App-y Friday: 8 Back to School Apps

It has been a while since I have shared with you all some of my favorite must have apps and since I figured this IS the beginning of the new  school year here it is only natural to share with you guys the 8 must have apps that I have right now that help me as a working mom with three girls in three different schools! 

These are the ones we use on a regular basis and they help me keep up with everything that is going on through out the school year, communicate with the teachers on a regular basis and keeps this mamma sane! 

1: Benton School District 

 Available On:

Android and Apple  

Cost:

Free 

Features: 

 The official Benton Public School District app gives you a personalized window into what is happening at the district and schools. Get the news and information that you care about and get involved.

Anyone can: 
-View district and school news 
-Use the district tip line 
-Receive notifications from the district and schools 
-Access the district directory 
-Display information personalized to your interests

Parents and students can: 
-View and add contact information

What I Love:

This app is SO handy for our school district! With the three girls all on different campuses it is easy for me to not only keep up with whats happening with them but what is happening district wide! If you are in our district I HIGHLY recommend this. If you are not I highly suggest that you see if your district offers something like this. There are so many resourceful links within the app!   

What I Don't Love:  

I have not really had a huge issue with the app personally so I have nothing bad to say about it :) 

2: EZ School Pay 

 Available On:

Android and Apple  

Cost:

NOTTA!  

Features: 

 EZSchoolPay is an online service that allows you the convenience to purchase items from your school store, monitor your child’s meal account balance and pay school fees and fines. EZSchoolPay will send automatic notifications when an account balance falls below a certain threshold or when new fees are added for your child.

What I Love:

This is such a simple way to make sure your lunch money goes where it is needed! 

This also prevents from cash being stolen, lost, added to the wrong accounts and more! Simply link your debit card or credit card for fast reloading to the account and bypass all those pesky "add money" slips from the lunch ladies :)  

What I Don't Love:

Unfortunately like most convinces these days there is a fee to add money to the accounts when using a card. :/ 

3: Facebook:

 Available On:

Android and Apple  

Cost:

FREE 

Features: 

Keeping up with friends is faster than ever.

• See what friends are up to
• Share updates, photos and videos
• Get notified when friends like and comment on your posts
• Play games and use your favorite apps

What I Love:

I may be a tad bit of a Facebook junkie and read it almost daily like a morning newspaper so this is DEFIANTLY a way I keep up with whats happening. There are so many teachers, school groups, clubs etc with Facebook pages now days that it is almost more impossible to NOT find the group you are looking for. This of course lets me stay up to date with whats happening, whats coming up and memories later to share.

 

What I Don't Love: 

Though they have the pages they don't update on a regular basis nor do they really tell you about them. You kind of have to search and plunder to see if your group has one so if this is something you would find helpful happy searching! 

4: Instagram:

 Available On:

Android and Apple  

Cost:

Zilch

 

Features: 

 Instagram is a simple way to capture and share the world’s moments. Follow your friends and family to see what they’re up to, and discover accounts from all over the world that are sharing things you love. Join the community of over 500 million people and express yourself by sharing all the moments of your day––the highlights and everything in between, too.

Use Instagram to:
• Post photos and videos you want to keep on your profile grid. Edit them with filters and creative tools, and combine multiple clips into one video.
• Share multiple photos and videos (as many as you want!) to your story. Bring them to life with text and drawing tools. They disappear after 24 hours and won't appear on your profile grid or in feed. 
• Watch stories from the people you follow in a bar at the top of your feed. View them at your own pace.
• Discover photos and videos you might like and follow new accounts in the Explore tab.
• Send private messages, photos, videos and posts from your feed directly to friends with Instagram Direct.
• Instantly share your posts to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social networks.

What I Love:

As a Photog I LOVE pictures! Since Instagram is a HUGE deal for photogs of all ages I was happy to see some of the teachers have opened private accounts to help share the daily experiences the kids have in school. Though there is not a HUGE list this year I see the list growing soon enough and I am ALL for it! 

What I Don't Love: 

Again this is not something that is HUGE right now and if some teachers have accounts for classes they are not making it known publicly. 

5: Pinterest:

 Available On:

Android and Apple 

Cost:

$0.00

Features: 

Pinterest is the world’s catalog of ideas. Find and save recipes, parenting hacks, style inspiration and other ideas to try!

Just some of the things you can do with Pinterest:

• Find everyday ideas you love—what to make for dinner, what to put on your walls, what to wear and more ideas for every part of your life.

• Save ideas for later—organize ideas you save by topic, so they’re always easy to find.

• Collaborate with friends—save ideas together for your next group trip, party or project.

• Search for an idea even if you don’t know what it’s called—built-in search guides help point your search in the right direction.

• Save ideas you find around the web—just use the Pinterest’s Save button on your mobile browser.

What I Love:

 I LOVE Pinterest I know you have got to be thinking what in the HELL does THIS app have to do with school?! 

Well let me tell you! 

This app has bailed me out on SEVERAL occasions... for instance, themed school dances, cute original cheap holiday themed gifts for Christmas and valentines day,  AND SO MUCH MORE!

What I Don't Love: 

I LOVE this app nothing bad with come out of my mouth for this bad boy! 

6: Remind:

 Available On:

Android and Apple

Cost:

Features: 

Remind, formerly Remind101, is a free text messaging app that helps teachers, students, and parents communicate quickly and efficiently. By connecting school communities, Remind makes it easy for everyone to succeed together. Remind is based in San Francisco, CA and is used by more than 35 million people in 3 out of 4 U.S. school districts.

* Real-time messaging for your school, group, or just a single person.
* Schedule reminders ahead of time.
* Send text messages straight to any phone.
* Translate messages into more than 70 languages.
* See who's read your messages and who's missing out.
* Plan important activities and collect funds—on time.

Remind website: https://www.remind.com/

What I Love:
 I think that this is one of the best apps the schools and teachers utilize for parents and teachers! This is a simple app, text and email notification system that reminds you of what is going on either events, homework, test etc. Also you can reply to the teacher right there!

What I Don't Love: 
 This is a optional program for the teachers so not all of them use it and the ones that do are either remind happy and you receive a million with in the week or you don't ever hear from them. This is also another one of those genius things that a lot of the teachers are already shying away from with the swap to all tech in classrooms which means a lot of them are using google class room to communicate instead...

7: Weather Channel

 Available On:
Android and Apple 

Cost:
FREE! 

Features: 

 Make confident decisions based on the world’s most downloaded weather app.

KNOW THE WEATHER ANYWHERE, RIGHT NOW
• Dynamic Home Screen: Changes based on your current location, weather, and time of day, so you get your current conditions plus the weather info you need most.
• Forecasts: Hourly, 15-day and weekend forecasts in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
• Current Weather Conditions: More than temperatures, get “feels like” weather, humidity, dew point, sunrise, sunset, wind speed, UV index, visibility and barometric pressure.
• Weather Maps: Fast-loading radar maps show past and future radar. Map layers show road or satellite views, water temperature, wind speeds, snow cover, and more.

PERSONALIZED REAL-TIME WEATHER ALERTS
• Severe Weather Alerts: Stay safe with National Weather Service notifications of severe weather, and know the moment tornado or severe storm watches and warnings are issued.
• Breaking News Alerts: Keep informed with national weather news updates.
• Lightning Alerts: Get real-time alerts for your GPS location, and know where lightning strikes near you.
• Rain and Snow Alerts: Never get caught in the rain again with real-time alerts for your GPS location and morning rain reports for your favorite locations.
• Pollen Alerts: Know the pollen counts near you.

It’s easy and free! Activate these alerts by going to your in-app settings.

DIVE DEEP INTO YOUR WEATHER
• NEW! GoRun Forecast: Like to run? Now you can create a personalized GoRun Forecast to help you answer questions like “When should I run?” “What should I wear?” “How far should I go?” Scroll to the Outdoors module in our app to try it out, and let us know what you think at feedback.weather.com. 
• Morning Show: Watch “The Lift,” a 6-minute show that’s exclusive to your app. Available on your home screen weekdays from 6-11 a.m. 
• Social Weather: Take pictures and share the amazing weather you experience, plus report it directly to us. Your reports help others track approaching weather.
• 24/7 Remote Temps: Populate your notification bar with the current temperatures of your favorite locations worldwide.
• Weather Widgets: We have widgets available in 1x1, 2x2, 1x4 and 4x4. You’re welcome.
• Seasonal Tools: Use our pollen counts and ski data to help plan your outdoor activities. (SMARTPHONES ONLY)
• Weather News: From severe storms and tornadoes to straight-up bizarre weather occurrences, we’ll keep you up to date.
• Weather Videos: Local forecasts, climate change news, and everything in between, all streamed in HD. 
• Sleek Interface: Easy to use and beautiful in its simplicity.
• Stunning Imagery: Amazing background photos match your current weather conditions.
• Love For Android Tablets: The best weather app and widgets are optimized for Android Tablets.

THE WEATHER CHANNEL ON THE WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA:
Find us at weather.com, like us on facebook.com/theweatherchannel, and follow us on Twitter @weatherchannel.

What I Love:
 When getting my three girls ready fro school they re always asking about the weather. Here in Central Arkansas you never know what is going to happen and this app gives us at least a clue on what kind of weather they are calling for, even though we all know that it still maybe WRONG! After all we do live in Arkansas and the weather is bipolar more than most :)

What I Don't Love:

I really have NO HATE for this app! 

I have always loved this weather app more than others and with all the updates over the years I am able to also keep up with flu and cold counts, allergies etc on it and with kids and a hubby who works outdoors this is a must for my home :) 

8: Yahoo Mail

 Available On:
Android and Apple 

Cost:
 Notta!

Features: 

With its beautiful design, easy-to-use interface, and lightning fast speed, the Yahoo Mail app makes reading, organizing, and sending emails across your inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, AOL and more) easier than ever. Yahoo Mail offers 1000GB of free cloud storage, so you never have to delete a message again.

With the Yahoo Mail app you can:

- SEND MULTIPLE ATTACHMENTS - Easily add photos, videos, and documents to an email, all at once.

- QUICKLY SEARCH - Search across all of your messages, contacts, files and photos, faster than ever.

- SWITCH BETWEEN ACCOUNTS - Add your Gmail, Outlook, or second Yahoo account right in the app.

- NEVER LOSE AN EMAIL - Keep all of your emails with 1000GB of free cloud space.

- CHOOSE A THEME - Select different backgrounds and text colors for your Yahoo inbox.

- QUICKLY DELETE MULTIPLE EMAILS - Press and hold an email to select and delete multiple messages.

- DITCH PASSWORDS - Enable Account Key for secure password-free sign in.

- SAY IT WITH A GIF - Can’t find the right words? Send an animated GIF.

- SEND STATIONERY - Send emails with artist-designed stationery from Paperless Post.

- CONNECT GOOGLE DRIVE AND DROPBOX - Easily access and send photos and documents you’ve stored in the cloud.

- BE IN THE KNOW - Get news from Yahoo and the Yahoo Magazines right in the app.

Tell us what you think! 
We’re committed to creating the best mobile mail experience possible and would love your feedback: https://yahoo.uservoice.com/forums/251116-yahoo-mail.

Notes: 
- Optimized for use with TalkBack. 
- Yahoo does not provide a local Swiss email service.

What I Love:
 This app goes hand in hand with the remind since you can receive email updates just as well as the text and or remind updates. In general I have all three sent to my phone so there is little to no chance that I will miss one! Not to mention a TON of teachers now email parents instead of calling them due to our fast paced nature live styles and our tech dependencies that we have developed.

What I Don't Love:

Though I love having the convenience I HATE i get hit with junk mail ALL the time and I have to filter it all out! I wish that there was a setting on your app to send through only certain emails to your phone versus ALL of them! 

Are there any apps that you love that helps you get through the school year with your kids? Tell Us! 

Have an App-y Friday!

The 2016-2017 School Year BEGINS!

It seems so funny to me that the older that you get time seems to fly by so much faster!
Last week we were jam packed with getting ready for the 2016-2017 school year here and I have found it hard to grasp that I in fact have a 4th grader, a 7th grader and a 9th grader!

The 7th Grader!

The first open house for last week was getting my middle one ready fro her last year at the Middle school! Hard to believe that this one is already on the end slope and will be at the junior high soon!
We are excited about her schedule too but we also hate due to some of the classes she won't be in choir for the whole school year, but we are excited about the other electives like aide for example. I am sure that this year between the classes, dances and friends she will of course keep us busy as usual!

Our Freshmen!

The second open house we had was for the high school kid... 4 more years and this one is off to college! Jeesh... I think I am going to protest blinking til 2020!
She is super excited yet nervous about her schedule this year but mom has faith in her.
We  are most looking forward to the books lined up for Pre-AP English as she will get to read some amazing classics including Romeo and Juliet and How to Kill a Mockingbird... Of course we are also excited about GT and her going back into band after taking last year off and Dakota seems excited about Civics and Economics and surprisingly ROTC.
I am sure that between band and ROTC we will have a VERY busy yet exciting year for her freshmen year!

Our 4th grader!

Our "baby" was the last one to have open house this year. We are so blessed that she got an AMAZING teacher for her what maybe last year at the elementary school
(rumor has it 5th grade will be moved to the middle school campus soon)
I absolutely LOVE this age. This age is always busy with class parties, dances, field trips and fun activities. We are both super excited to see what this year will hold for her and her guys!

First day of school!

Planning it all Out!

As a mom of three girls there are times that life can get a little chaotic hectic crazy busy, that is of course ONLY the beginning. 

All three of my girls are in different school again this year.

Dakota my oldest is going into 9th grade and will be going back to the Junior High building this year before hitting the big league next year on the High School campus. 

Alora my middle girl is headed to 7th grade and will also be headed back to the same campus as last year over at the Middle School grounds where she will be prepping for the Junior High campus for the 2017-2018 school year.

Then there is my "baby" who is headed to 4th grade and is still at the Elementary Campus which to me is WAY for fun than the other two and with a lot more happenings!

So on top of keeping up with all three of their schools and what is happening in their lives like band, choir, ROTC, etc; I have to keep up with my husbands work schedule, school schedule, when bills are due, appointments for everyone, events that we are to attend like birthday parties, get together's and such. I keep up will birthdays and anniversaries for both sides of our families, I run the blog and still working on What the Photography plus right this minute I am back to job hunting so there is the luxury of keeping up with interviews... yay.

If you are like me then I am sure that list overwhelmed you. When I sit and think about everything I am responsible for as a mom I think I am NUTS! Not to mention I do NOT have the best memory at all so then I have to figure out a way to make this all work and run smoothly...

There are a MILLION apps out there now since we are in such a tech-lovin' day in age but I will tell you right now as much of an app and tech junkie that I am I HATE using my phone or a digital device to keep me on track. 

Of course there are SEVERAL reasons why this is for me personally but to each his own: One is because I have never had the best of luck with phones. I have lost important info when my phone has reset its self etc. Two if I loose, break, or even have my phone stolen well then there goes my life.... and it would spiral into a VERY quick chaotic world.... 

So what DO I use you ask?

A Planner...

A good old fashioned, paper, use a pen to write in, tabs to pick your month planner!

There are two types of planners:

1: Annual

 Which will run your new planner from lets say January 2016-January 2017 and you might even get a bonus month or two.

2: Academic

This planner runs your planning year from June or July 2016 to June or July 2017 plus a bonus month or so also

I use the Academic planner because there is nothing I love more then trying to swap information RIGHT there at the holidays :)

In all seriousness though I do like the fact that it follows the girls and their schools years. During the summer there is a bit more "free" time that I can find to transfer dates and all with than in the middle of the holiday season when there is shopping, decorating, parties and running to take care of. 

Planners also come in MANY different sizes from pocket, 4x6, 5x7 and a LARGE 8x10 size (measurements are not accurate I am sure).

When I first started using planners back when I was 16 I used the pocket size one and it worked great for a while even with school and work... but then came baby...

I quickly found out that you are on the run MORE with a child in your life than if you were single and busy... Weird how that works. 

Anyways a baby turned into 3 over the years and the older they get the busier we are, the busier we are the bigger the planner...

I am now up to the 8x10 size and LOVE it! 

Huge areas to write in, monthly views, tabs and references galore!  

The last few years I have used Blue Sky's and I wont be turning away from them anytime soon. You can find them at your local Wal-Mart or order them online through Amazon.com like I did this year.

 

Check out this layout!

You get a HUGE monthly layout for fast reference

On top of that each month even has a a dedicated area to keep up with the finer details on whats happening in your life.

There are also LOTS of reference areas plus a quick contact list 

Nice right!
Now when it comes to keeping up with everyone's stuff and not getting it confused because I am pretty sure taking your 9 year old daughter to the OBGYN appointment set up for your 14 year old would get you mommy of the year award :) for example I color code it...

Yes folks it's that bad like that

The color coding is super easy for me to not fuck it up and since I also have a slight obsession with pens its a win when for me :)

Right now there are 10 color coded "happenings"

I LOVE these pens and you can also find them at your local store or Amazon

Here is my "cheat sheet" for my colors which is located in the back of the planner in the great note section

With us only a few weeks a way before the 2016-2017 school year I have put together my planner and feel a little bit more prepared for what this year may hold.

How do you keep it all together?