Planning my kids’ summer camp schedule is one of my least favorite things to do as a working mom. There are so many choices and it’s hard to know whether a camp is the right fit for your child and what to do if it’s not. Luckily we hit the jackpot with Galileo Summer Camp for our […]
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 […]
{Review} Galileo Summer Camp
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
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 […]
December 10, 2012 in All Posts, Preschool, Preschool Art, Toddler Activities, Toddler Art
We’re back with another Simple Classic: the Cotton Ball Snowman! Remember these from back in the day? I love that the concept is so simple and so representative of crafty winter fun. Materials Construction paper Cotton balls Glue stick Scissors How To Step 1 Cut out your snowman. I folded a piece of white construction […]
January 11, 2012 in All Posts, Bake
This Old Fashioned Apple Crisp was one of the yummiest desserts I’ve made. We served it in individual ramekins, along with our Caramelized Upside Down Pear Tarte Tatin for Thanksgiving dinner, and it’s my new homemade favorite. Ingredients For the filling: 5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples (I used Granny Smith) Grated zest of 1 orange Grated zest […]
December 19, 2011 in All Posts, Fun With Food!, Play, Toddler Activities
Jane is too young to cut out intricate paper snowflakes (trust me, we tried). So we tried to have some snowflake fun another way: with marshmallows and toothpicks! Materials Mini-marshmallows Toothpicks How To This is similar to our Gumdrop Sculptures activity, except instead of standing the sculptures up on their own, we just made little […]
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 […]
December 12, 2011 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
A few weeks back - before it turned really cold (well really cold to a Californian) - we gathered some pine needles and other winter leaves for a painting experiment. At first, Jane wasn’t quite sure what to do when I put out the paint and leaf collection, but she quickly realized she could […]
December 10, 2011 in All Posts, Bake
Remember this peppermint latte I made with my Simple Peppermint Syrup last weekend? Well, I went a little crazy with the peppermint and made some Salted Double Peppermint Bark, too! Salt and chocolate is my new favorite sweet combination … and I don’t even like chocolate. I especially don’t like white chocolate, which is why I […]
March 24, 2011 in All Posts, Parenting
This post is three days late, but here is our last evening walk of the Winter: Welcome Spring! You Might Enjoy:{Live} Don’t Be Ranunculus{Play} Toddler Tissue Paper Spring Flowers {Simple Classics} Winter Activity: Cotton Ball Snowman
