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.

 

In our house, the Easter Bunny is a really cool Dude!  He doesn't just bring jelly beans and chocolate bunnies but also some great fun & educational items that the kids just LOVE! 

Really - they spend more time with these items than they do asking me if they can eat just one more jelly bean.

 

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.

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.

 

The countdown is beginning - how will you bring in the New Year with your family? 

Kids love a celebration (although most won't stay awake long enough to see the ball drop in Times Square) so we've pulled together a list of ideas to enjoy throughout the day!

 

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.

 

 

 

I've always loved reindeer!  And I've been lucky enough to see a few in my lifetime too - many thanks to the zoos who have had them on exhibit during a visit. 

 

I'm sure one of the reasons they are so intriguing to kids is that they're pretty scarce where most of us live, so I thought I'd pull together a round-up of reindeer fun -- facts, crafts and activities - that kids can enjoy as they explore these beautiful creatures.

 

 

It's time for our Kid's Virtual Bookclub again -- and December's featured author will be the AMAZING Jan Brett!

 

I'm so excited to be part of the "Christmas Around the World" series this holiday!  We have 34 bloggers who are shaing some great information about the holidays in various countries.

Our host blog, Beth at Living Life Intentionally, has done an AMAZING job of creating a FREE printable e-book for the kids so they can 'travel' to each country during the month. 

Please take a minute to print out the book or passport which has coloring sheets, fun facts and lots more!

 

If there's one thing we have a lot of in our house, it's the kids' artwork.  They are always making such cool projects at school and I never want to just throw it away.  So, I have quite a bit around the house.

 

 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)!

Are you looking for gift ideas for a curious kid?  You know, a child who loves to ask 'why', takes things apart to see how they work and is always wondering about something?

I LOVE curious kids!  And shopping for them can be lots of fun because there are a number of great gift ideas that they'll enjoy.

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.

 

 

Not sure what to get the kids (your kids, nieces, nephews or grandkids) this year? 

Skip the electronics and go for a classic gift

that will inspire them to be creative. 

Some of these ideas will also work as fun stocking stuffers!

 

So, you’ve got the turkey ordered, your guest list is all set and you know what you’re making for dessert.  But have you thought about Thanksgiving activities for the kids? 

Not to worry – we’ve got a great list of Kids Activities for Thanksgiving! 

They’re creative, easy & engaging. 

 

 

We are HUGE fans of Melissa & Doug toys in our house. 

My daughter asks for them by name -- she doesn't ask for a set of pretend food, it's "the Melissa & Doug Cupcake Decorating Set" that's requested. 

 

It's going to be quite a week -- our country will celebrate both Election Day & Veteran's Day.  These are two days that are very important to discuss with kids but many times kids aren't old enough to understand their significance.

 

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.

 

I am always looking for ways to make things a little less hectic – because I really don’t need one more thing to remember during the holidays (watering the tree every day is about all I can handle!).

So when faced with the decision of whether to allow a traveling elf to visit our house during the holidays, I had to say no!

 

"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!