Holiday

As much as I love Christmas, right now I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. It's a whole season of its own. And in that spirit, I like to reflect during the whole month about things and people that I am thankful for. Some people have a thing that they list each day in November that they are thankful for, so that the whole month is about gratitude. What if we took this a step further and showed the gratitude clearly to others? This year, I am going to sit down with my kids and brainstorm different people and experiences that we are thankful for. Then we are going to decide how we can show that gratitude. Maybe it is making a card,...

Even though the candy will last for months, Halloween is officially behind us. I love the season for its fun and energy. My kids embrace any excuse to dress up, and I welcome any chance to hoard more Reese’s. But if I’m going to be honest, I’m glad to see it go. And it’s not just because I’m ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas (“the MOST wonderful time of the year!”); it’s also because I’m done with all things scary. I’m a ninny. I’ll say it loud and proud and shout it from the mountain-tops. I. Don’t. Do. Scary. Of course, there was a time when I flocked to all things spooky and creepy! My best friend and I hit every Wes...

Disclosure: This is a post sponsored by our partners with BIG (Behavioral Intervention Group).  Behavioral Intervention Group's (BIG) Tips On Taking It “Hallow-easy” Taking It “Hallow-easy” Temperatures are dropping and excitement is rising as Halloween is in the air. For many families, fun costumes, spooky decorations, and thrilling frights are all part of the season. However, that might not be the case for some children.   The experts at Behavioral Intervention Group (BIG) suggest that the key to helping  children successfully navigate the holiday is to keep it Hallow-easy. In many ways, taking it easy means being flexible on even the most planned trick-or-treat night. Stay attuned to your child’s physical and emotional states and their expressed desires and concerns. Don’t push. This principle...

It starts with Pumpkin Spice lattes in August … the first hint that summer is ending and fall is around the corner. Then, it seems to snowball into Christmas decorations everywhere!  I mean, who is buying Christmas trees in September, right?! Now that it’s October, I feel like I finally can admit that I LOVE seeing Christmas sections in stores! While my husband is the only one buying Christmas lights now (he does outdoor Christmas lighting for his gardening clients, and each year he has to start sooner to meet that Thanksgiving deadline), I can’t help feeling giddy seeing those lights. Until I became a mom, Christmas just felt like most holidays, except longer. There was a period of time when...

Let me start by saying that I am not a crafty person. When I was working, my kids would bring home all sorts of nifty crafts from daycare and I would think to myself that I could not imagine trying to do that with a three year old. Well. Fast forward a year and I'm now a stay-at-home mom (that's another post for another day) with three kids ages four and under. I like to go out and do things but right now, it's just hard to go do with a baby who nurses every two hours. So instead, I've been trying to fill some of our time with cheap and easy crafts. All of these I found on Pinterest...