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
April 10, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
Welcome to Around The World in 12 Dishes! In March, we - and 12 other amazing bloggers and their children - began our culinary adventure around the world to explore 12 different countries in 12 months by cooking one dish from one country each month with our kids. This month we’re learning about SWEDEN! Swedish […]
December 15, 2011 in All Posts, Bake
It’s time for The Improv Cooking Challenge with Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker again! October’s Challenge was apples and caramel and November’s Challenge was pumpkin and cream cheese. December’s challenge: a baking or cooking recipe using this month’s two featured ingredients - egg nog and cranberries. There are a lot of things I don’t know much about and […]
November 17, 2011 in All Posts, Bake
I’m so excited to be taking The Improv Cooking Challenge with Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker again! October’s Challenge - when I made my Apple Crumble Cheesecake With Caramel Sauce - was so much fun, I can’t wait to see what everyone’s made this month! November’s challenge: a baking or cooking recipe using this month’s two featured ingredients - pumpkin […]
November 11, 2011 in All Posts, Bake, Celebrate
We visited one of my friends and her sweet newborn baby girl this week and brought these shortbread cookies - one for each member of her new family of five: This recipe (adapted from Gourmet’s) is so easy you won’t even have to break out the mixer. Dress them up with royal icing clothing or […]
October 20, 2011 in All Posts, Bake
I’m so excited to be taking The Improv Cooking Challenge with Lady Behind the Curtain this month! October’s challenge: a baking or cooking recipe using this month’s two featured ingredients - apples and caramel. If you know me, you know that I loooove caramel apples. So naturally, I thought of making them for this challenge […]
October 7, 2011 in All Posts, Bake, Play
Fall is undoubtedly my favorite season. It marks the start of school, four-inch thick fall lookbooks, and the beginning of the holiday season. It also means pretty fall-inspired cookies just in time for Halloween! What better time for my first attempt at decorating cookies with royal icing and trying out the proper piping and flooding […]
September 23, 2011 in All Posts, Bake
What do you do with three very ripe bananas soon to turn to mush, a baking crazed toddler and her Weetabix fanatic mom? Weetabix Banana Muffins! We found this great recipe from Toddler Tastes and had so much fun with it! The complete recipe for these healthy, toddler-friendly muffins can be found here. We left […]
June 28, 2011 in All Posts, Celebrate, Play, Toddler Activities
Inspired by these salt dough footprint keepsakes from The Imagination Tree, we made these salt dough handprints as one of Hubby’s Father’s Day presents: We followed The Imagination Tree’s tutorial, so I won’t re-post it here, but will just say that it is oh-so-fun for the kids to mix and knead the dough and make […]
February 18, 2011 in All Posts, Bake
As part of our week-long celebration of Valentine’s Day, Jane and I made these scrumptiously crunchy sugar cookie sandwiches today: It was loads of fun to do together while Sam napped and it’s the perfect toddler baking activity because there are no raw eggs involved, so your child can eat as much of the uncooked […]
