Back-to-School Excitement, Preparation, Organization and More #ShopletReviews

A couple of weeks before  the kids went back to school, my daughter and I started gathering the school supplies that they need.  We do recycle things that they can still use like   pens, pencil, coloring materials and more.  School supplies are not cheap so as much as we can we can, we are  reusing supplies that aren't used from the previous school year.  I am just glad that both of my kids are okay that not all their supplies are  newly.  I mean, what's the point of buying new ones if the  old ones are still okay to use right?

The school registration was on August 17 and 18, we chose to register on the second day.  We brought  all the supplies they need in their respective classrooms and paid the tuition.  The tuition hiked up again this year, we paid $4,170 for both of  them  for the whole school year.  

Their first day of school was August 19th and that is always the exciting part for them because they get to go to school without wearing their uniform.  We bought them new outfits  to wear for that specific day.  

I can't believe my babies are now in 6th and 4th year!  Where did the time go?  I can still remember when I was nauseated  sending my first born to kindergarten lol.  Now, they are bigger and act like they know everything sometimes ha!

I am glad that their school uniforms still fits, at least I don't have to buy them new ones yet.  Uniforms are expensive too but the good thing about wearing it  is that, you only need few pairs of them unlike when you have to wear  regular clothes, you have to buy   a lot.  

My husband  wanted to go to work on that day but I asked him not to even though we need  the moolah these days.  I don't want him missing a lot of the kids school  moments because they sure are growing up so fast and they won't be  kids forever.  

It's also nice that they still want their pictures taken in the classroom with their parents hahaha.  I am glad they aren't  that cool yet to be with their Mom and Dad.  

Our 4th grader  has a new teacher this year  so he wasn't comfortable going in the first day but I am glad that their teacher is really nice.  She made the kids feel at home in her classroom which is a big relief for me.

Our daughter is now in 6th grade and she is still the  smallest among her class.  Compared to her classmates, she is so tiny.

I was able to go to her classroom and snap some photos before we left the school.  First day is always exciting for students as they get to see their friends after a long summer break.  For some, it is a bit stressful because it's hard to go back to everyday routine of going to school as oppose to staying  at home and relaxing.  My son feel that way, she always  dreaded going back to school for the first week but after that, his anxiety settles.  

We have been busy getting all their #school supplies . We just need a little more from the store , #supplies that we don't have at home.

A photo posted by Chubskulit Rose (@chubskulitrose) on Jul 31, 2016 at 10:41am PDT

On the first week, a lot of teachers send out paper communication for parents  but after that, they  do communicate online.  A lot of teachers nowadays are using an app to communicate with parents as well so it eliminates the  bundle of papers to keep.  There are however, important papers that needs to be  kept so I am glad that I have a new office supplies to use from Shoplet. 


 I got a pack of this Supertab Section Folder which is perfect for my son's needs. This year, they are doing a a color coding technique for their notebooks and folders to easily identify their subjects and the things that need to be sent out home for signatures and the things that they need to keep in school.  I love when a teacher is very organized because it makes it easier not only for the students but for parents as well.

The vertical expanding file is great  for my office use because  I get to organize all their  schedules  not only in school but for their extra curricular activities.  

Shoplet is a one-stop shop  for all your need in your home office or business.  They have  Office Supplies,   Medical Supplies, Cleaning Supplies and many more.  

Disclosure: The owner of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review.  I was provided with the product/s mentioned  to help me  facilitate this review but  opinions are my own.

Ryestein's 11th Birthday

 I wasn't able to write a special post for my daughter's birthday this year and I feel bad.  I do however appreciate the fact that she completely understand our situation.  We were so  busy trying to organize our  new home as we just newly moved.  At eleven, she is so mature and I always thank God  for  having a great daughter like Ryestein.

German chocolate cake was her choice.  She didn't want a traditional birthday cake.  We pre-celebrated her  birthday two days before the actual  day.  We were schedule to go on a road trip two days after that.  When my kids started going to school. we decided to just take them on a road trip or go somewhere  fun rather than having a  party.  It's more fun for the whole family and less stress for  Mom lol.  

Ryestein, as you turned 11, I can't help but truly appreciate Motherhood. 

You taught me so many things that I did not know befire I became a Mom. 

You taught me to be patient and how to love unconditionally.

Thank you for being my daughter, I am blessed.

We love you very much!

Why Learning to Drive is Great for Your Family

Have you been thinking about finally getting your driver’s licence, especially if you are planning on starting a family? Then rest assured that this is a decision that you will not end up regretting. There are a host of benefits that come with learning how to drive if you have a family. Plus, it has never been easier to learn the rules of the road and driving theory, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t pursue your licence today.

Keep reading to discover a few of the reasons why learning to drive is great for your family.

Go Wherever You Want, Whenever You Want

When you have a family, it feels like you are constantly on the go, and sometimes you really are. You have to get yourself to work, and get the kids to school and to their after-school activities. On top of that, you have to sometimes bring your kids to the doctor, go shopping for clothes, groceries, and toys, and make time for your relatives and friends.

Without a car, you will need to rely upon public transportation, which leaves you waiting on the bus or the train to get to wherever you need to go. But with your own licence and vehicle, you can head off whenever you need to, and you can go wherever you need to go, however near or far from home.

Family Road Trips Become Possible

In addition to making your life a lot easier on a day-to-day basic, having your driver’s licence will also make it possible for your family to take some fun and unforgettable road trips whenever you want to go on a much-needed getaway.

You can pack everything you need into your car and follow the driving directions on your GPS to head off to a brand new place that none of you have seen before, and you can even stop along the way and enjoy the sights that you come across.

Driving for Pleasure Beyond Convenience

Ultimately, learning how to drive will give you a lot of freedom, but it will also provide you with a lot of convenience, as mentioned above. Beyond that, though, you can also drive merely for the pleasure of it.

Sometimes going on a short drive with your family could be just what you need to unwind for a bit and give yourself a change of scenery. You never know what new places you will find, and you and your family can make these discoveries together. So rather than sticking to the same old routes all the time, go someplace new, go shopping someplace new, and enjoy new experiences as a family in order to make new memories.

Being a busy parent requires that you have a reliable form of transportation. In addition to being able to go to work and take your kids to school, you will also be able to use your car for pleasure, such as for taking road trips or going for a drive to a scenic place on the weekend.

Tennis Match at Wheeling-Oglebay Tennis Club

Our Burritos  have started playing tennis this  Spring  and they are loving it.  We missed that opportunity last year but we  did practice  hitting the ball although we  didn't know the rules.  This year, when a  friend texted me that Spring  lessons  is opened, we made sure to go and registered them, well at least one of them because the program is only open for 4th graders and up but the  coaches are  nice  and let EJ practice anyway.  They said that he can come to practices but could not  compete in the matches.  He ended up being good at it so  they let him play in the matches.  

Last Sunday (June 5th), was the second time they went  to the matches.  The first time they came,  they only attended 2  practices so they didn't know much, they didn't even learn the  rules yet so it was like  kind of a practice too but they played with two other beginners who obviously know stuff than them but it's okay, it was a learning experience anyway.

This time though, they were excited to play, they were ready.  What they didn't know is that, they won't be playing as a team.  They were teamed up with other kids from the Milli Mulhern Middle School Tennis so they were a bit nervous.

EJ was even teamed up with kids that aren't beginners.  It made us proud that they get to play with big kids and he is not even officially registered to play in the matches but he did great for a newbie.  

He is  tiny compared to other kids but he proved them  that size doesn't really matter, he played like a champ (at least in my eyes,  he did).

He is partnered with  one of Rylie's  classmates who started tennis last year and they won the match.

Rylie did not get picked to play in the first rounds of match ups but she did play in the second and third rounds.  On her first match, she was teamed up with a boy from the Milli Mulhern and she was bummed as she doesn't know him bu-t she did great just like his brother did.  They also won the match up.  

The weather  threatened to rain that day so they decided to do the matches on the Bubble court.  I was sweating because I dressed for some windy atmosphere and it ended up being inside the Bubble and it was hot there.  

She was partnered with this boy who was very timid and  quiet so  there was no chemistry between them lol.  They played without talking to each other which was kind of awkward but they played well so it was okay I guess.  

The coaches talked to us and  and said that  the Burritos have a very good future with tennis because they are very good at it.  They are hoping that they would stick to it which I assured them that the kids would because they love it.  

EJ was partnered with this big kid from the other team and he played like he's been playing for a food amount of time.  It was nice to see.  They were tied to the other team  when they ran out of time.

Rylie's  last game  was  with one of the girls that just like EJ, she wasn't also officially registered to play in the match but   she's also good at it so she  was able to play.

They also won this match which was  awesome.

Over all, they  were really impressive with their  performances in Wheeling.

These four are great friends and  they are very happy that they get to  play tennis together especially now that school is off.  

The team from our city is small compared to the team from Wheeling.

These four are the newbies from the WEirton team or Baseline Bandits but I think that they did great.  

Here's a group picture  of all the participants including the coaches  from our city and the Wheeling-Oglebay Tennis Club.

With her BFF.

They will have one more  match  this Sunday but  it will be here in our city.  The other team would come here to play with them.  After the pictorials, there was a pizza party where everyone gathered up and enjoyed the  food and drinks.

There was also raffle draws with prizes and  the awarding of certificates after wards.

I am so glad that both of them did so well and that they love playing tennis.

The advantage of them playing tennis is that they get to teach us the rules so now we can all play and keep scores.  Mind you, they are very competitive and they always wore us out  every game we played lol.  Our energy is no match to their level of energy, ours run out fast but it is always a great bonding for the whole family.

How to Organize a Kids Birthday Party without Too Much Stress

Kids’ parties can be fun, but if you don’t get to grips with the organizational aspect of things, they can also be a huge headache. Lots of parents opt to have their child’s birthday at a party venue, but this is expensive and as long as you plan the details, there is no reason why you can’t do the hard work yourself, especially if you book the Fun Crew USA to give you a helping hand. So what do you need to think about?

Check for Date Clashes

Before you make any arrangements for your party, check to make sure the day does not clash with anyone else’s party or a public holiday. If you don’t do this, you could belatedly realize your child’s birthday is scuppered by everyone’s Mother’s Day plans.

Choose a Party Theme

Great parties have a theme. This could be anything you like, but it is best to pick a theme that ties in with what your child loves. For example, little girls are often keen to have princess or fairy-themed parties whereas boys are more likely to want a dinosaur or bugs party. If your child has lots of interests, talk it over with them first to see if they have any ideas or preferences. That way there won’t be any huge disappointment on the day.

Shop for Party Goods Online

Shopping for party food, decorations, and party favors is a time consuming process. One way to save time (and therefore stress) is to do all of your shopping online. You can pick up everything you need from online stores or auction sites such as eBay. This will save you time and money. However, do remember to allow plenty of time for delivery, in case goods are late.

Plan Lots of Games

Kids love to play games. Even simple games like ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’ go down a treat with pre-school kids. Very young children don’t need organized games, as they are too young to appreciate them, but 4 year olds and above will appreciate a few games. In general, the older the kids are, the more complex the games can be. Just remember to have more games planned than you think you will need, as games don’t always last as long as you expect them to.

Ask for Help

It is sensible to engage some helpers when planning a children’s party. The younger the kids are, the more help you will need. For very young children, ask some of the parents to stay, but if the kids are older, try and persuade older siblings to help out or ask a few of your family or friends to come over to give a helping hand. You can always offer to cook dinner for them as a thank-you gesture.

Finally, never organize a party without having a back-up plan in place, just in case the weather turns nasty or half the guests are struck down with a tummy bug.