Happy Black Friday, friends! But it’s only Wednesday, you say? I know, I know but a lot of the online retailers are taking the madness to the max this year and some of them are even starting BEFORE THANKSGIVING... right this very minute, in fact. I actually kinda dig it. (Note: this email contains affiliate links, see my P.S. for more info. and a brand new bonus offer.) I can get my shopping out of the way so I don’t have to wake up early and scramble for those … [Read more...]
How to Have Healthier Kids This Cold & Flu Season
Image Credit: © Taylor Mackenzie | Lifeless | CC by 2.0 We're on day EIGHT of my daughter having a fever of 101 or more. It's official- fall is here and winter is on the way. And while there's a lot to love about that (warm fires, cozy drinks and brown paper packages tied up in strings)... there's also the cold and flu season. It hits us every year and every year I vow that I'm gonna take some real steps to boost my kids' immunity. So let's get on it together this year, shall we? My favorite … [Read more...]
Gotta Try Dessert: Pumpkin Dump Cake
If you've never heard, can I introduce you to the concept of 'dump cake?' While the name is quite unflattering, the concept is genius! The cake consists of several pantry ingredients and some eggs...involves a few stirs and about an hour in the oven. And all the busy moms rejoiced! Any time I have to make a dessert on the fly, it's a dump cake. This particular cake is of the pumpkin variety. And hold the term cake loosely, because this tastes like a pumpkin pie … [Read more...]
Healthy Snack: Chia Seed Granola Bark
I love recipes you can't mess up. Add a little bit extra, you're still good. Short on something, it's okay. This granola bark has all the good stuff, little bits of chocolate to entice the sweet tooth and is fool-proof. The granola bark has a similar texture to Nature Valley crispy granola bars. It's a little chewier, which I like, because who wants to break a tooth? You break the granola into pieces after its baked. Smaller pieces are great for topping yogurt. Bigger pieces … [Read more...]
Christmas Toy Shopping: 3 Things You Need to Know
Thank you The Toy Association for sponsoring this post. Keeping kids safe while they play is the #1 priority for The Toy Association and its members. As you probably know by now, the 2019 edition of our much-loved annual toy awards was released last month. I work on them for months and always do my best to get them out by the end of October in order to give parents lots of time to research the very best toys for their kids this Christmas. I love being a trusted source for finding highly … [Read more...]
Get More Veggies: Cauliflower Pizza Bites
Sneaking in vegetables has been a hobby of mine since my kids were toddlers. Jessica Seinfeld came out with Deceptively Delicious and I was hooked. Cauliflower was showing up everywhere! Fast forward to my kids' teenage years and I'm still trying to infuse extra vitamins into their diet. These Cauliflower Pizza Bites are a recipe that works from toddlerhood all the way to the teenage years. I can whip up this recipe in about 15 minutes and have a delicious meal that's … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: The Most Important Thing in My Purse
I thought I'd keep it short and sweet today and just sent one quick universal parenting tip: always keep a card game in your purse. Last week my son had his final cross country meet and it ended a little earlier than I anticipated. Though we weren't initially planning on it, I decided to take advantage of the rare opportunity to have some one-on-one time and pop into our local pizza joint. While that surely would have been connection enough for my son, the experience was … [Read more...]
Must-Try: Pumpkin Energy Bites
I'm just as basic as the next girl. When the pumpkin spice latte comes out, I'm the first in line. Fall is the season for us to infuse pumpkin into everything from candles to our coffee and I love a good pumpkin bread or muffin. This year, I decided to try my hand and making a healthy pumpkin treat. We love energy bites in our house all year long. The no-bake recipes are easy to make and can pass for breakfast on-the-go or an afternoon snack. The challenge in making a pumpkin … [Read more...]
Halloween Couples Costume: Russian Hacker & Old Person Faceapp
Last weekend a couple friends and I (top pic below) hosted an adults-only Halloween party for our neighborhood. It's actually the third year we've had a neighborhood party and everyone likes to go all out. That means, I've been hard at work on a couples costume for my husband and I and Saturday was the big reveal! There are lots of ways to go when it comes to couples costumes; throwbacks, super scary and (my personal favorite) timely. A few years ago, for example, we went as as … [Read more...]
MPMK’s 2019 Top Toy Awards are Here!!
How great would it be to get all of your Christmas shopping done ahead of time this year AND feel confident your kids are going to love their gifts and keep returning to play with them again and again? I've got some HUGE news today friends! Drum roll please... The 2019 Top Toy Awards are Here! The Toy Awards Parents In-the-Know Have Already Viewed Over 7,000,000 Times! I am such a fan of your website and emails! Thanks for working so hard, especially at Christmas shopping time! Grandparents … [Read more...]
Top 10 Parenting Books for Raising Girls
Next month, I'll be having my third child and my third girl. Which means that parenting little girls is always on my mind. Whether you have a single daughter or a whole slew of them, these books are full of great advice on how to handle all manner of parenting issues, from education to bullying to the princess obsessions. Little Girls Can Be Mean: Four Steps to Bully-proof Girls in the Early Grades by Michelle Anthony and Reyna Lindert. Bullying is a hot issue right now, and this book is … [Read more...]
Free Resources to Try “Yogic Sleep”
Have you guys heard of "yogic sleep"? It's a practice that can help with stress, insomnia, anxiety, and more. I'm so excited to try it, wanna do it with me? Here's Anna with the details... One of the most challenging aspects of motherhood for me has been finding ways to quiet my mind. I hate to admit this, but even on my yoga mat or during mass it's difficult to quiet the chatter of to-do lists that run through my mind like a news ticker with neon lights. In a more literal sense, there is the … [Read more...]
DIY Halloween Decor: Spiderweb Garland
If you're looking for a simple DIY Halloween decor idea to try with the kids this year (one that - bonus - will keep them quiet and busy for a good chunk of time), check out my kirigami paper spiderweb garland. Kids love the ancient art of origami and kirigami takes it up a notch by adding in cutting work (which is great for building fine motor skills). Follow our step-by-step instructions below to make some basic kirigami spiderwebs with the kids in Halloween colors. Then string them … [Read more...]
Side Stepping the Dinner Time Struggle: Dealing with a Stubborn Eater
I have a picky eater. Correction- I have a child who once successfully carried out an 18-hour hunger strike. After years of cooking three separate meals at dinnertime, I had the unreasonable idea that I should just cook one meal and that we could all eat like normal families. After all, I had never aspired to being a short-order cook, and preparing multiple meals meant I relied way too much on microwaving processed foods shaped like animals. I was going to make a … [Read more...]