Crafty dry erase boards for kids rooms

Quartet Dry Erase Markers

I recently started using dry erase boards in my kids’ bedrooms to leave them reminders, write notes, and stay organized.  It has not only made my life easier, but my kids love it!  Once it became clear that they were going to be in the rooms for a while, I decided to … Read more

10 new uses for cookie cutters

fresh cookies

I consider myself a minimalist and like to use everything in my house as often as possible.  I don’t like the idea of storing an item away, only to use it once or twice a year.  So, after my annual Christmas baking day, I was packing up my cookie cutters as usual … Read more

5 crazy sledding ideas

Happy New Year!  For my first post of 2013, here are 5 crazy ideas for twists on sledding.  You should be able to do any of these with items you already have.  Please leave me a comment if you try any of them! 1. Use a laundry basket: you can fill it … Read more

50 Songs from Parent to Child

Best Songs from Parent to Child

The love of a parent for a child is like a seed. It starts with the anticipation of the birth and continues to develop and become stronger over the years. Becoming a parent involves a metamorphosis, where self-interest takes precedence over the unconditional dedication and selfless love. Once you have become a … Read more

Easy christmas teacher gift

Easy ChristmasTeacher Gift Ideas

When I used to teach preschool, my favorite holiday gifts were ones that were useful (i.e. Starbucks gift cards), and ones that were sentimental (i.e. a homemade craft from the child).  Now that I’m on the giver end of teacher gifts, I like to combine both of these types of gifts.  This … Read more

Best Interactive Christmas Websites For Kids

Best interactive christmas websites for kids

Best interactive christmas websites for kidsI’ve got to hand it to some people – they are more creative than I will ever be.  Some very inventive (and tech-savvy!) people have created some awesome interactive Christmas websites that kids love.  Here are my favorite ones (and of course, these are all free) so … Read more

Keeping kids busy

Kid’s Room

Here are ideas for keeping kids busy while you need to get things done around the house.  None of them will make a mess, and most can be done with items you have around the house already. Magnets: make magnets for kids so that they can play with them while you are … Read more

50 Date Night Ideas

Date nights are one of my favorite things in life.  I actually think that I like date nights now more than I did in my single days.  Here are some of my favorite date night ideas – please note that some of them are at-home date nights, so you’ll have to make arrangements … Read more

Traditions

Some of my best childhood memories are of our family traditions, especially the ones we made up on our own.  I always knew that when I had my own family, traditions would be a big part of our life.  Not only do traditions provide a sense of family unity, but they’re usually … Read more

Gift ideas

Surprise Your Family With These Awesome Gift Ideas

As the old saying goes, “it is better to give than to receive.” As it turns out, there’s a reason that is an old saying; today, gift giving is stressful. It’s almost impossible to buy a gift without a million questions running through your head: “will she like it?”, “does he already … Read more

Holiday planning

Ahhh the holidays.  When did the most wonderful time of the year turn into the most stressful time of the year?  I try to plan ahead as much as possible and do holiday tasks around the year so that I can actually enjoy the special time.  Here are some ways to make … Read more

Finance System that Makes “Cents”

Budget Spreadsheet1

Creating a Finance System for Your Home The key to staying in control of your finances in your home is a plan.  The plan doesn’t have to be elaborate or time-consuming – in fact, the simpler, the better.  The first thing to do is determine how much discretionary funding you have each … Read more