As we use . . . Jotform

I started using Jotform because it solved a problem I had: I needed a form that would count down places in a class as people signed up for it. Basically, I needed something that would only let a certain number of people purchase a particular ticket. 

I was a little nervous about switching over to Jotform because there was a bit more of a learning curve in using it, but the result was fantastic! Several people who used the form commented that it was well put together and so easy to use. 

Things I wish I knew before using Jotform:

1. One of my favorite parts of Jotform is that it exports to a spreadsheet so you can easily see the answers you've recieved.

2. Jotform did not like the original e-mail address I signed up with. It wouldn't let me collaborate; it wouldn't let me reset my password. Luckily this was an easy fix, I just signed up with a different e-mail and it worked great!

3. Jotform feels way more professional than the service I was using before, which is nice for the people signing up. Like I said, I got lots of compliments!

4. Jotform doesn't give you a free unlimited number of submissions on your forms. But don't worry! There are several things you can do to raise your submission limit, including paying for a subscription and inviting others to join, etc.

Just go to Jotform.com and sign up for a basic free account to check it out. If you need a higher submission limit or to get some more bells and whistles, check out the upgrade tab.

Overall, I ama very happy with my experience and will continue to use Jotform.

How to Throw a History Fair

I was in charge of the history fair this last year, which led me to ask . . . how in the world do you throw a history fair?  I found lots of resources on how to throw a science fair, but information on the history counterpart was sorely lacking.

Here is how I threw a history fair:

1. Pick a theme

You could skip this part, but I looooooove themed parties. They help focus your decorations, displays, any food you might have, etc.  I chose "Through the time machine." Other ideas I had for themes were: "If I lived in . . .", "How my ancestors lived," and "Events that changed the world."

2. Pick what you want the attendees/students to do

I decided to have the students that wanted to participate take turns getting up in front of everyone and give a 2 minute presentation on something they chose to study in history. I encouraged each of them to do something hands on and present it. We had students dress up as famous people from history, bring an old family recipe and a story to go along with it, reenact an event, give a book report, or show an art project.

We almost set up tables so that students could just make a poster and leave their projects for all to view. That would be another good option. Where you are holding your fair will make a big difference. For example, live presentations outside are not so easy.

3. Get the word out!

We sent out fliers, told the students and parents way ahead of time, and dropped not-so-subtle reminders about the upcoming event. We also took this opportunity to ask people to participate in our potluck lunch.

My main advice is to keep it simple. I invited people to bring whatever they wanted to, and to dress up even if they didn't want to present. Or, honestly, to just come. You don't have to present to be a good listener.

4. Make the decorations

I love painting for decorations! I had some owls left over from our Harry Potter Party, so I placed those around the room and paired them with history questions. Such as: "WHOOOOOOO was our first president."

I also made a time machine, the simplest instructions ever can be found here: LINK.

We hung a map, a dinosaur, and then had signs to show people which door to enter through.

5. Set Up/Clean Up

Plan more time than you need to set up and clean up. Remember that you need chairs for attendees, a table for presenters, a table for the food, decorations hung, etc.

Also, prepare a timer for keeping your group on schedule. We had enough kids, that we only gave each of them two minutes. Then I got to be the bad guy by trying to nicely say, "You've done such a good job, but your time is over. You need to wrap it up."

Have a plan for what to do if a student doesn't wrap it up. Are you going to crack down on the time? Are you going to be a softie and not get after them? 'Cause that's what I did.

Do you have any ideas for how to throw a history fair?

DIY Time Machine Idea

I was in charge of a history fair this last year, another post coming on that soon, and I decided to make the theme be "Through the Time Machine."


So, of course I needed to make a time machine. Preferably one that everyone could walk through.

True to form, I went the easy route. I simply made a tall frame from pvc pipe pieces and then covered it with a tarp. Throw in a couple of simply painted signs (you have to have a flux capacitor), and a Time Machine sign, and there you go. I really do love paint. There isn't much you can't do with paint.

Do you have any simple, DIY time machine ideas?

How to throw a Princess Birthday Party

If your daughter is hoping for a princess party this year, do not fret! Princess party themes are some of the easiest themes to throw together, even if you have very little time and a tight budget. If you have money to splurge a little, balloons like the ones above can be purchased and are a good start. 

When in doubt, balloons are the ultimate decoration and party favor. A bunch of balloons can be tied together, tied to individual chairs, tied along bannisters, or even just spread throughout the room. And kids love going home with a balloon. Plus, when the kids take the balloons away, it cleans up the party, too.

With a sharpie and a little artistic hope, you can create princess cups from plain (and inexpensive) white cups. Another option is to write "Princess Sally," or whatever the child's name is on the cup. Kids can also decorate the outside of their cups with Sharpies for a quick craft.

These princess napkins and plates were purchased from a party supply store. We then had homemade lunchables and some fruit and veggies. Easy peasy, and healthier than pizza. Which is also totally acceptable party food.

Music can really tie a party together. For the DIY, compile a mix. For the person who is looking for quick and simple, Disney has many CD's available. 

This quick craft is an easy way to keep the kids entertained and also give them a good thing to take home. Just buy headbands (you could also do crowns or hats) and then get things such as feathers or fake gems and glue to attach them (you can put some glue in little plastic cups and give everyone a toothpick). Give each kid their own plate for quick and easy cleanup. Just don't forget to write their names on the plates.

Princess games are really easy to come up with. You can either buy pre-made games or make some of your own. Check here for DIY princess games. (Link coming soon)

How to make soap last longer

This is a simple trick to make your soap last longer. 

Step number one: Open up the box of soap

Step number 2: Put the box into storage and let it dry

That's it! All you have to do is let the soap be drying out while it is waiting to be used. I like to have a full Costco sized package of soap drying while I am using up the last one.

How easy is that! Help your soap not wash away so fast and save money while you are at it.

Review of Mollie and Ollie in Salt Lake City, UT

This review is for the Mollie and Ollie in Salt Lake City, UT.

The wall next to me at the restaurant says, "Romaine calm." Which pretty much sums up the vibe when you walk into a Mollie and Ollie. It's a health-centered restaurant, and I personally came to try the stir fry.

The atmosphere was clean and fresh, and the location was awesome. Main Street is pretty snazzy, especially so close to the Gallivan Center. I'd say this is a good place for a lunch with friends or a moment of calm. Bring your book or laptop kind of place.

The service was mixed. I feel I had to get their attention, not knowing where or how to order. The gentleman who came in after me had a similar experience. Once we had help, they were great and very helpful.

...Except that they also gave me the wrong noodles and the online interface wouldn't work for ordering.

But! The food was delicious! I tried their Thai curry sauce and noodles in a make your own meal.

You pick your base, like noodles or quinoa, then your protein, and veggies and sauce and topping. You can also skip any step.

My only though was that I personally didn't like the texture of the dried coconut on top. But, others in our group loved it!

Have you tried Mollie and Ollie?

DIY Wands

These DIY wands are so easy to make. All you need is:

-Chopsticks

-Glue guns

-Glue for your glue guns

We also had foam blocks to be able to stick the chopsticks in while cooling off.

All you have to do is draw a cool design on the big end of the chopstick with a glue gun to form the wand's handle. Then, after the wand dries, you can either paint or color the wands. We used crayons when coloring because it wasn't as messy as paint or markers.

However, the first time we saw this done was at an event where they let the kids paint their wands and that was fun, too. Paint definitely covers the wand better, but having that kind of mess is not always doable.

Our favorite designs were small dots, spirals, tear-drop shapes, etc.

This is great for a fairy party, Harry Potter party, magic party, etc.

Guide to visiting Cripple Creek, Colorado

This post is part of our Pikes Peak/Colorado Springs area guide. If you haven't read the other posts in our guide, start at this post. Or visit http://asweuseit.blogspot.com/2018/07/guide-to-visiting-pikes-peak-and.html 

Cripple Creek, Colorado was a great addition to our trip. It's a small, old mining town. Honestly, I loved how much history was just seeping out of every corner of this place. Small, abandoned (meaning: do not go explore!) houses from a long-gone era dotted the landscape, and many old buildings have been kept up to house current businesses.

Cripple Creek is still greatly a gambling town. However, if gambling isn't your thing, there are plenty of family things to do as well. Including a cute little candy shop with the yummiest pumpkin turtles and another shop with super tall ice cream cones. There are a couple of museums and a chance to mine (but we only got to visit one museum, and that is the one I will share with you today).

The Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum was very interesting. However, it was hard to find. We kept asking people and no one knew where to find it. To our chagrin, it is way up the hill from the main casinos/train area. And, to our greater chagrin, we found out after we walked all the way up the hill that the bus goes right past there. Oh well, now you know at least.

We got to see the men's cells downstairs and then the women and children's area upstairs. There are pictures and stories of past inmates all over that we loved to read as well, and we took our mug shots. They had a little shop downstairs (where we found a better deal on a stuffed donkey than we had found at the train shop). If visitors wanted, they could dress up in prisoner garb to take awesome pictures.

By the way, this town is known apparently for their roaming donkeys. Unfortunately, we missed them and so we can't comment on that. However, there were places to buy food for them, and we still took home a cute, stuffed donkey.

My favorite part of Cripple Creek was the rail road. I'll warn you, its pricy. We did find a coupon on their website, but it was still so worth it. However, we are a family that loves history and looking at old buildings and claims and rocks. I think this ride will be something that I remember when I look back on this years from now. However, if cool train rides and history isn't your thing, then don't. For us, it was very worth it.

Tip: Take a grocery bag with you on this train ride. Because someone gave us a hint that if you asked nicely the conductor would let you pull the whistle and choose a piece of coal. Thus the grocery bag for the piece of coal. Also bring wipes for the little ones to wipe their hands on, because coal is dirty.

Ralf's Break Room, where we ate lunch, was so yummy! I wasn't sure when we first walked in, because the table was sticky and it was obviously an older, bar-type establishment. However, the area in the front was more of a family area and the food was so good! Our group ordered hamburgers and pizza, and both were extremely good. However, the hamburgers were unspeakingly yummy. As soon as I picked up the burger and all of the drippings started pooling on my plate/basket, I knew I was in for a treat. The pizza was yummy too, and the waitress said that they make their own dough.

 

I would suggest going through the visitor's center that you'll reach before driving down into Cripple Creek. You can learn about the history of the mining area (which is still being mined, by the way), see some art and taxidermy, etc. 

Lots of things close early around here, so after we were done we ended up just driving around the city to see the old buildings and houses. Which was nice because we could be in our air conditioned car for that point. 

Have you been to Cripple Creek? What is your favorite part?

Guide to visiting Pikes Peak and Colorado Springs

Interested in visiting the Pikes Peak and Colorado Springs area? Our family took a vacation there recently, and absolutely loved it. We decided that we would definitely be interested in going back some day. Along the trip we learned some things that we thought we'd share with you to make your trip easier.

I'll go in to more detail in other posts about the following places, so this blog post is just a general overview of what we found in the area.

To start, visit an awesome website: https://www.pikes-peak.com/   This website has some great suggestions, sample itineraries that were very helpful, coupons, and an offer to join the 14K club for more savings (but compare this club to the other coupons to see if there is anything different you would also want. The coupons they have available have changed in the last couple of weeks, so we didn't just have those available to us when we went.

We ended up joining the 14K club, and it was worth it for us because of the discounts we got from being members. However, join at your own risk. We had multiple places that either wouldn't give the discount it said they were supposed to or did it grudgingly. And almost 100% of the places we tried to use the membership at had to call a manager to know what the membership was and be able to use it. A lot of just normal employees had no idea. For example, we got the discount for the Cripple Creek train, but the gal there refused to give us the merchandise discount. Which was lame.

Still, it ended up being worth it in the end as here and there we got little discounts on things like entrance fees and meals. BUT, make sure you have access to the app and to the website, and also possibly printed off, so that you can show the coupon to the different attractions.

Here is a list of the different attractions we went to in the Pikes Peak/ Colorado Springs area. Check back throughout the next couple of weeks as I add individual posts for each attraction. Note: There are a lot more things to do in this area, but this is a list of what we were able to go see.

1. Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek is a fun, old mining town. Ride the train, visit old buildings, and learn a bit about the area's mining past. Click here to learn more: http://asweuseit.blogspot.com/2018/07/guide-to-visiting-cripple-creek-colorado.html.

2. Santa's North Pole Workshop

A Christmas themed amusement park, this is like nothing you have ever experienced. Click here to see our experience: LINK COMING SOON

3. Garden of the Gods

Beautiful scenery, and a photographer's dream. Click here for our recommendations: LINK COMING SOON

4. Pikes Peak

They say on a clear day you can see multiple states from here. To read about our tips, click on this link: LINK COMING SOON

5. Manitou Cliff Dwellings

For a chance to step in to the past and literally get your hands on a cliff dwelling, this is the place to go. For our review, click here: LINK COMING SOON

6. Cave of the Winds

The Cave of the Winds, in addition to a beautiful view, offers activities like cave exploration, gem mining, and the chance to soar like a bat. For our findings, click here: LINK COMING SOON.

7. Florrisant Fossil Bed National Park

From fossils to petrified red wood trees (you read that right), Florrisant shows them all. To read our account, click here: LINK COMING SOON

8. Florrisant Fossil Quarry

This was a fun place where you can hunt for your own fossils to take home. For our experience, click here: LINK COMING SOON

9. Broadmoor Seven Falls

One of our favorite water fall experiences ever. For more information, click here: LINK COMING SOON.

10. Downtown Manitou Springs

A taste-testing experience you aren't likely to forget. For more info, click here: LINK COMING SOON.

11. Old Ghost Town Museum

Take a walk through an old west town at the museum and search for real gold. Click here to read our experience: LINK COMING SOON.

Of course there are multiple hotels to stay in, but we stayed in the brand new Best Western Plus Executive Residency Fillmore Inn. Too read our review, click here: LINK COMING SOON.

Have you gone to Pikes Peak or Colorado Springs? Comment below with your favorite part of the experience.

Unique Tree Toppers

The other day we went to the Festival of Trees. It's an amazing festival of, well, trees. Christmas trees, that is. Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces, pop-up boutiques where you can buy the cutest gifts and treats, and of course an opportunity to visit Santa! Everything is for charity, too. Which is amazing.

We love it.

As we were walking around, I noticed how many unique ideas people came up with for tree toppers. It was hard to get a good picture with the angle and lights and the fact that I am not a photographer. However, the following toppers are worth sharing. Even if the picture I took was sub-par :) Hopefully the following will help you find the perfect unique tree topper!



The Glove Topper:

There were a few trees with gloves on them. Mainly sports gloves like this #1 glove. But I was thinking you could also use an oven mitt for a cooking theme.

The Pinata Topper:

As far as I could tell, this topper was made from a piñata. How clever is that?! This "Boom" piñata was used for a superhero tree, but you could find whatever kind of piñata you want to fit whatever kind of theme you want.

The hat topper:

The above tree toppers are some of the examples I found of using hats to top the tree. What a great, easy to find idea! If there is a hat to match your interests, use it to top your tree!

The pool noodle topper:

This cut up and twisted pool noodle was one of the most creative and whimsical toppers I saw that night!

The Bird Topper:

I couldn't believe how many trees had birds on the top!

The Doll Topper:

This tree was covered with dolls, so of course there had to be a doll on the top!

The Letter Topper:

This Letter topper was very classy. Simple, yet perfect. Whatever letter your last name starts with, put it up on your tree!

Do you have another unique tree topper idea? Share it in the comments!