Speed! Multiplication Game Review & Giveaway

Hi! It's Jilly. Things have been pretty quiet here on the blog lately. Between homeschooling, kid activities, hubby job hunting, preparing to move, and LIFE, I just haven't been up to blogging much. I feel bad sitting down and writing a blog post when the laundry is to the ceiling and there's packing to do.

Homeschooling is going pretty well. We're still trying to get into our"groove", but I am definitely glad we made the leap! I asked the kids if they want to continue homeschooling next year and they all gave me a resounding, "Yes!!" 

As part of our homeschooling I like to play games. I think the kids learn more when they are having fun! And, with three kids the same age, it's nice to be able to say, "Okay, you guys play a game while I get some stuff done around the house." 

We've been struggling with learning the multiplication facts. Hubby loves drilling the kids with flashcards, but I hate it! Shhh, don't tell. I wanted to find a fun way to practice their multiplication facts and came across this awesome game called Speed! (Thanks to Highhill Education for providing the game!)

Each boxed set comes with 8 different decks of cards for practicing different fact families. It is a two-player game, and they are racing to see who can get rid of their cards first. You have to be quick with your skip counting to win!

The kids were playing with the time lapse video feature on my phone, and we made this video of us playing the game!

Doesn't it look like a fun game?! I love hearing their skip-counting and multiplication improve as they play the game. And, they love it so much that they ask to take it with them places "in case they get bored and want to play". It's a great game for both homeschooling and public schooling families. Who doesn't need a little boost when it comes to math facts?!

Would you like a copy of Speed! for your family? Well, you are in luck, because I am giving away a set! Woot woot! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Giveaway ends 5/1/15. Good luck!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
What are your favorite ways to practice math facts? Do you enjoy playing card games as a family?

Off Season is the Best Time to Visit Legoland!

Hi! It's Jilly. My kids, especially Michael, love Legos. So, when we went to Florida it was a no-brainer that we had to visit Legoland! And, they weren't disappointed! 

The kids had such a great time! I'm so happy we were given tickets to check out Legoland! 

If you're planning a visit to Legoland, the best time to go is during the off-season. 

The lines are shorter, the crowds are minimal, and the weather is perfect. 

My kids are nine, and the rides were just right for them. 

None of the rides were too scary. They had a blast on all of them.



The kids loved seeing everything made out of Legos. The little details were so much fun.



They also liked the show at Pirate's Cove--Battle for Brickbeard's Bounty. The waterski tricks were amazing!

I'm really glad we used one of the days of our vacation to visit Legoland. It was a highlight of our trip! Just the other day Emma said to me, "I loved Legoland. Can we go back?!" Woot!

Have you ever been to Legoland? Are your kids obsessed with Legos?

Follow along on Facebook or Instagram to see more adventures with me & my crazy kiddos!

AeroGarden Review and Discount Code!

Hi! It's Jilly. About a month ago I told you guys about our new AeroGarden. The kids love watching the plants come up, and I love how low-maintenance the AeroGarden is. The light comes on by itself, and a little light blinks when we need to add water or nutrients.

Our basil and mint are growing really well! The other night Hubby used some of the fresh basil in some couscous and it was super yummy. 

Sadly, a couple of our herbs didn't sprout. BUT, it was not a problem at all. I just called AeroGarden and they were really cool about it. They are sending me new pods to replace the ones that didn't sprout, and told me to call them anytime there's a problem. Their customer service was super easy to work with. I felt like a "real person" was helping me, not just some big corporation. That was really nice. 

I think Hubby is enjoying his early Christmas present! I know that Christmas is coming up reeeeally soon, but if you would like to get an AeroGarden for someone you know (or yourself--I won't tell!), use the code "Discount20" for an extra 20% off!! AND, right now you can get FREE 2-day express shipping to guarantee delivery by Christmas! So, it's not too late!! Woot! How cool would an AeroGarden be as a gift?!

Have you ever grown herbs inside? What's your favorite fresh herb to use?

Brick'em Young Temple Brick Set Giveaway

Hi! It's Jilly. Are your kids way into building blocks? We were at a friend's house the other day, and they had one of these Salt Lake City temple sets on display. My kids thought it was so cool! I thought it was pretty awesome, too. (Don't know what a temple is? Here's a little Temple FAQ.)

Indoor Herb Garden In The Winter + AeroGarden Giveaway!

Thank you #Aerogarden for providing product and/or compensation for this review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Hi! It's Jilly. Anyone who's been to our apartment knows we like to have plants around. My hubby loves to garden and has one of the greenest thumbs I've ever seen! He has kept a couple poinsettias alive since last Christmas. We still have a little, vine-y houseplant that we bought while living in our first apartment over twelve years ago, and we've moved it with us all over the country! See?! Green thumb.

A few years ago he found an AeroGarden at a yard sale and was really excited about it. But, it was while he was in med school and he never got it set up. I didn't really know what the heck it was, so I got rid of it. Wrong choice. He was soooo upset! 

So, when I got the opportunity to review an #AeroGarden I was stoked! I may or may not have told my hubby it was his birthday/Christmas present. He says it's just a replacement for the one I got rid of. Ha!

As soon as we got our AeroGarden the kids wanted to set it up right away! It was super easy to set up, and the kids loved helping.

It's on this timer, so when you set it up all you have do is push a button and the light turns on and off at the right times so that the seeds get the right amount of light! Perfect for our poorly lit apartment! Super easy to water, too.

And, each plant is in it's own little "pod", so it's not messy. Yay for that!

The kids are so excited every day to see how much growth there has been! It's been a fun addition to our homeschool.

Want to try one out for yourself?! Well, you're in luck because I get to give an AeroGarden kit to one of you guys! Woot! Use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Good luck!

Prize: 1 AeroGarden product with seed pods, herb infuser, gardening cookbook, berry bowl, & cutting board w/ prep station. Giveaway ends 12/19/14.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SeaDog Speedboat Tour in Chicago

Thank you SeaDog for the tickets to review your tour! All opinions are 100% my own.

Hi! It's Jilly. Another stop we made on our epic road trip was in Chicago. We went to Navy Pier and did a SeaDog tour and speedboat ride! It was sooooo awesome!

We did their 75 Minute River and Lake Chicago Architecture Tour. Even though it was rainy we still had a great time. We were all shivering together.

Laundry Stinks...or Not + Purex Crystals Aromatherapy Giveaway!

The Purex Brand provided me with a sample of Purex Crystals Aromatherapy in exchange for a product review. however, all the opinions are my own. For more info, see my disclosure policy.

Hi! It's Jilly. As you know, we just got back from a two-week long epic road trip. While on our way home we stopped in Chicago and did a speedboat ride in the pouring rain. It was awesome! We had such a great time! But, we got soaked with no way to dry our wet clothes. Actually, I guess we could have dried them at my friend's house in Cleveland when we stopped there, but I totally forgot about the wet clothes in the trunk. Oops!

When we got home we had a bagful of nasty, semi-dry clothes. As you can imagine, they smelled disgusting. Luckily, I had a bottle of the new Purex Crystals Aromatherapy waiting for me to try out. Woot!

The Orange Rhino's "Yell Less, Love More" Book Review and Giveaway

Hi! It's Jilly...and I'm a yeller. *Gulp* I hate to even say that, but it's true. I come from a long line of yellers. My parents were yellers (Sorry, Mom). Their parents were yellers. I don't know about their parents, but I have a good guess.

When I was younger I swore I would never yell at my kids. I hated it and didn't want that for my kids. Yet, here I am...nine years into the parenting gig and what do I do? Yell.

And, just like their mother before them, my kids hate it. They say I'm mean. They ask me why I am yelling at them. They yell back. That is NOT the spirit I want in my home. I want our home to be a place filled with peace, love, and joy. A refuge from the storms of life, not a stormy, non-peaceful place itself.

Car Care When You Live in an Apartment

I was given products from The Cequent Store to review, but all opinions are 100% my own.
Hi! It's Jilly. Right now we live in an apartment. It is convenient to Hubby's work, but not convenient in other ways, like when you want to clean out your car. So, I've come up with a few ways to make cleaning our car a little easier.

Baltimore: Ripley's Believe It or Not

Thank you Ripley's for sponsoring this post! For more info, see my disclosure policy.

 Hi! It's Jilly. During our trip to Baltimore we went to Ripley's Believe It Or Not. The kids LOVED it! They said it was their favorite thing. Since we got home they've asked to go back several times. Michael said, "I want to go to that museum again, 'cause it was so cool. How can that guy take out his eyeballs?!"

It is a really cool museum. They have all kinds of interesting exhibits. The fun starts right in the lobby, with the World's Tallest Man!

Baltimore: Port Discovery Children's Museum

Thank you Port Discovery for the tickets to review your amazing museum! For more info about reviews, see my disclosure policy.

Hi! It's Jilly. Today I'm excited to tell you about our visit to the Port Discovery Children's Museum  in Baltimore. The kids had SO much fun there! 

When you first walk in there is this HUGE climbing apparatus called Kidworks that spans all three floors of the museum!

Baltimore: Fogo de Chão - Brazilian Steakhouse

Thank you Fogo de Chão for providing meals in exchange for this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For more info, see my disclosure policy.

Hi! It's Jilly. While we were in Baltimore we wanted to go somewhere nice as a family for dinner. I was looking at restaurants near the Inner Harbor and squealed when I saw Fogo de Chão. It is a Brazilian Steakhouse, where they bring around meat to your table!



My hubby and I had our wedding luncheon at a Brazilian steakhouse almost twelve years ago, so I wanted my kids to experience it. I knew Fogo was the perfect place to go for our nice family dinner!

Visiting the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

Hi! It’s Jilly. We met up with my Mom and sisters in Chicago for New Years, and while we were there we went to the Shedd Aquarium. It was SO awesome! Out of all the museums we visited, Shedd was by far our favorite! They have so many neat exhibits, and it’s all so well done.



They have a huge amphitheater, where they put on aquatic shows with beluga whales, dolphins, seals, and other animals. The kids loved the show, especially when the animals did their tricks. They even got to chat with one of the trainers after the show!

Pleygo- Netflix for Legos!

Hi! It's Jilly. Do you have a kid who LOVES Legos? Or, would you like to see if your kid likes Legos without the huge investment? Then let me introduce...PLEYGO! 

Pleygo is a Netflix-like service that lets you "rent" Lego sets one at a time. Subscribe, rent, play, and exchange sets of Legos unlimited times per month. And, shipping is free both ways! You just add sets to your Wish List on their easy-to-use website, then shriek with excitement when the Legos show up in your mailbox. 



Another great thing about Pleygo is it helps cut down on household clutter. Instead of being overrun with Legos that you have to organize, you child can play with a set for a little while and send them back when they want some different ones! If you are currently overrun with Legos you can send some of them in to Pleygo and get credit for them on your account!

Oh! And if you are a germ-a-phobe, you'll be pleased to hear that all the sets are sanitized before they are shipped to your house. Yay!

Subscription plans start as low as $15 a month. Receive your First Month FREE at  http://www.usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?bid=11329&dealid=1389®ionid=75 or directly at www.Pleygo.com.  Pleygo memberships make great gifts, too! :) 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”