The weather is finally turning cooler in our neck of the woods! I’ve been reacquainting myself with my slow cookers and my cooler-weather attire. And dreaming of what we can do on the house between now and next spring. If you’re like most homeowners, you probably have several running lists of home projects: There’s the
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oHow To Get Your Kid To Talk To You More: I’ve often thought that when a child is born, every parent should automatically get a few bonus upgrades to themselves. Tops on the list is one extra hand per child – how many times, busy Mamas, have you literally wished you have two or three
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How to Throw a Kid-Friendly School Halloween Party: Congratulations! You’re now a homeroom parent! For the first time! Which means you get to plan your kiddos’ school parties. Starting with the Halloween party (or Harvest Party, if that’s what your district prefers). Meaning you need to come up with a bunch of kid-friendly school Halloween
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Easy Tips for Building Memories Over Your Next Holiday Weekend: If you live in the United States or Canada, there’s a good chance your kids got a day off from school today, whether for Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or Thanksgiving. Did you do anything special to mark this holiday weekend with them? Whatever the
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My Fave Green Tomato Hack: Fried Green Tomatoes Depending on where you are in the United States, summer is either hanging on, or you’re already hunting for snow shovels and winter parkas. In our neck of the woods, I keep telling myself how I should get out the long pants and shirts, but since we’re
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My Fave Mom Hacks for Getting Stuff Done: If you’re a parent, I am betting there are never enough hours in the day. Ever wish you could clone yourself, or have that magic tool Hermione used in Harry Potter to get twice as much done at once? If so, Mamas, you should seriously consider putting
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Step-by-Step Instructions for Halloween DIY Unicorn Costume: Halloween is coming; are you and your kiddos ready yet? As many of you know, I’m into DIY Halloween costumes that are easy to make, not to mention cuter and more budget-friendly than store-bought costumes. So when eight-year-old Kimmie decided she wanted to be a unicorn last year,
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Are you planning a huge event for your local school, house of worship, or volunteer organization? dealing with the aftermath of an unexpected homeowner’s claim? about to move cross-town? looking at buying or inheriting a new-to-you, gently-loved piano for your budding musician?? These are all situations when you might be tempted to go it alone
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How to Choose the Right Childcare for Your Family When Returning To Work: Congratulations! You’re a new parent! And … you’re headed back to work soon. (Ugh.) Moreover, if you’re like most of my readers, you live in the United States – the only major industrialized nation without guaranteed paid parental leave. Which means you’re
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Want your child to grow up with good values? Here’s where to start: In our fast-paced 21st-century existence, everyone’s attention span is getting ever-shorter. As parents, unless you constantly remove distractions from your kiddos’ lives (television, electronics, etc.), you’ll be competing for their attention at every turn. Starting as soon as they begin to play
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We all know that adulting is hard. And parenting is hard, too. But you reach a new level of grownup-dom the first time you find yourself wondering if you need to hire a contractor. Not to mention wondering how to choose a contractor. If you’re a homeowner and also a parent of young children, you
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Winter is coming; is your home ready? It’s one thing to make your home all cozy for the cooler temperatures that autumn brings; but getting your home ready for winter is another matter. Recent winters have been no joke. Whether you want to call it climate change or Mother Nature’s sense of humor, phrases like
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Your Plan Of Action For When Your Child Locks The Door (Literally!): Anyone who thinks kids aren’t fascinated by door locks either doesn’t have kids, or hasn’t met every kid I know: At first, pushing that shiny button is the “let’s see what this does?” curiosity of a toddler. When your kid hits preschool age,
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Prevent and Get Rid of Mice, Grain Moths, Grain Beetles, and More: As I’ve learned the hard way, there’s nothing worse first thing in the AM than grabbing that box of breakfast cereal, or jar of oatmeal, to realize that its contents are moving. Even though I’ve written posts about getting rid of everything from
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Becoming a parent for the first time changes you. For many of us, it’s the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to us – eventually. But those first couple of months can be pure torture. It’s hard to fully appreciate how wonderful parenthood is when you’re exhausted and don’t have a moment to yourself. If
Stressed Out New Mom? Read This: Read More »
Could You Save Money On Your Energy Bills? How much do you spend each month on your basic utilities – your electricity, water, and natural gas or other heating fuel? I’ve met few people who wouldn’t like to lower these bills. Whether your goal is to save the planet or just to save money, there
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Create More Coziness In Seven Easy Steps: That time is here. The sun comes up later, kids are going back to school, the mornings are cooler and crisper – autumn is just around the corner. And with the return of fall each year, we all start thinking about ways to curl up and get comfortable
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Review of “30-Minute One-Pot Meals You’ll Love” Does back-to-school throw your family into a scheduling tailspin every fall? It sure does for us. Even though our summers are plenty busy, they’re nothing compared to the school year. If you or your spouse teaches for a living, you understand what I’m talking about. Quick, easy meals
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Does My Child Have A Learning Disability/Difference? A Step-By-Step Guide For Parents Ah, the joys of going back to school! New Supplies! New friends! And, if you’re a work-at-home mama, more sleep because you’re no longer trying to cram in all those work hours after your kids’ bedtime (as I am while drafting this)! But
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This has been the Summer of the Road Trip for the girls and me. Between our epic Laura Ingalls Wilder road trip with my mama, and our more recent week of camping, the girls and I have been in 20 different states. (!) Which has meant lots of last-minute hotel reservations and the like, once
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