It is a long-standing tradition in our family, that I publicly share my annual round up of “Mom Fails” on the blog. They usually include things like forgetting to pick a kid up from the airport, dropping a kid off at the wrong hockey arena, and the usual things busy moms do. I always ask the kids what tops the list, and they are more than happy to share their ideas. For my top 2022 Mom Fails include: Going to high school parent teacher interviews wearing my pants inside out AND backwards. I remembered it was interview night about 10 minutes before my first appointment, so that is probably another fail and could explain my outfit. The MOMENT I walk in my house from the outside world, I immediately take off my “hard pants” (also known as jeans) and put on my track pants. I quickly threw on some cargo…

Is a baby on the way? Congrats!! Your life is about to become much more beautiful (and exhausting). Sharing the news of your little bundle’s arrival is probably on your mind; friends and family will be eagerly awaiting the exciting news.  Parents are planning to make the perfect announcement well ahead of time. But it can be hard to know what to say, when, and how to say it. Especially within a few hours of birth – you’re feeling overwhelmed and probably exhausted, so you’re probably not feeling very creative. With social media, it has never been easier to announce your baby’s arrival – but you still need to make it perfect!  The etiquette around birth announcements on social media is a little wishy-washy, so we want to ensure you share the news flawlessly. Here is a list of birth announcement ideas, captions and etiquette. We must keep in mind…

As a first-time parent, it can be hard to know what you need. When finances are tight, it starts to feel like you may be buying things you don’t need. Often this is the case; other times, you shock yourself with how many you need (I’m looking at you burp cloths!). You’ll receive many of the same gifts (blankets!), and sometimes you don’t get the gift you want. Here is a list of the must-haves versus the nice-to-haves. Plus, a few don’t bother items. If your budget allows for the nice-to-haves, they’ll make your life a little easier. But if you’re making these purchases on a budget, you’ll manage fine with these must-have baby items. Here is a FREE printable version of the list below. Must-have: Bassinet or crib Crib mattress Mattress protector Bedding Baby Monitor (unnecessary for smaller houses and apartments) Nice…

Winter birthdays can be a challenge for parents who want to throw a fun and memorable party for their kids. With the cold weather and limited outdoor activities, it can be difficult to come up with ideas that will keep the kids entertained. But fear not! With a little creativity and planning, you can throw the perfect winter birthday party that your child and their friends will love. Here are some cost-effective winter birthday party ideas kids will love: 1. Snowman Building Contest If you’re lucky enough to have snow on the ground, make the most of it with a snowman-building contest. Split the kids up into teams and see who can build the best snowman. Provide them with a variety of accessories, such as hats, scarves, and carrots for the nose. And of course, hot cocoa and cookies are a must after all that hard work! If you have…

New year, new beginnings! It’s the time of year when we start to look around our house and discover that some areas are a hot mess. The media tells us that this is the time to find a fresh start, clean-up and get organized. So here we are – looking at our pantries and realizing this is an area that really needs so organization. And organization means LABELS! We love the look of a neatly labeled pantry. And perfectly cute pantry canisters labels. Not only can you be a feel organized, but in doing so you your pantry into something Pinterest worthy, and that’s so satisfying. However, here in lies the problem – cannister commitment issues.  It’s so hard to commit to a canister with a beautiful label if we’re worried it might change. We’re here to tell you show you 5 ways you can move beyond cannister commitment issues.…

As the weather changes, our tastebuds change with it. We find ourselves starting to crave meals that give us comfort and keep us warm. Our kids are no different. Recently, my youngest asked if I could start packing hot foods in his lunch. I simply smiled, and I’ll tell you why. My youngest is picky on a good day. He doesn’t like sandwiches. He turns his nose up at wraps. He doesn’t like cold vegetables. He won’t eat cheese. He hates yogurt with the “chunks” in it. He’ll only eat plain vanilla. Watermelon is too squishy. Oranges are too juicy. He’s the kid that will tell me he likes something one week and then stop eating it the next. He’d live off buns, mac and cheese, muffins, and croutons if you let him. Yes, croutons. When it comes to packing lunches, he’s a challenge to put it mildly. So, when…

It’s the sign of practicality, ambition, and maturity. That’s what you can expect if you have a little Capricorn at home, or you’re impatiently waiting to raise a Capricorn! Now, it’s hard to imagine a practical, mature toddler, so those characteristics will likely come with age. I can’t help but picture a two-year old running around in a suit with a briefcase though. Capricorns are known for being somewhat serious and are said to be good leaders or managers. One of my best friends is a Capricorn and so is one of my nephews – they actually share the same birthday! So, when I was researching Capricorn traits, I kept them in mind to see if any of it sounded familiar. As expected, some traits match up and others…not quite as much. So, what else can you expect if you’re raising a little Goat or expecting one to arrive very…

For me, the best solution to a last-minute gift dilemma is to fire up my laptop and shop online. If something’s last-minute it means I forgot or ran out of time, which means a trip to the store for this one thing isn’t convenient. The good news is, it’s 2022 and overnight shipping is almost ubiquitous — especially if you’re willing to pay for it. So, whether you’re jumping online or in your car, here’s a handy little round-up of ideas that are so brilliant they’ll look anything but last-minute. Now you can make it look like you’d planned to give Aunt Bonnie that coffee mug all along! For adults: The best last-minute gift is one that doesn’t require shipping or pick up and lands straight in the recipient’s inbox, allowing him or her to choose exactly what they want. Gifters can easily purchase gift cards to hundreds of brands,…