All I want for Christmas is: A full night of sleep. This includes falling into bed at 8:00 p.m. with my coziest pajamas on and a good book in hand, reading myself to sleep and not having to get up to soothe any bad dreams or rock a refusing-to-sleep baby. It also includes sleeping past 5:00...
Children have a vivid imagination, and mine are no different. When they’re not spinning around in a circle until they fall down, they’re wrestling with one another; fighting over a shoe box that has been flattened and has no other value other than “I saw it first”; or they’re streaking down the hallways, laughter resonating against...
Throwing a summer bash to ring in the new season? Get inspired with this list of ideas to turn a ho-hum party into a rockin’ fiesta without hurting your wallet. Creative Invitations Sure, you can call everyone on the phone to invite them to your summer shindig, but creative invitations are a unique way to get...
Keeping the little ones busy during a season of cooler temperatures and lots of cooking time can be a challenge. However, there are plenty of fun arts and crafts projects to keep their hands busy and their minds engaged. Here are a few that are easy enough for the youngest of kids (with some adult help...
Start unique family holiday traditions by enjoying the moment and not being so stuck in the typical traditions that you refuse to indulge in a new idea. If it’s fun, it’s worth a try. If it really was fun, it’s worth repeating. The practice of starting new holiday traditions usually begins when you are an adult...
My daughter is sixteen months old and we just finished the The Last Battle, which is the last book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. We began reading the entire series the day she came home from the hospital. Reading with her eventually became a routine that soothed and quieted her, and now, when I rock...
It may seem a bit early to be thinking about Christmas music. In fact, perhaps you don’t like holiday tunes at all and were hoping to put your earplugs in after Thanksgiving and not take them out until mid-January. But the fact is, nothing sets the end-of-year mood like holiday music, especially if you’re planning on...
There’s no denying that the turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving table. But it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving dinner without the trimmings, especially the stuffing. In culinary circles, the term “stuffing” is usually defined as a blend of bread seasonings, vegetables, and sometimes meat that is cooked inside the turkey. When it is cooked outside the...
