April showers bring May flowers–and headaches for moms. After a rather brutal winter spent mostly indoors, I’m not welcoming this rather rainy spring. I’d much rather have my girls outdoors digging up worms than inside fighting over who gets to man the Calico Critters treehouse (A war between hedgehogs and bunnies is not a pretty sight.) So, on those afternoons when we’re stuck indoors, I really appreciate an activity that lets my kids’ imaginations run wild, even when they can’t. Just in time for Earth Day and a week-long school break comes the perfect boredom buster. Eco Crafts from ALEX contains all the necessary ingredients that turn ordinary household items into fab, “Hey, I made that!” creations. This kit is chock-full of projects ranging from [&hellip
Monthly Archive:: April 2011
Spring has finally sprung, and that can only mean one thing. No, not your allergies. We’re talkin’ bikes. If you have a toddler with an older sibling, you know how much your little one wants to be just like her big brother or sister. In our house, my little one tells me, “I’m not your baby anymore; I’m a big girl.” (Don’t worry about hurt feelings; I’ve developed a thick skin by now.) But I digress…when we dusted off our two-wheelers this weekend, wouldn’t you know the little one wanted to ride her bike, too? Because it’s no shocker that kids seem to be growing up faster these days, we think the Smart-Trike will truly hit its stride with precocious preschoolers everywhere. This versatile ride-on, [&hellip
For my sister, it just wouldn’t be Easter without her marshmallow Peeps. This hasn’t always been the case, though. When we were kids, I remember her preference for jelly beans over any other basket sweet. (For my brother, biting off his bunny’s ears was the first order of business. Don’t worry…it was a chocolate bunny…and that’s what they’re made for, after all!). But as years passed and the stresses of life and motherhood replaced those carefree childhood days, Peeps became her favorite springtime treat. It’s so I can’t help but think of her and another friend when stocking up on Easter basket staples this time of year. That’s why I know they are going to be psyched that they no longer have to decide between [&hellip
It’s impossible not to walk into a store and knock down a display of jelly beans, chocolate eggs, marshmallow chicks and the usual springtime suspects. Yup, Eastertime is here and it doesn’t take much to lure me into a buying frenzy of more sweets than my family can handle. If you’re playing the Easter Bunny for your own little posse and are looking for some alternative to this sugar fest, consider the new line-up from Jelly Belly. These guys aren’t only known for their flavorful confections; now they’re introducing an assortment of everything from candles and stationery, to scented bath products…and bubbles! That’s right: fruity bubbles that smell like cherries, grapes and bananas. I just know my daughters will eat these up…well, not exactly, but [&hellip
How is it that even if I take one day off from doing laundry, the amount of clothes in our bathroom hamper appears to triple–no, make that quadruple– overnight? It’s one household task that no matter how frequently you check it off your to-do list, bang! there it is, waiting for you the very next day. To make the chore a little less tedious, I’ve tried to inject some fun into it lately by making it into a game for my preschooler. We sort by color, talk about opposites (“wet” vs. “dry”) and, of course, I let her pitch some socks into the dryer every now and then. But once the machines start their whirling and spinning, she freaks out and our game is over. [&hellip
Today, we said goodbye to being a baby and hello to the world of big girls. And it was all because of a raincoat. Before heading out to drive my almost 3-year-old to preschool this morning, we were greeted with a round of April showers and so that meant scouring the closet for a hooded jacket. I came across a hand-me-down polka dot slicker in size 3T and considered it. Surely she’s too little to fit this already, I mused. But because I have a clotheshorse in the making and lo and behold, it fit perfectly. As my daughter paraded around the room in her new gear, oblivious to my surprise, it hit me hard just how fleeting those days of wearing onesies and footed [&hellip
Schlepping all your kid’s gear around can make you feel more like a mule than a mom. From diaper bags to sports bags, it feels like we are forever indebted to our children (shouldn’t it be the other way around?). Perhaps this visual was the inspiration behind the latest Bugaboo stroller. Aptly named the Bugaboo Donkey, this is one vehicle that aims to keep up with the demands of an on-the-go mother of multiples. With three simple clicks, this convertible stroller goes from a full-sized model for one child, to a side-by-side stroller that accommodates two, to a mono stroller yet again. No matter if you’re out grocery shopping with only your toddler and later taking a walk in the great outdoors with both kids, [&hellip
We have so many types of batteries in our house, it’s become a regular Radio Shack. While I mainly stock up on extras in case of power outages, they are inevitably used for the myriad of electronic toys that my two daughters can’t seem to live without. Be it a talking cat keyboard, or my older daughter’s Leapster, it seems we are forever in a state of gadget dependency. Sure, it’s nice when the girls can play unoccupied and I can get some work done, but the reality is that I’d much rather my kids’ rely on their already-active imaginations during playtime. Maybe that’s why Wikki Stix are such a win-win for our household: the girls can engage themselves in a creative project that doesn’t [&hellip
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