You might remember that last summer we finally invested in making our deck more inviting... on a budget! Below is a reminder of what we ended up with but first a quick note, MAKE SURE YOU SCROLL DOWN for two big finds... I'm so excited about the knock off of the Target Egg Chair that I found for 40% LESS!!Speaking of wicker chairs, Pier1 is having a sale on all of their super fun Swingasan chairs! As a reminder, here's what we got: Better Homes & Gardens Hawthorne Park … [Read more...]
Books for the Fourth of July
Our resident children's librarian, Janssen, is here today with her picks for injecting a little history into your 4th of July celebration. Get those library cards ready! Let's be honest - on the Fourth of July, you'll probably be outside, watching parades, having a neighborhood BBQ, and watching (or setting off!) fireworks. There may not be a lot of time for reading. So we're sharing this book list a little early so you'll have time to read these books with your kids before the big day. This … [Read more...]
Summer Budget Bucket List: 25 Ideas that Don’t Cost a Lot of Money
I'm all about the bucket lists. Let me re-phrase that...I'm all about lists in general. Maybe it's the first grade teacher in me? I have found that lists help me stay on task, focus and get things done. So, when it comes to summer fun, of course I would make a bucket list. Summer seems to go as quickly as it comes. I want to make sure that we soak up every moment of enjoyment. The only problem is that I don't have endless amounts of cash to spend on amusement … [Read more...]
9 Family Dinners Perfect for Beginning Kid Cooks
Bringing kids into the kitchen not only teaches them valuable skills that will serve them well later in life, it gives you time with them. And we all know that time is precious. Start using the time you're making dinner to involve the kids. There are nights where you're eating on the run or you have company coming and it might not be the best time to have a little one helping you. But, on the nights where it's just the family and you don't have any place to be, involve your kids in the … [Read more...]
Family Travel: Circumnavigating the Globe
*Post contains affiliate links Ok, back to my secret... While working away behind the scenes of here, 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 including where we went and why, how we ended up completely circumnavigating the globe (Seattle to Bali via Tokyo on the way there, and Bali to Seattle via Dubai on the way home) and how we did all that traveling in only … [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 always … [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 Spiders An excerpt from Mama, Mama, Only Mama I 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. #CleanMyMacX Like 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...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- …
- 104
- Next Page »