The summer when she was two, Kimmie became obsessed with bees. My in-laws brought her a book about bees when they came to visit, and that was it: Kimmie announced then and there, in early August, that she was going to be a bee for Halloween that year. From then until October 31st, whenever you …
Easy DIY Halloween Costumes: Bumbling Bee Costume Read More »
Looking for a super-yummy snack with that delicious pumpkin spice flavor that goes so well with autumn? If so, this pumpkin dip is a must-try. The days are turning cooler here, the leaves are changing color, fresh apples are in season, and it seems everyone is advertising things pumpkin-spice-flavored. If I had unlimited time, money, …
What could be cuter than a little ladybug at Halloween? A little ladybug costume that you made yourself! What You’ll Need: This DIY costume takes 1-2 hours to make, depending on how you do it. You’ll need the following: Black pants A red long-sleeved shirt or onesie Black felt, fabric, or duct tape, plus scissors …
The first Halloween costume I ever “made” the girls was an accident. My husband and I were set to take our infant to an outdoor fall social event for his work. Since it was a few days from Halloween, I got out Kimmie’s black pants and a jack-o-lantern T-shirt. The night before the event, I …
DIY Halloween Costumes: Easy-Peasy Jack-o-Lantern Read More »
So life’s been insanely busy these past few weeks. Something I’m sure none of you can relate to. Too busy to vacuum the kitchen floor – which is, let’s face it, not my favorite activity anyway. (Funny how dust allergies can do that to a gal.) But that doesn’t stop my enthusiastic eaters from eating …
There are two items in my kitchen that make my life oh-so-much easier. These kitchen gadgets take a lot of extra time and work out of food prep. In the process, they make it easier for me to cook healthy meals from scratch, AND help me save money by cutting my own produce (instead of …
Recently I spent a rare kid-free day at a conference with a dear friend. Cathleen is one of those friends you wish you could share more cups of tea with. Nowadays, our paths don’t cross nearly as much as they used to before I was married and a mom, back in the days when I’d …
You probably have your own toiletry kit that you keep packed for travel (if not, I strongly recommend one that hangs, so you can hang it up high, out of kiddos’ reach). But do you also have a separate one for your littlest travelers? Keeping one packed, and reviewing its contents before each trip, is …
Traveling With Kids: Packing Your Kids’ Toiletry Kit Read More »
First off, my apologies to those of you who will read this post and say “duh!” You’re probably at least ten steps ahead of me already on hacking mommyhood and otherwise simplifying your parental existence. When I stop and think about what I’m about to tell you, part of me thinks, How banal! How obvious! …
Want quick and easy dinner recipes for your family? This is my favorite: I like using up leftovers from the fridge for dinner. Ever since I was a student working my way through school, I’ve challenged myself on a regular basis to invent dinner out of whatever we have on hand in the house. Not …
Reinventing Leftovers For Dinner: My Family’s Favorite Hash Read More »
My kids’ fave munchies for hot summer days? Hands-down, frozen grapes. I first came across this idea a couple of years before I actually tried it, and I only wish I’d tried it sooner. My hesitation is simple to explain: I assumed the grapes would freeze into little rocks that I’d then have to thaw …
Ah, the fickle friendships of childhood. Until recently, we never imagined that such dramas could begin as early as the preschool set. Welcome to the twenty-first century. We signed Kimmie up for two weeks of camp this summer. The camp is run by her preschool, so she already knows many of the other campers, and …
On Fickle Four-Year-Old Friendships: Surviving the Drama Read More »
Awhile back, before I published my post about letting Kimmie watch movies, I sent a draft of it to my friend Liz, who blogs over at Everyday Ecologist. In a subsequent phone conference, as we chatted about the slippery slope of kids and screen time, Liz said something to the effect of, “I can’t wait …
When Your Preschooler Won’t Cooperate: Big Kid + Big Privileges = Big Responsibilities Read More »
This post is NOT for those of you who are the first to jump on every new technological bandwagon. But if you’re more likely to be the last one on your block to get an account on the latest new social media platform, or buy the most cutting-edge tablet, or adopt the twenty-first-century version of …
Next weekend we’re off to visit my in-laws. But instead of over the river and through the woods, our 21st-century car trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s house involves nearly 300 miles in my beloved Subaru Outback. At least most of it is on interstate highways, but you can do the math: We’re talking at least …
Taking a Car Trip With Your Kids: Basic Tips To Help You Plan Smart Read More »
As I mentioned in a recent post, I adore baskets. Baskets were a part of my life before I became a mom, but in retrospect, I think my pre-parenthood self was only scratching the surface of their full potential. While I love an organized home, getting mine to that state is a constant, ongoing work-in-progress. …
First, a confession: Much as I might wish otherwise, much as I might aspire to live differently, my home does NOT look like a photo spread in Better Homes and Gardens. It’s a constant work-in-progress. And while I like to think I’m always moving forward, the reality is that keeping home clean and organized feels …
Keeping Your Home Clean (Even with Baby and Kid Stuff) Read More »
When you become a first-time parent to a newborn, you quickly learn that you just can’t leave home without a diaper bag. And that your diaper bag needs to contain several toys and clothing changes, as well as the diapers. But by the time I had two kids in diapers, I discovered something equally important: …
One of the financial realities of our shift from a DINK (double-income, no kids) household to one income post-parenthood is that life is full of new financial choices. For example, we could choose to spend over $1000 per year on cable or satellite TV. Instead, we choose to invest our limited time and money in …
I Want – make that FOUND – a New Drug: Screen Hypnosis Read More »
Chances are, if you’ve got a kiddo who’s toilet-training, you’ve found yourself far away from a potty seat or child-sized toilet at least once on this adventure. (Unless you never set foot outside of the house, of course.) My husband devised a simple but elegant solution to this dilemma when Kimmie was on the path …
The “Mommy Potty” and Other Secrets to Toilet Training On-The-Go Read More »
