Occasionally, I do write more than 2,200 characters (thanks for the limit, Instagram), and when I do, you will find those words here. I also love participating in Calling It Home’s One Room Challenge, which happens every spring and fall. You can find past rooms I’ve worked on here. Want some help with your own One Room Challenge? Let me know so that we can get planning for the next round!
Last summer, on a random Thursday, I threw a cowboy party for the kids. I gathered up some hats and bandanas, made some cookie dough, added balloons, and it was a party.
It was not a big deal in terms of preparation. It was certainly no mermaid party. But it was a fun surprise for the kids and all of them – even the teens – had a great afternoon.
Read MoreEvery time I throw a party, there is at least one point in the preparation stage, typically two or three days before the party, when I think to myself that I must by absolutely crazy to be doing whatever it is I am doing at that very moment. Last week, that moment came when I was painting glitter scales on a cardboard mermaid photo backdrop. For a birthday party. For five-year-olds.
Read MoreIn case you’ve been in a social media black hole, Mother’s Day is right around the corner (May 10th to be specific). And while it should not be necessary to have a separate category of cards and gifts for the non-bio moms in our lives, today we are going to talk about cards for step-moms. But first, we are going to talk about step-moms.
Read MoreFive years ago today, I was life-flighted during a hail storm from my local hospital to the nearest hospital with a neo-natal unit. It sounds totally dramatic and I suppose it was, but I was so drugged up, I remember very little of it. My sister-in-law can tell you the details. She got to fly in the co-pilot’s seat since the three nurses (dubbed “The Charlie’s Angels” by my sister-in-law) and I took up all the room in the back of the plane. It was a small plane.
Read MoreRemember a few weeks ago (ok, seven weeks ago, but who’s counting?) when I said my twins were already getting into planning mode for their 5th birthday? Do you also remember how I told you that the twins had decided on a knight and princess themed birthday party? They were dead set on the idea. They were pinning things. We bought a dragon piñata. We searched the dollar store for decorations. They were all, “Mom, let’s make swords.” And “Mom, can we [editor’s note: “we” always means “mom” when my kids use it in this context] make everyone dragon tails? ” And “Mom, what if someone doesn’t want to dress like princess? I can ask everyone what they want to be and then you can make them all a costume.”
Read MoreWe’ve begun counting down to Théa and Gus’s 5th birthday at my house. It’s only 8 ½ weeks away. Yeah, they might be jumping the gun a bit but they sure are excited.
Read MoreYou guys. I have a problem. I can’t stop buying cookbooks.
I went into the bookstore the other day to pick up a cookbook for my mom (Cook’s Illustrated’s The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook) and to check out another (Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist), and I came out with my mom’s cookbook plus Cooking Together, a Williams-Sonoma cookbook for kids. (I couldn't find Bread and Wine, but also came out with four children’s classics and Domino: The Book of Decorating, but these purchases are a story for another time.)
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