This week I did something I haven’t done in a long time – I made sleep a priority.  And you know what?  I feel better! So this week is dedicated to my mom friends with ideas for Rest and Refreshment for Moms.  My round up this week includes fabulous ideas for relaxation and encouragement. We also have all the awesome things you’ve come to expect at Family Fun Friday including chicken and raspberry recipes, great books for reading with children, and loads of tips for spring cleaning. If you are looking for the best tips, links, resources, freebies and more – you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to the Family Fun Friday community.

Family Fun Friday is all about connecting as a family. We feature great ideas for family fun, and things to help moms get things done so they have more time to spend doing what they love to do – be with family! If you like Family Fun Friday, help this blog party grow by giving it a +1 on Google+.  Thanks so much!

Family Fun Friday

I love my co-hosts Stephanie, Carly and Danita!  Your links get four times the exposure as they will show up on four blogs at the same time. Woo-Hoo!  Each co-host is featuring her top picks from the party so you get an increased chance in being featured as well. Each featured post will be pinned by the hostesses so be sure to link up your best!

Meet our Family Fun Friday hostesses:

Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog /  Facebook /  Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’.  Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.
Stephanie Kay is a busy homeschooling mom of 5. She blogs at Everyday Family Living where she shares practical ideas for home organization, family activities, books and education, and health & fitness. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Stephanie will feature Money Saving and Organizing Tips.
Carly is an adoptive mama and piano teacher who blogs at Africa to America. She writes about globalism, compassion and motherhood. Follow: Facebook  /  Pinterest / Twitter.  Carly will be featuring posts on kid learning and crafting.
Danita enjoys blogging about cooking and shares yummy recipes on her blog OTasteandSee. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Danita will feature Delicious Recipes.

If you enjoy the features on Family Fun Friday please leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you! If you see things that you like here – please PIN them on Pinterest! If you PIN these lists it will help this blogging party grow. To PIN a specific blogger’s post please click through and pin directly from their site.   If you’re a mom keep reading because we have some wonderful fun ideas to inspire you with your little ones and family.  My blogging friends are linking up craft ideas, fun in the kitchen, preschool & homeschool ideas, and ways to spend time as a family. My blog is growing but I need your help, please like my facebook page or PIN a button and help spread the word about HappyandBlessedHome.com. Thanks so much. 

FREE Mother’s Day Book & More:

If you haven’t picked it up yet, make sure to pick up your FREE Gift for Moms in celebration of Mother’s Day. It’s a set of 50 prayer cards based upon Psalms 1-20.  There is something about praying for loved ones that soothes a mama’s soul.

I’ve also published a FREE Mother’s Day Book for Kids. With warm and friendly graphics and fun-loving rhymes, this book celebrates Mother’s Day by highlighting all the wonderful things about mothers. If you liked My FREE Easter Book, you’ll love this FREE Mother’s Day Book. This Mother’s Day Book is FREE for Subscribers to HappyandBlessedHome.com.

To go along with the Mother’s Day Book, I created a Mother’s Day printable pack that includes printables to DIY your own Mother’s Day keepsakes, and the pack includes a version of the Mother’s Day Book for Grandmothers. It’s on sale for only $3.00 and it makes the perfect gift for moms and grandmothers alike!

And this week I published my Letter U Printables for Learning to Read Preschool Alphabet Letter Series.  You can read more here, Letter U Printables.

If you’d like the FREE Mother’s Day Book, sign up to become a subscriber and get a free copy of the book for your family.

Special Thanks

Thanks to all my blogging friends for linking up last week at Family Fun Friday.  I have a special YouTube Video for you at Thank You All My Blogging Friends!  So many great ideas, crafts and things to do!  If you link up, you permit me to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media. Now on to some fabulous posts for moms.

Featured Bloggers:

Family Fun

My Mother’s Day wish for my blogging friends is that each of you find rest and refreshment this week.  I pray the ideas from these bloggers encourage you, and help you find even just a few moments of peace, joy, and refreshment this week!

1. Suzette at The Joy of Homemaking has some encouraging words for moms in her post Don’t Give up Mom.  She writes, “Because when you least expect it, when you are in the middle of something completely unrelated to the lesson you have been trying to teach, when you are in a place where cannot even fully appreciate the moment…..it will happen.”

2. Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I love this list of 16 Unique DIY Gifts for Mother’s Day by Dana at This Silly Girl’s Life. Just some really cute, totally doable ideas – Thanks Dana!

3. Grandmother’s are important too which is why I just had to include this list of DIY Mother’s Day Gifts for Grandma by Noreen over at Crafty Journal. Noreen always has wonderful and creative craft ideas – I think you’ll love her post.

4. My hope with this round-up is that moms can find rest and refreshment in motherhood and I felt this post on 30 Relaxation Ideas for Busy Parents was perfect. Jennifer at Deliberate Mom shared this post and she writes, “I encourage you to take a moment and give yourself a break.” Amen Jennifer!

5. Jessica at Fantabulosity shared 15 Things She’s Learned as a Mom. My personal favorite, “I may only be 5’4, and {insert weight here}, but you touch or hurt one of my children… I will come at you like a spider monkey and make you wish you never even woke up that morning.” Jessica – I’m 4’ 11” and I’m right with ya – I’m the same way!

6. Tehila at Women Abiding shared 15 Encouraging Verses for Moms. It comes with a free printable and great ideas for using the verses to be encouraged and encourage others. Thanks Tehila!

Delicious Recipes

This week Danita’s highlighted Chicken and Raspberry Recipes….not chicken and raspberries in the same recipe, but some awesome yummmy eats just the same! Danita blogs at O Taste and See.  You can find Danita also on Facebook at O Taste and See Blog on Facebook. Stop by and say Hello when you can.

Kid Learning and Crafts

Carly from Africa to America is highlighting Reading and Books for Kids this week. Jazz, poetry, books about moms – what great reading lists.  Thanks for rounding these up Carly!  If ya’ll have a minute stop by Carly’s Facebook Page and show her a little bloggy love.

Money Saving Tips and Organizing

Stephanie Kay is a busy homeschooling mom of 5. She blogs at Everyday Family Living where she shares practical ideas for home organization, family activities, books and education, and health & fitness.  Stephanie is highlighting some great tips for Spring Cleaning this week! When you have a minute, stop by Everyday Family Living on Facebook and give her FB love!

Thanks again for all your wonderful ideas! I hope these Family Friendly and Fun ideas inspire you.

The Facebook party link-up has been moved to another page, located at: Like Me on Facebook Link-Up Here.  It’s a great way to meet other bloggers, network and help each other grow your Facebook Page’s likes.  For Family Fun Friday we’re going to start networking using Google+ – we hope you will join us! Button Code:

I pray you are blessed by this effort to share ideas on having Family Fun.

In His Grip,

Blog /  Facebook /  Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’

If you like my blog please like my Facebook page at: HappyAndBlessedHome – thanks so much!

I link up to a bunch of parties every week. Click on Link Parties and you can add your party or find one to visit every day of the week. P.S. Bloggers – If you’ve been featured and would like to add a button to show off how awesome you are, just grab the code in the text box below.  You’ll want to retype the quotes too if you’re having trouble getting it to show on your page.

LINK your Family Friendly & Fun Ideas:

RSS Subscribers click this link to get to my blog so you can see all the great ideas.   Here is the link list, please add yours below. Thanks for linking up!  If you would like to subscribe to the e-mail reminder I send for this party please send me a note on my “Contact Me” page.  Thank you.

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Love me on Google+ Page LINK PARTY starts here (rolling list – you do not need to add to it every week):

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