don’t you love when you get this email from the school nurse…. Dear parent, Your child may have been exposed to Pediculosis (head lice). Sincerely, The itchy nurse at your kids’ school but here’s the truth. EVERYONE’s had lice. NO ONE talks about it…until you say in the most muted, soft voice ever….”um, my kids have lice!” then […]
chocolate chip pancake goodness
October 19 by
we’ve been in a pancake phase here at the house for about 4 years. 🙂 this momma hides all kinds of goodness in pancakes. pureed veggies, eggs, milk. start ’em young and they won’t know the difference! the problem is that when i think i’m doing a favor by adding chocolate chips, the kids […]
MMSMP kids’ dining table redo and halloween DIY
October 18 by
i don’t get out much. so when i walked into Pottery Barn Kids last week and saw adorable Christmas chair backers, i thought, “i should make these for Halloween!” figuring i don’t have enough time to make Christmas chair backers, i bought them at $20 a piece and said “Self, you can make these […]
sneaking mushrooms into pasta sauce
September 10 by
if your kids are like mine, you’ve sometimes gotta be wiley with the veggies. i present to you exhibit A. mushrooms. i love me some button mushrooms. did you know that mushrooms are the only fresh veggie with vitamin D? not that we’ve needed any vitamin D around here with the scorching sun and heat […]
m-o-u-s-e
June 10 by
a few weeks ago, we’re all having some lunch in the backyard when my 2 year old nephew says “hey! a mouse!” “oh Buddy. you’re so funny with your little imagination!” but then i quickly and calmly pulled my feet up b/c the mouse decided he wanted some fried rice, too. and there it sat. […]
velcro kids
June 3 by
Big A is a bit clingy lately. and by clingy, i mean, like velcro. he won’t let go. has this ever happened to you? so you ‘pretend’ you’re leaving the house. as you pull the car out of the garage, you see your velcro kicking and screaming (incredibly NOT sticking) as the amazingly calm nanny […]
a guide to Paris with young kids
May 15 by
hello friends! sorry that i’ve gone missing for a few weeks. after returning from colorado, i was prepping to take both kids, sans hubby, to beautiful (and chilly) Paris. that’s right…you read correctly….a 2 year old, a 4.5 year old, 3 iphones, an ipad, lots of snacks, a few diapers, some benadryl and i went […]
scenes from a so cal egg hunt
March 31 by
our annual egg hunt isn’t as much of a hunt as it is a gather. the eggs are laid out on the grass in plain view, so the competition is stiff! this was the first year that li’l G actually demonstrated some interest in the egg hunt, particularly because he found 3 golf balls. the […]
dragon breath
February 26 by
each morning, Big A runs into our room with his best pal stuffed animal and crawls into bed. he usually points to the iPad or iPhone and in his sweet little voice says “Please!” how can one resist this almost 2 year old? i love his fuzzy bed head. yesterday, as I was giving him […]
did you know that Hungary is in Indonesia?
February 21 by
a few months ago, lil G said “Mommy, I didn’t know that Hungary is in Indonesia!” i just figured he was playing some imaginary game again. then he brought me the Hungary and Indonesia flashcards. well, i stand corrected. Hungary does appear to be in Indonesia!
you can’t beat a winter so cal beach day
February 10 by
my favorite beach months in southern california are oct through march. the weather is just right… the crowds are sparse… the sand castles are perfect… and the action is fun! here’s lil G helping Big A down the slope… and here he is pushing him down like any good big brother would… this seagull wishes […]
Downloadable daily schedule for your baby and kids
January 24 by
call me a freak. i use Excel for everything. my MBA has certainly come in handy for this project! when lil G was born, i couldn’t remember anything. did i feed the baby? what time? which side did i nurse last? so, i created this daily schedule to keep track of the kids. it started […]
downloadable kids’ reward sticker chart
January 23 by
i’ve gotten a few requests to post the reward sticker chart for download. yup, another nerdy Excel thing i did for the kids. most nights after baths, we review the chart. they get a sticker for each ‘task’ they accomplished. this has been successful to get them to learn behaviors such as brushing teeth, […]
raising gritty kids :: perseverance wins the game
January 20 by
for those interested in learning more about raising kids with ‘grit,’ this is a very interesting discussion. Angela Lee Duckworth from University of Pennsylvania has some great insights that paint a picture of why grit is found in the most successful people in today’s world. however, i ask myself “what is success?” as a woman […]
photo tips :: how to snap kid pix
January 13 by
I’m often asked how I’m able to get kids to cooperate during a photo shoot. “They never smile for me!” “How’d you get that shot?” So many parents are so worn out by the end of a photo shoot. I’m the same way. I laugh at myself when it’s my turn to do our family […]
