One of our favorite summertime traditions involves sweets (big surprise). Every year for as long as I can remember, the kids and I have made a July 4th flag cake. It’s simple. It’s sweet. And it’s so pretty, it’s hard to take. It's a 100% kid-friendly July 4th treat: the traditional flag cake. All you need is a boxed cake mix, cool whip, strawberries, and blueberries, and you’re ready to rock and roll. Here’s the skinny. . . Traditional July 4th Flag Cake: Though there’s … [Read more...]
healthy, quick meal prep service for busy families: Terra’s Kitchen
I am always thrilled when asked to try new products or services that may make my family's life better, easier, or healthier. So when I learned that a healthy, quick meal prep service for busy families had arrived in the DC Metro area this month, I was thrilled when I was asked to give it a go. It's called Terra's Kitchen, and the premise is simple: they want to bring back the experience of cooking and eating together. And they know that we're all busy. Like really, really busy. And … [Read more...]
best bunco game night snack ideas
I lied when I said that the best thing about Bunco was that it was an easy game to play while catching up with friends. Really. I lied. It's not 100% true. The best thing about Bunco is the snacks. There. I said it. Bunco snacks are awesome. But if Bunco isn't your game and something else is--Scrabble? Phase 10? Pokeno? Yahtzee?--whatever it is, snacks are a fun part of game night. And though I am kidding, I'm also kind of not kidding. We all need … [Read more...]
belgian mussels with kids: a cultural adventure at home & trip of a lifetime
We are so lucky now that our kids can literally have the world at their fingertips. With technology today and well-designed educational apps, kids can basically explore the world from the comfort of their own home. Virtual travel is something that our family has enjoyed for years now--through food especially. Recently we had a chance to do a little exploration of sorts--enjoying a meal at a nearby Belgian restaurant and then challenging ourselves to make … [Read more...]
how to do a family fondue night: special occasion dinner
Our family has longtime been a fan of the fondue night. It's a tradition for us to make this dinner on New Year's Day and Valentine's Day, and often the kids will choose to have fondue for their birthday dinner as well. Fondue is a lot of fun, but I must be clear: it's not just a dinner--it's an event. It takes time to shop for fondue, prep fondue, and slowly enjoy fondue. And one huge plus is that although it sounds fancy, it's really pretty … [Read more...]
enjoy the holiday: gingerbread houses & giving back at Make Meaning Bethesda Row
The holiday season is busy--busy. But it's so important that we take time every so often to breathe. I mean really, truly breathe. Enjoy time with friends. Enjoy time with family. And enjoy time spent doing holiday activities that we love. Who cares if the laundry's piled up, the house is a wreck, and dinner's cold by the time everyone's at the table? Not I! (Not this month, at least. . . ) This week, I had the opportunity to enjoy the … [Read more...]
holiday baking with kids: eBook
This time last year I was scrambling around doing what I could to finish our holiday baking with kids eBook in time for the actual holidays. This year? Done and done. And ready for you to use at Thanksgiving! Woo-hooooo. And though it's called 'Holiday Baking with Kids' I can't tell you how many times through the year Maddy, Owen, Cora, or I reached for the book so that we could make our favorite muffins, cookies, and sweet treats. A lot. So grab … [Read more...]
make easy candy corn dessert with kids (not perfect and still cool)
Halloween's almost here, but candy corn and tons of sweet treats have been in the grocery stores for what seems like weeks now. Cora and I took that Halloween spirit and ran with it, creating our own, easy candy corn desserts. It's always fun to experiment in the kitchen, but when you can let your kids take the lead and use their creativity a bit, it's all the better. We wanted to have something fun and sweet here for when Aunt Katie and Asher visited this past weekend (so fun!), and … [Read more...]
recipe reading for kids: fun learning in the kitchen with monster sandwiches
Ever since my kids were tiny, I've let them play around in the kitchen. It hasn't always been pretty, but it's been fun. And now, though they're still learning, at 10, 9, and 7 years old, my kids are pretty skilled at cracking eggs, measuring ingredients, and navigating the wilds of cookie baking and meal-making. Recently, Cora has been into some serious snack preparation. Not only has this benefitted our bellies; what I've also been reminded of is how important recipe … [Read more...]
quick, kid-friendly after school snack: Bagel Bites (and $100 Visa gift card giveaway!)
I can hardly believe that the new school year is almost upon us.But it is.And before I know it, our home will be a whirlwind of paper, pencils, and new backpacks. Lunch bags, homework, projects, and field trips.And though I know how important it is to keep our kids' lives balanced, what usually makes me crazy is the after school activities--the extra-curriculars. The running home, unpacking backpacks, speeding through snack, and heading back out the door only to return home two or three hours … [Read more...]
backyard chopped challenge: creative outdoor fun
Many of my longtime readers will think I've officially lost my marbles after reading this post, and maybe I have. I just think it's worth sharing because though there isn't any serious learning going on, my kids were sure using their brains for this one. And their creative juices were a' flowin'. And their bodies were moving. And there was a whole lot of laughing. And they were outdoors, unplugged, and doing just what they wanted. And really? It was so much fun. It's just a … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 7
- Next Page »
