In our house there are a few “bad” words that the kids are absolutely and completely forbidden to say, like “I hate,” “I can’t,” and “I’m bored.” But that doesn’t mean they don’t ever say say it - in other creative ways - or feel that way when we don’t have scheduled activities. How do […]
The joke around here is that our house could double as a shipping facility with all the packages continuously coming in and going out. But after heading back to work full-time, the freedom to shop in person just isn’t a luxury I enjoy anymore, so I am completely unapologetic about my dependency on online shopping and […]
If you thought DIY Batik Shirts were difficult to make - like I did before we tried this new activity - you are so wrong! Making Glue Resist Batik T-Shirts is actually super easy, super fun, and super cheap, especially if you already have glue and painting supplies handy. This is the perfect weekend activity you can […]
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 […]
Independence Building Boredom Busters
{Review} Amazon Prime Now
Glue Resist Batik T-Shirts
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
January 11, 2013 in ABCs of Raising A Thinking Child, All Posts, Play, Preschool
Well, here we are on the final day of the ABC’s of How to Raise a Thinking Child series with tips from U through Z today. Thank you thank you for reading along and hanging in every day with a post on the same topic. We’ll be back to regular posting after today! In case you […]
January 10, 2013 in ABCs of Raising A Thinking Child, All Posts, Play
We’re getting ready to wind down the ABC’s of How to Raise a Thinking Child series with tips from P through T today. I think you know the drill. Here’s a little recap of the week so far: Monday we shared 20+ ABC Guides to Mom Tips & Tricks, Tuesday we linked to 10+ A through Z guides […]
January 9, 2013 in ABCs of Raising A Thinking Child, All Posts, Play
Are you ready for Day 3 of the ABC’s of How to Raise a Thinking Child series? I promise that regular blog posts will be coming after this series is finished, but I hope that you are enjoying the tips I’m sharing this week and getting some great ideas and inspiration from the dozens of ABC […]
January 8, 2013 in ABCs of Raising A Thinking Child, All Posts, Play, Preschool
Welcome to Day Two of the ABC’s of How to Raise a Thinking Child! At the end of this post I’m also sharing 11 other bloggers’ A through Z guides in the ABC’s of School Activities category. If you didn’t already: don’t forget to check out the 20+ ABC Guides to Mom Tips & Tricks […]
January 7, 2013 in ABCs of Raising A Thinking Child, All Posts, Play
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 […]
April 24, 2012 in All Posts, Parenting
I can’t believe it’s already one year been since I posted A Weekend of Firsts: Transitioning to a Toddler Bed and Eating Cheerios where Jane left her crib for a big girl bed (25 months) and Sam was just mastering his pincer grasp (11 months). Here we are again, one year later, and Sam has […]
September 1, 2011 in All Posts, Laugh, Parenting
Yesterday was Jane’s first day of school. At 2 years, 7 months, my little baby went off to preschool. I thought there would be tears on somebody’s part: mine or hers. Or possibly both. But instead, it was one of the best days we’ve shared so far. Jane was giddy with excitement and couldn’t wait […]
August 30, 2011 in All Posts, Laugh, Parenting
We’ve had several fish over the past year: goldfish, neon tetras, feeders. Somehow none of them have ever lasted more than a few days. Now whenever Jane sees a fish, she says, “Mommy, is that fish going to die?“* Lately, I’ve found myself promising to get her a rabbit, since I figure it’s easier to […]
April 21, 2011 in All Posts, Laugh
Right after Hubby and I had nicely settled into a routine of comfort and familiarity - which became even more relaxed after the first pregnancy - Jane had the idea of growing into a full-fledged human being with a keen awareness of her surroundings. But Jane’s awakening, which started around 15 months, has been more […]
April 13, 2011 in All Posts, Laugh
Lest you become a hapless fool such as I, here are seven mistakes I made in the past week that you should not repeat yourself. Don’t serve your family soft, yellow lo mein noodles when you know that fly maggots have been dropping from the ceiling overhead. Especially when your children have the tendency to […]
