2016

My favorite part of the holidays is all the smells and flavors… From peppermint to gingerbread, vanilla to eggnog, I love them all. So it should come as no surprise that I love baking during the holidays. This year, I decided to turn one of my favorite holiday beverages into a portable…

I received complementary product from Star from Afar to facilitate this post. Opinions, as always, remain 100% my own. Not a fan of Elf on the Shelf? Neither are we… but I do love the idea of sharing a daily celebration of the holiday season. Star from Afar is an…

There’s something about the holiday season that  brings out the best in most of us… but just like in Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, for some it is also a time of loneliness, sadness and perhaps a chance at rebirth. I’ve always loved the rebirth stories of characters like Scrooge… The curmudgeon…

Confession… this *may* be inspired by my college tailgating days.  I knew these miniature red cups would come in handy this holiday!  First, I turned them into a holiday version of cup and ball, and today, we have more holiday party games: Jingle Bell Toss! If you love this, be…

My oldest daughter has been begging for ‘Real LEGO’ toys for a while now. She loves building and construction sets, but had really outgrown her larger building blocks, and I knew she would love them… I just wasn’t sure the rest of our house, including her 14 month old baby brother,…

It was love at first position! I signed my oldest daughter up for ballet when she was 2 years old because it was the only non-Mommy and Me activity available in our town. She was home with me full-time, and I wanted something to help her prepare for the separation that would come…

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of OshKosh B’gosh; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. My favorite part of the holiday season isn’t the gifts… it’s making priceless holiday memories with my kids. Sharing traditions from my own childhood and creating new ones together as…

I am participating in an Ambassador program on behalf of Influence Central and hosted by Claritin®. I have received compensation to thank me for my participation. All opinions expressed are my own.  Every season brings it’s own set of wonder, entertainment and challenges as a parent. The beauty and bounty of…

“I want to learn my letters!” That has been my 3 year old’s mantra since her first day of preschool. Her quest has increased ten-fold since my 5 year old has gone from pre-reader to early reader over the last couple of weeks. And while she can sing her ABCs, we…

Most families try to live responsibly. Working to support our families, pay the mortgage, our bills and put food on the table. Managing family finances to insure the monthly paycheck covers a month’s worth of expenses, while saving for the future. But are your family finances prepared for the unexpected? More…

We’ve all been there… you just need 10 minutes to send that last email for work, finish unloading the dishwasher or get dinner on the table. Your 1 year old is either crawling between your legs, trying to climb up your leg and/or wreaking havoc in your office or kitchen.  This is…

There are lots of children’s developmental and educational milestones we celebrate as parents… your baby’s first steps, first words, their first day of school, learning to read. Raising your kids to love books and be lifelong readers is one of the best things you can do for them – no matter…

When we moved from the shore to the woods, our home decor transitioned from beach-themed blues to more rustic grays. And over our first year of holidays and seasons in the new house, I’ve been transitioning our holiday decor as well. I love the warm and cozy look of knitted…

If your life is anything like mine, every dollar you spend matters… and every morning, you need every spare second you can get to get the kids up, dressed, fed and out the door. Want to know how to save money everyday AND find an extra 10-15 minutes every morning too? This simple…

I received complimentary product and compensation from rockAbye to facilitate this post. As always, opinions remain 100% my own. With all three of my pregnancies, I know the first thoughts at the top of my list were baby names, followed immediately by beginning my search for baby nursery ideas. Some find it…

I received complimentary product from Oriental Trading to facilitate this post. As always, opinions remain 100% my own. One of my favorite parts of being a parent is sharing on holiday traditions from my own childhood with my kids. Growing up, no holiday season was complete without watching the associated Charlie Brown holiday…

This post was sponsored by Duracell as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I love sharing STEAM activities with my kids. Exploring science, art and math with them through play exposes them to a vital skill set for the future, while also opening up their imagination to a infinite…

They say it is bad form to discuss money, politics and religion in public… But they also say if you don’t heed history, you are doomed to repeat it. So what are book clubs reading before next month’s Election Day? Mom’s Book Nook is talking political and historical fiction this month! No Debates…

Last year, my Jingle Bell Toss was a total holiday kids party games hit – both at home with my kids, with their friends at school, and overwhelmingly by all of you! With just 5 minutes, a few dollars worth of supplies and a glue gun, you can make simple…