Looking for an inexpensive vacation?? Want to just get away from it all?? Tired of being treated like cattle at traditional airports? Then it’s time to take a mini vacation! Here’s how… in just 10 easy steps! Step 1: Pack your bags!! — This is crucial to that feeling of leaving it all behind, and […]
Happy Birthday, Mark!
February 19, 2011 by
We are celebrating my husband’s birthday this weekend!! I knew it was coming up soon because a THREE pound package of bacon arrived at the house!! (Thanks, Aunt Julia!) I thought it would be fun to highlight some of Mark’s silly comments — here are a few of my favorites….. 5. Coffee Cozy — In […]
Battery-Free Toys We Love
January 25, 2011 by
Recently, I asked readers on Facebook to share their favorite battery-free toys with us. Here’s a summary of the responses, and I think this would be a great go-to list for a gift guide, or if you’re looking for alternatives to TV to keep the kiddos entertained during cold Winter days! A big THANK YOU […]
Kid-Made “Sandpaper” Letter Set
January 12, 2011 by
This “sandpaper” letter set was made by Emily as a gift to her little sister — and Clara adores them! I have seen similar sets in pricey catalogs. We used 2″ felt alphabet stickers ($2.80) and 3″ wooden disks ($0.24 each x 26) from the craft store. For a grand total of just $9.04! Emily […]
Gum Ball Machine Craft for Tots
January 4, 2011 by
It’s no secret that we love to create projects that bring lots of COLOR into our household — they are so bright, cheerful, and they always make me smile! This particular project kept Clara happily occupied for a long time, and doubles as a prop for pretend play. I traced a large serving bowl onto […]
Top 10 Posts of 2010 — #7
December 26, 2010 by
Moving on with the countdown of the top 10 posts of 2010. This was the year Emily began public school, and thus began our adventures with packed lunches! We had lots of fun learning tips and tricks to pack fun lunches on a budget, and later I was interviewed by Rodale to elaborate a bit […]
Personalized Gifts Kids Can Make
December 18, 2010 by
Need a personalized, meaningful gift for that special someone on your holiday list? Here are some fun ideas for gifts the kiddos can make! These whimsical photo tea tags feature fun photos of the kids, and serve as a great reminder to “hang in there”. They make great gifts for any tea lover! (Mmmmm… tea!) […]
Giveaway — iPad plus Assorted Children’s Books from Target
December 16, 2010 by
Wow!!! There were SO many entries for this amazing giveaway! The giveaway is now closed — see below for the winner announcement! Have you heard of Target’s Read with Me program? This brilliant initiative is designed to help youngsters become proficient at reading by the end of third grade — an important milestone when kids […]
Last Minute Holiday Gifts Kids Can Make
December 13, 2010 by
Emily helped demonstrate some frugal homemade gifts kids can make on The 10! Show this morning! We had so much fun crafting these quick and easy gifts with LuAnn! The kiddos love to help stir up homemade bath salts, and they make great gifts for teachers, neighbors, grandmas, or anyone else you know who could […]
Handmade Holiday Gifts for Tots
December 12, 2010 by
Looking for some handmade gift ideas for the special tots on your list? We’ve got you covered, and the best part is an older sibling can help put these gifts together too! You can order inexpensive unfinished wooden toys from the Etsy shop Clickity Clack. I highly recommend them — quick shipping and great customer […]
Rainbow Sprinkles from Highlights High Five
December 10, 2010 by
This little gem of a handmade gift idea comes from Highlights High Five magazine — rainbow sprinkles to use as a fun topping for yogurt or ice cream! As soon as Emily saw this craft featured in the December issue, she begged to make it! If you don’t already subscribe to Highlights High Five, I […]
Giveaway — Stonyfield Prize Pack
December 8, 2010 by
WE BAKED!! (…sort of.) Baking is not my thing. At all. Sewing? Yes. Cooking? You bet! Basket-weaving? Why not?? But baking?? That’s where I draw the line. Whenever I bake anything, it’s more of a threat than a blessing. Just ask Mark about Pumpkin Pie Failure 2004. It. Was. Awful. When Stonyfield asked me to […]
Review — BrightBin Lunch Box
December 7, 2010 by
Emily and I were so excited to have the opportunity to review the L’Artiste New Generation Lunchbox by BrightBin! It’s a cute, practical, and well-designed box with a sandwich compartment, and a second layer with three divided sections for fruit, veggies, and other snacks. The box we received comes with an outer insulated lunch sack […]
Pine Forest Playscape
December 3, 2010 by
Clara and I made a fun pine forest playscape using coffee filters, and it’s been a big hit for imaginative play over here! We painted a bunch of coffee filters in hues of yellow and green. I love how happy Clara gets when she realizes that we will be painting — what fun!! She painted […]
Crafts to Cure Cabin Fever
December 1, 2010 by
This morning I visited NBC’s studios in Philadelphia for a quick demo of some FUN Winter crafts using items most households already have on-hand — the perfect cure for cabin fever! Dawn and I had so much fun on The 10! Show, and we featured crafts for kids of all ages!! In case you missed […]
Wordless Wednesday
November 17, 2010 by
Here I come to save the day!!! My good friend Allison took this photo — good times! Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday!
Allowance Manager
November 7, 2010 by
Mark and I have discussed starting an allowance for Emily, and we’re still in the process of experimenting with exactly what process will work best for us. However, there is a great new site that helps manage your child(ren)’s allowance — allowancemanager.com which I was recently asked to review. Giving Emily an allowance would help […]
