My Birthday Manifesto (i.e. 5 Steps to a Perfect Birthday): 1. Ignore Dirty Dishes in the Sink. 2. Ignore Laundry Pile. 3. Turn Off Phone Ringer. 4. Procrastinate Errands. 5. PAINT stuff. Alongside the kiddos. ALL DAY. It. Was. Awesome.
Apple Crafts and Activities Galore!
September 13, 2011 by
I L O V E A P P L E S !!!!!!!!!!!! 1. Go Apple Picking!! 2. Make Apple Printed Book Covers 3. 3-D Apple Tree 4. Apple Printed Lunch Sack from Old Jeans 5. Don’t have apple trees near you? Make your own! 6. Check out our Around the Web post featuring […]
Catch the Comet
September 12, 2011 by
Using some leftover scraps of felt in lots of bright colors, I sewed a super-easy comet ball that has been used for several games of catch around here! I have seen much more expensive versions in toy catalogs, but it was a lot cheaper (& more fun) to make our own. It is SO much […]
6 Fun Ideas to Entertain Kids at a Restaurant
September 10, 2011 by
If you are a parent, you know that keeping the kids entertained while waiting at a restaurant is no small task! We rarely go out to eat, but for those special occasions when we do, it’s always nice to have a few fun ideas up my sleeve for keeping the kiddos happy while we wait. Here are […]
Back to School Round Up
September 9, 2011 by
Emily had a terrific first day of 2nd grade, and we are looking forward to a great school year ahead!! In the spirit of back-to-school, I dug deep into our archives and around the web to put together this fun round up: From the Archives: 5 Easy DIY School Supplies Celebrating Education Nation with The 10! […]
Indoor Apple Picking
September 8, 2011 by
We have had several days of rainy weather here, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying some apple picking! ((with a little help from some apple-shaped sticky notes and sticks from the yard)) It was GREAT fun!! The best part? Re-attaching the apples back to the branches to be picked again (and again)! Mmmmmmm… apple […]
Let’s Build a Flashlight!
September 6, 2011 by
This little boredom buster is quick and easy to set up using just a flashlight from the dollar store! It’s perfect for older kids who love to take things apart and put them back together, which meant Emily really had LOTS of fun with it!! Take apart an ordinary household flashlight. To help keep all […]
Sunday Snapshot — Pick Your Battles
September 4, 2011 by
Sometimes when I tell Clara we need to run some errands to the post office, grocery store, bank, and playground, she asks to be dressed like a ladybug princess. This is when I try to envision what life will be like when she is a teenager. Because it puts silly little things like this into […]
10 Cheap Boredom Busters for Kids
September 1, 2011 by
Looking for a few easy ways to keep the kids from getting too bored? Here are some of our favorite boredom busters that are quick, easy, cheap, and fun!! 1. Beading with cut up straws — easy, frugal, and a great way to build up important fine-motor skills. 2. Make photo puppets and put […]
Around the Web — 10 Quick Crafts for Busy Moms
August 31, 2011 by
Last night I put the girls to bed early, and Mark went out for a fantasy football draft, leaving me with some precious “mommy crafting time”. Many times with my own crafting, I’ve found that it’s not a matter of finding the time to craft, but making the time. I still had dirty dishes in […]
Posing with Plexiglass
August 29, 2011 by
For a fun time, frame a sheet of plexiglass with duct tape to take care of any sharp edges. Go outside, and draw on the plexiglass with dry erase markers to make “enhancements” to your environment!! In a very short time we had beautiful flowers growing out of the lawn, backyard trees full of red […]
10 Rainy Day Activities for Kids
August 28, 2011 by
Rainy days in the forecast? Looking for a few fun ways to keep the kids entertained indoors without breaking the bank?? Here are a few of our favorite ways to spend a rainy day… 1. Suminagashi Painting — Emily can spend hours doing this, and I love that each print is unique! 2. Find […]
Around the Web — School Lunches
August 27, 2011 by
Packing a school lunch can be a frugal (and many times more nutritious) alternative to bought school lunches. Here are some inspiring ideas that are sure to make your kid the envy of the lunch room!! Learn How to Make a Kids Bento Box from AlphaMom — I love that these tips are simple […]
Hammer Time!
August 25, 2011 by
Here is yet another FUN use for pool noodles — especially if you happen to have a few golf tees on-hand!! We reused the same ones from the awesome marble run and croquet lawn game. I used masking tape to attach the pool noodles to some small cutting boards, and invited the girls to bring some […]
7 Simple Things That Make Me Smile
August 23, 2011 by
Often times happiness can be found in the simplest (and most frugal) of things. Here are a few recent photos that made me smile, and I hope they bring a smile to your face too!! 1. Treating stuffed animals to a fun swing ride. 2. Impromptu trips to the candy store with rather difficult […]
Kickin’ it Croquet Style
August 20, 2011 by
Kids need to burn off some of that extra energy? Have some old pool noodles on-hand?? Then it’s time to make up your own kick croquet lawn game!! Cut pool noodles in half down the middle (we reused the ones from our awesome marble run), and each pool noodle is enough to make up two […]
Twitter Party!
August 19, 2011 by
“With parenting, the days are long, but the years are very short.” For many of us with young children, saving for college can seem like something that is very far away. We are so busy trying to keep up with everything from toilet training, back-to-school schedules, and even what to put on the table for […]
