I've been keeping a little secret over the past year. While working away behind the scenes of Modern Parents Messy Kids, I've also been planning a deluxe trip half-way across the world, in Bali, to celebrate my 15th wedding anniversary.I've got lots of stuff I could share about this trip... where we went (and why), how we ended up completely circumnavigating the globe (Seattle to Tokyo to Singapore to Bali on the way there, and Bali to Dubai to Seattle on the way home), and how we did … [Read more...]
Good Idea: Protein-Powered Blender Muffins
What's better than a batch of freshly made muffins? Muffins that can be made in minutes in your blender.Simply dump ingredients into your blender and mix. Pour into the muffin tins and you're done! If only everything could be this easy. (To make it even more simple, check out this amazing non-stick and dishwasher safe silicon muffin tin.)Blender muffins are the perfect after school snack or lunch time accompaniment.The following recipe is made with Kodiak Cakes mix to add … [Read more...]
20 No/Low Set-Up Ways to Play with Your Kids in the Back Yard
Not that I'm counting or anything, but summer is something like 52 days away.I don't know about you, but for us... Summer is all about fun without the fuss. Our family loves the new-found together time. And we love doing activities together, both in and out of the house. But the key to making things more enjoyable for everyone? Especially for Mom?Minimal planning and set up.I mean, it's KEY.As usual, we'll be focusing on getting outside as much as possible this summer, even despite the … [Read more...]
Best Homemade Playdough Ever: Jell-O Playdough
Homemade playdough - If ever there was a quintessential DIY this is it! Parents and children have been happily cooking up this stuff at home for decades. Today Kaley is sharing her favorite play dough recipe using another kid classic: Jell-O (because it just wouldn't be an MPMK post without some sort of twist).You're going to love this recipe. Kaley promises it comes out silky smooth and I could practically smell the fruity scents wafting from my computer as I read her … [Read more...]
Two Books We’re Loving
As a certified bibliophile doing my damndest to make sure I raise 3 more book-lovers, I'm always thrilled to get review copies of books. That being said, I get so many offers to review books that I actually pass quite often; trying to save my work time (and shelf space) for the best of the best.Today, I've got two awesome books geared towards kids that I can't wait to share.First up, is a really great new chapter book for the tween set; The New Girl Code.If, like me, you're … [Read more...]
Spring Dessert: Creamy Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Growing up, my mom always did such a fantastic job bringing the whole family together with all the classics for Easter brunch.We always had deviled eggs, ham, scalloped potatoes and an assortment of salads. But, she would change up the desert and we loved it. Sometimes she would bake a cute Easter bunny cake. Other times she would make something with seasonal ingredients.This year Easter is falling a little later in the calendar, which means strawberries are now in season. When I … [Read more...]
Exclusive Excerpt: Mama, Mama, Only Mama!
Mama, Mama, Only Mama: An Irreverent Guide for the Newly Single Parent—From Divorce and Dating to Cooking and Crafting, All While Raising the Kids and Maintaining Your Own Sanity (Sort Of)Negotiating with SpidersAn excerpt from Mama, Mama, Only MamaI had never lived completely on my own before, without a boyfriend, husband, or roommate. Yes, technically I wasn’t “alone,” as someone pointed out once—I had the children five days a week, but toddlers are more like badly behaved pets … [Read more...]
The Secret to Gorgeous Plant Pots (The Forever Home Project)
Are you guys' big planters? I have to admit, I never really thought about planting until we moved into our forever home. Now when spring rolls around, I just can't wait to start adding bold, beautiful colors to the yard via a few artfully designed pots.In the past my mother-in-law has graciously done my pots for me as an anniversary present to my husband and I. This year, though, my kindergartner's elementary school was having a massive plant sale so he and I are going to attempt the task … [Read more...]
Favorite Find: CleanMyMac X
Thank you CleanMyMac X for sponsoring this post. Ranked as the “App of the month” on Product Hunt, CleanMyMac X is an all-in-one package to awesomize your Mac and make it run just like it did on day one. #CleanMyMacXLike many of us, it doesn't feel like an exaggeration when I say my Macbook is my life.I use it to organize my family, to do my work, and for my kids to do their homework. So when my Mac starts giving me signs that it could be at the end of it's life, it's also not an … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: 5 Words for When Your Child Struggles Academically
My kid recently bombed a Big and Important Test. It happens to all of us at some point. I certainly bombed a test or two in my day. OK, let’s be honest, I’ve bombed plenty of tests—and not just the written kind. I’ve gotten Fs—note the plural. I’ve been fired from a job. Backed my car into more than one inanimate object. Been divorced not once but twice. My life is salted with screw ups of various gradations. I generally don’t need someone to help me feel bad … [Read more...]
13 Kitchen Science Projects to Blow Your Kids’ Minds
With spring just barely arrived, I think it is fair to say we could all use a few good indoor activities to keep the kids engaged about now.I usually turn to arts and crafts, but lately I have been trying to introduce a little more science to my little ones.Since I don't want to leave the house when the weather is so terrible, I definitely don't want to be running all over town looking for specific materials for our experiments. So I've rounded up 13 kitchen science projects that use … [Read more...]
Parenting Hacks: Our #ParentingPlaylist for Raising Teens
It’s probably an understatement to say raising a child from birth to adulthood can be a rollercoaster. Once you graduate out of the toddler years, things appear to be smooth sailing. You have a child that no longer needs their diapers changed, can communicate well, and is, hopefully, learning to be more self-sufficient by the day. Things can start to get a little wobbly, once again, when your child goes from the double digits into numbers that contain the word 'teen.' As a … [Read more...]
12 Crock Pot Easter Dishes
Whether you typically celebrate Easter with a fancy breakfast, a traditional ham dinner, or something in between, we can all use a short cut here and there to make meal prep easier, right? And what could be easier than setting it and forgetting it in a crock pot while you go on an egg hunt with the kids?Today we've rounded up a dozen delicious (and kinda genius) slow cooker dishes perfect for your Easter table.There are some classics, like carrot cake and honey glazed ham, that I didn't know … [Read more...]
How First Alert 10-Year Sealed Battery Alarms Saved My Sanity!
Thank you First Alert for sponsoring this post. First Alert 10-year sealed battery alarms offer hassle-free protection that helps keep your home and family protected for a decade! #LiveWithA10 When we sold our last house 5 years ago, we had to jump through a lot of hoops to get through the process of listing, appraisal, inspection, and closing. One of the things that stuck in my mind the most was our real estate agent telling us we had to make sure to have both smoke alarms and carbon monoxide … [Read more...]