parenting

new for us friday: the grapple

April 13, 2012

We were totally due for some new-for-us foods around here, after our handful of awesome, new-for-us games, thanks to Toy Fair, Easter, and the kids’ new allowance.  Which (eeeee!) I cannot wait to share–and give away to YOU! So with each of our trips to the grocery store, Maddy, Owen, Cora, and I have had [...]

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quick trick: take reading on the road

April 9, 2012

A few weeks ago, I took the kids to Pennsylvania for the weekend–another solo trip and one I’ve done dozens of times before. But what I realized is that the packing and prep I once spent hours doing for my solo trips with three little ones has now been cut considerably; however, that’s not to [...]

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new for us friday: NEW at camden yards (& giveaway!)

April 6, 2012

This New For Us Friday I did something that really made my husband jealous. I got a behind-the-scenes look at the new and exciting things going on at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles, before anyone else.  All in the name of a huuuuge summer o’ celebration of 20 years at Camden Yards.  Woot! [...]

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bullying: end it at home, school, everywhere

April 5, 2012

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.     Bullying is not okay. It’s not okay at home, at school, on the field–anywhere. And though a lot of families view ‘sibling issues’ as, ohhh, just a part of life–we do not. For us, [...]

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quick trick: keep. those. LIDS!

April 2, 2012

How many of you have recycle bins that are nearly overflowing by the end of the week? I know ours is, despite all of the recyclables that I ‘rescue’ for various cool and creative learning fun.  But before I toss anything into the recycle bin, I take off the lid (if there is one), throw [...]

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easy, super-silly april fool’s tricks

April 1, 2012

April Fool’s Day is another holiday where I’ve leaned more toward the silly than the really tricky. I love thinking about my ‘big’ April Fool’s Day tricks and hearing my kids’ belly laughs when I pull one on them. This year, because April Fool’s Day fell on a Sunday, I knew I’d have three little [...]

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secrets to a fabulous, at-home fairy princess spa party

March 29, 2012

Cora has spent literally the last six months talking about her March birthday party. She talked about the party every day.  Every. Single. Day. For the last six months.  (Maybe longer.) This was going to be her BIG #5 bash–actually her first really big par-tay–so we were all pretty excited. It morphed from a Barbie [...]

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how to make beautiful, no-sew fairy skirts

March 27, 2012

 Cora just turned five, and what better way to ring in this big and exciting year than with a Fairy Princess Spa Party? For months, my tiny one has been talking about this event and planning and changing and adjusting and planning and adjusting and planning some more–so much so that I am just a [...]

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quick trick: fun sticks– 150 things for kids to do

March 23, 2012

I’ve been in dire need of a little Quick Trick to hand Owen when he says, I’m bored. What can I do? My usual responses: Oh, I’m so happy you’re bored.  Many children in the world never have the pleasure of being bored because they’re working in the fields or going to work for their [...]

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new for us friday: SitterScout = more ME time!

March 17, 2012

Parenting is a pretty hard gig. A very hard gig. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it every day because it’s so true. Anyone who tells you otherwise is totally lying. And just when you think you’ve got things under control, somebody throws you for a loop. Your first kiddo was a napping, sleeping [...]

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quick trick: play. outdoors. (no matter the weather!)

March 14, 2012

Who knows what happened to winter this year? I am convinced that we had absolutely no snow this year because this was the first time I ever–ever!–bought snow boots for Maddy and Owen (because lucky Cora has Maddy’s hand-me-downs) before the season started instead of scrambling like a maniac at first word of a snowstorm.  [...]

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