When I Tell You my Son has Autism, Please Don’t Say “I’m Sorry.”

Please don't apologize when you hear about my son's autism diagnosis. He's the same child he was before he was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder... it doesn't change him, but here's what his Autism Spectrum diagnosis DOES change.

I know we’ve all been trained to look at Autism as a bad thing. We’ve been taught that it’s a disorder, simply because it says “disorder” in the name… Autism Spectrum Disorder. So I can’t fault you for saying “I’m sorry,” when I let you know that my son was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Read more

Backyard Splatter Painting

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

Kids bored this summer? Let them be kids with this awesome messy play activity! This splatter painting uses water balloons, medicine droppers, squirt guns, and more to create a unique piece of abstract art your kids will love creating. Don't worry-- kids and clothes are both washable! #allEssentials

“I’m bored.” Come on, it’s almost summer… you know you’re going to hear it at least once or twice or a million times. That’s why now is a great time to start arming yourself with ideas to keep the kids busy this summer! One of my favorite ways to keep kids active, busy, and having SO much fun they forget to be bored is through some good old fashioned messy play! That’s why this backyard splatter painting is tons of fun to create– and it’s super easy, too.

Read more

How to Clean Your Kitchen in 20 Minutes or Less!

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

Here's a spring cleaning life hack for you-- how to clean your kitchen in under 20 minutes, top to bottom, start to finish. Yes, even the dishes. #SpringIntoClean [ad]

We’ve all gotten the phone call… “Hey, I’m in the neighborhood… mind if I stop by for a chat?” Or the dreaded “Hey! Mom! Can my friends come hang out in a little bit?” only to find out that by “in a little bit,” they mean about 10 minutes… if you’re like me, you’ve looked around your kitchen and had a mild heart attack… how did it even get like this? There’s no way it’ll be clean before people arrive… take a deep breath, mama. You’re going to get this place into shape FAST.

Read more

Things to do with your Tax Return

Your tax return has arrived! Now what? Here are some ideas of things to do with your Tax Return that can set you on the right path for a great year ahead.

It’s Tax Return time! If you’re like me, you’re anxiously awaiting or hopefully have already received that nice little deposit or check… but now what do you do with it? It can be super easy to just blink and the money be gone, so instead, make a plan of what to do to make that money last, or at least go to something really awesome! Here are some ways you can use that tax return…

Read more

Crock Pot Beef Street Tacos

These crock pot street tacos are so simple to make-- just load up the crock pot, cook, and serve! These tacos have peppers, beef, beans, and all of the important

I love tacos. Tacos are pretty much amazing every day of the week, not just Taco Tuesdays. I haven’t met a taco that I don’t like– beef tacos, chicken tacos, Asian fusion tacos, soft shelled or hard shelled tacos, any kinds of tacos… they’re all delicious. But I’ve discovered a super easy way to make tacos that are ready when you get home. Crock Pot Street Tacos! These are super easy and so delicious that the whole family will love them!

Read more

“Quick Change” Baby Car Bag

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

From overwhelming spit up to realizing you didn't re-stock the diapers in your diaper bag, having an emergency bag in your car for quick changes is essential! This baby car bag is perfect for new moms, with everything she might need at a moment's notice! #SnugDryUltra [ad]

I remember it like it was yesterday… I was pushing the cart through Walmart, smiling at my sweet baby boy, when it happened. He puked. All over him, all over me, all over everywhere. While I often brought a change of clothes for him in the diaper bag (just in case!), I didn’t happen to bring any change of clothes for me. It meant that while he was nice and clean, I wash pushing the cart through the rest of Walmart with a lovely splatter all over my shirt. Yuck.

Read more

Online Safety For Teens

Keeping our teens safe online is becoming harder and harder as more apps and technology become available. Here are a few tips to help keep your kids safe online!   | Online Safety | Safety for Teens | Internet Safety |

The Internet can be an amazing place at times– endless pages of content and information, music and videos, books and movies, stories coming together and people crossing paths. But it can also have a very dark side to it… it’s a dark side that I’ve experienced firsthand, but also witnessed far too many teens going down the same path. Even when I was a younger teen, and even though the internet was a relatively new thing at the time (as in, we were still on dial-up), I managed to have some close calls that could have ended really badly. Luckily, I had parents who kept a watchful eye over my online behavior and were quick to stop these issues in their tracks. You can help your teens experience better online safety– here are a few ways to keep your kids safe online.

Read more

Eggheads Roll a Face Game for Easter!

This post has been sponsored by PAAS Easter Eggs. All opinions are my own.

Want to keep the kids entertained while you cook Easter dinner? Here's a great way to do it-- this eggheads roll a face game is a super fun Easter game that kids will love! Perfect Easter Boredom Buster or great Easter hostess gift for any hostess with kids. #PAASEaster [ad]

The best thing about Easter Dinner? Totally Easter Dinner– who can resist all of the amazing food on the table at Easter time? The worst part, though? Kids getting bored while you’re preparing it. It’s just a fact of life that kids are going to get bored while you’re preparing easter dinner, and when they’re not bored, well, they tend to get underfoot and make glazing ham and making scalloped potatoes a little bit more difficult.

But I have the perfect game that will keep everyone entertained, and to make it a little bit sweeter, I’m including a free printable for this fun Easter game to get you started. This roll-a-face dice game using the Eggheads kit from PAAS Easter egg is so easy to play that even young kids will have a blast, and this Easter game is sure to be a part of your Easter traditions for years to come.

Read more

Dye-lightful Tie Dye Party!

This inspiration for a tie-dye party has been sponsored by PAAS Easter Eggs. All opinions are my own. The links in this post may be affiliate links.

When it comes to parties, this one is tons of fun, regardless of guests' age! This tie dye party is great as a play date for little ones, a sleepover for older kids and tweens, and everything in between! With tie dye food, tie dye crafts, and tie dye favors, it's the perfect plan for a tie day party that's totally dye-lightful!

There’s nothing better than a good party. I mean, sleepovers are one of the most fun parts of growing up, and even for younger kids, a daytime party is a great way to enjoy an afternoon with friends. Whether you’re setting up an afternoon play date or doing a full-blown sleepover party, tie-dye parties are so fun for all ages! So today, I’m showing you the favors, the food, everything you need to have the most dye-lightful tie-dye party ever.

Read more

Dino Dig Sensory Box

This post has been sponsored by PAAS Easter Eggs. All opinions are my own. Please note that synthetic eggs will yield a different result than real eggs– your mileage may vary.

Looking for a fun sensory box for your future palentologist? This dino dig sensory box is perfect for all ages and stages! With

It seems like every child goes through a dinosaur phase. The growling, the roaring, the stomping fun that comes with dinosaurs is one of the most fun phases to watch. As a child, I remember watching dinosaur movies again and again, and now my son is the same way. This dino dig sensory box is the perfect way to tap into that dinosaur obsession!

Read more