Recently, as the rain sets in here in the Northwest, I find myself wanting to curl up on the couch with the perfect family-friendly movie that we can all enjoy together. Meaning: not your typical cartoon. I mean, I love Moana and Zootopia but I want movies we haven't seen and heard 5 bazillion times...something special, heart-warming, funny...to both...
If you've spent any time in the virtual toy department of Amazon's Prime Day, I'll bet you have a headache.
Me, too.
But there are some really good buys in the STEM and STEAM categories, as well as some fun family games. (And if nothing else, pick up these Prismacolors.)
1. Telescope - my husband will be thrilled. I'm super excited about...
THESE are the people I come from. My father, Bruce, (Far left, 1968) recently had his DNA tested. I don’t need to; I look at this photo, and I understand myself. Completely.
Yes, that’s my mom on top of the board. Being held up by my dad, his brothers, cousins and friends like the goddess that she is. She’ll roll...
sprinkler
Picky design-mom back again with summertime picks that won't upset your lovely backyard with ugly plastic red, blue and yellow. I don't mind red, blue and yellow but does every kid's toy have to be plastic and only in those colors? I think not.
Thank goodness other people think the same and have created some truly lovely pieces for play,...
In a world where we center ourselves around phones and screens, a change of pace is always a good thing. Whether you love game night because it sparks great childhood memories, or you're just a downright competitive beast who welcomes any opportunity to win (no shame) the holidays are the perfect time to bring out some fun...AND a little (or a...
When the boys were really small, I had Christmas down. We did holiday-themed art projects, advent calendars, Christmas stories, and went to see Santa right after Thanksgiving. Their stockings were filled with carefully curated items, and Christmas cookies were baked.
I'm slipping.
For the last few years, Christmas seems to take us by surprise. Now it's as much of a Christmas...
Lucky me... I got to round up adorable baby gifts! It can sometimes be tricky shopping for the itty bitty ones at the holidays though. You want to get something fun for them, but depending on how tiny they are, they may not be super into toys yet. Sometimes for the littles you're essentially gifting to the parents, so...
Preschoolers are such a cool age - big enough to graduate from baby toys, not quite ready for the tiny pieces of big kid toys - but bursting with creativity, exploring pretend play and interested in figuring out how everything works. So creating a gift guide for them was incredibly fun! These toys are pure joy - think brightly colored, open-ended and safe...
Gender-Neutral Dollhouses That Inspire Imagination
When I was three, I got a dollhouse for Christmas, built by my talented Papa (he went on to make grandfather clocks and I'm honored to have one in my dining room.) I was so excited; it was a memory I'll never forget. As I got older, I remember decorating the walls inside with wrapping paper...
So I was flipping through channels and came upon a charming show called "Don't be Tardy" starring an ex-'Real Housewife', but which could in fact be the theme song for my life recently. (Facebook told me it's my 8th wedding anniversary today, which totally didn't register until my hubs rolled over bright & early and confirmed - um, whoops? I have...