Outdoor Fun

"I am not going to make it ALL summer with my kids home." "I count down the days until they return to school." I hear it ALL. THE. TIME. I am so sure that many of you can relate. It is overwhelming to have your kiddos, with such short attention spans, and such loud voices, home all summer. I am here to give you all the early childhood educator tips that will make your summer a little less chaotic and a little more enjoyable. My favorite advice to ever give is: FIND A ROUTINE. I know, easier said than done...BUT...it can be done! Start with the little things, meals at the same time each day. This adjust your child's mind and body to meet your...

I have always thrived on having a set schedule and routine. I like to mark things off of lists. I am a planner nerd, not in the planner (probably not going to happen). I feel like this characteristic has served me well; it has helped me be organized and goal-oriented in school and jobs alike.   As I joined the motherhood club, this characteristic was amplified. Very quickly, my firstborn established a pretty predictable routine of feeding, sleeping, and pooping. I loved that he slept for 12 hours every night. I loved that at 1 pm when he started fussing, I automatically knew that he was ready to eat.   Enter baby #2 three years later. The oldest is still on...

So we did a thing. My daughter and I moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee for the summer, and MAN was it a rollercoaster! I never thought I’d actually do something like pack my things and move to a completely different state, but the idea of it being temporary was very appealing to me. I didn’t know if I could do it. I’ve always wanted to, but I didn’t know if I could ACTUALLY pull it off. I am lucky enough to have summers off being a teacher, and also being a single mother, we had nothing holding us back! The opportunity presented itself on a shiny golden platter and it was impossible to say no! Here’s how it went down: The Job I...

My unexpected lesson in fostering leadership started as inconspicuously as any other busy weekday night, corralling the three kids for supper, a soccer game, baths, and bedtime. In the process of trying to hasten bedtime, I scooped up some uniform shorts from the floor and absentmindedly searched the pockets. I found some cryptic note containing our address and tossed it on the counter. I was certain it was another innocuous doodling from morning care. I was wrong. As we picked up my oldest from carpool the next day, my husband and I started the cursory “How was your day?” only to be enthusiastically interrupted. Carson couldn’t wait to inform us that he had started a club, and he sent out...

Do you like getting together with friends but feel intimidated by having them over? While I love looking forward to more elaborate events planned ahead of time, it's also fun to be spontaneous with impromptu gatherings. I love to plan dinners and parties, whether they are at my house or someone else's. I used to think that having people over took a lot of time and planning, but now I also like the freedom of getting something together just a day or two before. These days entertaining is about recharging and relaxing from a busy week, which lets me focus on having fun with other people instead of stressing about food or lots of preparation.  Here are some easy ways...