Here’s another idea for making fitness fun for kids.  It shouldn’t seem like a punishment or something they absolutely dread, but just part of life, like brushing your teeth or putting on your shoes.  Something you just do because it helps to keep you healthy and strong.  This activity switches things up a bit by using Uno Cards to help determine the activity and how many reps that will be done.  You could also do this with a regular deck of cards and instead of colors use the card symbol to determine the activity.

Don’t forget to check out the benefits of fitness for kids!

Purpose of Activity:

To increase cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength.

Materials Needed:

– Deck of “UNO” cards -Colored signs (1 of each color in UNO deck) -Paper card with an exercise listed;   ex: red=push ups, yellow=mountain climbers; blue=wide sumo squats, green=side jumps (or lateral jumps) or you can create your own exercises for each color.

wild card draw pile with cards with activities listed on them

My kids LOVE the Avengers.  It’s become part of our nighttime routine that we all sit down and watch one of the Avengers animated shows on Disney+.   Right now, we’re on Season 2 of Avengers Assemble.   This Avengers workout for kids was something they found fun and it interested them more than just trying to “exercise” because it felt more like there was a purpose behind it.  After all, who doesn’t want to be an Avenger?  Not to mention the benefits kids gain through exercising.

Tabata Avengers Workout

This Avengers workout is a Tabata workout.  Tabata is the creation of Dr. Izumi Tabata, a former hockey coach, who helped to develop and refine the system in the 1990s.  The workouts are broken down into 20 seconds of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) during which the exerciser goes as hard and fast as they can, followed by a 10 second rest period.  This is repeated for the duration of the workout, which lasts for 4 minutes.  The same exercise can be done throughout; you can choose to do 2 or more different exercises and rotate them, or do up to 8 different exercises.

An almost limitless range of exercises can be incorporated into Tabata workouts.  You could literally work out for years and not do the exact same workout twice.  This makes it a great form of exercise for anyone who is easily bored.

Examples of Tabata exercises 

• Lunge (or lunge variation of your choice) ex; back lunge, side lunge, jump lunge

• Squat (or squat variation of your choice) ex; wide squats, jump squats, frog hops

• Sprints (or run in place)

The video is by Get Kids Moving and they have many other workouts that you can try as well that are themed- Wonder Woman, Frozen, Star Wars, and more.

Avengers Workout

Warm-up 5-10 minutes 

Perform each move below, alternating 20 seconds of all-out effort with 10 seconds of rest. Repeat the same move for 8 rounds, for a total of 4 minutes.

Your Exercises:

DRAX PUNCHES – 20sec

REST – 10secs

SUPER SOLDIERS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

ASGARD SMASH – 20secs

REST – 10secs

INFINITY SQUATS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

HYDRA PUNCHES – 20secs

REST – 10secs

SPIDEY KICKS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

INFINITY JUMPS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

WAR MACHINES – 20secs

Click the youtube link below to follow along with the video 

Here’s another Fun Avengers Workout to also check out.

Also, here’s a fun Avengers Challange for adults to check out

Skin care is important and it’s not just about looking good. Yes, your skin does have an effect on how you feel about yourself and it’s been proven that when you look good, you feel better as well.  Regular skin care is about more than that though, it helps protect you against the elements.   Dry skin, itchy skin, rough skin- are all uncomfortable and a regular skin care routine helps protect you against those things.

Many times, as mothers we pass it off as not having time for it because we’re busy taking care of those around us.  The truth is though, that in order for us to take care of others, we have to take care of ourselves (check out the post “The truth about Motherhood” for more on that).   You don’t drive a car on empty and then get upset because it won’t go.  Another point to consider is that by taking care of ourselves, we teach our children the importance of taking care of themselves as well. Isn’t that something that we want to pass on to them?

In a previous post, I created a Review of Lauren Conrad Beauty Makeup and decided to create one for the skin care line as well.

Lauren Conrad Beauty Facial Cleanser (Dry to Normal)

Said to “Cleanse your skin with this gentle, non-stripping formula that’ll leave your skin balanced and hydrated.”  Like the makeup line, this product is vegan friendly, cruelty free, clean beauty and paraben free.

This facial cleanser has a light, milky feel to it.  I want to absolutely love it; however, I don’t feel like it totally cleans my face.  There is one review on the LC Beauty website that states they tried first without removing their eyeliner and mascara and the cleanser left absolutely no residue after washing however even after attempting multiple times I haven’t found that to be the case.   I don’t wear heavy makeup( I’m actually using the Lauren Conrad Eyeliner and Mascara) so I’m not sure how it could absolutely leave no residue.

Vitamin C Oil

I was a little skeptical of the Vitamin C Oil, when I looked at the packaging online I thought that it was in a plastic peach colored bottle but it’s actually in a ceramic bottle.  According to the Lauren Conrad Beauty website, the Vitamin C Oil “brightens your skin with this luminous Vitamin C oil that helps hydrate and improves skin’s overall radiance.”

To use, you squeeze a couple drops of the oil into your palm and then massage into freshly toned face and neck in an upward, circular motion.  It is then recommended to follow up with face cream.  This literally takes just a couple of drops; a little bit goes a long way for sure.

The Vitamin C Oil definitely leaves skin feeling hydrated and brightens it as well.  It can feel a little too much at first, but it does soak into your skin to hydrate.  This is one of my favorite products in the skin care line.

Common Questions about Vitamin C Oil

What is Vitamin C Oil good for?

Helps blemishes, reduces hyperpigmentation, hydrates skin giving a glow.  Consistency is key to get the maximum effect.

Can People with Oily Skin Benefit From Vitamin C Oil?

While the idea of an oil may concern some, studies show that vitamin C oil can help in treating inflammationassociated with acne, treats damaged skin as well as brightens and has been shown to benefit oily skin as well.

The Face Cream (Dry to Normal)

“Helps to balance, hydrate and brighten dry to normal skin while improving the look of the skin with a non-greasy, rich, and creamy formula.”  (LC Beauty)

This face cream does a fantastic job of moisturizing, hydrating and brightening skin.  The clinical results on the Lauren Conrad Beauty site show:

• “100% of participants showed increase in skin moisture”
• “100% agree the product improves the texture of skin and provides more even skin”
• “100% agree my skin looks more radiant, energized, and bright”
• “100% agree that my skin has a smooth texture and felt deeply hydrated throughout the day.”

To me, this is completely accurate and I totally agree with the findings in the clinical results.  The Lauren Conrad Beauty Face Cream is creamy and not greasy and does a great job of hydrating and brightening skin.  I love to use it following the Vitamin C Oil to lock in moisture.

The Toner Mist

“Get balanced, hydrated skin with this misting toner that rebalances and refreshes” (LC Beauty)

Toner helps in removing any last traces of dirt and impurities in your pores and can have a positive impact on appearance and tightness of pores. The primary ingredients for the toner are listed as Rose Water, Vitamin B5, and Licorice Root Extract.

• Rose water is known for its ability to balance natural oils, reduce the appearance of temporary redness and hydrate skin.
• Vitamin B5 helps to restore the skin’s natural hydration balance while repairing damaging skin tissue.
• Licorice Root Extract may help lighten dark spots and even out skin tone.
• The toner does a great job of balancing and hydrating skin, preparing it to be treated and moisturized.

The Toner Mist is super light and refreshing.  It feels like a refreshing mist on your face.  It feels more lightweight than other toners that I’ve used, but I think that has more to do with the way it sprays (which I love!).

Verdict on Lauren Conrad Beauty Skin Care Line

Overall, I think this line is fantastic and affordable.   My personal favorite products are the Vitamin C Oil and the Face Cream.  Using consistently, I have noticed my skin is more hydrated and brighter than it previously was.  Similarly, to the make up line, the skin care line is made to be vegan friendly, cruelty free, clean beauty and paraben free so while not only making you look good, you can feel good about what you are using as well.  Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the products in the line.

Skin care is important and it’s not just about looking good. Yes, your skin does have an effect on how you feel about yourself and it’s been proven that when you look good, you feel better as well.  Regular skin care is about more than that though, it helps protect you against the elements.   Dry skin, itchy skin, rough skin- are all uncomfortable and a regular skin care routine helps protect you against those things.

Many times, as mothers we pass it off as not having time for it because we’re busy taking care of those around us.  The truth is though, that in order for us to take care of others, we have to take care of ourselves (check out the post “The truth about Motherhood” for more on that).   You don’t drive a car on empty and then get upset because it won’t go.  Another point to consider is that by taking care of ourselves, we teach our children the importance of taking care of themselves as well. Isn’t that something that we want to pass on to them?

In a previous post, I created a Review of Lauren Conrad Beauty Makeup and decided to create one for the skin care line as well.

Lauren Conrad Beauty Facial Cleanser (Dry to Normal)

Said to “Cleanse your skin with this gentle, non-stripping formula that’ll leave your skin balanced and hydrated.”  Like the makeup line, this product is vegan friendly, cruelty free, clean beauty and paraben free.

This facial cleanser has a light, milky feel to it.  I want to absolutely love it; however, I don’t feel like it totally cleans my face.  There is one review on the LC Beauty website that states they tried first without removing their eyeliner and mascara and the cleanser left absolutely no residue after washing however even after attempting multiple times I haven’t found that to be the case.   I don’t wear heavy makeup( I’m actually using the Lauren Conrad Eyeliner and Mascara) so I’m not sure how it could absolutely leave no residue.

Vitamin C Oil

I was a little skeptical of the Vitamin C Oil, when I looked at the packaging online I thought that it was in a plastic peach colored bottle but it’s actually in a ceramic bottle.  According to the Lauren Conrad Beauty website, the Vitamin C Oil “brightens your skin with this luminous Vitamin C oil that helps hydrate and improves skin’s overall radiance.”

To use, you squeeze a couple drops of the oil into your palm and then massage into freshly toned face and neck in an upward, circular motion.  It is then recommended to follow up with face cream.  This literally takes just a couple of drops; a little bit goes a long way for sure.

The Vitamin C Oil definitely leaves skin feeling hydrated and brightens it as well.  It can feel a little too much at first, but it does soak into your skin to hydrate.  This is one of my favorite products in the skin care line.

Common Questions about Vitamin C Oil

What is Vitamin C Oil good for?

Helps blemishes, reduces hyperpigmentation, hydrates skin giving a glow.  Consistency is key to get the maximum effect.

Can People with Oily Skin Benefit From Vitamin C Oil?

While the idea of an oil may concern some, studies show that vitamin C oil can help in treating inflammationassociated with acne, treats damaged skin as well as brightens and has been shown to benefit oily skin as well.

The Face Cream (Dry to Normal)

“Helps to balance, hydrate and brighten dry to normal skin while improving the look of the skin with a non-greasy, rich, and creamy formula.”  (LC Beauty)

This face cream does a fantastic job of moisturizing, hydrating and brightening skin.  The clinical results on the Lauren Conrad Beauty site show:

• “100% of participants showed increase in skin moisture”
• “100% agree the product improves the texture of skin and provides more even skin”
• “100% agree my skin looks more radiant, energized, and bright”
• “100% agree that my skin has a smooth texture and felt deeply hydrated throughout the day.”

To me, this is completely accurate and I totally agree with the findings in the clinical results.  The Lauren Conrad Beauty Face Cream is creamy and not greasy and does a great job of hydrating and brightening skin.  I love to use it following the Vitamin C Oil to lock in moisture.

The Toner Mist

“Get balanced, hydrated skin with this misting toner that rebalances and refreshes” (LC Beauty)

Toner helps in removing any last traces of dirt and impurities in your pores and can have a positive impact on appearance and tightness of pores. The primary ingredients for the toner are listed as Rose Water, Vitamin B5, and Licorice Root Extract.

• Rose water is known for its ability to balance natural oils, reduce the appearance of temporary redness and hydrate skin.
• Vitamin B5 helps to restore the skin’s natural hydration balance while repairing damaging skin tissue.
• Licorice Root Extract may help lighten dark spots and even out skin tone.
• The toner does a great job of balancing and hydrating skin, preparing it to be treated and moisturized.

The Toner Mist is super light and refreshing.  It feels like a refreshing mist on your face.  It feels more lightweight than other toners that I’ve used, but I think that has more to do with the way it sprays (which I love!).

Verdict on Lauren Conrad Beauty Skin Care Line

Overall, I think this line is fantastic and affordable.   My personal favorite products are the Vitamin C Oil and the Face Cream.  Using consistently, I have noticed my skin is more hydrated and brighter than it previously was.  Similarly, to the make up line, the skin care line is made to be vegan friendly, cruelty free, clean beauty and paraben free so while not only making you look good, you can feel good about what you are using as well.  Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the products in the line.

In a previous post, I wrote about fussy babies at church.  It was from personal experience, one that made me question a lot.  It was an experience that was difficult and I wanted people to know that if they had a similar experience they weren’t alone. If they were in the middle of something like that now, not to give up hope because what you are doing is worth it. I also wanted to remind those that have come through it to give the “newbies” grace and understanding that they had wished they were given (or the grace that they were given).

The Human Connection

Human connection is a funny thing.  Sometimes we become annoyed or overwhelmed with it, but we all need it. We need to know that someone ‘knows’ us. Ultimately, we like knowing that someone is there for us (and that we can be there for them).  It is how community is built.  When you feel that no one ‘knows’ you or that you’re a hassle to someone it starts to affect you and your outlook.  I think that is why especially when you’re a newer mom that it weighs on you so much.

It was totally unrelated to my post and had been implemented well before that post (just to be clear) but I wanted to share with you one church’s way that they help their mamas feel included and loved.   Bold City Church, located in Jacksonville, Florida, created a team (you know, you have a ‘worship team’, a ‘greeter team’, etc.) called the “Hey Mamas” team.   They wear these bright pink shirts with ‘Hey Mama’ on the front and are outside waiting to greet you.

Their job is to help you; with whatever you need help with.  Are your hands full? They will carry your diaper bag for you.  Need someone just to walk with you? They’ve got you covered.  If it’s your first time visiting they are happy to take you over to the nursery/kids area and introduce you to the Kids Director so that if you decide to let your child hang out there you have met the person in charge.  THAT makes such a difference especially if it’s your first time there.  No, you may not know this persons favorite color but you have a name and a face to identify with.  If you want your baby with you in service there’s no dodging required they’ll happily help you get to a seat and did I mention they offer noise cancelling headphones if you’d like to use them for your baby during service? It is like a concierge/help service for moms.  The people on this team specifically signed up so that when you came they could be there to help you.  How cool is that?  To know that if you can make it to the door you’ll have a friend waiting to help you carry a bag or walk with you so you aren’t alone.  You aren’t stopping them from doing something else; they showed up specifically to help you.   I think it’s pretty amazing.

There may be many other churches out there that do something similar and I applaud them as well for going above and beyond to let people know they are loved.   The power of the human connection should never be underestimated.  Little things make a big difference sometimes when you don’t even realize it.   We sometimes overlook that and until we’re in a situation of feeling alone we don’t see the impact.  I hope this catches on (if it hasn’t already) and other churches create their own spin on it.    I’d love to hear about what your church does!

Deciding What To Click and Share

Covid-19 has taken the internet to new levels.  Yes, I guess it was possible.  We’ve seen those cellphone video moments of people screaming over mask, coughing on others, throwing mask off displays- you know the ones.  I won’t even touch the various political post.  You may feel appalled or outraged seeing this content. The knee jerk reaction for many is to click and leave a comment or share.   The thing is, should that be our reaction?  Should we continue to spread it?

There’s a great article by Andrew Macdonald that discusses how we should handle what we see online. Conspiracy Theories, Engaging Online and Wisdom: The Intersection of the Three and How to Respond Biblically.

Being A Solution Instead of Just Talking About The Problem

Mental health is something we’ve long neglected and this situation that we’re currently in isn’t helping that at all.   No, these actions are not excused because of that however it does help explain why it may happen.  Instead of reacting to the outburst maybe we should step back and think about the root issue.  The fact that this person may have more going on than what we can see.  As Christians, maybe we don’t share the content, but we stop what we’re doing, and we pray.  We pray for God, who is the only one who fully sees the situation, to guide us for how we should proceed and what we can do to help.   We pray for him to hold them close and give them peace.   The other side of this is that the constant negativity and ‘fake news’ starts to chip away at our own self and is only giving us negativity.   Remember the old theory of ‘garbage in, garbage out’?  It applies to the situation as well.  Sometimes you just have to step back and turn it off.

The fear that the Covid-19 virus has brought on is very real, and everyone handles it differently. The fact that we were quarantined and that for a month or more in some places there were “stay at home” orders has taken a toll on everyone.  We won’t soon forget the toilet paper shortage fears anytime soon.   Yes, I’m sure some people were mean beforehand but regardless the current conditions don’t help.  Instead of spreading fear and hate, it’s time to come together and pray.  It’s time to come together and find creative ways to serve our community.   Maybe that’s an encouraging note, maybe it’s a smile as you walk down the street.   Maybe that’s not discussing politics and conspiracy theories, but instead breaking bread and inspiring others based on how you live your life.

 STRIVE TO INSPIRE

Let your life inspire people to find out how you have joy in the midst of despair.  I’m not saying ignore things or that you won’t wonder sometimes if things will be ok. We don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds it.  Choosing to trust isn’t the easiest thing to do.  For most of us, it’s not the natural reaction thing to do either.  It takes practice and a conscious decision to do.   The human connection between us all is very real.   Six degrees of separation is more of a legit theory than we want to admit sometimes.

The current environment feels more like every man for himself rather than a sense of community.  Since March, we’ve been thrown into what sort of feels like some sort of alternate reality horror flick.  It’s time that we realize that we’re all intertwined and what we do affects more than just us.

That retail worker that just asked you to put on a mask?  Her mom may be a heart surgeon that saves your aunt’s life.  That janitor that you stuck your nose up at?   He’s the one that is sanitizing your child’s school to help make sure that everything possible is being done to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak.   No job is too big or too small.  Without all of us working together things suffer.  One person can’t do it all, but individually we can all play small parts that makeup something great.

I’m not insinuating that it’s easy and that it won’t feel like a complete waste of time to choose kindness when it feels like it isn’t making a difference, but I’m just saying; sometimes results from our seeds aren’t immediately seen.  This is where faith comes in.  Faith that the seeds will grow and create change.   So before you click and share that content, stop and think about what you’re re-generating.  Is it hope?  Is it helpful?  Is it just bad that you are giving value to by sharing?

Choose kindness.  Choose love.

Need some encouragement? Check out these encouraging quotes!

More Resources for Mental Health during Covid-19

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Mental Health during Covid

Helping Kids with Worry

Let’s work on being the hands and feet of Jesus rather than the heckling crowd that sits back and watches with comments and theories but no action to make things better.

Deciding What To Click and Share

Covid-19 has taken the internet to new levels.  Yes, I guess it was possible.  We’ve seen those cellphone video moments of people screaming over mask, coughing on others, throwing mask off displays- you know the ones.  I won’t even touch the various political post.  You may feel appalled or outraged seeing this content. The knee jerk reaction for many is to click and leave a comment or share.   The thing is, should that be our reaction?  Should we continue to spread it?

There’s a great article by Andrew Macdonald that discusses how we should handle what we see online. Conspiracy Theories, Engaging Online and Wisdom: The Intersection of the Three and How to Respond Biblically.

Being A Solution Instead of Just Talking About The Problem

Mental health is something we’ve long neglected and this situation that we’re currently in isn’t helping that at all.   No, these actions are not excused because of that however it does help explain why it may happen.  Instead of reacting to the outburst maybe we should step back and think about the root issue.  The fact that this person may have more going on than what we can see.  As Christians, maybe we don’t share the content, but we stop what we’re doing, and we pray.  We pray for God, who is the only one who fully sees the situation, to guide us for how we should proceed and what we can do to help.   We pray for him to hold them close and give them peace.   The other side of this is that the constant negativity and ‘fake news’ starts to chip away at our own self and is only giving us negativity.   Remember the old theory of ‘garbage in, garbage out’?  It applies to the situation as well.  Sometimes you just have to step back and turn it off.

The fear that the Covid-19 virus has brought on is very real, and everyone handles it differently. The fact that we were quarantined and that for a month or more in some places there were “stay at home” orders has taken a toll on everyone.  We won’t soon forget the toilet paper shortage fears anytime soon.   Yes, I’m sure some people were mean beforehand but regardless the current conditions don’t help.  Instead of spreading fear and hate, it’s time to come together and pray.  It’s time to come together and find creative ways to serve our community.   Maybe that’s an encouraging note, maybe it’s a smile as you walk down the street.   Maybe that’s not discussing politics and conspiracy theories, but instead breaking bread and inspiring others based on how you live your life.

 STRIVE TO INSPIRE

Let your life inspire people to find out how you have joy in the midst of despair.  I’m not saying ignore things or that you won’t wonder sometimes if things will be ok. We don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds it.  Choosing to trust isn’t the easiest thing to do.  For most of us, it’s not the natural reaction thing to do either.  It takes practice and a conscious decision to do.   The human connection between us all is very real.   Six degrees of separation is more of a legit theory than we want to admit sometimes.

The current environment feels more like every man for himself rather than a sense of community.  Since March, we’ve been thrown into what sort of feels like some sort of alternate reality horror flick.  It’s time that we realize that we’re all intertwined and what we do affects more than just us.

That retail worker that just asked you to put on a mask?  Her mom may be a heart surgeon that saves your aunt’s life.  That janitor that you stuck your nose up at?   He’s the one that is sanitizing your child’s school to help make sure that everything possible is being done to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak.   No job is too big or too small.  Without all of us working together things suffer.  One person can’t do it all, but individually we can all play small parts that makeup something great.

I’m not insinuating that it’s easy and that it won’t feel like a complete waste of time to choose kindness when it feels like it isn’t making a difference, but I’m just saying; sometimes results from our seeds aren’t immediately seen.  This is where faith comes in.  Faith that the seeds will grow and create change.   So before you click and share that content, stop and think about what you’re re-generating.  Is it hope?  Is it helpful?  Is it just bad that you are giving value to by sharing?

Choose kindness.  Choose love.

Need some encouragement? Check out these encouraging quotes!

More Resources for Mental Health during Covid-19

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Mental Health during Covid

Helping Kids with Worry

Let’s work on being the hands and feet of Jesus rather than the heckling crowd that sits back and watches with comments and theories but no action to make things better.

There’s something about fall, maybe it’s the cooler weather and pretty colors that make me want to go out and do things.  It’s the crisp feeling in the air, the fact that you can wear lots of layers, and not to mention you (typically) don’t start sweating as soon as you walk out your front door! Don’t forget to check out more fall fun party edition as well for more fall crafts and decorating!

Fall Wreaths

Wreaths make great home decorating ideas for your own home or as a gift!!  Plus, you can do them on a budget!  Below are some of my favorite easy fall wreaths!

1. 50 Cheap Easy DIY Fall Wreaths

2. Easy Fall Wreath

3. Sunflower Wreath

4. Pumpkin Wreath 

5. Simple DIY Fall Wreaths

Fall Decorating

It’s fun to decorate for the season, especially this time of year because many times you have more guests around than usual (while 2020 may look a little different as far as the guests, the decorating will still make you smile.). The thing is, I don’t want to spend a ton of money to put up decorations, I mean let’s face it, there’s already a lot of spending going on at the end of the year.  No need to worry though- I’ve found some great options on  Fall decorating on a budget!

Here’s an example of some easy fall decorating by one of my favorites..Lauren Conrad

1. Fall Decorating on a Budget

2. Chevron Pumpkins

3. Easy Fall Decorating Ideas

4. Easy DIY No Sew Pumpkins

5. Fall Front Porch Decorating on a Budget

6. Painted Pumpkins

7. Mason Jar Crafts for Fall

8. Glittery Acorns

Pinterest nailed it or failed it? …. There are a ton, literally a ton of acorns around our house, and the kids have started gathering them and throwing them (awesome, right?!).  I decided that Pinterest must have something we could do with these acorns that would make use of the excess that we have, plus keep us busy one afternoon.

I found various different painted and glitter acorn options that were pretty and cool.

https://www.homestoriesatoz.com/fall-2/how-to-paint-acorns.html https://craftsbyamanda.com/bright-painted-acorns/

Painting Acorns for Fall Craft Project

Super cute, right?!  Plus it doesn’t look that difficult to do.  After all, it’s an acorn craft.  Ha! The joke was on me.  It started out with my husband suggested that since we had so many acorns we should put them on a cookie sheet covered with foil and roll them in the paint.  The colors winded up being less distinctive (obviously) but the kids were all on board with splattering paint on the pan and rolling acorns around.

There were also some attempts at finger painting the acorns, and let’s just say there were some very messy hands and paint that winded up on the white door.  It was fun though, so I can’t say I actually regret it.

We used a painting dropcloth over the table to protect it and so it wasn’t a big deal for any paint to get on that while we did the craft.

For the acorn “hats” we put them on some foil and used spray glue to spray them before sprinkling glitter all over them.  Yes, it was as messy and sticky as it sounds, but again, ultimately it was fun to do.

Waiting for the acorns to dry… which takes a surprisingly (or not) long amount of time when there is globs of paint on the acorns.

We decided to add some glitter to some of the acorns as well while they were still a little wet.

Pinterest Nailed it or Failed it

Our Finished acorns went into a couple mason jars for decoration.  No, they don’t look like the pretty acorns in the Pinterest pictures but they were fun to do and we spent some time laughing and joking as we did them so I would say it was worth it

Want more Fall Decorating and Craft Ideas?

My kids LOVE the Avengers.  It’s become part of our nighttime routine that we all sit down and watch one of the Avengers animated shows on Disney+.   Right now, we’re on Season 2 of Avengers Assemble.   This Avengers workout for kids was something they found fun and it interested them more than just trying to “exercise” because it felt more like there was a purpose behind it.  After all, who doesn’t want to be an Avenger?  Not to mention the benefits kids gain through exercising.

Tabata Avengers Workout

This Avengers workout is a Tabata workout.  Tabata is the creation of Dr. Izumi Tabata, a former hockey coach, who helped to develop and refine the system in the 1990s.  The workouts are broken down into 20 seconds of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) during which the exerciser goes as hard and fast as they can, followed by a 10 second rest period.  This is repeated for the duration of the workout, which lasts for 4 minutes.  The same exercise can be done throughout; you can choose to do 2 or more different exercises and rotate them, or do up to 8 different exercises.

An almost limitless range of exercises can be incorporated into Tabata workouts.  You could literally work out for years and not do the exact same workout twice.  This makes it a great form of exercise for anyone who is easily bored.

Examples of Tabata exercises 

• Lunge (or lunge variation of your choice) ex; back lunge, side lunge, jump lunge

• Squat (or squat variation of your choice) ex; wide squats, jump squats, frog hops

• Sprints (or run in place)

The video is by Get Kids Moving and they have many other workouts that you can try as well that are themed- Wonder Woman, Frozen, Star Wars, and more.

Avengers Workout

Warm-up 5-10 minutes 

Perform each move below, alternating 20 seconds of all-out effort with 10 seconds of rest. Repeat the same move for 8 rounds, for a total of 4 minutes.

Your Exercises:

DRAX PUNCHES – 20sec

REST – 10secs

SUPER SOLDIERS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

ASGARD SMASH – 20secs

REST – 10secs

INFINITY SQUATS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

HYDRA PUNCHES – 20secs

REST – 10secs

SPIDEY KICKS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

INFINITY JUMPS – 20secs

REST – 10secs

WAR MACHINES – 20secs

Click the youtube link below to follow along with the video 

Here’s another Fun Avengers Workout to also check out.

Also, here’s a fun Avengers Challange for adults to check out