It's New Year's Interview time! (I can hardly believe it!) This year, we made some minor adjustments to our traditional New Year's Family Interview because as the kids get older, I'm more interested in their thoughts and reflections than on their favorite color or best friend. So after our late-afternoon fondue dinner, we busted out with the biggie ice-cream sundae fixings. We made monster sundaes, got all crazy on sugar, and then got to work on our interviews--a fun and easy family … [Read more...]
our favorite thanksgiving printables for BIG kids!
This week is the big week for us--lots of travel, lots of family, lots of friends, and lots of food! Officially, the fun winter holiday season is upon us, and from here until January 2nd, it's a wild ride. But often that wild ride means that our kids tend to be kicked off of their normal schedules. They get tired. We get tired. They get cranky. We get cranky. And they need some down time. We need some down time. So we've gathered a few of our favorite Thanksgiving … [Read more...]
Wonder the movie discussion guide for families #wonderthemovie
We had the amazing opportunity to catch a screening of Wonder the movie last week, and it totally lived up to all of our expectations. Maddy, Owen, Cora and I loved it. We talked about it for days after we saw it, and all three kids declared that it's one movie "we must buy when it comes out on DVD". At this point in time, friends, there aren't many movies that we want to watch over and over and over, but this is indeed one of them. I thought, since it is a movie--and book--rich … [Read more...]
halloween giving: how to BOO! your friends (on a budget)
I've said it before--spooky Halloween is not my thing. So this weekend, when our family was officially BOO'ed for the first time, a whole new chapter of Halloween fun--and Halloween giving--opened up for us. BOO'ing is all the craze, it seems, though (boo-hooo!) we haven't fallen victim to BOO'ing quite like this--ever. What I love about BOO'ing is that it actually adds an element of sneaky, fun, giving to this candy-saturated holiday. Maddy, Owen, and Cora were actually thinking … [Read more...]
eclipse 2017: free resources for families (even if you’re last minute)
Oh, how I envisioned creating this post three, four, even five weeks ago. But life got in the way. So here it is: eclipse 2017 resources for families--even if you're last-minute, like me. Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that on August 21, we'll experience a total solar eclipse. I am going to hit you quickly with everything we're doing on the big day so that you can do it, too. Grab a friend or two, a few other neighbors or families, or your students if you're back in … [Read more...]
july 4th activities for kids & families
July 4th is almost here!! We're thrilled to get into the kitchen and make one of our most favorite holiday treats ever--our July 4th flag cake! But along with baking one of our favorite sweets, we've also thrown in some fun learning along the way--the girls and I spent the weekend in Philadelphia for the Digital Family Summit and had the opportunity not only to learn a ton and hang out with our friends, but we also got to see THE Liberty Bell up close and personal. It was a blast, and … [Read more...]
make this summer rock: Smart Summer Challenge 2018!
Next up? Summer. I'm over the moon thrilled and elated that summer is right around the corner! This year, I've got something so cool planned. So totally awesome and fabulous, I can't stand it. I've just finished up--after months of drafts!--the plans for our Smart Summer Challenge 2017. And it's going to rock. Totally, 110%, completely going to rock. Here's the skinny. . . Smart Summer Challenge 2017 -- an invitation to learn, play, create, and invent -- on their own time: For … [Read more...]
make summer learning ROCK with free bookmarks and Summer Brain Quest
Oh, friends. You know that I am obsessed with continuing the learning for my kids over the summer, right? Every, single spring I do a little happy dance, just knowing that summer is around the corner and that I get to have Maddy, Owen, and Cora to myself every, single day. I love it. And I love having a ton of fun ways to keep my kids reading, thinking, creating, and playing with numbers during the long summer months. Anything to avoid the summer slide. Really and truly. This … [Read more...]
smart ways to keep kids healthy–in school and at home with fit4Schools
When I was asked by the great folks at WeAreTeachers to take a minute to check out fit4Schools, I was thrilled. But I was skeptical. fit4Schools actually seemed too good to be true. A site designed to empower children and families to make healthy lifestyle choices a habit? Yes please. A fitcalendar with a fun activity to get kids moving every, single day? How awesome? Free lesson plans for teachers, designed to Captivate, Educate, and Activate learning on different … [Read more...]
stay sane during the holidays: Blue Apron makes feeding family easy and fun
Our family loves food. We love food. We love to make food, talk about food, celebrate with food, and eat food. My kids are food adventurous, and we are basically always up for trying a new things. But we're busy. We're juggling work and school and homework and activities and lessons and church. So finding time for creating healthy meals for our family is not always easy. Add the holidays looming, and life is nuts. Enter: Blue Apron. We had a chance to give Blue Apron … [Read more...]
top secret ‘happy day’ notes for the whole ‘hood
Originally published September 1, 2010, but republished today because, well, friends, everyone could use a lift. Last week, we ran into a verrrry blue Thursday morning. Everyone was cranky, everyone was bickering, and everyone was down in the dumps. Maybe our summertime later-night schedule was finally taking a toll on us; maybe we were anxious about the upcoming change of schedule. Whatever it was, we needed a lift. I remembered my pal Jessica's recent post about 'Doing Good … [Read more...]
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