Parenting

Finding the Joy in a “Homecation” (When Everyone else is Travelling)

Parenting

“Let Them Rest” vs. “Keep Them Learning”: The Great Summer Slide Debate

Parenting

Preparing for Kindergarten: Social-Emotional Skills Every Child Needs

Parenting

What to Say When Your Child Asks, “Is That a Boy or a Girl?”

In Seasonal

Cost-Effective Winter Birthday Party Ideas

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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…

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In Food

Pantry Labels: Five steps to a Pretty Pantry

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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.…

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packing hot school lunch
In Food

Tips for How to Pack a Hot Lunch

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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…

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Horoscope
In Uncategorized

How to Raise a Capricorn

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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…

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In Seasonal

13 Last-Minute Gifts (That Look Anything But)

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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,…

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In School

Custom Holiday Teacher Gifts on a Budget (Under $20, $10 and $5 Ideas!)

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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.  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…

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In Mom Moments

What Moms Really Want For Christmas

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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: TIME  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 HelloFresh 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…

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In Parenting

10 Low-Cost (But Still Heartwarming) Holiday Activities

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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…

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Horoscope
In Mom Moments

How to Raise a Sagittarius

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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?…

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