Modern Parents Messy Kids

The best ideas on how to raise engaged kids, organize your life, and create a stylish home.

Make It: Donut Easter Bunny Surprise

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Easter is about a month away, so it's time to roll out the ideas. We're kicking things off with Alli and her super cute bunny donut idea, perfect for Easter.   We'll probably make ours Saturday morning since we do family brunch on Easter Sunday.   Here's how to make yours... Who says you can't play with your food? Especially your kids' food. Our home activity theme for this month is Easter, so I was determined to surprise Isaiah with a bunny breakfast at some point. And I just loved how … [Read more...]

Parenting: Making Cookies with Grandma, Uninterrupted

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*This post is sponsored by Huggies. In this house, we love uninterrupted family time. We were so excited for my parents to visit last week, for example. We all had the chance to sit down and ice gingerbread cookies together for what felt like hours. I honestly got teary eyed, it was so special. Three generations, bonding and baking together, with no interruptions. My son was so proud icing the pieces "all by himself." And I know he was happy to be dry during our cookie frosting family … [Read more...]

20 Organization Projects to Make Back-to-School a Breeze

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It's back-to-school month. You know what that means - time to buckle down and set up some solid morning, lunch packing, and maybe even homework routines. It wouldn't hurt to set up a backpack and study zone either! Here's Alli with 20 of the best projects out there to get you organized for Back-to-School. My oldest son will be starting a Mother's Day Out program this Fall. I know, I know. That's small potatoes in the back-to-school world. But still. It has my heart in a lurch. I'm already … [Read more...]

Mother’s Day DIY Mug (You can call me Queen Bee)

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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...]

10 Brilliant Indoor Play Ideas Using a Beach Ball

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I was reading one of my favorite MPMK posts the other day, How to Maintain Your Zen When the Kids Have Lost Their Ever-Loving Minds, and I was reminded of how much we used to play with beach balls in the house when the kids were younger. It was such a simple way to keep the kids active and happy when we were stuck indoors - plus it was super inexpensive and easy to set up (two of my favorite qualities in a kids' activity). Back in the day, this one was right up there with our Life-Sized … [Read more...]

Roundup: Black Friday Sales on MPMK Gift Guide Toys!

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Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Now that we’ve all stuffed ourselves and, hopefully, had a great day with the family – it’s time to get a little Christmas shopping done. I stayed up extra late last night/this morning to scour Amazon for deals they’re running on any and all of the 400+ Toys featured in our gift guides this year. I really hope this goes a long way to saving you a little time and money today! Before you get to shopping, don't forget to Bookmark our new page: NEW THIS … [Read more...]

25 Simple Play Ideas for Fall

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I've written a lot about the importance of family traditions, big and small. But one thing I sometimes forget is how many mini traditions we've built around the changing of each season. It's often not until the leaves start turning colors and there's a chill in the air that I remember how much the kids love it when I have a hot pot of apple cider simmering on the stove, or reading In November together under a big soft blanket. Today our contributor Alli is here sharing some of her favorite … [Read more...]

12 Ways To Make Mornings With Kids Easier

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I am not a morning person. Anyone in my family (or extended family) can attest to that.  In fact, I know this sounds crazy... but getting up early is one of the things I dreaded most about having children. I mean, I am a CHAMP at sleeping. I can sleep until late afternoon if no one wakes me up. But alas, they do. Every. Single. Morning. And now that the school year is in full-swing, there's just now way around it. The good news? I've learned a few tricks over the years. Tricks that … [Read more...]

20 No/Low Set-Up Ways to Play with Your Kids in the Back Yard

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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. We've been focusing on getting outside as much as possible this summer, even despite the Texas heat. So any backyard activity that we can set up quickly is just what we're … [Read more...]