Ways to nurture your child's interest in STEM


scientist
photo source: Wikipedia

When it comes to interest in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math), my kids are lucky to have had a supportive environment. Both their parents are engineers (Although I don't work in STEM right now, I have a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and a master's degree in systems engineering. Alfie has a bachelor's degree in computer engineering and has worked in the field for almost 30 years), so numbers come easily to all of us. Being a "math nerd" is not a bad thing, and at this point, all 3 kids show interest and aptitude in science and math.

But if you are a parent who considers themselves "bad" at math, you might be at a loss as to how to nurture your child's interest in STEM fields. You might feel like you can't really help them with their homework (especially starting in middle school) because the math is just too intimidating. You want to encourage them to pursue their interests but don't really know how. If your child is a girl, it might be even more challenging, because you might not know of any role models you can point out (According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, women hold less than 25 percent of STEM jobs). I've written several posts about ways to get girls more interested in STEM careers,  Here are four things that any parent can do to nurture their child's interest and abilities in science and math:

Invest in toys that encourage open-ended exploration

I can't say enough about building toys like Lego and KNEX. Kids learn how to follow instructions and analyze diagrams. They learn to recognize patterns. They learn how to build things up and break them down. They learn how to figure out solutions when they're stuck. All of these are valuable STEM skills! The benefits add up even more when kids throw away the instruction manual and start to build on their own. They learn how to problem solve -- they learn how to figure out what works and what doesn't, and how to build things to meet their needs.
KNEX


Get involved in your child's science and math education

If you have the time to volunteer for a science project, seize the opportunity! Show your child that you are interested in math and science. If you can't make it during school hours, don't worry. There are lots of other ways to show your child that you think science and math are cool. Show an interest in their math and science homework. Help him or her brainstorm a project for the science fair. Attend your school's math and/or science night.
cow eye dissection


Make science fun at home

There are so many activities kids and parents can do at home that help build science and math skills. Even something as simple as baking can get kids working on fractions, multiplication, and measuring! One of the most entertaining birthday party activities I ever devised was a building contest. Kids were given toothpicks and marshmallows and told to build the tallest tower possible in a set amount of time. Everyone had a great time! They quickly figured out some of the basics of structural engineering while engaging in friendly competition with their friends.


Encourage your child to join a science club or a competition

A great way to nurture kids' interests in STEM is to sign them up for an afterschool club, a summer camp, or (for older kids) a conference dedicated to STEM, or even a competition. The word "competition" can sound really scary to a kid, and no parent wants to be the pushy parent who forces their kid to compete -- but competitions can be fun, and they don't have to be showstopper events to teach kids valuable lessons. Case in point: I'm the noontime activities coordinator at our local elementary school, and one of our most popular activities is the annual Building Challenge. I pretty much took the marshmallow tower building concept and turned it into a multi-week competition, with different building materials every week. Kids work in teams, so they're learning teamwork as well as the laws of physics! If your school has something like this, by all means encourage your child to join. If your school doesn't, ask your local PTA to help you organize one!

Small school challenges like these are the first step to more serious competitions, and if your child shows like he or she wants to pursue STEM projects on a more serious level, there are many competitions out there. Many grade schools and middle schools have science clubs or robotics clubs that field teams to local competitions. Do you have a budding scientist on your hands? Encourage them to enter the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge!

About the Young Scientist Challenge

The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is the nation’s premier science competition for grades 5-8. Through the program, young inventors have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work closely with a 3M Scientist Mentor, compete for $25,000, and earn the title of “America's Top Young Scientist.”

The mission of the Young Scientist Challenge is to foster a new generation of American scientists at an age when interest in science generally declines. In 2008, Discovery Education teamed up with 3M, one of the world’s most notable innovators – to cultivate the next generation of problem solvers and give students an opportunity to receive mentorship from 3M scientists.


 How the Challenge Works


•Call for entries is currently open through April, 20, 2016. To enter, participants must submit a one-to-two-minute video describing the science behind a new innovation or solution that could solve or impact an everyday problem.

•Judges evaluate the entries through April and May based on creativity, scientific knowledge, persuasiveness and overall presentation. Videos will not be judged on production skills and may be recorded on cell phones or basic digital cameras.

•Ten finalists are announced in the summer. These participants will be challenged to develop their innovations that positively impacts lives (including them, their family, their community or the global population). The students will participate in a mentorship program during which they will get the opportunity to work one-on-one with renowned 3M scientists as their mentors.

•Each finalist will also receive a trip to the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minn., to compete at the final event in October 2016

For more information on the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, including submission guidelines, tips from previous winners and complete rules, please visit www.youngscientistchallenge.com. Submissions will be accepted through April 13, 2016



Disclosure: This is a compensated post.  Information about the Young Scientist Challenge (in italics) was provided by The MOMS. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Color Me Rad 5K -- the perfect family fun run!



I've been on many fun runs over the years, but it's hard to imagine any run more fun than the one we enjoyed last week: the Color Me Rad 5k in San Jose. It was the first fun for everyone else in the family -- Alfie, The Pea, 3Po and Jammy -- but there is no better run to do for your first run, and there is no better run for the whole family to enjoy!

About Color Me Rad

Color Me Rad is loosely based on the Hindu Festival of Colors, otherwise known as Holi. The festive colors used are a sign of winter's end and spring's new beginnings. Or in the case of RAD; the color represents the end of lame runs and the beginning of fun runs.

Start out as clean as a newborn babe, and throughout the run, our volunteers will coat you with liquids, powders, and gels of blue, green, pink, purple, and yellow until your face, shirt, and body come out silkscreened like a tie-dyed hippie on the other side. Each section of the run adds a new explosion of color to your clean, painter's palate until you cross the finish line into a final blitzkrieg of color.

Our family's Color Me Rad experience

We all got up bright and early on Saturday morning and donned our white shirts (because they show the color better!) and race numbers. I had picked up our race packets the day before; each registered runner gets a race number, a waterproof phone case, a tattoo, and a pair of color packets to throw around before or after the race. Each of us brought sunglasses to protect our eyes as well as a cap or bandana to protect our hair. The Pea didn't want to wear anything on her head because she wanted her hair to get colored!
Color Me Rad San Jose 2016


The "fun" part begins even before the "run" part begins! About 10 minutes before start time, everyone gathered in front of a sound stage and did some warm up exercises to some catchy tunes and a DJ announcer. We had a great time following the Zumba instructors on stage, and afterwards, we were rewarded with some color bombs tossed out onto the audience! We got color on ourselves even before the run began!
Color Me Rad San Jose 2016


The run started about 15 minutes late, but other than that, the start was very well organized. Runners started the run in "waves", spaced about 5 minutes apart so that the start wouldn't be too crowded and no one would get trampled. I think they did a great job controlling the start waves.

The course made its way around the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. It was a pretty easy course, on a flat asphalt path with gravel or dirt on each side so runners could go off-road if their knees were giving them trouble. It had rained every day the week before, so in some areas the path was a complete and total mud pit -- so we had the added bonus of enjoying a mud run as well as a color run! We had to run through one area that got our shoes and socks completely soaked, and in some parts of the run, it got difficult to run because of all the mud caked on our shoes, but everyone was in high spirits and it was all in good fun. Time wasn't a big issue since we didn't have timing chips anyway; we weren't there to set any personal records, we were just there to have fun.

As promised, runners/walkers passed through 4 (or was it 5?) color stations where volunteered doused everyone in color. Some stations doused you in powdered color (it's non-toxic, dyed cornstarch and it's safe to inhale in small amounts, but I recommend you hold your breath as you run or walk through!). Everyone absolutely loved it, and my boys actually stopped running and slowed down to a walk in order to make sure that they were completely covered in color!
Color Me Rad San Jose 2016


Two stations used liquid color instead of powdered color, which actually stayed on our shirts better than the powdered color. It was a cold, windy day, so we were freezing for a few moments after the volunteers sprayed us, but we were running, so we quickly warmed back up again.
Color Me Rad San Jose 2016


By the time you reach the finish line, you will be absolutely saturated in color! Not only that, after you cross the finish line, you are given two free color packets (they were generous that day and actually gave every 3 packets each) to add to your shirts, or to douse your friends in as they cross the finish line.
Color Me Rad


Our "after" photo looked quite a bit different from our "before" photo!  We all had a wonderful time. Color Me Rad really is the perfect family run, because it's just a short distance so it's easy to run, and if you don't want to run, you can walk, and with all that color, you have fun every step of the way.
Color Me Rad



Disclosure: I received 4 complimentary entries to Color Me Rad San Jose. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Enroll your child in Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp


British Soccer Camp

3Po and Jammy's dad is British, so it was practically predetermined that they would love soccer even before they were born! They've been kicking a ball around ever since they could toddle around, and it's the only sport that they really love to play and watch.

We always said that one of the things that would make us move to the UK would be all the opportunities available to play and watch soccer (football, that is). Our favorite teams play in the English Premier League every week, and with over 30,000 clubs registered in the UK, the boys would always have quality coaches and people who are just as passionate about the Beautiful Game as we are.
soccer bonggamom 3Po

Fortunately, soccer has really exploded in popularity here in the last 15-20 years. Everywhere we go, we see kids playing soccer, and we now follow our local team, the San Jose Earthquakes, with every bit as much passion as we follow Chelsea and Arsenal. We used to think the quality of play for kids was higher in the UK, but nowadays I'm not sure that's true anymore.

A couple of years ago we discovered British Soccer Camps and signed 3Po and Jammy up for their summer soccer programs. They were amazing! The camp locations and schedules are so convenient, they employ coaches from the UK and other countries, and the prices are so reasonable. Kids get all kinds of fun goodies like a free tshirt, soccer ball and poster. 3Po and Jammy learned so many skills during their time with British Soccer Camps, and they enjoyed all the drills and scrimmages.  At the end of the week, the coaches prepared a personalized skills assessment for each camper, and they went through not only their physical skills but also their team building skills and personal skills. I really appreciated how the coaches took their time to know the kids.  Best of all, they came home tired and slept well every single night!!

soccer

About Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp

British Soccer Camp is the most popular camp in North America - 150,000 campers! With an innovative curriculum that develops skills, speed and confidence in players ages 3-18, British Soccer Camps provide boys and girls with the rare opportunity to receive high-level soccer coaching from a team of international expert's right in the heart of their own community. In addition to teaching new skills and improving game performance, each British Soccer Camp provides lessons in character development, cultural education and is the most fun your child can have learning the sport they love!

Enroll you child in a British Soccer Camp today Enroll in British Soccer Camps Today! FREE Water Bottle with code: USFG16http://www.challengersports.com/britishsoccercampsmums.aspx

soccer bonggamom

Disclosure: As a blogger for US Family Guide I will be receiving a complimentary week of camp. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Celebrate Easter with GourmetGiftBaskets.com


Easter basket

Easter is coming early this year -- really early, March 27th!  If you're scrambling to put together Easter baskets for your family, save yourself the stress and put GourmetGiftBaskets.com of your Easter gift giving. They have dozens of Easter gift baskets and Easter gift ideas, all beautifully put together and ready to ship to the people you love. Many of the items can be delivered in just 1-2 days, so your Easter gift baskets will arrive right on time with the Easter bunny!

GourmetGiftBaskets.com sent me their Double Bunny Easter Basket and my kids love it! It really makes Easter special to have so many Easter treats and sweets just bursting from one basket. The package arrived in just 2 days, and it was securely protected in bubble wrap so when I took it out of the box, it was as beautifully arranged as it was in the website photos. I can't believe how many things they were able to fit into one basket:
Easter basket



Here are my Top Five Favorite Easter gift ideas from GourmeGiftBaskets.com:

Double Bunny Easter Basket, $119.99, includes free shipping
Two bunnies are twice as nice, especially when you have two kids! As a mom of twins, I give this basket a two thumbs up! This basket has all the goodies that kids know and love, including Peeps, chocolate bunnies, and two adorable plush bunnies. It's no wonder this is GourmetGiftBasket.com's best selling Easter basket for kids!


Happy Easter Brownie Cake, $34.99.
It's just like a giant cookie cake, except it's made from brownies! I love it because it can double as a beautiful centerpiece for your Easter buffet.


Easter Celebration Cake Pops. $39.99
Who doesn't love cake pops? These come in a variety of yummy flavors -- chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet, dipped in Belgian chocolate and drizzled with pastel confections. The teeny Easter-themed appliques are so cute!


Springtime Gift Tower, $39.99
Gift towers always look impressive, and this one is impressive inside and out. It's overflowing with a mix of sweet and salty treats, and the damask-lined boxes can be used for storage long after the goodies are gone.


Easter Champagne and Chocolates Gift Basket, $99.99
I love this because it appeals to the whole family, young and old. This gift basket is chock full of the good stuff -- prosecco, Ghirardelli chocolate, gourmet cookies, and deep, dark chocolate.


Other Easter gift ideas include the Sugar-Free Gift Basket ($89.99), Easter Basket for Men ($74.99), Gourmet Carrot Cake, and Springtime Berries ($44.99), and Premium Spa Win Gift Basket ($124.99). Check out GourmetGiftBasket.com's 2016 Easter page for their full line up. Many of the items include free shipping, and in many cases, the item can be delivered in 1 or 2 days!  Make Easter stress-free and happy with GourmetGiftBasket.com!

Disclosure: I received a gift basket from GourmetGiftBaskets.com to facilitate this review The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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PEEPS & COMPANY®: Essential components of every Easter Basket


Easter

Easter wouldn't be Easter without the Easter Bunny, and Easter wouldn't be Easter without an Easter Basket!! We love surprising our kids with Easter Baskets every single year, and even though my kids are now in their teens and tweens, they've proven that you can never be too old for an Easter Basket!

Many stores sell pre-assembled Easter baskets, but I think it's a lot more fun to assemble one yourself (and you can customize the basket to the recipient's age and interests). Creating your own Easter basket couldn't be simpler. Here are the four essential components of a great Easter basket:

1) Basket

Find something to put your goodies into! It doesn't even have to be a basket -- you can use a pail, a box, a bowl, or a gift bag.

Easter baskets

2) Basket liner

This is an optional step but it's oh-so-much-fun, and it really puts the spirit of Easter into your basket. You can use plastic Easter grass that is sold in stores at this time of the year, or use bits of crinkled paper grass. You can also use tissue paper.



3) Candy

This is the fun part! Kids love Easter candy, especially PEEPS marshmallow bunnies, chicks, and eggs! They have so many varieties and flavors these days, you could fill a hundred Easter baskets with PEEPS candy and not have a single basket with the same kind of candy!  Don't forget jelly beans from Mike and Ike, as well as Hot Tamales from PEEPS & COMPANY® for the teens!

4) Toys

Toys can really set each Easter basket apart! You can tuck in different kinds of toys depending on the recipient's age and interests. It's always nice to include an Easter-themed toy such as a plush chick or lamb. PEEPS & COMPANY® has all kinds of non-candy Easter goodies such as ear buds, tshirts, plush toys, caps, sweatshirts and more! Check out their full line at PeepsandCompany.com.


Have fun creating your Easter baskets!!


Here are some of the items in my 2016 Easter Basket photos. They're all available on PeepsandCompany.com:

· 5-inch PEEPS® Plush: Spread the joy of PEEPS® when you give this plush PEEPS® chick as a gift to those of any age (assortment of colors).


· PEEPS® earbuds: If you need a sweet bit of time to yourself, let your favorite yellow PEEPS Chick take you away with your favorite music through these PEEPS earbuds. Get a dose of stress relief, in stereo, every time you put them on and crank up the tunes!


· PEEPS® luggage tag: From candy to cute accessory, these PEEPS® luggage tags add a pop of color and whimsy to your gear (assortment of colors).


· PEEPS® Orange Delight Flavored Marshmallow Dipped in Orange Fudge: These three Chicks are orange delight flavored and dipped in orange fudge to enhance the flavor. Share them with your friends or keep them for yourself!


· PEEPS® Marshmallow Chicks: The five and 15 count packages of the iconic PEEPS® Chicks are available in classic Easter colors including yellow, pink, blue, lavender, green, and orange Chicks! The 10 count package of Chicks is available in all of the classic Easter colors as well as white.


· PEEPS® Marshmallow Bunnies: The four count bunnies come in classic yellow, pink and blue colors. The 12 count bunnies come in classic colors as well as lavender, white, green and orange. The 16 count are packaged in classic colors plus lavender and green.


· PEEPS® Decorated Eggs: Nine white eggs iced with pastel colors in 3 unique designs, these eggs are great for recipes, crafts and immediate consumption.


· PEEPS® Party Cake Flavored Marshmallow Chicks: Ten delicious vanilla cake flavored marshmallow chicks sprinkled with fun rainbow confetti.


· PEEPS® Sour Watermelon Flavored Marshmallow Chicks: Sweet and sour flavors collide to create a burst of watermelon in these ten green chicks with a blush pink center.


· PEEPS® Chocolate Dipped Mousse Flavored Marshmallow Chicks: Three delectable chocolate mousse-flavored Chicks dipped in either creamy milk or dark chocolate.


· PEEPS® Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Chicks: Individually wrapped marshmallow chicks covered in either milk or dark chocolate.


· PEEPS® Rainbow Pop: Four chicks in colors yellow, green, pink and blue marshmallow on a stick- it’s like a colorful PEEPS® lollipop.


· MIKE AND IKE® Easter Treats: Bring chewy, fruity goodness this Easter season with a 10 oz. gift bag of MIKE AND IKE® Easter Treats flavors. Filled with grape, pineapple-banana, strawberry, lemon-lime, and cherry-flavored MIKE AND IKE® candies – and all made with real fruit juice – this gift will put a spring in anybody's step as the bright new season gets underway.


· MIKE AND IKE® Jellybeans: The Assorted Fruits MIKE AND IKE® JELLY BEANS are a fan favorite.


· HOT TAMALES® Jellybeans: Celebrate Easter with our cinnamon-flavored jelly beans (14 oz. package)


Enjoy 20% savings on PEEPS®

Get 20% off your next purchase at PeepsandCompany.com, no minimum required, from February 15 through April 15, 2016, with discount code: EASTERTREATS






Disclosure: The PEEPS & COMPANY® products, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by PEEPS & COMPANY®. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Easter Basket Stuffers that won't clutter up the house


Easter basket toys and candies

Easter Sunday is just around the corner, and parents everywhere are frantically searching for things to fill up their kids' Easter baskets with! When my kids were younger, we would always give each one an Easter basket filled with Easter candies, and Easter-themed toy like a stuffed bunny or chick, and a favorite toy like a LEGO, K'NEX, or Playmobil set that we could add to their collection. Now that they are older, we simply don't have the space for more toys!

Let's face it, Easter-themed toys are adorable, but let's be honest:  that plastic wind-up chick and those bunny ears and that plush chick are just adding to your home's toy clutter. This Easter, consider adding something other than a toy to your child's Easter basket. There are lots of alternatives that your child will love just as much, and won't add to his or her ever-growing stash of toys. Here are five alternative Easter basket fillers that go right along with the chocolate eggs and marshmallow bunnies:

Movie tickets

Tuck in a pair of movie tickets or a pair of tickets to an upcoming children's play! You're not just gifting your child with a fun experience, you're creating memories for both of you.

Museum memberships

Give the gift of a year of discovery. A membership to your family's favorite museum means you can enjoy this Easter gift all year long.

E-books

A good book is one of the best gifts you can give at Easter time, birthdays, and every other holiday. Purchase an e-book, print out the receipt and add it to your child's Easter basket.

Magazine subscriptions

Give your child something to look forward to each and every month with a magazine subscription.

Subscription to Pley

Let's face it, clutter or no clutter, kids still love toys, and there's nothing like the smile on their faces when they receive a new toy to play with. Pley is a toy rental service, so kids can get the joy of toys without all the clutter. Members can choose from a large selection of toys and receive unlimited toys (one at a time) delivered directly to their door.  Pley packages get delivered to your door and when the kids are done playing, they can return them for a new toy. Plans start as low as $19.99/month and all plans include free delivery and unlimited rentals. With Pley, your kids have access to all the best toys, including 400+ LEGO sets and popular robotics toys, and you'll only need to store the toys that your kids are currently playing with. No more toys sitting unused on shelves!

Pley


Disclosure:This is a compensated post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Monster Jam is coming to Levi's Stadium on April 9!


Monster Jam
Monster Jam® fans of the Bay Area, get ready to rumble! Everyone's favorite motorsports entertainment event is coming on April 9, and even better, it's coming to Levi's Stadium! Monster Jam® brings high-octane, motorsports entertainment to fans around the world. The action-packed live events feature the most recognizable trucks including Grave Digger®, Max-D® and many more, performing jaw-dropping displays of gravity-defying feats. Levi's Stadium is one of the best stadiums in the Bay Area -- it's the San Francisco 49ers home stadium, and it's where Superbowl 50 was held.

We watched Monster Jam at Levi's Stadium last year, and enjoyed ourselves so much! Monster Jam already visited the Bay Area last month (in Oakland), but sadly we were unable to attend. I was unprepared for how disappointed The Pea would be. After all, she's a 14 year-old teen girl, and not the kind of person I'd expect to enjoy Monster Jam. But it just goes to show you that Monster Jam really is entertainment for the whole family! We all love watching Grave Digger, Stone Crusher, El Diablo, and more race, spin, slip, and crash! The whole race is absolutely crazy!


MONSTER JAM TRIVIA

See if you can answer this fun trivia quiz! The answers may surprise you! (answer key is at the bottom of this post).

1. Body – Made of_____________, a monster truck body is custom designed to create a character or theme for the truck.
a. Fiberglass
b. Steel
c. Iron

2. Driver Seat – Most monster trucks have the driver seated ______________the vehicle so he or she can best see the track for weight distribution.
a. in the center of
b. on top of
c. on the left side of

3. As a safety measure, all seatbelts employ ________________ to restrain the driver’s body.
a. an auto-lock feature
b. a 5 point harness
c. an escape pod

4. Paint – Most Monster Jam® monster trucks require _______________ of paint time.
a. more than 25 days
b. more than 40 hours
c. less than 10 hours

5. Engines – Custom-built, supercharged and methanol-injected, a monster truck engine burns up to _________________ of methanol per run (approximately 80 meters) and delivers about __________________.
a. 30 liters; 2,000 horsepower
b. 10 liters; 1,500 horsepower
c. 5 liters; 1,000 horsepower

6. Suspension System – In order to allow the drivers to withstand the punishing impacts of jumping and crashing a monster truck during a performance, each Monster Jam monster truck is equipped with specially-engineered extra long 76cm shock absorbers filled with oil and ________________________ that are installed with each tire.
a. vinegar
b. water
c. nitrogen gas

7. Each monster truck tire is custom made but must be ______________ inches high and _____________ inches wide.
a. 120; 99
b. 33; 33
c. 66; 43

8. The average monster truck team will go through _____________ tires in one year.
a. 80
b. 8
c. 20

9. ________________ was the 25 year anniversary for the Grave Digger Team
a. 2005
b. 2010
c. 2007

10. More than ____________________ Monster Jam fans attend events each year worldwide
a. 1 million
b. 2 million
c. 4 million

11. The World Finals in ____________________ brings 24 of the top trucks in the world to compete for the World Freestyle and Racing Championships. Competitors are by invitation only.
a. Houston, TX
b. Las Vegas, NV
c. Atlanta, GA

12. A monster truck race team will travel _______________ Miles a year by land to attend events.
a. 45,000
b. 1 million
c. 27,000

13. Typical monster trucks cost ___________________ yearly to build, staff, compete, transport and maintain on the Monster Jam tour.
a. $1 million
b. $350,000
c. $600,000

14. Average number of cars crushed per year: _____________________.
a. 3,000
b. 500
c. 1,000







SAVE ON MONSTER JAM TICKETS

Save $5 on adult tickets with code MOM. Kids tickets are always 50% off (no qualifier needed) with Promo Code MOM. Savings valid on originally priced $40, $35, $30, and $20 seats. Savings not valid day of show. No double discounts. Purchase tickets at  http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/229947/1542376?brand=monsterjam

Answers:





  1. a
  2. a
  3. b
  4. b
  5. b
  6. c
  7. c
  8. b
  9. c
  10. c
  11. b
  12. a
  13. c
  14. a
Disclosure: As a Feld Family Activator, I will be receiving 4 complimentary tickets to the event. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Introducing newly reformulated Oroweat® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread


Oroweat bread

I pack sandwiches in Alfie's and the kids' lunch boxes almost every week day; I'd say 3-4 out of 5 of their lunches are sandwiches because they are easy to make and easy to eat! We always buy Oroweat® because the bread is large and sturdy enough to hold a ton of fillings, and the bread itself is delicious! I discovered the brand over 20 years ago and I've loved it ever since! How crazy is it that my relationship with Oroweat® has gone on longer than my relationship with my husband and kids?!!

Our favorites are Oroweat® Buttermilk Bread and Oroweat® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread. The Buttermilk bread is our "indulgence", and the Whole Grains bread is our staple, every day bread. It has been newly reformulated and is made with 100% whole grains so it contains 21 grams of whole grain per slice! It's just 90 calories per slice, so you get a lot of whole grain for less calories.

We love Oroweat® toasted, grilled, or straight out of the cupboard. Here are just a few of our favorite sandwich fillings on Oroweat® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread:
  • Ham and cheese
  • Bacon and cheese
  • Chicken salad
  • Egg salad
  • Nutella and banana
  • Turkey, pesto, and tomato
  • Breaded chicken patties, shredded lettuce, and mayo
  • Cream cheese and cucumber
  • Turkey, brie, and cranberry jelly
  • Black beans and guacamole (check out my recipe here!)

 What do you like to put between your favorite Oroweat® bread? Share your answer and you could win coupons for free Oroweat® bread!
grilled cheese sandwich


Win free Oroweat bread!

One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive  three (3) coupons, each valid for $5.00 off the
purchase of any Oroweat® Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat Bread. To enter, just leave a comment on this post (1 entry per person, please) telling me your favorite kind of sandwich. Don't forget to leave your email address or a way to contact you! I'll draw a random winner on March 11, 2016.

sandwich


Disclosure: The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Oroweat® Bread. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Monster Jam rolls into Bay Area families' hearts on April 9


Monster Jam

Got any plans for spring break? How about watching some gigantic, colorful, fast moving, jumping, flipping cars try to outrace and outshine each other in the craziest competition ever? Monster Jam is the world's largest and most famous monster truck tour featuring the biggest names in monster trucks including Grave Digger®, Maximum Destruction®, Monster Mutt®, El Toro Loco®, Captain's Curse® and Blue Thunder®. Monster Jam performs to the delight of families with three elements to every show -- the pit party, racing, and freestyle. 125 tour stops and 325+ performances make up the Monster Jam tour that also features a large consumer products division and retail presence. Two world champions are crowned each year at the Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas -- the racing world champion and the freestyle world champion.

Monster Jam® is the hottest edge-of-your-seat, live motor sports property on the planet and largest touring family show in North America! These stadium and arena events blow the roof off traditional motor sports racing, as 1,500 HP monster trucks fly 30 feet in the air, flattening anything in their path. Monster Jam® events are an electrified, entertaining atmosphere with a variety of specialty acts and events.

Visit Monster Jam on the web http://www.MonsterJam.com.
Like Monster Jam on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MonsterJam
Follow Monster Jam on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MonsterJam
Follow Monster Jam on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/monsterjamlive

Monster Jam


Monster Jam is coming to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on April 9! Get your tickets now and save with the special code below.

SAVE ON MONSTER JAM TICKETS

Save $5 on adult tickets with code MOM. Kids tickets are always 50% off (no qualifier needed) with Promo Code MOM. Savings valid on originally priced $40, $35, $30, and $20 seats. Savings not valid day of show. No double discounts. Purchase tickets at http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/229947/1542376?brand=monsterjam




Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Activator and will receive 4 tickets to this event.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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