How My Family Celebrates Chinese New Year (And Why It Matters to Us)

February 5, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

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After nearly a decade of hosting foreign exchange students, my family is no stranger to sitting down to dinner not knowing who will be there and how many cultures might be represented at the table. It’s opened our eyes to new celebrations (like when our first student taught us all about St. Nicholas Day), but our family, having yet to host a Chinese exchange student, has never gotten the opportunity to celebrate Chinese New Year. We decided to change that this year. And, what better way to celebrate than with some appetizers that are restaurant-inspired and totally delicious?

Creating a Color Theme Unit for Kids

February 4, 2015February 10, 2015 - Mama 1 Comment

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Is there anything more fascinating to a child than color? I’ve never met a child that didn’t love rainbows, have a favorite color they are passionate about (even if it changes on a daily basis), and love pointing out every color they see… “Look mom, that’s a green train.” “I want the purple grapes!” What better way to inspire kids with even more colorful thoughts than to use a color theme unit?

Top 10 Mother-Son Dates for the Winter Months

January 7, 2015December 18, 2014 - Mama 4 Comments

Zach and I have been trying to take more time to spend together. I love every moment of time I get with him, and I love when we can get out and do something fun together. With that said, winter is rough. In the spring, you can go to a park, or in the summer, you can go for a trip to a water park. But winter is cold. And drab. And dreary. With that said, I’ve got 10 dates that you can take with your son that don’t cost a lot of money and are perfect for winter.

Create a Family Time Capsule: The Perfect New Years’ Tradition

December 31, 2014December 30, 2014 - Mama 1 Comment

I am all about tradition during the holidays. Our annual trip for Thanksgiving, Christmas advent calendars, gingerbread houses… but then I realized my family has zero traditions for New Years’ Eve. Our idea of an NYE party? Flipping channels and drinking some sparkling grape juice at midnight… IF we make it to midnight. But that has to change– I can’t have a holiday without a tradition! So we’ve decided to build a family time capsule that we can open together. When I sat down to think about what would go in this family time capsule, I had a few ideas…

Why My Family Skips the Traditional Christmas Meal

December 22, 2014December 21, 2014 - Mama Leave a comment

For the past few years, my family has sat down to Christmas dinner without a turkey or a ham, without mashed potatoes and dinner rolls and all of the Christmas fixings that are a staple on many holiday tables….

15 Things to do if You’re Skipping Black Friday

November 27, 2014November 25, 2014 - Mama Leave a comment

It’s here… it’s unavoidable, it seems. Commercials, advertisements, it’s Black Friday madness. And as Black Friday starts earlier and earlier each year…. if you cannot stand to go out in the crowds to shop, you can….

The Ultimate Staycation Planner Printable– Plan a Staycation in ANY Area!

October 15, 2014 - Mama Leave a comment

When planning a vacation, it’s typically pretty easy. You start by picking a destination, and then you plan what you’d like to do. But for some reason, it’s so much harder when you go to plan your staycation! Part of it is because it seems like you may have been to everything there is to do in your area. Or, some of it may be that you feel a bit stuck on ideas of what to do. But, I have 7 great questions that will help you plan your staycation, no matter where you’re hoping to experience it! I’m also providing a handy 4-page staycation planning guide that you can use to stay organized and jump-start your brainstorming using the ideas in this post!

Educational Nature Walk Activities– for Any Age!

October 10, 2014October 10, 2014 - Mama 2 Comments

I’m a big advocate for education wherever it happens… the idea that I can teach my child as much at the grocery store comparing prices and I can at home doing a math worksheet, or the thought that I can help him establish a love for reading by taking a trip to the library rather than reading what’s at home in our book basket. One of my favorite activities each season is to take a nature walk. Regardless of your child’s age, there’s so much they can learn from nature walk activities that stimulate all of their senses and help them shape a better idea of seasons in the world around them.

5 Reasons Everyone Should Take a Staycation

October 8, 2014October 7, 2014 - Mama 1 Comment

It seems so often these days, the stress of every day life, the overwhelming (at times) nature of the information pouring at us through channels like Facebook and Instagram, and the beautiful images we see on other networks like Pinterest have us longing to just get away from it all. But sometimes, a vacation just isn’t in the cards. And even if it is, why limit yourself to a vacation where you have to get away? There is another option right in your backyard, and I definitely think it’s worth exploring! That’s why a staycation is a must-try for every person, couple, or family at least once in their lives!

Alabama’s Best Kept Secret: The Beach Destination You Should Know About

July 2, 2014January 20, 2016 - Mama 6 Comments

I don’t think Alabama necessarily intends to keep their best-kept beach getaway a secret, but somehow, it’s quiet, hidden under the shuffle. In fact, it’s so calm and perfect there that I almost didn’t want to share it. After all, if I spill the beans and let you know about my favorite beach vacation, what’s to keep you all from rushing there? But then I realized that a good beach vacation spot is just too good not to share.

For being a secret, Dauphin Island really isn’t too much of a secret at all. After all, it recently ranked in the top 8 Southern Islands You Should Be Visiting This Summer by Huffington Post and that isn’t it’s first time receiving a similar nod. But somehow, tucked away between Florida beaches and the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area that everyone’s familiar with, Dauphin Island is the perfect quiet getaway, especially for families.

After nearly a decade of summer vacations spent at Dauphin Island, I’ve made a list of the absolute most important things to do, see, and enjoy on the Island, as well as a few reminders that the best part of the island is the fact that you can just sit and relax.

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