We headed out this weekend for a few hours to fly a kite - a spur of the moment idea to enjoy some outdoor time on a windy day.

Have you ever gone kite flying with the kids?

One of my favorite things about reading to my kids is sharing books that I loved as a child. 

I especially enjoy reminiscing with holiday books - they always bring back fun memories of the dressing up in our Easter finest, large family get-togethers and egg hunts around the house.

I so hope Spring is coming soon!  We are really in the mood for more outdoor time without all the snow boots and heavy coats. 

To celebrate Spring, we're participating in a Spring Bloghop!  You can visit more than 40 blogs each with a wonderful spring activity!

In hopes of warmer temperatures, we've put together an early spring scavenger hunt list for kids to encourage them to get out and discover what nature looks like as spring approaches. 

Did you know that March is National Reading Month? 

It's a great time to think about what it takes to raise a child who reads and loves books.

I'm not sure what it is about February -- one day it's sunny and springlike and the next we're knee deep in snow! 

Like so many others, we are having a 'snow day' this week (to the delight of my kids, we're actually having 2 snow days).

If you have a child (or remember being a child) than you are very familiar with Dr. Seuss -- one of the most well-known and loved children's authors and illustrators!

This month, we'll be highlighting the works for Dr. Seuss and celebrating reading in a few fun ways.

 

I know that we show our kids how much we love them every day of the year, but sometimes it's fun to surprise them on the holidays. 

They're sure to get enough candy at the school parties, so here's a better idea --

Free printable coupons for some family fun! 

We've also included links to some great ideas for each coupon.

Winter is here for at least a few more weeks, so why not make the best of it! 

Show the kids how much fun it can be whether you're stuck inside or exploring someplace new together.

Now that we're in the throws of winter (and most of the holiday gifts have been played with over the past few weeks), it's time to introduce some new ideas to beat the winter doldrums.

Join us as we explore some wonderful winter fun!

Every day for the coming month, a new blog will share a fun winter activity, craft or recipe for families (see the list at the bottom of this post).

Welcome to Part 3 of our Family Field Trip series!

So far, we've shared a number of ideas & tips along with more than 35 fun places to visit for a family outing!

Here are the first two posts in the series:

{Part 1} Getting Ready, Exploring & Fun Field Trips

{Part 2} Having Fun, Inspiration & Hands-on Ideas

And we've still got lots more to cover!  This post will highlight the letters K - 0 as we discuss learning, new places & outdoor fun.

Most people think of flowers and candy on Valentine's Day - but what your kids would really love is spending some time with you! 

Here are a few suggestions for spending a few minutes together during this holiday.

 

Welcome back! 

Today is Day 2 in our week-long series:  The ABC's of Family Field Trips.

During the first day, we shared tips for getting ready, ways to use books, exploring on your visit and 24 ideas of places to take the kids. 

Today we'll focus on topics and outings for F - J.

 

 

I'm so excited to introduce a new series this week --

The ABC's of Family Field Trips!

 

This will be a 5 day series covering all kinds of tips and ideas for those fun family outings you want to plan this year. 

I really want to help you get prepared for some great family trips this year by offering resources to help get you ready, along with new ideas for some cool places to visit!

 

 

Are you working on any family goals (or resolutions) for 2013? 

When we were PK (pre-kids), all those resolutions looked different -- get in shape, get a promotion, complete a few DIY projects.

But (as the experts say) 'kids change everything'! :-)

 

Happy 2013!!

 

I'd like to welcome the New Year by telling all of our readers "Thank You" for visiting us, leaving comments, & helping me to make this a better site each day -- you guys are great! 

 

To bring in the New Year, I thought I would share the Top 12 posts from 2012 -- the ideas and articles that were most loved by our readers.

 

 The holidays are so much fun, but can also be so busy.  And I know there are things my kids love to do at this time of the year (and also activities they'd rather skip in lou of more holiday fun)!

Every year, my kids and I have a special book tradition -- we have a special stash of holiday books that we only bring out at Christmastime. 

We pull out all our Christmas & Winter books and put them in a special basket to read throughout the month.

 

 

Next week, we will feature some fun activities, crafts and cool ideas for the monthly Online Kids Book Club. 

 

If you missed last month's feature, you can still learn about the Family Conversation Jar and October's author, Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

 

I love the month of November! 

 

I know that most kids think it’s just the time between Halloween and the beginning of the holiday season, but for me it’s a great time to be thankful for a number of things. 

 But I hope as my kids get older, they too begin to appreciate some of the following:

 

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays -- a time to celebrate what we're thankful for and remember how our country began.  Although I enjoy the food (pie is my favorite!), the real part of the holiday is gathering with family.