Modern Parents Messy Kids

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Top-Notch Halloween Stories

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I love seasonal and holiday books, although I've discovered that you generally have to sort through a lot of poorly-written or cheesily-illustrated reads to find the gems.  These are six that I consider very well-done against any scale, not just for Halloween. Earlier this week Steph suggested reading stories at night by candlelight as part of MPMK's 31 Ways to Start a Halloween Tradition.  All of these picks would be excellent choices for doing so. … [Read more...]

DIY Autumn Arrangements

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Is it cooling down where you live yet?  Fall is definitely in the air here and with the crisp weather, comes a desire to fully immerse myself in Autumn.  Despite my penchant for DIY projects, I've never been much of a floral arrangement kind of girl (I actually just got my first wreath last Christmas). However, the web has been teeming with bold and beautiful autumn foliage lately.  So much so that I'm inspired to try out a DIY arrangement at home.  In no particluar order, here are my top six … [Read more...]

A Free Positive Parenting Webinar for MPMK Readers

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Why is it so difficult sometimes to get kids to listen? You know she heard you, but she ignores you. You ask again and still . . . no response.  If you're a regular around here, you know I'm a big proponent of positive parenting.  In fact, I often recommend posts and books on the topic.  I have to admit, though, despite how much I believe in these writings - I barely have time to read them myself.  Life is usually just too busy to allow for a few hours of reading to brush up on my parenting … [Read more...]

Giveaway: $100 to mama may i

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I'm so very excited about today's giveaway AND promotion. That's right, there's a discount code and a giveaway today from Mama May i, purveyor of handmade learning toys - yipee! In fact, if you just can't wait for the end of the post, you can use the code MPMK for 15% off - but do it quick, the code expires October 5, 2012. … [Read more...]

POYEL: Organizing Your Paper Piles

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In a few days, we're once again sending the kids to the grandparents and embarking on a decluttering weekend.  If you're a regular here, you know we like to do this 3-4 times a year.  Along with giving our little ones quality bonding time with some of their favorite people, it gives the hubs and I the chance to tackle a few projects on our to-do list.   I haven't finalized the list of all I hope to accomplish yet, but I know for sure a new system for dealing with our ever-growing paper … [Read more...]

Handmade Halloween: Etsy Costume Roundup

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I know it's a little early for Halloween, but when talking costumes it never hurts to get ahead of the crowd.  I absolutely love the look of handmade Halloween costumes over store-bought.  But that doesn't mean I have the time, or for that matter the talent, to actually make them.  In the next few years I'm really going to try to work on my sewing skills (and on recognizing that it's about the effort and not a perfect product).  Hopefully I'll be ready to whip something up by the time my kids … [Read more...]