“To a child, ‘love’ is spelled T-I-M-E.” “Good moms have sticky floors, messy kitchens, laundry piles, dirty ovens…. and happy kids.” “To be in your child’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.” “Children will not remember you for the material things you provided, but for the feeling that you cherished them.” […]
Boredom Buster — Marble Run
August 15, 2011 by
Rainy weather keeping you indoors?? For a fun time, grab a ladder, a few cheap pool noodles, masking tape, and some marbles. Cut pool noodles in half down the middle, then invite the kiddos to build a marble run to see how many times they can make the marble go around the ladder!! (Shorter kids […]
10 Things You Can Make from Cereal Boxes
August 13, 2011 by
Have some empty cereal boxes on-hand?? Don’t throw them away! Here are 10 inspiring ways to transform ordinary empty cereal boxes into amazing home decor items, organizational bins, toys, and more! Cereal Boxes for Organization from Urban Nest from Martha Stewart from Katydid & Kid Cereal Boxes for Home Decor Can you […]
Review and Giveaway — Mabel’s Labels
August 12, 2011 by
It’s time for another fun giveaway, this time from our friends at Mabel’s Labels — perfect for back-to-school!! I was provided a Mabel’s Labels Ultimate Back-to-School Combo set for the purposes of this review, and once again their labels and tags exceeded my expectations. What I love about the Mabel’s Labels Ultimate Back-to-School Combo pack: […]
5 Easy DIY School Supplies
August 11, 2011 by
Can you believe how quickly this Summer is flying by?? School will be back in session in just a few weeks! To help stretch your back-to-school shopping budget, here are some ideas of school supplies you can make yourself using materials you probably already have on-hand. 1. Apple Printed Book Cover — Have a few […]
Les Petits Chefs
August 10, 2011 by
Zee week… it has been… how do you say? Difficult, no?? Need a break from zee cooking, but still vant a vonderful home-cooked meal?? Call zee petits chefs!! Zee expert petits sous chefs vill amaze you vis zer vonderful culinary skills. Zey are specially trained to vip up zee meal zee whole family vill love. Zey use […]
Printable Play Space
August 9, 2011 by
I made up some cute play spaces from a sheet of card stock paper, and our peg dolls have made themselves right at home. The girls are having a great time with these, and I love how something as simple as a sheet of paper can make their faces light up!! There were lots of […]
Around the Web — Homemade Frozen Treats
August 6, 2011 by
Frozen homemade treats are fun to make, plus a super-tasty way to cool off during the last few weeks of Summer! You can save lots of money by making your own ice pops, most recipes only call for a few ingredients (making them easy for kids to actively participate in the making process), and they […]
Favorite Cook Books for Kids
August 3, 2011 by
Does your kid love to cook and help out in the kitchen?? Emily sure does, and she’s been known to create her own recipes, carry cookbooks around the house with her, and check out several kid cookbooks from the library! Here are her top 5 favorite “must own” cookbooks designed for kids. 5. Magic Kitchen […]
Reason #1,438 Why Mark is Awesome
August 2, 2011 by
We were blessed with our first RED tomato… and there was much rejoicing!!! This was quickly followed by many, many, many, MANY more tomatoes — hundreds of them! Know why my hubby’s awesome?? He totally made several jars of homemade sauce! Also?? He canned them, so we can save them to enjoy well into Winter!! […]
My Secret Surprise Art Project
July 31, 2011 by
A few days ago, I took the girls on a fun trip to do some nature drawing, and Emily drew this lovely seasonal tree drawing (along with big plans to repeat the same tree drawing in Fall, Winter, and Spring). What she didn’t know was that for the last couple of nights, I have been […]
Budget-Friendly Staycation Ideas
July 30, 2011 by
Has your family ever tried a staycation? They can be a great budget-friendly alternative to pricey vacations, and usually require a lot less planning. YAY for spontaneous adventures and quality family time!! Here are a few ways to make a family staycation even more special. Note: For those in the Southern Hemisphere, some ideas for […]
Around the Web — Made from Milk Cartons
July 28, 2011 by
Don’t throw those empty milk cartons in the garbage — they are free craft supplies!! Here are a few inspiring ideas for how you can transform ordinary empty milk cartons into fun toys or crafts for the kids. Love this adorable mouse house for lots of pretend play fun found at belleandrollo.ie OrigamiMommy.org shows […]
Nature Drawing – Seasonal Trees
July 26, 2011 by
When I was in second grade, I had a lovely teacher (Thank you, Mrs. Barnhart!!) who would take a few minutes every season to let us go outside and draw the same tree throughout the year. This proved to be a simple, but very effective lesson in art, weather, and science. At the end of […]
Colorful Spray Painted Fabric
July 25, 2011 by
Looking to a fun way to impress guests at your next dinner party? Need a colorful way to dress up meal time, and a fun project to keep the kiddos entertained? Then this project is for you!! Start with the cheapest (most boring) cloth napkins you can find, pre-wash and dry (no fabric softener)…. Fill […]
Summer Safety Tips and Giveaway ($100 Home Depot Gift Card)
July 24, 2011 by
It’s time for another FUN giveaway — this time from our newest sponsor, State Farm Insurance! Did you know that State Farm includes lots of great safety tips on their learning center website?? Seriously, there are LOADS of articles there! They have helpful tips on everything from how to properly install child safety gates to […]
How to Make Sponge Bombs
July 23, 2011 by
Here is a quick and easy tutorial to show how to make sponge bombs! Sponge Bombs are a great alternative to water balloons. There are no messy balloon bits to clean up, and the sponge bombs can be used again and again. These sponge bombs are great for active playtime fun all Summer long! How […]
