Judge me if you will, but I have finally given in to the pressure of Owen and Cora. I've held up for quite a while, though, and for that I'm proud. Every, single year when I bragged about creating fun, super-cool candy-free Valentines for the kids to make for their classmates, they sighed. Puh-leaaaase, Mom. We just want to give our friends candy Valentines. That's all kids want. Can we just get the Valentines from the store that everyone loves? The ones that have a lollipop or Nerds … [Read more...]
family volunteering on martin luther king, jr day
Four years ago was the very first year we volunteered as a family to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. But it will not be the last. Already, we're looking for other ways we can give back to our community this year to celebrate the life of this great man. Family volunteering on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is easy, thanks to a handful of really awesome organizations designed to make finding volunteer opportunities the easy part. Not even kidding. It takes five … [Read more...]
advent activity calendar for kids and family: 2016
We do this every advent season. And the kids love it. I actually contemplated switching things this year--finding another advent activity calendar that would get our family into the holiday spirit, but I decided against it. Because in this quickly-changing world, sometimes I think it's nice to keep things consistent. Here's the skinny. . . Advent Activity Calendar for Kids and Family--2016: I print out a copy of the calendar to keep on hand for myself, and then I cut each of … [Read more...]
use family photos to develop oral language skills: reading tip 12 #raiseareader
Friends, one of the tips that Allie McDonald and I share when speaking or presenting that usually yields the most nods of approval is what I'm sharing here, via video, with you today. It may seem super-simple to you, but this tip is M-O-N-E-Y. It really is. Totally worth your time for so many reasons. So go ahead. Skim the post quickly, click 'play' on the video below, and you'll be in the 'know' too. And the cool thing is that the only thing you'll need is the one object you most … [Read more...]
stress-free dinner prep and planning: the happy family solution — Gatheredtable
When I was asked to check out Gatheredtable and then share it with my readers (if I liked it!), I was hesitant. It sounded too good to be true. Stress-free dinner prep? Meal planning that won't make me lose my mind? Food that will keep everyone happy? New recipes catered to our family's needs and preferences? Time-saving so that I can spend what few minutes I have cooking and not recipe searching or shopping? Homemade foods that will keep everyone healthy and strong? … [Read more...]
cool and creative family gifts
Sometimes it's super difficult to find the right gift for your nephew, niece, or brother-in-law, so why not switch things up a bit? After the donating and giving to others and focusing on the real meaning of the season, why not try something different? Instead of going for singular, one-gift-per-person-kinda gifts, go for family gifts. Like gifts where there's a little something for everyone. Everyone shares. Everyone's happy. Here are just a few cool and creative family gift ideas … [Read more...]
the must-send email to teachers before holiday break
Friends. I know we're all thinking about gifts and gatherings and getting our families ready, but there's something everyone should do before holiday break. You need to touch base with your children's teachers. Because there's no better time than now to really know how your child is doing, what your child is doing, and how you--as a parent--can best support him or her. Not sure what to do? What to say? Well read on for everything you need. Here's the skinny. . . The Must-Send … [Read more...]
5 cool handmade gifts that tweens love to make
Let's face it: we're all busy--even our kids. As they get older, they're juggling homework, activities, sports, lessons, chores (ahem. . . ), and friends, so when our kids carve out the time to create a handmade gift, it really means a lot. Believe it or not, friends, now is an ideal time to start thinking about the holidays. So we've got some cool handmade gifts that tweens will love to make. Really. Huge thanks to my friends at Klutz who just keep designing these cool books that … [Read more...]
great wolf lodge: learning and loving family time
For years and years and years and years now, my kids have asked to go to Great Wolf Lodge. Really. And for whatever reason, we never made the time. Not that we've been sitting around here, twiddling our thumbs or anything. We've got a pretty packed schedule. But we never set aside the time to find a date that worked, find a package that worked, or find families with whom we could coordinate our travels. This fall, however, we were invited to visit Great Wolf Lodge in … [Read more...]
syrian refugees: what families can and should do NOW
What is happening in our world right now with Syrian refugees is insanity. Absolute insanity. Heartbreaking. Awful. Sad and infuriating. Have you been following it? If you haven't, you should. Have you talked to your kids about it? If you haven’t, you should. Just remember that a lot of the images are really, really disturbing. Maddy, Owen, Cora, and I were talking about what is going on just recently, and I'll tell you how we handled it. It wasn’t easy. It’s a … [Read more...]
camp google: ocean, space, music and nature weeks
Friends. I have been working with National Geographic Kids for some time now, as one of their 'Insiders' and honestly the coolest thing about it is that I get kind of 'behind-the-scenes' information that I can share with you. Honestly. Fab books, cool programs, you name it. And this summer, National Geographic has partnered with Khan Academy, National Parks, and NASA to create some really rockstar at-home 'camps' for kids. Really. It's called 'Camp Google', and of course, along … [Read more...]
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