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 β€œchunks” 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 β€” 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,…

Each year we want to show our deepest gratitude to the teachers who do such an outstanding job. However, it can really add up financially when we start counting each child’s teachers, plus bus drivers, crossing guards and before & after care providers. We want to show our appreciation, but we also need to be aware of our budget. Here are some ways that we can still offer these amazing people cute custom gifts, while still keeping our budgets in check.Β  Everybody loves a custom gift; it truly shows the thought and care that went into it. Gift cards are great but can be picked up in bulk last-minute without much thought, so to show you’ve put thought into your gifting, keep it as custom as possible and you’ll make an impact! Here are three ideas of how to take a simple custom gift, and make it extra-cute, all while…

Moms are busy. We lead hectic lives juggling the needs of other people. This holiday season, if you want to really make the mama in your family feel special, consider the following gifts: TIMEΒ  Time is precious, and moms don’t have enough of it. So how can you give her time? There are several ways: A meal service. Take a task away from her or make it easier. I recently had a HelloFreshΒ box arrive at my house and I couldn’t have been happier. All the ingredients and easy to follow recipes made for a meal that my entire family loved. If you have not considered this service, now’s the time. This busy mama’s quality of life increased significantly once I discovered HelloFresh A cleaning service. Although keeping the house clean should be a family affair, the stress of it often lands on mom. Buying a family gift of having a…

Since everything is more expensive these days, I’m aiming to go smaller (not bigger) this December. Rather than overspend and overdo it, I’m planning to scale things back and focus on the simple pleasures of the season. If you’re also cringing at the high totals on your gas and grocery receipts, here are some fun, low-cost activities to bring your family comfort and joy this holiday season. See the light. This year, my budget won’t have room for tickets to an indoor light festival or drive-through attraction of elaborate LED shapes. Instead, I’ll be taking evening walks to admire the front yard displays in my neighbourhood. Or, when I’m driving at night, I’ll turn on some Christmas music and take an alternate route to admire the twinkling lights and illuminated inflatables. Let it snow. Fresh air is good for the body and mind, so head out into the winter wonderland…

Energetic. Extroverted. Enthusiastic. If you have a bundle of energy running around your house, they might just be a little Sagittarius. Now, full disclosure here, I am a Sagittarius. Growing up I always found astrology to be fun and interesting to read about, so I know a fair amount about this specific sign. Of course, I didn’t take it very seriously, but that being said… I’m pretty darn close to being your typical Sagittarius. Sagittarians are known as the travelers of the zodiac, and I laughed a little bit when I read that because our family went on FOUR vacations this past year. We were making up for lost time due to the pandemic and don’t typically take that many vacations in a year but trust me – I’d LOVE to! So, what else can you expect if you’re raising a little Archer or expecting one to arrive very soon?…

One of my earliest memories is of being in a Thanksgiving play at school. It was first grade, and everyone in my class was assigned parts. Some of us were β€˜Indians’, some of us were pilgrims, and some of us (including yours truly), were turkeys. I still remember the brown construction paper hat with the red, orange, and yellow β€˜feathers’ that kept falling in my eyes as I gobbled my way across the gym stage. Back then, no one my age questioned the Thanksgiving narrative, which was more giant potluck and trading of essential goods, rather than genocide, colonization, and smallpox. Given that Indigenous peoples are still suffering from the violence white colonizers inflicted on their people, their land, and their way of life, it can be difficult to feel celebratory around Thanksgiving. In fact, Native Americans and their supporters have been gathering in Plymouth on Thanksgiving Day since 1970…

Winter is a great time to curl up with a good book, isn’t it? I can already picture myself snuggled up in my reading nook with a warm blanket, cozy slippers, and a mug of something hot while the snow falls outside. Talk about a great way to spend a cold, winter afternoon! And I know I’m not the only one looking forward to those snowy days where all you need to worry about is where you left your bookmark. Sure, I could switch to an e-reader and not worry about bookmarks, but I just love the feel and smell of actual books so much. So, I’ve put together a β€œWinter Reading List” to give you some ideas for both kids…and Moms! We’ve also added in some of our mom friends who are some amazing authors- so make sure to give these moms a read too. Kid List InvestiGators –…