Halloween is coming!! It may still be scorching hot in the afternoons, but soon (fingers crossed, SOON), it will start to cool off and be time for pumpkin patches, changing leaves, cool, misty mornings, pumpkin spice lattes…and picking out Halloween costumes! Lately I’ve been on the Pinterest lookout for simple and adorable DIY Halloween costumes… Continue reading Adorable DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids
Category: Ideas + Advice for Families
Is This In Your Child’s Backpack?
The other day I was picking up my 3rd grade daughter after school when a boy from her class last year came up asking if I had seen his mom. I hadn’t so I asked him what her cell number was so I could call her. “I don’t know it.” Luckily another mom was at… Continue reading Is This In Your Child’s Backpack?
The Uh Oh Toy Ransom Box Experiment
I saw the cutest idea on Pinterest and Facebook floating around – an uh oh toy ransom box – and vowed to try it one day with my kids.
Well, as I was stomping around last week (very irritated), picking up stray toys, socks and soccer balls everywhere, I decided it was time. I made my own “Uh Oh Toy Ransom Box.”
First of all, THANK you to the “Just Another Day in Paradise” blog for this fabulous idea. I found you on Pinterest, and I am so excited to try this idea for my family.
Here’s the basic concept: you create a box or a bin where forgotten or “misplaced” toys go when your kids leave them strewn about the house…
Kid Allowances: What do YOU think?
Let’s talk about kid allowances today. Are they a “do?” A “don’t?” A maybe? If so, how does your family go about it?
This subject recently came up in our home, as our little girl is now in 1st grade. As she continues to grow, we continue to give her more responsibility. Which she is handling with grace and a newfound maturity (most of the time). With increasing her responsibility, we started talking about whether to give her an allowance at the ripe age of six….
Guest Blog: Why Adults Need to Go Out and Play!
Today’s post on nature outings in Orange County (for adults!) is written by my friend Michele of NaturePlayTrips.com. I love the reminders of how therapeutic a nature outing can be for all ages – not just our children. Here is what she writes…
Why Adults Need to Go Out and Play
by Michele Whiteaker, Nature Play Trips
It’s obvious, isn’t it? Because we feel better when we go out on a walk!
Rich Louv, author of The Nature Principle, wrote an excellent blog post about the “Ten Reasons Children and Adults Need Vitamin N.” He sites all sorts of research about how your time out in the wilds of Orange County will make you feel better, unleash your creativity, and help you feel a part of your community.
I get outdoors a lot with my kids, but there are some special places where I go to be alone and take in the quiet. Check out “Where Mommies Dare to Play” for a few ideas. We just need to make it a habit to go to some of these outdoor places rather than our regular Target or Starbuck’s rut!
On Jen’s Free Daily Charge Ideas list, I was happy to see playing outdoors appear more than once. Jen is awesome at giving ideas on WHAT to do and I’m really good at knowing WHERE.
So let me fill you in on some amazing places you can visit for nature outings in Orange County….