Safe Movie Watching for YOU

Okay, so a little inside info into my husband's and my life.  We don't have cable.  Do you think we are crazy?  Well, we were paying like 80 dollars a month for cable and we are NEVER home to watch T.V. so we decided to do without it. Guess what...we haven't missed it.  We ramped up our internet (made it faster) and got netflix.  In stead of 80 dollars a month we now pay $7.99 for netflix account.  We can send one movie back and forth and have online streaming all we want.  We bought a Roku box that allows us to stream all those movies onto our TV.  What about current T.V. shows?  Well, I don't watch them that much but I can watch the ones that I want on my computer.  Most full episodes (like of Sing Off...my favortie show right now) are online.  What about OU football games?  I have watched every game on ESPN 360 (on the computer) or I went to a friends house and watched it with them. Anyway, I love Netflix but I started to get a little frustrated with it.  Here is why.  When you turn on the t.v. and then turn on the Roku box (maybe you do it through your Xbox or your blueray player, or apple t.v) you see all the movies that you have chosen to watch and then it shows you all the new movies.  Well some of the movies and the pictures that go with them are AWEFUL!  I am sad that they make movies like that, but the other night as I was scrolling across to watch Home Alone 2 (advent calender!) I saw some pretty "shady movies" that was not appropriate for anyone!  I thought to myself I don't want to see that.  I don't want Lee to see that and if I had kids I would not ever want them to see it.  Then I started thinking of all of you.  I know that some of you have netflix and these devices.  So what did I do?  I decided to call Netflix and tell them they needed more of a family friendly option.  What I didn't know is that you can block certain movies!  The people at Netflix were sooooo helpful!  Here is how you do it.

Go to your netflix account and log in.  When you get to your account it will look like this clcik on "YourAccount and Help" :

When you do that it will bring you here.  Scroll down to Preferences.  Click on the Change Parental Setting:

Before you get to this screen it will ask you to log in again.  Then it will show this.  Pick your rating and save.

Now, I picked PG13 and below because Lee and I love action movies like Bourne Identity and other figure it out movies.  So we chose PG-13 for a little action but not  violence BUT i realize that there are tons of PG-13 movies out there that can be "shady" and the netflix customer service guy said that there was one more thing I could do to make sure PG-13 was a movie that was appropriate.

Click on the Tab Movies You'll Love and then click on Taste Preferences

Here you can choose what movie not to suggest.  These wont be blocked (unless their rating is one that you blocked by the parental control)  but they just won't suggest them to you and you won't see them while you are scrolling to watch your Disney movie.  You can choose Never, Often, Sometimes.  You can see what I picked below.  I said never to "Steamy", "Raunchy", "Controversial" and much more....

It even goes as far to  ask you all types of questions about what type of movies you like to watch.  It takes about 8 hours for your device to get your updates.  I did this yesterday morning.  I got home last night (late because our advent calender was to babysit for a family) and turned on my Roku and it worked!  I tried to serach for an R rated movie and it would find it for me but it wouldn't let me play it.  None of them were on my suggestions and ALL of the movies I "preffered" were suggested for me.  No "shady" stuff that I shouldn't be watching.  (my rule about movies is...if a kamper comes over and turns on my device would I be okay with what she saw.)  Before I knew that I could set filters the answer was no.  Now that I know how to filter...YES!!!!  Have fun movie watching on your Christmas break.  Now you can do it safely!

This makes me smile

My dad was music teacher when I was younger.  This kiddo has all the personality of my dad.  I can imagine my dad doing this when he was younger. 

Blogs I Read

I know I have posted about this before but I wanted to share with you some of my favorite blogs that I read.  They are fun and sometimes where I get alot of my ideas for things.

The first blog shout out is the K-2 blog.  I check it everyday.  Its author is K-2 assistant director Ashley Robbins.  (she is my best friend)  Check it out at http://www.kanakukashley.com/

A fun blog for you to check ( I don't check this everday because I live it...I am on the "inside") Its called http://www.insidekanakuk.com/  The author is our director of marketing.  He tells all the new things about Kanakuk and what we are doing here!

I daily check dollar store crafts.  Why?  Because its cheap fun!  Get lots of ideas here:

http://www.dollarstorecrafts.com/

The Kanakuk Intern (her name is Lindsay Rother) is such a fun blogger.  She tells about whats its like to be an intern at Kanakuk.  She tells about her travels, and all sorts of stuff.  She is a great writer too!!  Her blog is called http://www.lettersforlindsay.wordpress.com/

Okay, I have to admit that Lee and I have fallen behind on our advent....way behind.

Here is what we have done:
Watch a Christmas Movie
Fire and Hotchocolate
Go to Silver Dollar City
Adopt a salvation army kid
Make cinnamon bagels (they were sooooo good)
Put money the Salvation Army Christmas bucket
Pray for friends
Make Christmas cookies.

Here is what we need to do:
Thrift Store Sweater - Take Pic ( WE WILL DO THIS ONE!!!)
Write our yearly Christmas letter (I will post about this soon)
Have an Ornament Makeing Contest
Drop a gift on someone's door step

Until Tommorrow!

Christmas Gifts you Can Make

If you are like me, you are trying to figure out what to get your family for Christmas.  I love to make things so I thought here is a few fun things to make your family members.

For your sister:   A Tye Died Shirt...with a twist....

For the Instructions on "How To"  Click Here.

For your Best Friend or Cousin: Velvet ribbon belt

 You can get ribbon and belt buckles really cheap at Hobby Lobby or Michaels.  You can super glue or hand stitch if you don't have a sewing machine (or you mom can help you)  For the instructions. click here


For your teacher: Monogrammed Hand Towels.

You can get some linen hand towels at Target or even Walmart.  Print a stencil off the computer and paint it with fabric paint.  For deatiled instructions, click here.

For your Dad: Monogramed Glass!
 Don't let the girliness scare you away.  What if you did this prject with his favorite sports team logo?!!!!  (For my dad it would be OU!) If your dad loves the lonhorns you could print him a longhorn logo. (hmm...maybe I should print one upside down on my dads!)

.I know this looks hard but you can buy cheap clear glasses at target.  (Look for the Re-Style glasses)  Buy etching cream at michaels or Hobby Lobby, and print out a stencil.  Then follow the instructions here!

For your Grandmom:  A Photo Embellished Bag

There are cute cotten/canvis bags at Target, walmart, TJMaxx ext.. There are also canvas bags at craft stores for cheal.   You could take a pic with your family and iron it on.  She will love to carry things while thinking of you AND maybe she will come visit more!  Click here for instructions.

For Your Mom:  Body Scrub

Your mom can feel like a day at the spa...created by you!  There are only 4 ingredients needed.  The only one I didn't know was "carrier oil"  Of course I googled it.  You can get it at bath stores or online at amazon.com.  I also don't think you have to use a plastic pipette.  You can just use a medicine dropper (the kind you put ear drops in.  Here are the instructions.

For your Brother:  Sports Collage



Get a picture frame and get some pics of his favorite sports teams, news paper articles ect...  Get some Modge Podge and make a collage.  Frame it in the frame.  You could even do HIS sports pictures.

Christmas Carols

I have been apart of so many Christmas Parties this week that I thought I would share a fun Christmas Game with you.  Its really challenging!  What is does is writes a Christmas Carol in a different way.  You have to figure out what the Christmas Carol really is.  Here is an example:

Oh Blessed Evening is "O Holy Night"

Here is a harder one: 

Christmas of the Initial, Ordinal, Arethimatical Value is "The First Noel"

Its really fun.  What we usually do is split up into two groups and have 5 minutes to try and figure them out together.  Then, you see what team got the most right.

If you want to download it click here

Advent Calendar Update: ( we have to play some catch up this weeked but I am excited!)  Here is a pic of 1/2 our caldendar.  The other one is on the other side.  I just used Christmas Magazine pictures and wrapping paper scraps to make envelopes.

• Day 5 - Make Cinamon Bagels.  ( We are doing this tonight!!!!)
• Day 6 - Drop gift on friend's door Step.  (we are going to drop some bagels we made on my friend Ashley's door step.  Shhhh...don't tell her)  Check out her blog here.
• Day 7 - Pray for family members - did that one!
• Day 8 - Drop Money in the Salvation Army bucket. - going to walmart tonight to get ingredients for Bagels.  Done tonight!
• Day 9 - Send Christmas Card to Someone Special - Doing this tomorrow!
• Day 10 - Make Candy Cane Cookies.  Might not do this one.  My husband and I have sworn off all sweets until Christmas (due to the sweets overdose we got this week at all our 6 Christmas parties we attended.
• Day 11 - (tommorrow)  Go to thrift store, buy a cheesy christmas sweater, and take pics in a photo booth.  Definitely doing this one!
• Day 12 -(Sunday) Watch a Christmas movie.  I am trying to find the Matchstick girl.  Its one with "Rudy" from the cosby show. It was one of my favorites as a kid.

Have a little Faith

Hey girls, sorry its been a few days. I have had a Christmas party every night this week and we have had a busy week here at Kanakuk. Lee and I are even behind in our Advent Calender. We are going to catch up this weekend. Well, my mom came to visit last weekend and she showed me this video. I couldn't believe my eyes! This is the only dog in the world that can walk on two feet. What determination that takes. The story is pretty remarkable.

Advent Day Catch Up

Well, On with my advent Calendar.  Last Friday Lee and I were supposed to Adopt a Salvation Army kiddo and buy them gifts for Christmas.  We didn't have time on Friday so we did it yesterday.  Lee and I picked two kids from the tree at walmart.

I picked Jalyn, a 7 year old girl who wanted a Furreal Pet.  So, she got a really fun hoodie that she could wear to school and a Furreal Pug Dog.  It was so cute I wanted to keep it.  She will have more fun with it than I and Piper would destroy it in about 20 minutes.

Lee picked Cameron a 3 year old boy who wanted Toy Story toys.  Can I tell you that they don't make much Toy Story stuff that is age appropriate for 3 year olds?  Anyway, after searching, Cameron will get a  sweat suit/athletic gear outfit and a big Buzz Light Year toy. 

I wish I could be a fly on the wall when they open it up!

Saturday the advent calendar told us to go around and look at lights.  That was fun!

Yesterday the advent calendar told us to make Cinamon Bagels.  We have to do that later on this week because we didn't have time.  Don't worry, I will post about that.  I will not be making them.  My husband is the one who makes bagels.

Today:  I am excited about today.  We are going to anonymously drop a Christmas gift on a friends door step,  We have not figured out which friend and we have not picked a gift.  I will probably make the gift (which I will post about tommorrow!) One thing for sure is that we have to be stealth and I have to pick someone who will not read this blog. Hmmmmm.....I will get back to you tommorrow on that one!

Advent Day #3 - Adopt a Kid

Last night our trip to Silver Dollar City was magical.  It really is one of the best Holiday Experiences out there.  There are millions of lights everywhere.  There is a tree that does a fabulous light show and tons of holiday fun.  Here are the pictures from last night.

Here is one of Lee and I at the entrance

Here is one of me and my mom

Here are some pics of the lights

By the way, tonight we are buying a gift for an angel tree kid.  We will do more this weekend!  I will post on Monday.

Advent Calendar Day #2 - Silver Dollar City

Okay Day #2 of Lee and Is Advent Calendar Adventure is SILVER DOLLAR CITY!  We are going tonight!  Thanks to the Awesome Kanakuk Employee discount Lee and I get in for 10 dollars!  A great reason to invite me anytime you want to go to Silver Dollar City!  I will post pics tommorrow.

On another note, my favorite thing to do is create an Elf Yourself!  They make me laugh every year.  Here is one of my family wishing you a Merry Christmas. (For those of you who don't know, the guy is my husband Lee and the dog is my dog piper!)  I did a few for you:

Here is 1920's style

Here is Disco Style

Here is Hip Hop Style

HAve a great day!

Advent Calendar - Day 1

Here we go on my advent Calendar.  I forgot to take pictures of it this morning but I will and post it tommorrow.  The first Christmas activity will be to build a fire and drink hot chocolate.  I know the first one is kind of tame but My mom is coming to spend a few days with us so I figured that would be something that she will enjoy.  Here is my recipe for warm drinks:

Peppermint Hotchocolate:
1 packet of Hot Chocolate
Peppermint creamer (for coffee)
Stir it with a candy cane
whip cream if you are feeling sassy


Apple Cider Tea
1 Packet Apple Cider
1 Packet Earl Gray Tea


Reno's Peppermint Mocha (better than starbucks)
Pur a cup of coffee ( i like hazlenut flavor)
Put about 3 Tablespoons of hot chocolate
Put in a little peppermint creamer
One sweetner packet or sugar
Stir with a candy cane
Whip cream if you are feeling sassy.

If you are wondering what I am doing tonight...I am sitting by a fire drinking some hot chocolate.