Indoor Fun

I can't believe Thanksgiving is already here. This year has gone by too fast! My kids have already gone through the Toys R Us magazine circling what they want for Christmas, which is EVERYTHING. If you are looking for a fun and easy Thanksgiving craft to do with your kids that incorporates the meaning of being thankful, this thankful turkey craft is perfect. Items Needed I was able to find all the items I needed at Walmart for under $5. Any craft under $5 is always a win in my book. I grabbed felt sheets in 5 different colors, 1 sheet of brown foam paper, and adhesive googly eyes. I already had a sharpie/markers, scissors and glue at home. Steps to the...

My 3-year-old LOVES KidTube, the kid-friendly version of YouTube. In all honesty, she spends way more time on the iPad than I would like her to, but in these past few months, we have gone through our home being flooded, a pregnancy that landed me on bedrest for a while, and going in and out of the hospital after delivery ... not to mention bringing a newborn home and already having another baby under a year old. Whew. I'm exhausted just thinking about the last six months. Needless to say, I've needed a nap or two during this time. She has started saying, "Mommy, can I watch my 'bideos' while you nap today?" And while we are beginning to wean...

We all have them. Those toys we thought were fantastic ideas at the time, but ones we've grown to despise once they are in our house. Most of these toys provide an excellent opportunity to develop physical or cognitive skills, or simply provide hours of entertainment. For that we love them. But for all those times we've stepped on a Lego piece or found a puzzle piece in our purse, we loathe them. Here's our top toys we love and hate: 1. Puzzles When the kids are quietly occupied putting together a puzzle it's bliss. After their masterpiece sits on the coffee table for a few days, getting all of those pieces back into the box is like herding cats. 2. Stickers They are...

When TV saved the day ... I honestly never thought I would say that. We own a TV, but it consists of a whopping 10 channels thanks to rabbit ears and there is no remote. It's one step up from the tube TV of the 90's. Connecting it to Netflix is really the only function, and that happens occasionally at best. Sure we could buy a nicer one (or at least a remote) and pay for cable, but it serves our lifestyle as is. After long work hours inside, we usually spend as much time outside as possible when we're home. Our two-year-old is in love with trains, so how could we not let him watch episodes of Chuggington and...

I've never been able to get much out of any 'how-to' parenting books. Maybe it's the part of me that hates being told what to do, but they never seem to help. A friend knew my distaste for them and suggested Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. After reading just the summary I could tell it was my kind of book. An American journalist, Druckerman is living abroad in France and gives birth to her first child. She quickly begins to notice the differences among French and American parenting styles and subsequently how the children behave. What I enjoy most is that it's simply an observation of some of the differences without saying one is right or wrong. A new perspective...