Top 10 Kansas City Fall Activities (For Families)

September 18, 2015September 17, 2015 - Mama 1 Comment

Looking for something awesome to do this fall in Kansas City? Here's the full list of the top 10 best things to do in Kansas City during the fall if you have a family or children! These are all family friendly and oh-so-fun, so start tackling your Fall Bucket List now!

It is no secret that I absolutely love Kansas City. Everything about living here is so great– it seems like the best of all worlds with it’s small town feel and big city thrill, the fantastic weather (we are so lucky to experience all four seasons, including this beautiful fall weather that we’ve already gotten a taste of this year)… just everything. So whether you’re from here, or you’re just visiting this fall, there is plenty to do if you have a family– from animals to pumpkins and everything in between, this list has you covered with all of the coolest things to do in KC this fall– both on specific weekends and all autumn long. It’s your ultimate Kansas City Fall Bucket List!

5 Back-to-School Must-Haves Your Exchange Student NEEDS!

August 12, 2015August 12, 2015 - Mama Leave a comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #JustACallAway #CollectiveBias

I didn’t realize how prevalent hosting exchange students was until my family started hosting about a decade ago. Through the years, I’ve met a lot of host families, and I’ve gathered some tips of the must-haves that exchange students need to go back to school. In some ways, it’s just like back-to-school shopping for your own kids, but in some ways, it’s just a little bit different, and I’m so excited to share the 5 things your exchange student really needs before they go to school in America.

Must-Have Annual Memberships for Kansas City Families!

June 22, 2015 - Mama 4 Comments

This winter, I had what many of my friends referred to as my “grinch year.” I was up to my eyeballs in too many toys, and I put a ban on the entire family– NO. TOYS. PERIOD. I was not going to let another toy come into my house when we were overloaded even after getting rid of a bunch. Instead, I encouraged my family to consider ideas that might be more long-lasting and educational, but still fun (like subscription boxes or annual memberships). I also put my money where my mouth was and got my son an annual pass to SeaLife Aquarium, the Legoland Discovery Center, and to Union Station, 3 places we visited last fall and loved.

And this summer? I’m so thankful for my grinch year, because the memberships we have now are perfect for our summer fun, and we’ve been getting tons of use out of each. So, now that my son and I are well-versed in what memberships are worth it in the KC area (and which you might want to skip).

Beach Bag Mom Essentials!

June 19, 2015 - Mama Leave a comment

Packing your beach bag for summer fun? Don't forget to pack these essentials when you head to the beach on your summer travels! Vacation time is hectic and it's easy to forget-- but this list will help you out! #Sponsored #CleverGirls #OREOMultipack

Summer vacation is always a ton of fun, but for moms, it can be a ton of stress. It seems like before we go anywhere– the museum, the beach, the park– we have to make sure we’ve got everything for all of the kids. I’ve been prone to forget things again and again, so I’ve now got a tried-and-true list for what must go in my beach bag every time!

Recycled Regatta: How to Make Sailboats out of Recycled SunnyD Bottles

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 - Mama 11 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#WhereFunBegins #CollectiveBias

It's time to pull out the sails and have some summertime fun! If you're looking for a summer craft to add to your summer bucket list, or if you just need a boredom buster for your kids, they'll love these fun recycled DIY boats! #WhereFunBegins #ad

I am a huge fan of crafts made with supplies I pretty much have on hand. When my son says “I’m bored!” I like having a project available for him to do. Because of that, I tend to save things like bottles and straws in a bag in our pantry– they make the COOLEST homemade toys!

DIY Recycled Bottle City Craft

March 24, 2015March 24, 2015 - Mama 11 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BringingInnovation #CollectiveBias

Don't toss out those bottles or newspapers! You can use them to create a fun bottle city for your kids! Learn about this craft, plus other ideas on how to teach kids to reduce, reuse, and recycle here. #BringingInnovation #ad

If you walk into my house at any given time, you’re bound to find a few items lying around the toy area that aren’t quite what many would view as toys. My son’s play kitchen is fully stocked with real items– empty milk jugs, honey bears, coffee creamer bottles, and more. I love to repurpose items when I can (and of course, recycle them when I can’t), because I’m just not a huge fan of the thought of so much waste going into landfills. One of my new favorite crafts, though, is to take all of those little bottles– the ones from juice or soda or water– and make them into cool toys, like this great city. It’s so easy to do, which means your kids will love joining in on the fun, too!

50 Ways to Bond with your Child (Without Leaving the House)

March 18, 2015March 22, 2015 - Mama 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FrozenCustardTime #CollectiveBias

It’s so important to spend time with your children. Kids are at this vital part of their life where they need to be shown love, time, patience, and how to interact together during family time. That’s why you can’t put a high enough value on time spent together. But truthfully? Time together doesn’t have to require any extensive planning at all– with a few things you probably already have around the house, you can take time to unplug and enjoy bonding time together. Here are some of my favorite ideas for spending time with your children (without leaving the house!)

The Perks of Being a Stay At Home Mom

March 16, 2015March 16, 2015 - Mama Leave a comment

Disclaimer: this post isn’t meant to bash anyone, or say that being a stay at home mom is more important than being a mom who works outside the home– not in the slightest. But lately, I’ve heard a lot of questions raised about the value of stay at home moms and whether they’re really as significant as moms who work outside of the home, and I wanted to share my perspective of why working from home has changed my life so significantly. Again– not trying to bash, just trying to share my side of the story!

I’ve had a lot of people ask me “Yeah, but do you feel unfulfilled working from home instead of having like… a job?” “Don’t you just need a break from your kid sometimes?” “Ugh, I could NEVER work from home… my kids drive me crazy!” But after working from home, I realized there are a lot of perks of being a stay at home mom or work at home mom. I have a lot of opportunities that other moms don’t have, and for that, I feel really lucky.

DIY Color Bubbles

March 9, 2015March 9, 2015 - Mama 9 Comments

I’m sure by now you’ve seen the colorful bubbles in store sold by some big-name brands. But did you know it’s easy to DIY color bubbles yourself? It only takes a few ingredients– things you already likely have around your house– and a few minutes to make the BEST color bubbles on the planet!

Easy Ways to Show Appreciation for Those You Love

March 3, 2015March 3, 2015 - Mama 1 Comment

Family is priceless. At the end of the day, they’re the people you sit down with at the table and share your day with. But so often, we can take our family for granted. We have a lot of time to spend with one another, to the point that sometimes, we just forget to show our family how much we love and appreciate them. But really, there are some very easy ways to show appreciation to those you love.

Mama Plus One

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