Back to School Tips for Parents and Kids

Back to school Tips - dos and don'ts for parents and students

Last week began my 12th back to school season as a parent. I’m one of the fortunate ones: my kids love school and they have had terrific teachers through the years. As much as we all love the lazy days of summer, I think everyone (parents and kids alike) look forward to the new school [...]

How Barbie Potty Trained My Daughter – a Positive Parenting Story

1959 Barbie dolls

Once upon a time, many, many years ago, there was a little princess named Madame Butterfly World of the Pretty Things (yes, the WHOLE name). Madame Butterfly World of the Pretty Things was two and a half years old and was the brand new big sister of another little princess. Because her mom had been [...]

Celebrate Everyday Moments With Quotagraph (+ $100 Giveaway!)

Quotagraph from Ovaltine

When my kids were younger, I kept a notebook where I would record weights, illnesses, play dates, and all of the funny things they said each day. Sometimes I miss those days, when my kids were silly and parenting was so much simpler. I remember my oldest daughter, clearly, coming in to our bedroom at [...]

A Cheer-Worthy Experience #VisaGoWorld

young boy jump in the pool

I took my boys to the neighborhood pool today. My 11 year old son was thrilled to find several of his school friends already there. As I splashed around with my younger son in a different area of the pool, something unusual caught my eye. The 11 year old boys had been playing Marco Polo, [...]

How To Plan the Best, Affordable Family Vacation – “How Do You Do It?”

cheap family vacation tips

Last Tuesday, my family of seven pulled up to the Days Inn in Geneva, New York. The temperature outside was a blazing 100+ and we were tired from 8 hours of driving in a car packed full with people. I was sitting in the back seat, in between my two youngest, to maintain the peace [...]

Help Your Kids Avoid the #SummerSlide

how to avoid the summer slide

My kids are officially on Summer Vacation, as of last Tuesday. Summer time is both a blessing and a curse. I love letting my body wake up when it wants to. I love spending time at my neighborhood pool and playing games with my kids. I love taking day trips to see my sister in [...]

Naming Baby – How Did You Decide?

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Naming a new baby is a HUGE responsibility, and one that CandyMan and I didn’t take lightly. Every time we were expecting a baby, we pondered over baby names, including first name and middle name combinations. We looked at name meanings, discussed what the baby’s initials would be, and how their name would go together [...]

Tips for a Happy Summer Break – Big Family “How Do You Do It?” Series

tips for a happy summer vacation

Do you ever feel like the mom in the picture above, playing a massive game of tug-of-war during the summer just to maintain a sense of sanity with the kids? How often do YOU hear: “Mom! I’m bored!” “What are we going to do today?” “Mom, when are you going to be dooooone?” I adore [...]

Meal Time Tips From a Big Family – “How Do You Do It?” Series

meal time tips big family

I love to cook. I love to EAT more, but I do love to cook, and I dare say I’m rather good at it most of the time. I have a few challenges with cooking, though, that tend to minimize the enjoyment that I get from the task. As a mom of 5 kids, I [...]

How Do You Do It? – How This Big Family Manages CLEANING

featuredcleaning

I’ve joined a few of my blogging friends who also have big families in a new series called “How Do You Do It?” – exploring how moms of big families handle things like cleaning, homework, dinner time, car pooling, discipline….you name it! In fact, if you have a “How Do You Do It?” question for [...]