets to do what they want to do! Oh, and don't forget to have FUN!

July 7: End your week with a party and make Fourth of July pass plates. Make your own invitations before the party and invite everyone to bring a Fourth of July dish. Decorate cookies together at the party, play games for all ages, play water games and let off the last of your fireworks! 



 

Math is WAY Cool

15 Reasons MATH is Way Cool

Reminders for kids and parents.

by Michele Ranard                                                                             

1.     Math exercises your brain. Arithmetic practice stimulates and exercises the prefrontal cortex in your brain (and we don’t even have to get all sweaty).

2.     Math offers relief from other subjects. No memorizing historical dates for the Civil War and…no complicated verb conjugation.

3.     Math performance doesn’t involve a stage. You don’t have to be a great public speaker or a standup comedian to excel in it.

4.     Math is not conditioning and pushups. Requires no ugly uniform or shower after class.

5.     Math still loves you if you suck at English or writing. Points are not subtracted for poor spelling, and you’ll rarely be required to write a five paragraph essay.

6.     Math improves your grooves. It makes you a better musician.

7.     Math doesn’t play favorites. Everybody can learn it since it is a universal language.

8.     Math helps your wallet. Knowing math leads to wiser financial decisions (cha-ching!).

9.     Math makes you look hot in the kitchen. Recipes always involve math measurement.

10.  Math rarely entails philosophy. No need to ponder deep questions such as what Kierkegaard meant about the need to engage in a state of despair before becoming stuck in a state of inertia…fractions anyone?

11.  Math beefs up your social status. Quickly calculating sale prices at the mall impresses your companions.

12.   Math careers pay big. Engineers and quantum physicists rake in the dough.

13.  Math has cool factor. ‘The Count’ on Sesame Street? One of the most righteous dudes in the entire cast.

14.  Math doesn’t care if you are tone deaf. Calculations are a welcome break from rehearsing “Go Tell it On the Mountain” on the recorder.

15.  Math work pays off for your whole report card. Understanding and using patterns in math leads to advanced problem solving and higher level thinking across all subjects. 

June's Best Buys

The first day of June represents several reasons for celebration, not the least of which is scoring great deals on summertime essentials. Before you kick off your summer shopping spree, consider the following best buys in June from The Best Time to Buy Guide on FreeShipping.org.  Check out Kendal Perez's 8 Best Buys for June!

1. Gym Membership
Fitness fanatics ditch the gym during the summer to take advantage of warm weather and outdoor activities. This leaves gyms scrambling for new members, resulting in incentives like waived initiation fees and in some cases, a free month. Whatever your plans for exercise, click here for discounts on fitness essentials from Finish Line.
2. Kids' Movies
As if you needed another reason to take your kiddos to the movies this summer! Several theater companies offer discount or free movie passes for kids' favorite flicks. Check out your local participating theatres and escape the heat for less.
3. Paint
Most homeowners repaint the bedroom or touch up a fading exterior during the summer to take advantage of quick-drying warm weather. Home improvement retailers offer discounts on interior and exterior paint to entice customers away from their competitors.
4. Hardware
You can thank your dad for this one; Hardware is offered at a great price during June and December since it makes a great gift for dads and other handy men. Now's the time to get Dad that cordless drill he's been eyeballing or compare prices on that expensive table saw.
5. The Great Outdoors
Ever year, the National Parks Service offers a free day to several national parks across the country. This year, fees are waived for over 100 parks on Saturday, June 9. Keep in mind that close to 400 national parks never charge fees, so get out there and enjoy Mother Nature on the cheap!
6. Champagne
Champagne and sparkling wine are celebration staples especially during summer wedding season. Take advantage of sales and pick up a bottle of bubbly to add a flair of sophistication to your next backyard barbeque.
7. Seasonal Produce
Summer is the best time to buy fresh fruit, both locally and from your chain supermarket. Hit up farmers' markets for the freshest blueberries, cantaloupe, strawberries and watermelon.
8. Butter
Since butter production is typically at its highest in June and July, now is a good time to stock up on this baking staple. Butter can last up to six months when frozen, so consider buying butter now for holiday cooking later.

Win Brave the Video Game for your Wii!

We have all had moments where we had to be brave and stand up against something we were afraid of.  Whether it be receiving a shot at the doctor's office, flying in an airplane or kicking a spider out of the house, we have all survived one of our biggest fears at one point in our lives. 
Family Time Magazine wants to know how your children have been brave and how they have overcome a fear of their own.  Don't be afraid to get involved and detailed with this!  It's not about winning a video game and Summerfest tickets, it's about being proud of your children for being brave while facing their fears.
The winner will be chosen at the end of the day on Thursday, have fun with this and once again...be proud of your strong, brave children!

Top 10 Father's Day Internet Coupons

Don't stress if you haven't gotten dad anything yet!  FreeShipping.org has provided the top 10 internet coupons for Father's Day this upcoming weekend. Check out Kendal Perez's top Father's Day coupons!  Let us know what you get dad this Father's Day weekend for your chance to win Summerfest tickets!


1. Cabela's
Get $5 shipping when you spend $99 or more through June 17 with coupon code 2DADS2DAY.

2. Kohl's
Through June 17, take 15% off orders of $100 or more at Kohl's with promo code LOVE4DAD.

3. Bass Pro Shops
Enjoy free shipping on orders of $50 or more through June 29 with code FREE50.

4. Finish Line
Click here to save $10 on orders of $60 or more through June 30 with coupon code DADS10.

5. Kmart
Get $5 off orders of $50 or more from Kmart using the code KMART5OFF50.

6. Timberland
Save 20% on Men's items from Timberland through June 17 with promo code DADSDAY12.

7. Macy's
Through June 16, take $25 off your $100+ purchase of Men's Tommy Hilfiger with Macy's coupon TOMMY.

8. Sierra Trading Post
Take 20% off Father's Day Gifts through June 19 with code ALDAD2.

9. RadioShack
Get free shipping on purchases of $50 or more through June 16. Click here to receive the coupon.

10. Nordstrom
Save 25% off socks and underwear for Dad through June 16.

Celeb Baby Names

Growing up, I was told that I was named after Mallory, a character on Family Ties.  I had never seen the show at that point in my life and most of my friends had no idea what the show was.  I came to find out that Mallory was a pretty cool chick.  But Mallory is also an infamous character in the movie, "Natural Born Killers."  Since most people my age are familiar with the movie, I get jokes all the time about Mickey and Mallory, otherwise known as the serial killer dream team. While my name isn't that uncommon anymore, some celebrities are going through extremes to come up with the most unique name they can think of. 

Below are some of the top trending celeb baby names of all time.

1. Moon Unit and Diva Thin Muffin - Frank Zappa

2. Blue Ivy - Jay-Z and Beyonce

3. Jermajesty - Jermaine Jackson

4. Moxie Crimefighter - Penn Jillette

5. Prince Michael II/Blanket - Michael Jackson

6. Kal-El - Nicholas Cage

7. Sage Moonblood - Sylvester Stallone

8. Banjo - Rachel Griffiths

9. Pilot Inspektor - Jason Lee

10. Apple - Gwyneth Paltrow


Feel free to add to this list or tell us about your child's name.

Win Madagascar 3 - The Video Game for Your Wii!

Can you guess where this issue of Family Time Magazine is being read?  The first person to guess the correct destination of where this magazine is being read will win Madagascar 3 - The Video Game for their Wii!  The clock is ticking!  Where in the WORLD is this Family Time Magazine?!  Good Luck!

Our Pinterest Top 10 Family Workouts

School is out, and the kids are ready to relax...or ready to nag about not having anything to do.  Keeping your family active in the summer is going to help everyone stay in shape, become healither and make a new bond between your family.  Check out some of our favorite Pinterest Fitness posts for the whole family and send us a photo of your family working out to be on our blog!!

1.

Rent a multi-person bike for the whole family to ride or take your bikes on a path in your city. A great way to keep the kids entertained is to play "I Spy" or another outdoor game as you ride throughout your city. Challenge your kids throughout the bike ride and let them challenge you!

2.

Lift weights in your living room.  Showing your children the basics of lifting weights when they are of age will only help them realize the importance of fitness.  Afterall, they look up to you and copy your every move!

3.

You are never too young to start working out! There is always time in your day to relax with your child and pet by doing a simple stretch such as this one...the dog may need to work hard to keep up with his family!

4.

Let the kids blow off some energy by challenging dad's workout!  You can also allow your child to sit on your back during pushups for a fun ride for them and a challenge for you...just don't attempt to sit on their back!

5.

This military dad shows his children the basics of pushups.  This is a simple workout for children and almost any age can do this workout.  Thank you for sharing your everyday workout with your children and serving our country!

6.

Challenge yourself...all it takes is one look at this photo to get you motivated!  Try a one-armed or clap pushup after you master the basic pushup.

7.

Run with your family.  Running is a great way to burn off some steam and get everyone in the family involved.  A game of tag or an outdoor sport that involves running is a great workout as well.

8.

Make your backyard an obstacle course!  Have different areas set up with different workouts such as this tire flip exercise.  Let each family member pick an exercise to include in the backyard and try a different exercise each week.

9.

Master lifting weights like these two boys.  Start with smaller weights and gradually add weights on to make your workout more challenging.

10.

Relax and do yoga.  Having time to stretch and relax is a great workout for the whole family.  Yoga is something the whole family can do and each person will be unique.  Make up your own yoga poses for your family to try, and have a relaxing meditation session afterwards.

Make sure to send us your photos and workout in our comment box for your chance to be featured on our blog and win tickets to Summerfest!

Win this Madagascar 3 Bucket filled with AWESOME prizes!

To win this Madagascar 3 Bucket filled with AWESOME prizes, comment on this blog post about your favorite summertime activity with your family!  The winner will be chosen by the end of today!  The clock is ticking to win this bucket for your family to enjoy during the release of Madagascar 3 this week!

Your chance for FREE Madagascar 3 Movie tickets!

You didn't REALLY think we would leave you out on this secret did you?  Well, we didn't!  We couldn't be more excited for the release of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, and we wanted to share the chance for a family of four to win tickets to an advanced screening this Saturday!  Make sure to enter the code soon, and keep following our blog for a chance to win a Madagascar 3 Bucket filled with TONS of different Madagascar prizes.  You MUST be connected to our blog to win the bucket, and the contest will begin on Monday...More details to come soon!  GOOD LUCK!