We just returned from one of our summer vacations and oh how much we will miss the good times together. To capture our memories, one of the things we do is a bedtime ritual called, “Review the Holiday,” where we recount the highlights of our vacation. A hands-on way to cement our happy memories is with […]
Hooray for vacation and stay at home days! Well, except for those days when the weather is too hot or too cold to get outside and run off all the extra energy from being cooped up. Even though we rotate toys - I hide stuffed animals in the attic and store birthday and holiday gifts in […]
Glitter, upcycling, and independent play: these are a few of my favorite things. When we received a box brimming with Glitter Glue, Painters Markers, School Glue and Glue Sticks from Elmer’s last weekend, I knew EXACTLY what we would do - get our craft on and create a homemade play town with items straight from […]
After our maiden voyage to Disneyland was such a magical success, we can’t wait to visit again. Short and sweet, here are our Top Ten Tips for Disneyland With Preschoolers. Don’t forget to check out our detailed post on Planning for Disneyland with Preschoolers, with tips on when to visit the park, what attractions not to […]
Disneyland is truly the happiest place on Earth. I hadn’t visited the park since 1987, so I was excited to take the kids (4 and 5 years old) on their maiden voyage, but I had no idea how absolutely magical the experience would be. Watching the children’s hearts nearly explode with joy was the best part […]
Keeping the kids occupied (meaning, not putting them in front of the TV and making sure they’re safe and not killing one another) while we prep dinner is sometimes challenging for us. A fun way to turn what can be a difficult time into an opportunity for learning is this simple Counting by Tens math […]
We’ve been in our new house for about half a year now, but after unpacking our boxes and getting our 1950’s Rancher fixed up, we haven’t really begun to make the house our home. Part of the reason is that we will be remodeling eventually, so making a big investment on statement pieces or committing […]
I’m thrilled to be participating in the Second Annual School’s Out! Top 10 Summer Learning Activities series and sharing our Top Ten Ways to Keep Kids Thinking over Summer Break with you. If you’re like me, you want your children to enjoy the beautiful summer weather, play in the dirt, swim in the pool and just […]
If you’re like us, you’re scrambling to make one hundred homemade Valentines for your children’s classroom Valentine’s Day Exchange and need something quick, cheap, and fun. Lucky for all you last-minute crafters, we’re sharing our simple Magic Heart Wands that will help your child spread some love this Valentine’s Day. All you need is: A […]
It’s been over 20 years in the making, but it’s finally happened. We just moved into our Forever House over Thanksgiving week. It couldn’t be more fitting that we moved that week because there is so much to be thankful for. We are right next door to the house I grew up in and the […]
DIY Memory Box Display
DIY Board Games for Kids
Easy Homemade Play Town
Top Ten Tips For Disneyland With Preschoolers
Planning for Disneyland with Preschoolers
Easy Kitchen Math: Counting By Tens
5 Creative Ways To Upgrade Your Home Style
Summer Learning Activities for Kids: Top Ten Ways To Keep Kids Thinking
{Homemade Valentines} Magic Heart Wands
Home Sweet Home
June 26, 2015 in All Posts, Kindergarten, Kindergarten Craft, Play, Popular, Preschool, Preschool Craft, Sponsored Posts
Hooray for vacation and stay at home days! Well, except for those days when the weather is too hot or too cold to get outside and run off all the extra energy from being cooped up. Even though we rotate toys - I hide stuffed animals in the attic and store birthday and holiday gifts in […]
July 12, 2014 in All Posts, Popular, Preschool, Travel
After our maiden voyage to Disneyland was such a magical success, we can’t wait to visit again. Short and sweet, here are our Top Ten Tips for Disneyland With Preschoolers. Don’t forget to check out our detailed post on Planning for Disneyland with Preschoolers, with tips on when to visit the park, what attractions not to […]
June 20, 2014 in All Posts, Popular
I’m thrilled to be participating in the Second Annual School’s Out! Top 10 Summer Learning Activities series and sharing our Top Ten Ways to Keep Kids Thinking over Summer Break with you. If you’re like me, you want your children to enjoy the beautiful summer weather, play in the dirt, swim in the pool and just […]
September 29, 2013 in All Posts, CRAVE IT. COVET. LOVE IT., Popular
This week, I’m craving single origin, blended, and flavored artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate, like the to-die-for varieties we tasted at the recent Women’s Intellectual Property Lawyer’s Association networking event at Palo Alto’s The Chocolate Garage. The Habanero from Patric Chocolate was sinfully hot, sweet, and salty: If you haven’t visited The Chocolate Garage, they have tasting […]
August 1, 2013 in All Posts, Kindergarten, Kindergarten Science, Play, Popular, Preschool, Preschool Science
I took my own advice this summer and tried this classic messy outdoor science experiment for kids last month: the Exploding Sandwich Bag. This experiment is your basic baking soda and vinegar reaction experiment, but the anticipation of the explosion, the big pop, and the overflowing fizzy solution made this one a favorite with the […]
February 6, 2013 in All Posts, Play, Popular, Preschool Craft, Sponsored Posts
It’s a New Year, it’s supposed to be a new me, but the same old I-don’t-want-to-clean-Chrissy is still here. Luckily, there’s still time to teach my kids good housekeeping habits so they don’t risk growing up to be slobs! Here’s how I get my kids to clean up after themselves - even after the super […]
January 28, 2013 in All Posts, Popular, Preschool, Preschool Craft, Toddler Activities, Toddler Craft
I’ve been on a wonky posting schedule lately trying to juggle a sick family, my day job, and on and on, but I’m back today with a fun, easy DIY winter-themed craft for kids as part of the Winter Wonderland Blog Hop presented by the fabulous Adrienne of The Iowa Farmer’s Wife: Mason Jar Snow […]
January 7, 2013 in ABCs of Raising A Thinking Child, All Posts, Play, Popular
If you could teach your child only one thing, what would it be? What about the top five things? I made a list of Ten Things I Will Teach My Daughter a little while ago, but really what I want for either of the kids is much more simple. Kindness is a given and easy for […]
October 5, 2012 in All Posts, Popular, Preschool, Preschool Art, Preschool Math, Toddler Activities
Preschool art and math activities don’t need to be complicated: you can turn ordinary objects in your home into fantastic learning tools for your kids if you just look at them in a new light. Do you have any leftover strawberry baskets from this summer? Then you have almost everything you’ll need for Strawberry Basket […]
July 18, 2012 in All Posts, Parenting, Popular
Today, when I was driving in to work, I caught the end of NPR’s Forum program on Marissa Mayer and The Work-Life Debate. It dovetailed nicely with my recent thoughts on going back to work versus my brief stint as a stay-at-home mom and my new curiosity in this thing called feminism - which I’ll admit I […]
