17 Creative (& FREE) Printable Valentine Cards

Creative & free printable Valentine Cards for classmates, to give to kids or anyone you love! In our house, we really don't do cute. Creative, yes ... Corny, oh yea ... Geeky, totally! But not so much with the cute. So Valentine's...

Teaching Kids that Small Acts can have a HUGE Impact

  I participated in a campaign on behalf of Influence Central for The Salvation Army. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating. How many times did you drop coins into a Red Kettle this holiday season?   ...

Cinnamon Scented Jingle Bell Placecards

The tree is up, the halls are decked and we are counting down the days until family 'comes to town'. Most of our relatives are miles away from us so we really look forward to having them visit, especially during the holidays. But I will adm...

Cinnamon Stick Christmas Tree Ornament

I hope your December has been going well.  For us, the days seem to be flying by -- the kids are on a countdown for winter break and we are all looking forward to family coming to visit for Christmas. And with guests in mind, we have ...

Gifting Books as Adventures

A number of years ago, we started a tradition at our house -- giving books for Christmas.  Each year, our kids get to open one of their gifts early -- oh yea, they love that!  When they come home on their first day of holiday br...

20+ Nature-inspired Holiday Projects

Today we have two special treats for you -- some gorgeous ideas for holiday decorating AND one amazing holiday giveaway! One of my favorite ways to decorate during the holidays is with natural items.  Whether it's as simple as the ki...

Gifts that Connect Kids with Nature

The holidays are coming and we want you to be able to spend more time relaxing than shopping.  Wouldn't that be nice -- feet up, fire going, warm cup of tea & a cookie (or two), Bing crooning "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Great Ideas for Non-Candy Halloween Treats

While I'm a BIG fan of Halloween and all the fun that goes along with it, I'm always bothered by the amount of candy we accumulate during all the holiday festivities.Let's see, there's the trick-or-treat event at the zoo (we love the zoo in...

The Best Early Reader Books with Seasonal Themes

Entice your kids into more reading time with these fun holiday-themed Early Reader (ER) books & tips that are perfect for beginner readers!I've shared before about some of the struggles we had when our kids first started reading indepen...

Creating Family Traditions

We were compensated for this post by Blickenstaff's as part of a campaign with The Mom It Forward Blogger Network and are thrilled to be working with them to share more about family traditions.   This is the time of the year when I...

Marvelous Books for Mother's Day

Today we're celebrating all things Mom.  Mother's Day is a time when kids express how much they appreciate all the things Moms do for them all year round.  Homemade cards for Mom, hand-picked flowers and maybe even breakfast in b...

17 St. Patrick's Day Activities that Might Bring You Luck!

  Four-leaf clovers and rainbows are all the rage this week! Just check out any elementary school hallway, art room or any aisle at your local Target -- you'll see they're all decked out for St. Patrick's Day. Discover & Explore ...

85 Valentine's Day Cards & Games {free printables!}

Enjoy these free printable Valentine's Day games, cards and activities that are perfect for class parties and family fun! We are snowbound this week!  Yep, 12 inches of snow overnight tends to shut down most of the city.  Now this...

Quick DIY Valentine Box for Kids

Super easy DIY Valentine Box that can be made at the last minute!Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I'm sure your kids have been thinking about what they will give their classmates this year.Will it be candy hearts?Maybe a Star W...

'The Night before My Birthday' and Great Kids Birthday Giveaway

  Birthday season is coming for our family.    Well, make that Birthday Season for everyone in my family BUT me.  I celebrated my special day last month – super great day!  The kids made me pancakes and I didn...