Modern Parents Messy Kids

We're all about finding ways to make family life better while keeping our sense of humor. Check out our famous MPMK Top Toy Awards, already viewed over 7,000,000 times!

How to Make Removable Wall Paper

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My friend Allyson from Day to Day Wonderments recently completed a project that was just too good not to share!  She, like many of us, is a renter and not allowed to change the paint color or wallpaper her home.  But she LOVES the look of wallpaper, don't we all? Enter a creative solution to an annoying problem.  Allyson created fabric to look like wallpaper and starched it to her wall.  Once they move, all they have to do is wet the walls and peel it off without doing any damage to the wall or … [Read more...]

Ideas so Good It’s Spooky

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The hubs and I are back from our whirlwind trip to San Francisco (thank you all for the fabulous restaurant suggestions!) and I'm realizing it's very nearly Halloween - eek!  In case the holiday has snuck up on you too, here's a list of MPMK activities and recipes there's still time to have some fun with... Make Oobleck (the perfect activity for Halloween parties) Read some of our top notch Halloween Story picks. Start a (last minute) Halloween tradition. Decorate pumpkins - ideas for … [Read more...]

Midweek Musing: Do Moms Still Mend?

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(images via refashion co-op and Freshly Picked) I mentioned yesterday we recently celebrated C's 4th birthday.  The day after he opened his gifts, I took advantage of his grandparents still being in town and embarked on an impromptu organization session.  When I started out I intended just to make room for the new toys but, before I knew it, I was on to our closets as well (this is what Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life is doing to me people). By the end of the day I'd sent my hubs off to … [Read more...]

Best DIY Birthday Cake Ever

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I've discussed in the past our family's evolution from throwing picture perfect birthday parties to establishing birthday traditions instead. Recently C turned four and this year was no exception. We celebrated him by sharing dollar store trinkets with his preschool class, embarking on a special outing to the Space Needle and Seattle's monorail, having dinner at his favorite restaurant with the grandparents, and letting him help make his birthday cake.  There was a present or two thrown in … [Read more...]

Make Your Halloween Costume Count (and Last)

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Photo credit: Justin W. Moore (www.outdoorphoto.com) Whether you buy a costume or make it at home, they can be expensive and time-consuming. You can make those dollars and hours count by not only encouraging your child to have fun on Halloween night, but by helping her to really get into character and to learn a lot as well. Dressing up is the ultimate form of pretending and there are amazing learning opportunities in the fun of dressing up for Halloween. In costume, you get to really feel … [Read more...]

Outdoor Preschool: How to Dress for Hours of Rain & Cold

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I've shared here before that our son goes to an all outdoor preschool, but only briefly.  In case you missed it, let me say it again. Our son attends a preschool 3 1/2 hours a day, two days a week which, aside from the bathroom, has absolutely no indoor facilities.  And, yes, we do still live in Seattle where it rains approximately 9 months a year. Are you shocked?  Think I'm nuts? … [Read more...]

Midweek Musing: A Supersonic Skydive to Make Science Cool & the World Limitless

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Space, the final frontier, has always been a source of fascination and awe for children.  Which is why the death of the US space shuttle program last year was such a loss.  The indefinite shut down of the American manned space program could mean the end of little boys and girls playing astronaut in their living room, truly believing in their potential to one day travel to distant planets.  And it definitely means the loss of opportunities to talk to our children about science, adventure, and a … [Read more...]