Welcome to this week's edition of Discover & Explore.  Each week, we choose a different theme and ask you to share any old or new posts you have that relate to the topic.

This week's linky theme is A Day at the Park: Nature & Play Ideas!

Welcome to our April Online Book Club for Kids.  Each month, we choose a different children's author, highlight their books and share a number of kids activities & crafts.

This month, our featured author & illustrator is David Shannon.

In honor of Spring this week (yea!!), I thought I'd begin a new weekly series: 5 Fun Finds!

Every week, I find TONS of great things as I'm curating new content or writing posts. I need a way to share these with YOU!

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).

 

 

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.

 

I do so love the holidays!  Yes, I know they get crazy and busy (and I never seem to get all the baking done that I would like to) but it's a time to connect with family and reflect on all the joy that we have in our lives.

And for our family, it's also a time to give to others.  Some years, we adopt a family and help provide them with a meal; other years, we'll adopt an angel from a tree or donate toys to Toys for Tots.  There are so many ways to give back and make the season a joyous one for others.

 

 

Life is busy!  Especially at this time of the year -- so I will frequently jump on any chance to make things a little easier.

For example, using holiday bags to wrap odd-shaped gifts instead of wrapping paper - much easier!

And bar cookies that you can bake all in one pan - homemade and easy!

Just as portable as my morning coffee but waaay stronger!

 

So when I found out there was a way I could have wifi for my iPad and computer no matter where I was -- Big Score for making life easier!!

 

 

 

I'm thrilled to be co-hosting a blog hop with a dozen local bloggers who are all sharing some wonderful ways to help others this holiday season. 

 

We're sharing ideas for everyone -- young or old, individual or family, those who want to help kids or animals -- to make this a true 'season of giving' in Kansas City! 

 

Each of us has chosen to feature a charity or two and highlight how people can get involved.

"Fall back" is this Saturday -- yep, daylight savings time. 

I was recently thinking it would be great to have some extra time; and then I realized, we get an extra hour this weekend!

 

 

Are you crazy for carving pumpkins?  Or maybe your have a killer recipe for pumpkin bread?!  We've got a great group of bloggers who want you to showcase your 'pumpkin creations'!

 

 

Have you ever heard the song by Frank Sinatra -- "Fly me to the moon, Let me play among the stars; Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars". 

It's a great song, and if you think about it, really represents what we have accomplished in space exploration over the past 50 years.

We've been to the moon, and beyond.  We've learned about the environments of other planets.  We've discovered things we never knew could exist.  And hopefully, this interest and wonder of space will continue with future generations.

 I love Autumn!  It's my favorite season - cool days, beautiful colors, fun things to do with the kids and a great time to enjoy nature!

 

  The Olympics are fun for everyone to watch - kids included!  Wouldn't your kids love to participate in their own Olympics?!

Thanks to Angie, a great mom & party planner, here's a fun way to get kids more involved in celebrating during the Olympic Games this summer!

 

Are you raising curious kids?  You know, kids who love to ask questions, search for the answers and learn new things?  If so, BRAVO! Curious kids are the result of 'thinking families' -- You must be a 'thinking' family!

Thinking families encourage kids to ask questions.  When your child asks 'why' or 'how', thinking families enjoy the exchange of ideas and the hunt for ways to answer the questions.

 

I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

 

 

My daughter was so excited when we got our first 'little green box' in the mail!  I told her that we were going to do some science today (which she loves) but when she saw that our day would also include painting, crafts and time outside, I ranked as "the best Mom in the World" :-)

Not familiar with Kiwi Crate?  Let me show you a little about what we found in our crate.

Each year since my kids were young, we've celebrated 'Christmas in July'.  A fun little day when we forget about the heat of summer, spend some time together and make a memory or two.

We are very excited to have a post on 5 Minutes for Books this week about the book Hugo Cabret, which was made into the wonderful film Hugo.

Do your kids love space?  Are they asking questions about the moon, stars and other celestial wonders?  In celebration of some cool astronomy events this year, we put together a list of books and activities for an educational and enjoyable evening under the stars!