What's on your summer bucket list this year? How about the simple goal of slowing down and entertaining the kids with some engaging and hands-on activities? And what if you could even check some stuff off your own "To Do" list as well? Sounds like a good plan, right? But scouring the web to find activities to fill the days just takes way too long. If you’re like me, you need simple ideas that will be successful for all of the kids - and lots of them. Activities that will allow for … [Read more...]
20 Must-Read Books for Summer – Something for Everyone’s List
As a stay-at-home mom with a baby and preschooler, summer life doesn't look ALL that much different than my regular mom life. But it feels different, doesn't it? The warm weather, longer hours of daylight, weekday trips to the pool, road trip vacations, and kids filling the library, park and neighborhood streets, all add up to a totally different routine in my mind. And summer reading is part of that, obviously. Whether your book is accompanying you to a park bench or a sparkling … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Creating an Outdoor Exploration Station Your Kids Will Love!
Now that summer break is just around the corner (or maybe even here for some of you!), It's time to start thinking about how to keep our kids active and engaged without resorting to video games and television. At the top of my list is (rather predictably) outside, unstructured play. Here's Julee with one of my all-time favorite set-ups for doing just that... Our yard was one of the top reasons we chose our new house. We have lots of space, a large deck and trees to keep us sheltered from the … [Read more...]
Nutrient-Packed Pancakes for Active Toddlers
This post is sponsored by Abbott Nutrition, all opinions are 100% our own. Having trouble getting your toddler to eat a balanced and nutritious diet? I hear you. Not only has my 2-year-old never met a vegetable he likes, he seems to want to eat nothing but pancakes and waffles morning, noon, and night- it's so frustrating! Which is why our contributor, Kaley, and I are partnering up with Abbott Nutrition to tell you all about new Go & Grow by Similac Food-Mix Ins to help toddlers … [Read more...]
5 Full Weeks of Family-Friendly Meal Plans (for Free)!
Who's up for a totally free meal plan just in time for summer?! I realized recently that a lot of you don't know about one of our coolest freebies here on MPMK. It's a deluxe 5 week meal plan that includes: 5 weeks with seven dinner recipes each - no repeats! 5 shopping lists (one for each week), categorized for convenience And the best part is the meals are kid-friendly, nutritious and not-overly complicated... It's just what you need for an easy breezy … [Read more...]
A Smart Home in 1-2-3: Lowe’s Iris System is THAT Easy
We're back today with Janssen's follow-up post on what it was really like taking her regular old home and turning it into a "smart home". Did you see her first post on the topic? Full disclosure: after reading Janssen's review, I am more than a little jealous that I gave this post to her instead of keeping the Iris by Lowe's system for myself. I could really use the ability to turn off my son's star light with my phone after he falls asleep at night. And a smart fob I can just put on … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: She’s Six. She’s Not Your Girlfriend.
I think you're really going to enjoy this installment of our column, Parenting Styles. It resonated so much with me and what I've experienced this year with both my 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter. I've found that it can go both ways as far as unwanted attention and it's something parents don't seem to know how to address... Something happened a few weeks ago, and I’m still mulling it over. My daughter, a first grader, invited us to her classroom presentation, some goats and trolls … [Read more...]
1 Year to a Non-Toxic Home: Tween Deodorant (Oh My!)
I told you guys last week about my collaboration with Tom's of Maine as a member of their Goodness Circle. Today, I wanted to share with you about a special collaboration Tom's is involved in with one of my favorite places in the world - Target. Have you heard of their Made to Matter - Handpicked by Target Program? It's Target's mission to build strong partnerships with purpose-driven brands in the wellness space to make natural, organic and sustainable products more accessible. This … [Read more...]
Our Favorite Easy Easter Dessert Recipe: Bunny Chow
Need an easy Easter potluck recipe or a new treat to fill those plastic eggs? You have to check out this dead simple Bunny Chow recipe. We brought it to our annual neighborhood egg hunt a few years ago and I got so many compliments I was actually embarassed by how little work I put into it! Here's Kristin with the recipe... Puppy Chow. It's also known as monkey munch, muddy buddies, muddy munch, or reindeer chow. You can now refer to this concoction of cereal, melted chocolate, and … [Read more...]
Mother’s Day DIY Mug (You can call me Queen Bee)
Mother's Day is the perfect time to try a DIY project and I guarantee you're going to adore this one. I want to make one for every mom I know! Here's Alli with the details... I am loving the "make your own mug" trend for two reasons: 1. There's nothing better than a handmade gift. 2. It's so amazingly EASY! I mean, really. The possibilities are endless. I picked up one mug at the dollar store for this project, and I found myself wishing I'd grabbed a dozen. I decided to go with a … [Read more...]
1 Year to a Non-Toxic Home: Tom’s of Maine’s Awesome Product Line for Kids
Since giving myself the challenge to make our home non-toxic in a year's time, I've been on research overload. Once you really start looking into the myriad of products you and your kids use in daily life, it is shocking. So much so that I needed a game plan on where to start. To me, it made sense to start with the products that we come into contact with the most... The bed and bedding we sleep in all night, the lotions and soaps we use directly on our skin, and the toothpaste we use … [Read more...]
I Found the Perfect Laptop/Tablet for Kids and I’m Giving It Away!
Don't you love it when you finally find the tool you've been searching for to make things run more smoothly!? For me that elusive tool has been the perfect budget-priced computer for my kids (ages 5 and 7). Bonus: We're giving one away! All you have to do is follow these two steps: Sign up for our newsletter Be sure to click the confirmation email we send you. You'll automatically be entered in the giveaway and, as a bonus, I'll also send you my Free Report: The 3 Apps I Use … [Read more...]
Why You Should be Spring Cleaning Your Parenting Each Year
I've got a fantastic positive parenting guest post today from Annie of Motherhood and More. I discovered Annie through her hilarious and insightful facebook posts and was instantly smitten. I absolutely love her idea of spring cleaning your parenting each year. It can be so easy to get stuck in our habits and routines without putting much thought into what we're doing. By putting a parenting spring clean on the calendar every year, you're ensuring that you're not parenting on auto-pilot! … [Read more...]
Earth Day Activity: Upcycled Juice Box Seed Starters
Looking for a quick and easy Earth Day project to do with the kids? Our contributor Janssen teamed up with our newest sponsor, Juicy Juice, for the perfect Earth Day kid craft- upcycled juice box seed starters! It's spring break this week around here and I can't wait to make a whole batch with the kids this week. I also love Janssen's idea of making them now and using them as gifts for Teacher Appreciation Day later. spring break activity and teacher appreciation gift- who doesn't love a … [Read more...]
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