Why I Still Hold My Son Sometimes

How old is too old to hold your child? This is why I still pick up my son.  | parenting | attachment parenting | babywearing | toddlerwearing |

We were waiting in line to meet Santa. It was a great day, but the crowd simply got to be too much for my little guy. The excitement of the morning, the need to wake up early for the special breakfast, and the sugar of pancake syrup were all combining for a perfect storm of shyness and jitters. “Mommy, please take me.” So, despite a few funny glances, I lifted my 4 year old onto my hip and held him close.

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How To Give the Gift of Relaxation for Christmas

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Prismacolor, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #relaxandcolor  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Feeling stressed? Have a friend who needs to relax? Give the gift of relaxation this Christmas-- this is the perfect gift or care package that really works perfectly for helping someone cheer up. With an adult coloring book, perfect colored pencils, and other really great ideas for the perfect Relaxation gift basket! #relaxandcolor #coloringwithMichaels #Pmedia #ad

Relaxation is getting harder and harder to come by, isn’t it? I wouldn’t trade the life I have for the world, but sometimes at the end of the day, before I can close my eyes to sleep, I just need to take some time to… well, unwind. That’s a lot of why I’ve wholeheartedly jumped onto the adult coloring book craze– for me, it’s about a creative outlet where I just take a few minutes each night to color, relax, and breathe before I doze off. At first it started with colored pencils and a coloring book, but now I’ve added warm fuzzy socks, some nice chocolate, lit candles, and sipped some tea, and I have to say, it’s made for a much calmer me. But here’s the deal– it’s Christmastime, the season of giving, and I knew that I couldn’t keep this relaxation to myself. I had to put together the perfect gift of relaxation for my best friend.

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Minions BananaBerry Dump Cake (With BananaBerry “Ice Cream”)

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

Do you love Minions? Those adorable little creatures now have their own movie, and these bananaberry dump cakes are perfect for banana lovers AND minions alike! Plus, with free printable minion goggles for decorating the cake jars, these are party-ready in no time! (Also, check out this great 2-ingredient banana berry

Bee-do-bee-do-bee-do… In case you didn’t know it yet, your favorite yellow little creatures are coming out on DVD tomorrow, and I know we’ve already pre-ordered the Minions movie. That meant making the perfect dessert for our Minions watch party, and trust me, you’re going to love this one. Take a break from holiday stress and make these delightful minion mini cakes for your family to enjoy during the movie!

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10 Christmas Gifts for Kids (That Aren’t More Toys!)

Stuck on a great Christmas gift for your child? Don't want to bring even more toys into the house this year? Here are 10 Christmas gifts for kids that aren't toys! If you're looking for a unique idea, this is the list you want to check out!

Last Christmas, as I loaded up some of the toys my son was no longer playing with to get rid of, I finally stepped on the LEGO that broke the camel’s back… With toys tucked in every corner, I simply couldn’t take adding another one to the house at Christmas time. Zach has a tendency to get toys throughout the year, of course, and our over-stuffed toy bins were clear indicators that he wasn’t exactly hurting for toys. So, I made a decision: No. More. Toys. We weren’t getting rid of the toys he loved, and we certainly weren’t eliminating toys from the house, but instead, my entire family agreed that we would make a conscious effort to purchase a little more creatively for Christmas, and that meant not buying any new toys.

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DIY Inside Out Memory Spheres

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

Learn to discuss tough emotions-- like anger, sadness, and fear-- with your children. These DIY memory spheres from the Inside Out movie are a craft that gets kids talking! #InsideOutEmotions #ad

Emotions are tough. Seriously, they can be really hard to navigate, especially when you’re young and don’t always have the words to share how you’re feeling. But then, Inside Out showed up and gave kids examples of what those emotion words felt like. Plus, it was a super adorable movie– cute enough that we decided to see it like 4 times in theatres! So as soon as I found out it was available at Walmart, we ran to the store right away to pick up our copy.

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How to Create a Winter Preparedness Box for Home or School

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

Winter is upon us, and with all the

Winter really hasn’t even started yet, and already, the kiddo and I have had to take a little time off of work and school because we weren’t feeling our best. It seems like anytime you’re at school, work, or even home, when winter hits, it seems like it’s the season to feel a little more… under the weather. Sometimes it’s all of the warm air circulating inside closed windows that just keeps the germs in, and sometimes it’s the number of hugs you’re exchanging at those family holiday parties, but because of all of that, it helps to have a plan to keep you at your best, and to help you bounce back fast when you aren’t. That’s why I’m all for a winter preparedness kit that will help keep things going this winter!

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How a Highway Turkey United My Hometown

Have you ever seen something little bring your whole town together for good? In my hometown, it was a turkey.... a simple turkey that led to a massive change in the way our town cooperated and worked together, and that brought together people from around the country, too.

It all started with a turkey. Just a simple, wild turkey who loved to hang out by the side of the highway just north of my hometown. He was there for about a year before someone made that first post in a community group for ladies in my town… “Hey, has anyone else seen that turkey on the highway?”

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Super Easy Halloween Party Games (You Can Play Using Soda Bottles!)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CVS4FantaFun #CollectiveBias

Whether you need a last-minute Halloween party game without a ton of setup, or just an impromptu boredom buster, these awesome games take minutes to set up and are easy for anyone to play-- just grab some Orange Fanta, a few cups, and some tape, and you're all set! #CVS4FantaFun #ad

Halloween is pretty much upon us… in fact, with less than a week away, busy moms, I’m hearing your cry. Today, we’re getting ready for Halloween, and whether you’re planning a party with all of your friends, need a last-minute game to become the coolest car at the Trunk-or-Treat, or just want some post-Halloween boredom busters to burn off extra energy, this is the game plan for you.

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Pumpkin Carving and Sensory Play

I received product from Pumpkin Masters for this post. All opinions are my own.

Pumpkin carving is an excellent family tradition every autumn or fall season, but did you know that with the right tools, even the youngest kids can get involved and turn carving and family time into a learning experience or educational activity? Don't just go to the pumpkin patch this year- help your kids learn while having fun with pumpkins!  #pumpkinmasters #ad

Pumpkin carving… it’s a great tradition that many families share. It can be really fun to set up a bonfire or lay out some trash bags to collect pumpkin guts and get the whole family to carve pumpkins together, but did you know it could be a unique learning experience, too? Children learn with all 5 senses, and pumpkin carving offers a great sensory experience that helps children explore all of these, and with the right tools, kids of almost any age can get in on the fun.

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Spooky Halloween Pudding Snacks and Classroom Party Craft and Treat!

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

From Spooky Halloween Classroom Party Crafts to treat toppers fit for a crowd, you'll love these ideas on how to top portable treats and delicious pudding! Zombie Hand pudding cups, brain pudding cups, creepy Teddy Graham pudding cups, Chocolate Cherry Monster Mash cups, and Monster Brains Snack Cups. #SnackPackMixIns #ad

The season of Halloween Class Parties is upon us. Even if you’re not a room volunteer, there are so many big celebrations for Halloween coming up, which is why unique snacks and crafts are key. I’ve got some easy treats and a fun craft that is perfect for one kid or thirty, making it perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a little spooky fun. These pudding toppers are effortless and so fun for everyone!

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