Family

I know today is Halloween, but I’m already looking ahead to November, a month when we focus on family, food and, for some of us, on growing ugly mustaches. It’s also a great time to reflect on all of the good things in our lives.

Between all of the daily posts on social media, and the multitude of videos, articles, and books on the subject, it’s easy to feel like gratitude is just another trend, unworthy of your time and attention. This can be especially true if you’re feeling like some of your “friends” on Facebook are using the posts to humbly brag on their own lives and accomplishment (#blessed). However, there are many scientifically proven benefits to practicing gratitude that range from improving sleep to helping build relationships.

Even though I’ve read all of the research and know how helpful it is, I’ve always had a really tough time keeping up with a gratitude journal. It just feels too much like work to me.That’s why I decided to search for other ways to practice gratitude.

Take a look at seven ways to help you feel more grateful and balanced during this stressful, holiday season, without writing a single journal entry.

1.Meditate- Most of us don’t take time in our day to self-reflect. We’re so busy rushing from one task to the next, that we never stop to just be still. I recommend adding at least five minutes of meditation to each day. I love the Insight Timer app, which has dozens of guided meditations on the theme of gratitude. Taking just a few minutes to quiet our overworked brains can be so powerful!

2. Take a Pic- This idea came to me this morning, as I was rushing to take my big kids to school. I was not in a great mood as it was 7 am and I was awake, but when I pulled out of our driveway I saw the an almost full moon in the middle of a beautiful pink and orange sky. The beauty of that moment hit me with a wave of gratitude. If you have trouble coming up with gratitude lists after a long day, take pictures instead. If you can capture some of those grateful moments, it makes reflecting on them much easier.

3. Start a Gratitude Jar– Skip the pressure of the daily journal entry by keeping a gratitude jar this November. Add something to it whenever the mood strikes. Everyone in your family who is old enough to talk can contribute something to the jar. It could also be a way for family members to say thank you for the kind things you do for one another.

4. Play the Grateful Game– This idea, from Teach Beside Me, is another great way for the whole family to practice gratitude. If you played the game Pick Up Sticks as a kid, this is the same concept, except, when you pick up a stick, you have to say something you’re thankful for that matches that colored stick’s category. For example, if you pick up a red stick you have to name a person you’re thankful for, green sticks mean you need to share a food that you’re thankful for, and so on. If you can’t find the game, make your own with colored straws.

5. Have a Gratitude Storytime– These books are a great way to teach kids and adults alike about thankfulness:

• The Thankful Book- by Todd Parr– This fun book shows you that you can be thankful for things both big and small. Kids will love the silly illustrations.
• PAWS and THINK Series: Be Thankful for What You Have- by Miranda Mittleman– See the world through a dog’s eyes in this heartwarming story that teaches kids to appreciate the simple things.
• Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes– This beautifully illustrated book follows a family discussing all of the things they are thankful for. It includes a space at the back to record your own thankful thoughts.
• The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan– In this memoir, Kaplan spends a year living gratefully and documents the changes this made in her marriage, career and life in general.
• Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott– In her newest book, Lamott helps readers discover the hope and wisdom within themselves, even at the darkest of times. It came out last week and I just bought it to listen to on Audible. Book club, anyone?

6. Put Gratitude Out Into the World– Instead of just writing about the people you’re thankful for, say thank you to them in a genuine and specific way, give compliments freely when someone does, says or wears something that brings you joy. Don’t keep those thoughts to yourself.

7. Give Back– It’s easy for all of us to be so focused on our own problems that we forget how much we have compared to so many: a place to live, food, water, free public education, etc. It’s especially important for us to teach our children who have luckily never known another way of life outside of their comfy beds, Friday night pizza dinners and screen time.

There is no better way to bring home this lesson than to help others in need:

• Host a holiday party or playdate to benefit Feed More. Here’s a list of their most needed items.
• Volunteer in Feed More’s Community Kitchen and put together healthy meals for hungry children and homebound adults in your own community.
• Organize a fundraiser for refugees.
• Create Giving Bags by filling gallon bags with gloves, socks, hand and foot warmers, water, snacks and dollar bills. Hand them out to homeless men and women in your community.
• Organize a drive for your local hospital: VCU Health is currently looking for chemo care kits, fleece blankets and waiting room kits for both kids and adults. All items should be new, except for books and magazines.

Bonus: My holiday survival advice, take it or leave it:

• If you’re spending too much time stressing this holiday season, it is truly worth it to take five minutes to just be alone with your thoughts. If no one in your family will give you five minutes of peace, like my crazy crew, go take the dog for a walk, hide in your car or lock yourself in the bathroom. They can survive without you!
• If you’re feeling less than and comparing yourself to everyone’s highlight reels on Facebook and Instagram, it’s also worth it to take a social media hiatus over the next few months.
• When it comes to holiday dinners, decor and gift giving, do whatever works best for you and your family, and leave the rest to the Pinterest overachievers. Remember that they are a small 1% of the population with too much time on their hands. We’re too busy being adults with many important things to do!
• Expressing gratitude shouldn’t feel like another chore on your already massive holiday to-do list. It should be something that builds closeness within your family and brings contentment within yourself. If it feels artificial to you, don’t do it.
• When all else fails, there really isn’t much that an enitre bottle of wine, a hot bath and a few hours of Bravo reality TV can’t fix. You’ll either A) forget your troubles, B) fall asleep  C) feel more content with the drama in your own life, and possibly D) all the above. It’s basically fool-proof.

In the spirit of this post, thank you for taking the time to read my writing. Most of the time, like 99.9%, I have no idea what I’m doing, but writing things that may potentially help or entertain others brings me tons of joy.

Good luck this November! If your SO’s are considering celebrating Movember, extra good luck to you. I’ll cross my fingers that they look more Tom Selleck and less Michael Cera!

How YOU doin?

Oh HELL no.

♥ Erin

I’m guessing by now you can all tell that Halloween is my all-time favorite holiday. Between the creative costume ideas, the scary movies,  the fall weather and the pumpkin-flavored everything, what’s not to love?? Even if Halloween isn’t your favorite, you won’t be able to deny the cuteness and fun of the activities, recipes and crafts below.

15 Halloween Crafts, Recipes and Activities To Try Today

CRAFTS and SENSORY

Photo credit: I Hearts Arts n Crafts’

Fluffy Pumpkin Slime– This would be such a cute activity to try at a playdate or to give away as favors at a preschool class party. I love the idea of putting the slime in glass jars and then decorating them to look like jack-o-lanterns. I’d suggest sprinkling in some pumpkin pie spice which is a lot easier to find than the pumpkin scented oil the author suggests using.

Photo credit: Mom Dot

Spider Web Mason Jars- I love how simple these jars are, and how cheap they’d be to make. I’d recommend getting some glow-in-the-dark glue sticks to make these decorations even cooler.

Photo credit: The Inspiration Edit

Halloween Monster Rocks– This is a great craft for toddlers, and all you need are rocks, paint, glue and google eyes.

Photo credit: Million Ideas Club

Halloween Hand and Footprint Canvas Art– How flipping’ cute are these. I love all of these different options so you can choose the one you like the best, or you can make them all! All you need is paint, glitter, sticker letters, and googly eyes.

Photo Credit: Clare’s Little Tots

Witch’s Potion Sensory Bin– How cute is this? Toddlers and big kids alike will love playing with this cool witch’s brew! Find the water beads here. You can turn the clear water beads into different colors with food coloring. Clare from the blog Clare’s Little Tots also turns this into a fine motor activity by having the children use large tweezers to transfer the plastic insects and googly eyes into smaller pumpkin containers.

RECIPES

Photo credit: The Seasoned Mom

Jack-O-Lantern Mac and Cheese Cups– So cute and so simple! Plastic cups, a sharpie, blue box M&C and a cucumber stick stem make this fun Halloween lunch complete!

Photo credit: Delish

Ghost Pizza Bagels– 4 ingredients make this recipe another super simple, but adorable appetizer for everyone in your family! Seriously, who can resist a pizza bagel?

Photo Credit: I Knead To Eat

6 Ingredient Monster Cookies– Kids will have a great time mixing in the food coloring and choosing which eyeballs go on each cookie. Using white cake mix as a shortcut makes this recipe quick and easy.

Photo credit: Spaceships and Laser Beams

Crescent Roll Witch Hats– Anyone else find crescent rolls seriously addicting?  Well, this recipe adds two kind of cheeses and salami to them! Yum!

Photo credit: Two Sisters Crafting

Candy Corn Popcorn– I feel like candy corn is one of those love it or hate it foods. Everyone has that one friend who ate too much of it as a child, and can’t even look at it to this day. I had the same experience with those gummy peach rings, but that’s a story for another time. Anyway, this recipe would work even for those who don’t usually do candy corn because here it’s mixed with buttery, salty popcorn. I personally can’t resist a salty/sweet combo like this one.

GAMES and ACTIVITIES

Photo credit: Spirited Puddle Jumper

Halloween Ghost Bowling– White paper cups, a sharpie, an orange and the patience it takes to continually restack the cups, are all you need for this game that will keep toddlers busy for at least thirty minutes.

Photo credit: Anything for an M&M

Refrigerator Jack-O-Lantern– Create a pumpkin out of orange paper and cut out shapes for the eyes and mouth out of a sheet of black foam. Tape the pumpkin to your fridge and then stick the foam face shapes onto the pumpkin with magnetic tape or masking tape. Ask your child to make a happy pumpkin, a sad pumpkin or a surprised pumpkin. This is a great social emotional activity that teaches kids how our faces can convey what we’re feeling.

Photo credit: Teachers Pay Teachers

Monster Freeze Dance– Kids LOVE a freeze dance. All you need is some fun Halloween music. I love this playlist!

Photo credit: Celebrations.com

DIY Photo Booth– Hang up a plastic black or Halloween tablecloth and orange crepe paper to create a fun backdrop. Make your own photo props with wooden dowels and construction paper or purchase cheap props at The Dollar Tree. Funny glasses, headbands, necklaces and hats all make great props! Have a blast taking pictures of your cuties!

Photo credit: Teachers pay teachers

Halloween Party Scoot Game– Get kids moving with this fun party game. Game cards tell kids what to do from showing off their best scared face to walking like a zombie. The game template can be purchased for only $3.25 at teacherspayteachers.com, but you could also use the idea to make your own. All you need is some notecards and markers.

LOCAL ACTIVITIES

Hey Richmond friends, check out these links for all the info on Halloween happenings in RVA during the next week!

Richmond Mom Halloween Guide 2018

Richmond Times Dispatch Halloween Guide: Kid-Friendly Events

Completely Kids Richmond’s Where to Find Trick or Treat Fun

Virginia.org’s Family Fun Calendar of Events– This site lists events happening all around Virginia. Check it out because there is nothing like a day trip to experience the fall foliage in our beautiful state!

Wishing you all a safe, fun-filled and festive Halloween!

♥ Erin

Halloween is just around the corner! Even if you’re not obsessed with the holiday like I am, you have to admit that seeing your adorable child looking even more adorable than usual is a ton of fun. Nowadays my kids won’t let me dress them up in any costume I choose, so if you have a baby or toddler, you have to take advantage of these years while you can! I miss those days!

Seriously, look how cute they were!

Enough reminiscing! If you want a great costume for your kid, you don’t have to spend a lot of money. The internet has tons of easy homemade costumes that even the most craft-challenged (ie. me) can handle!

Here are my ten favorites:

Photo credit: Pretty Prudent

FRIDA KAHLO

Supplies Needed:

• Scarf
• Colorful dress
• Eyeliner
• Plastic Flowers
• Clips or Bobby Pins

Photo credit: Make It & Love It

WHERE’S WALDO

Supplies Needed:

• Red and White Striped Shirt or Onesie
• Jeans or Navy Pants
• Red Pom Pom Hat
• Black Plastic Glasses

Photo credit: This House Is Not a Home

A BAG OF POPCORN

Supplies Needed:

• White Hat
• White Onesie, Shirt or Pajamas
• Thick White Material, Felt
• Red Felt Cut Into Stripes
• Extra Red and White Felt to Make Popcorn Label
• Glue Gun to Put it All Together

Photo credit: Catherine Marie

BOB ROSS

Supplies Needed:

• Curly Brown Wig
• Denim Shirt
• Painters Palette-You can find these cheap at Hobby Lobby or Michaels.
• Paint brush
• Paints to decorate the palette
• Brown Facepaint or Eyeliner to Draw on Brown Beard

STRONGEST MAN

Supplies Needed:

• Striped Tank Top
• Sweatshirt to Wear Underneath
• Small Balls or Balloons to Use as Muscles
• Black Felt or Black Eyeliner to Draw on Mustache
• Fake Barbell- A blow-up one like this would be great or you can use a black stick with black balloons tied around its ends.

Photo credit: See Vanessa Craft

CARE BEARS

Supplies Needed:

• Matching Hoodie and Pants of Any Color
• White Felt
• Colored Felt for Design and Ears
• Stencils-These can be used to help design the belly pictures if you’re really not artistically inclined.
• Glue Gun
• Puffy Paint

DWIGHT SCHRUTE

Materials Needed:

• Gray, Black or Khaki Pants
• Short-Sleeved Collared Shirt-preferably an ugly color like mustard or beige
• Ugly Tie
• Name Tag Sticker
• Large glasses-Go to the Dollar Tree for large reading glasses and pop out the frames.

STRAWBERRY

Materials Needed:

• Red Onesie and Red Pants for Underneath
• Stuffing like this to Create the Round Strawberry Effect
• Black Marker to Draw Seeds
• Green Hat
• Green Felt for the Leaves
• Glue Gun to Attach Leaves to Hat

RACE TRACK

Materials Needed:

• Black Outfit
• Yellow Electrical or Duct Tape
• Toy Cars
• Glue Gun
• Velcro- You can buy stick on velcro to add to the shirt and the cars so your child can actually stick the cars on and off the track in different places. So fun!

Photo credit: KCSTAUFFER/INSTAGRAM

MINI ELEVEN FROM STRANGER THINGS

Materials Needed:

• Pink Collared Dress
• Cardigan
• Sports Socks
• White Sneakers
• Blond Wig
• Red Lipstick for the Bloody Nose. I’d personally skip this on a kid, but if you want to have a really authentic costume, go for it!
• Eggo Waffles Box

I hope your kids have a great time this Halloween and, if you plan on going trick-or-treating, may your neighbors’ candy baskets be full of chocolate!

#SorryNotSorry

♥ Erin

You don’t have to resign yourself to The Wiggles and Kidz Bop for the next 10 years! There are artists out there who make music designed for kids, but still mindful of their parents who may explode at any moment if they have to listen to Pink Fong’s Baby Shark one more damn time!!!

(Woah, shit just got real there for a minute…..sorry.)

Here’s a playlist filled with artists my kids love, and who I actually like. It’s too late for me, but I hope this list helps you avoid a Pink Fong induced meltdown.

Jack Johnson,  Curious George Soundtrack– I actually bought this before I had my 8 year old, and we’ve never stopped listening to it. It’s the same Jack Johnson you know and love. My favorites are the White Stripes cover We’re Going to Be Friends and the 3 R’s, a really cute song about recycling.

Koo Koo Kangeroo, Rad-trospective– These guys are hilarious and we love their weird and quirky songs like Rollin in the Minivan, Cat Party and Baby Crocodile. Be wary though, these songs will get stuck in your head.

Ziggy Marley, Family Time– If you love reggae like I do, I highly recommend this album. My kids and I have an especially great time dancing to the title track.

The Diggity Dudes, Presidential Physical Fitness Test– We were lucky enough to catch this dad band live at Willow Lawn’s Mommy and Me events 5 years ago. This album is full of silly lyrics and catchy tunes. Our favorite track is Sugar Coaster, which has a really great message about what too much sugar does to your body. You won’t be able to stop yourself from singing along.

Kira Wiley, Dance for the Sun, Yoga Songs for Kids– These mellow tunes are perfect for nap time or if you’re trying to get your little ones to sleep in the car. They are also great for teaching kids about mindfulness.

Walter Martin, We’re All Young Together– Walter Martin is the lead singer of the group The Walkmen. His children’s album is full of whimsical songs and beautiful melodies. I love the track, I-M-A-G-I-N-A-T-I-O-N, but the whole album is great.

Laurie Berkner, The Ultimate Laurie Berkner Band Collection– Laurie Berkner tells so many fun stories in this upbeat pop collection. Her songs are also extremely danceable and perfect for family dance parties.

They Might Be Giants, Here Come the ABCs or Here Comes Science– I have loved They Might Be Giants since early high school. Their songs are so fun. All of their children’s albums are awesome and educational.

Ask the Storybots– This is music from our favorite Netflix show. Every show begins with a question that the five bots, have to research and answer. These catchy songs are great for kids who ask a lot of questions.

The Barenaked Ladies, Snacktime!– Barenaked Ladies are another one of my favorite bands from high school. Their children’s album give you the same silly banter between Ed and Steve and lots of catchy pop tunes about topics kids can relate to.

Johnny Cash, The Johnny Cash Children’s Album– If you love classic country, you’ll love this Johnny Cash album. It’s kids songs done Cash style, darker and quirkier than traditional kids’ tunes, but still lots of fun.

Ozomatli Presents Ozmokidz– I love Ozomatli. Their funky music has a little bit of everything: latin, reggae, electronica, zydeco, rock. It’s hard music to pigeon-hole. Their music for kids is just as funky and weird and full of fun songs like, Moose on the Loose and Germs.

Peter Himmelman, My Best Friend is a Salamander– The songs on this album have clever and thoughtful lyrics that are great for kids and adults as well.

Caspar Babypants, This is Fun!– Remember the band, The Presidents of the United States of America? Who could forget their song, Peaches? Caspar Babypants is the kids’ tune singing alter ego of Chris Ballew, lead singer of the band. He has made a bunch of albums, but this is my favorite. The songs are as catchy as you remember the POTUSOA songs being!

Happy Listening!

♥ Erin

Good Morning, GORGEOUS people! Last Monday I posted a video of Rachel Hollis with a link to her #Last90Days Challenge. The challenge starts today, October 1st, and I’m really excited to share it with you, and hopefully simplify what you need to do, so you can all jump right in and get started this morning! Sound good? Ok, here we go.

The premise of the challenge is that we humans often throw in the towel when it comes to fitness and nutrition during the last three months of the year. With all of the Halloween candy, turkey, and can I get an AMEN for all of that pie that will be put in our path over the upcoming holiday season, it’s no wonder so many of us fall off the wagon. We all vow to do better next year and start fresh on January 1st. Personally, I’m usually hungover and also promise myself to drink less, but that’s neither here nor there.

With #Last90Days, Rachel Hollis challenges herself and all of us to spend these last few months of the year taking care of our bodies and ourselves. Instead of overindulging on sweets, let’s overindulge on self-care. Instead of spending our time stressing out about making the perfect family dinner or buying the perfect gift, let’s say fuck perfection and focus on just being happy with life being the brutifal (that’s both brutal and beautiful) way that it is. Let’s ramp up for the new year and start our healthy habits now. If we can do that, think of how awesome and inspired we’ll all feel in January.

The challenge is so very simple. All you need to do is follow Rachel’s Five to Thrive plan, and get ready to end 2018 strong!

Five to Thrive

1.) Get up an hour earlier each day and spend that extra time on yourself and ONLY yourself.

2.) Exercise for 30 minutes each day.

3.) Hydrate. Your water intake in ounces should equal half your body weight.

4.) Give up one food category that you know you shouldn’t be eating. We all know and love these categories well; sugar, alcohol, dairy, soy, gluten. Choose one and kick it to the curb.

5.) Write down ten things you are grateful for every day. These things can be general (my children) or very specific (Haagen Daaz Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream that has been set out of the freezer for 5 minutes so it scoops perfectly onto my waiting spoon).

That’s all there is to it. You can officially sign up for the challenge here to receive weekly videos and emails designed to inspire you to stick with it!

I’m excited to officially start today and I hope you will all join me!

Here’s a link to a great video that will hopefully inspire you to make the time to achieve your goals, and help get you in the right frame of mind for the next three months. Rachel gives us some tough love in this one, and she’s not wrong. We DO have the time and we need to decide what we want most.

We CAN do hard things!

♥ Erin

Reading to my kids has always been one of my favorite things. Snuggled up on the bed or couch under a blanket, staring into their excited faces as I read, that’s a pretty great way to spend an afternoon, even if they do sometimes demand that I read the same book ten times.

While you’re reading (and rereading) that favorite book, did you know that you are also teaching your child early literacy skills:

• Tons of new vocabulary! The more you read to them, the more words they will be exposed to.
• Understanding how books work: how to hold a book, turning pages, print going left to right
• Helping to build motivation, curiosity and memory
• Creating a positive association with learning and reading

Here are 24 of my favorite books for exposing your kids to early literacy, broken down into categories.

ALPHABET

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

Touch Think Learn: ABC by Xavier Deneux

ABC Mindful Me by Christiane Engel

ABC For Me: ABC Love by Christiane Engel

NUMBER SENSE

Pete the Cat and his 4 Groovy Buttons by James Dean

How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Little Owl’s 1-2-3 by Divya Srinivasan

Steam Train, Dream Train 1-2-3 by Sherri Duskey Sherri

COLORS

Baby Colors by Rachel Hale

Edible Colors by Jennifer Vogel Bass

Mouse Paint by Ellen Still Walsh

Splatter by Diane Alber

SHAPES

Press here by Herve Tullet

The Shape of Me and Other Stuff: Dr. Seuss’s Surprising Word Book by Dr. Seuss

Walter’s Wonderful Web: A First Book About Shapes by Tim Hopgood

Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald

BODY KNOWLEDGE

Counting Kisses by Karen Katz

From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

Hello World! My Body by Jill McDonald

Inside Your Outside: All About the Human Body by Tish Rabe

ANIMALS AND ANIMAL SOUNDS

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle

Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. Seuss

My Big Animal Book by Roger Priddy

The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

You are your child’s first and most important teacher. You are the one who will give them their first impressions on the importance of learning and expanding their worlds. The books above are all well-loved by my family, but honestly it doesn’t matter what you read. Just read with enthusiasm, do all the silly voices, and make it as fun for you as it is for them. If you can do that, you won’t just be creating memories, but also enthusiastic readers who never stop learning!

♥ Erin

I try to limit screen time in my house as much as possible, especially for the threenager, but sometimes I need to do something really important, like take an uninterrupted 5-minute shower or hide in the pantry to eat Twizzlers.

At times like those, apps that can keep my kids entertained for more than five minutes are like gold! The following apps aren’t just entertaining, they are also educational and developmentally appropriate. Many of these apps say they are for ages 3 or 4 and up, but I’d definitely give them a try with younger ones. As soon as they show an interest, they can try these apps.

Little Fox Music Box- This sing-along app is super interactive and the fantastic animation really holds kids’ attention. They can also record themselves singing the three songs.

Skills Learned: Early music education, rhythm, memory

Tozzle– I LOVE how easy this puzzle app is for toddlers to use by themselves. It contains over 40 different puzzles that vary in difficulty so the app really grows with them. The puzzles also include fun sounds an animation. For example, the farm animal puzzle moos when you put the cow into the puzzle and quacks when you put in the duck. I’ve had this on my phone for 5 years and all three of my kids loved it.

Toca Kitchen– We’ve really enjoyed all of the Toca Boca apps in our house, but this is always a favorite. You can choose from four different people to feed. You choose the food from the refrigerator and then can chop, sautee and puree before you put the food back on the plate and feed your person. I love how the app has no direction so kids really have to play around with it to figure out how it works. The sounds effects when they are cooking and feeding the people are really cute.

Skills learned: Problem solving, early cooking education, imagination

Toca Hair Salon 3– Just like the kitchen app above, you choose from four people and then can cut, curl, color, and accessorize their hair. The new version also has fun beards you can choose from.

Skills learned: Problem solving, cause and effect, creativity

Draw and Tell by Duck Duck Moose– Duck Duck Moose is another developer that makes educational apps that we’ve loved for years. In Draw and Tell children can make up stories and illustrate them with different colors, stickers and animation. After they finish illustrating, they can record their own voices telling their stories.

Skills learned: Fine motor, storytelling

Starfall ABC– Starfall is an awesome website that my mom used when she taught kindergarten, but my son loved playing on it from the time he was 15 months old. The site is a member service and you pay a small amount each month to access all the content, but there are still a lot of things available on the site for non-members. The apps are just like the website. My favorite one for toddlers is their ABC app. You click on each letter and they give you three different pictures that start with that letter. All of the pictures include fun sounds and animation that make learning the alphabet fun.

Skills learned: Alphabet recognition, fine motor

TALU Town– Take a drive and meet your neighbors in this fun filled, interactive play set. TALU Town rewards exploration and reinforces the value of helping others. With surprises around every corner, your child is sure to enjoy their time in TALU Town.

Skills learned: Shapes and number recognition, matching, kindness

Endless Alphabet– The premise of this app is super simple. They give you a word that needs to be filled in, and you need to click and drag each letter to its place to complete the word. I love that when you drag each letter, it makes the letter’s sound. When kids finish the words they become animated. The animation is super adorable, and I love the vocabulary kids can learn from a young age when using this.

Skills learned: Alphabet recognition, letter sounds, vocabulary, fine motor

Happy Valley Friends– Meet new friends while playing 18 different educational games and 6 unique mini games. Learn shapes, letters, numbers, math, time and more in a friendly environment. This app is full of fun animation and surprises.

Skills learned: Letter, number and shape recognition, telling time, early math skills

Highlights Monster Day– I loved Highlights Magazine when I was a kid so it’s no surprise that their apps are all awesome. This is one of my favorites. Help your toddler learn about friendship, explore the world around them, and develop compassion, kindness and independence. Kids can choose a favorite monster buddy and care for him from morning till night: brush his big teeth, feed him bagels, help with his science experiment and play basketball. At the end of their buddy’s day, they can wash and feed him, and gently send him to bed.

Skills learned: Independence, friendship, kindness, compassion

Try one of these apps today and get a well-deserved moment of peace!

♥ Erin

The summer is winding down and I’ve been trying (and trying and trying) to get myself and my kids organized for the new school year. I’ve also been busy in the kitchen preparing meals for all of my friends who’ve recently welcomed new babies. This got me thinking about the baby gifts that I’ve loved receiving and giving over the years.

The Woombie-I know that this thing kind of looks like a baby straight jacket, but, if your baby sleeps best when swaddled, it’s a lifesaver. I know people swear by the miracle blanket, but for me the zip-up woombie was a lot easier to deal with during middle of the night diaper changes.

Diaper Caddy-This is the gift I love to buy for first time parents. This thing was such a staple in our downstairs over the last eight years that when my friend came to visit last month she asked where it was. It has plenty of room for diapers and wipes, extra socks, onesies, whatever you need on hand, and the drawer at the bottom is great to store lotions and medicines. We still take this with us on every road trip.

Itzy Ritzy Mom Boss 4-in-1 Nursing Cover– I’m a little obsessed with stripes, so I love this little  black and white number that works as a nursing cover, shopping cart cover, car seat cover and infinity scarf.

Muslin blankets– I know these breathable lightweight blankets are a no-brainer, but I had to list them because I loved the foxy print above. These blankets double as awesome nursing and carseat covers during crazy hot Richmond summers. Bonus use: My girls love using them to wrap up their dolls.

Baby Shusher– The idea behind this shusher is pretty genius. You put it into your baby’s crib or careseat and it makes a loud shushing sound, similar to what’s recommended in The Happiest Baby on the Block, and shushes baby to sleep.

Bubzi Co. Owl– Here’s another option for soothing baby. This owl can go directly in the crib or hang from it and plays ten different lullabies and has a soft nightlight. Plus you can pop out the speaker in the middle and throw the whole stuffed owl in the wash.

Nose Frida– I’m not going to lie, the idea of this product really grosses me out, but after years of trying, and failing, to successfully use one of those bulb syringes to clear my babies’ sinuses, I’d definitely be willing to try this if I had another baby. If it helps babies breathe and sleep soundly, it’s a great gift.

High-Quality Thermometer– Someone got me one of these when my third was born. It’s such an awesome gift because I’m still using it all the time, almost four years later. I love that you can use it as a forehead thermometer with babies, and then switch to the ear for older kids.

Baby First Aid Kit– This labeled caboodle (remember those?) is this organized mama’s dream come true. You don’t have to neatly label everything, but a container filled with baby health and first aid supplies would make a great gift.

Blooming Bath– These adorable and portable “petals” turn any sink into a baby bath tub! It’s a great gift for those who don’t have a tub or who frequently travel.

Door Silencer– We’ve all snuck out of our child’s rooms trying to ensure that they stay asleep only to be foiled by a loud door. You can find these ingenious little guys on Etsy.

Koalaty 3-in-1 Universal Infant Travel Tote– This travel bag converts to a portable crib so baby can sleep anywhere.

On-the-go Changing Mat– This is another product that I used for years and years. I know a lot of diaper bags come with their own changing pads, but the ones I had with mine were always too small. With my second I would often leave the diaper bag in the car and just bring this thing stuffed with diapers, wipes, and extra underwear for my potty training 2 year old. It even has zipped pockets in the front for your wallet, phone and keys.

Personalized Bedtime Book– This beautifully illustrated personalized book is a great gift option.

Gift certificate to Blythe– Let’s face it: Most nursing bras are super ugly. This isn’t true at Blythe where everything is beautiful. You can get the support you need at large sizes, without having to sacrifice on style.

Duo Diary– This would be such a sweet gift. It’s a diary to keep track of what’s going on with your baby AND you. From their website:

On one page, you can track health points and activities for your baby – breastfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding, sleep, wet and dirty diapers, plus space to write down any symptoms, behaviors, or patterns- or even just a place to write down memories, to-do’s, or anything else that helps you. On the opposite page is a page for you– a space where you can support your new postpartum health by keeping track of basic (yet often overlooked for new moms) health activities, like food journaling, sleep, water intake, exercise, and more space to write down any postpartum symptoms, self care reminders, or just journaling. It’s all in here- everything you need to nurture your baby and yourself.

Photo Credit: It’s a Mother Thing

Mama Care Package– I love putting together care packages as gifts, especially for moms who already have a lot of the baby gear listed above. Nursing tanks, chocolate, magazines, lotion, lavender sleep spray, the possibilites are endless!

Laundry Basket Baby Kit- This is a great gift for the shower attendee on a budget. Simply purchase a cheap laundry basket and fill it with basic baby supplies: Onesies, pacifiers, laundry detergent, bottles, teethers, etc.

Diapers and Wipes– Again, this is a very practical gift, but it’s one moms will always appreciate. You can always attach something cute to the box like an adorable dress or stuffed animal.

Take Them a Meal Service Signup– Take Them a Meal allows you to create a signup and customize a meal delivery schedule for new parents. My neighborhood sets this up every time we welcome a new baby. It really makes peoples’ lives easier those first few months.

With so many baby products on the market, I hope this list helps you narrow down the things that parents, both new and experienced (are any of us ever really experienced?), will find useful!

♥ Erin

Obviously, we all love our kids. They are beautiful, lovable gifts and the sun rises and sets with them and all that. However, they are also serious, all-consuming, time-suckers! If you catch me in the morning, you’ll find a mom full of grand plans and maybe even a sprinkle of energy, but by 3 pm you’ll most likely find a blob, sort of resembling me, being smothered on the couch, still trying to finish her morning coffee. It’s amazing how much such small people can suck all of that motivation right out of you. This is why these hacks are so important. They save us time, energy and sanity, all things that are pretty hard to come by these days. Read on for twenty of my favorites, perfect for parents of young children.

Photo Credit: Infarrantly Creative

1. This genius way to organize measuring tools. I waste so much time looking for the right spoon when I’m cooking/baking, and I’m always needing to google measurement conversions, so this speaks to my soul. I love that it’s all tucked on the inside door of a cabinet. It seems like a pretty straight forward DIY project that even I wouldn’t screw up!

2  This cheap and easy travel bed. Take three pillow cases, sew them together and then stuff them with pillows. Somehow over the years we have amassed a large collection of pillows and their cases so I’m definitely making one or two of these to use for sleepovers. If you can’t sew, like me, you can use Liquid Stitch found here.

Photo Credit: Quilt Keepsake

3. This adorable heirloom quilt! OMG, I’m completely not talented enough to do this, but I had to share the idea. Sew your child’s outgrown baby clothes into a quilt and then save it to give to them when they have their own children. If you love this idea as much as I do, but you flunked Home Ec. too, here’s a link to a quilt company who can make it for you.

Photo credit: Infarrantly Creative

4. This clever board game hack. Frame board games and hang them on the wall as playroom decorations. Put command hooks on the back of the frame to hang sandwich bags with all the game pieces and spinners. I LOVE this idea because we are always losing game pieces. Pick up cheap frames at Dollar Tree or shop the frame sales at Michaels.

Photo credit: Mom Hacks 4 Everyday

5. This idea for keeping track of those mischievous baby socks. Speaking of losing things, it’s been three years since I’ve had a baby, but I still have a collection of tiny socks missing their other half! You don’t have to be like me. You can keep them together by putting them inside a mesh laundry bag whenever you wash them. This also works great for legos or other little toys you find yourself needing to put through the wash.

Photo credit: Alana C. Valentine

6. This way to make sure your child takes all of their medicine. Let’s be honest, with everything going on in our lives right now, how often have you forgotten if you gave your kid their antibiotics for their latest ear infection? Or even worse, miscommunicated with your spouse and ended up double dosing your kid? It happens, but with this easy hack you can keep track of whether or not they’ve had their medicine and also how many days they need to continue to take it.

Photo credit: Princess and the P Baby

7. This idea that makes snack time a breeze. I would say about 50% of the conversations I have with my kids center around them telling me they want a snack and then asking me to recount every single thing we have to eat. How much easier would be if they could just ask, Can I have a snack? and then after I said yes, go to the pantry and choose something from one of the pre-approved snack baskets. Purchase cheap baskets like the ones pictured above at Dollar Tree.

Photo credit: The Not So Perfect Mom

8. This way to make meal and snack time feel like play time. Toddlers love eating food out of ice cube trays or muffin tins. I’m not sure why, but I think something about the novelty and variety appeals to them. It’s a great way to get them to try new, colorful fruits and vegetables.

Photo credit: Melissa Sabra

9. This idea for keeping bibs handy. I don’t know why I never thought of this, because we always have some of those command hooks around our house. Great idea to avoid lost bibs!

10. This genius trick for ridding your home of the herpes of the craft world! Glitter is seriously not welcome in my home. If you’re a kinder, sparklier mom than I, this seems like such a smart and easy way to pick up the glitter pieces that manage to adhere to every surface of your house. Good luck to you!

Photo credit: One Crazy House

11. This easier way to keep little hands clean. Use empty shampoo or soap bottles as faucet extenders. I’ve spent eight years lifting my kids up to help them reach the sink. Believe me, your back will thank you for this hack!

Photo Credit: The Realistic Mama

12. This idea for keeping snacks healthier on the road. Have you ever found yourself starving, but stuck in the car with no food? When I find myself in that situation I usually blink and somehow find a frappuccino or Chick-Fil-A nugget in my hand. How did that happen? Stop hunger from getting the best of your good intentions and keep a basket full of healthy snacks in your car for you and the kids.

Photo credit: Lemon Lime Adventures

13. This creative car cleaning idea, perfect for road trips. Wrap a piece of duct tape, sticky side out, around your hand, and use it to pick up crumbs and other dirt in the car. If your kids are old enough to help, wrap it around their shoes instead. They can have fun getting their wiggles out while helping clean up.

Photo credit: A Life From Scratch

14. This kit that helps you stay prepared for life’s emergencies. I love this clear kit from Courtney at A Life From Scratch. Check out the link above for the what and why of everything she put into it.

Photo credit: We Love Being Moms

Photo credit: Central Coast Teaching Tots

15 & 16. These two awesome uses for hot glue. Use it to stop kids’ shoes from skidding and slipping. Use it to stop up holes in bath toys to prevent mold growth. However you use it, hot glue for the win!

Photo credit: Parkingpalmagnet.com

17. This idea for keeping kids safe in the parking lot. When you are loading groceries, or getting a baby out of the car, sometimes your older child may have a desire to wander. I would usually just yell at my kids to, “Touch the van!!”, but it would be great to give them a specific spot to hold onto. You can use a large car sticker, or buy the stickers pictured above here.

Photo credit: The Paper Mama

18. These safety tips for parents with kids who like to wander off. In the photo above, Chelsey from The Paper Mama, used a marker and New Skin liquid bandage to create a waterproof tattoo on her child. You can use the tattoo to provide easy contact info if your child gets lost in a crowd or to communicate a food allergy on children who aren’t old enough to tell people themselves. When you get home, simply add another layer of New Skin and the tattoo just wipes right off.

Next, before you head out for a day at the beach, amusement park, or any other crowded place, take a family photo. Not only will you have a great photo, but if anyone gets lost, you have a visual of what they look like that day, what they were wearing, etc. So easy, but so smart!

Photo credit: One Creative Housewife

19. This awesome hack for helping toddlers put on their shoes. This is one of my favorites because it is cheap and easy, but it really helps kids figure out their left from their right. This will save you so much time!

20. This sleep tip that promises to help you fall asleep fast. If you’re someone who feels exhausted all day, but has worries keeping them up at night, this 4-7-8 sleep technique from Dr. Andrew Weil is for you. Practice the breathing exercise below twice a day, and within a few weeks you should notice a difference in the time it takes you to go to sleep.

• Exhale completely.
• Inhale for a count of 4.
• Hold your breath for a count of 7.
• Exhale for a count of 8. Repeat for 4 cycles.

Hopefully these hacks can save you some time and perhaps even your sanity! If you can’t get enough parenting hacks, check out Alonzo Lerone’s collection of hilarious hacks from veteran parents who seem to have it all figured out! You’re welcome.

♥ Erin

Parent Hack: Wine. LMFAO. So much truth!

I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve had enough of all of this rain. I know it’s important and all that, but it’s really gotten in the way of our pool, beach and amusement park plans over the last few weeks. We’ve spent a lot of time in the house, and I’m not gonna lie, many hours on screens. Here are some great activities to keep your kids active, learning and having a great time, even when you can’t escape the house!

15 Rainy Day Activities for Active Kids and Toddlers:

Get Messy in the Bath– The bath tub is one of the best places to get messy because clean up happens naturally. I love these homemade bath paints from Parenting Chaos.

Jump That Energy Out– Small trampolines like this one from Fisher Price take up very little space, but keep little ones endlessly entertained.

Create Your Own Snuggle Fort– I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling like fort-making was one of the highlights of my childhood. I love a good fort! It’s free and keeps kids busy for hours.

Dance it Out with Scarves– These colorful scarves from Amazon are so much fun to dance with or throw up in the air and catch.  I’m always amazed by how long they keep my children entertained.

Go Fishing– I love this laundry basket fishing idea from Munchkins and Moms. Kids love sitting in them so much, why not make a fun game out of it? You can use magnetic fish and fishing poles if you have them, but feel free to get creative like the blogger below.

Paint the Easy Way– Little ones love to paint, but they might not have the ability to grasp a paintbrush yet. I love this cotton ball painting idea from Domestic Mommyhood that makes painting easy for toddlers.

Make it Rain– These rain sticks from Happy Hooligans are colorful and easy enough for toddlers to help make. Let them practice their fine motor by picking up the corn, rice or other small noise-making items and putting them in the paper towel roll.

Host an Animal Pool or Ice Skating Party– How cute and easy would it be to freeze water in a small tray or even a foil pan and make animals their own indoor ice rink like this pic below from I Can Teach My Child. If you don’t have time for the freezing, make the toy animals their own pool or bubble bath.

Become a Sorting Expert– Color sorting is so easy and fun for kids, while also being a great learning opportunity. I love this Cereal sorting mat from I Can Teach My Child. For a more active color sort, give kids a color and have them run around the house with a basket collecting everything they can find that matches the color you chose.

Create a Pillow Roadway– I love this fun idea from Hands On As We Grow! Collect all of the pillows and couch cushions in your house and lay them on the floor to make an indoor roadway for kids to run around on.

Make Child-Sized Art– Get a large piece of paper or poster board and trace the outline of your child’s body. Next, have them color and decorate the inside. This is a great activity to do year after year to see how they grow and how their drawings mature.

Photo credit: Passionate Homemaking

Experiment with Sensory- I love the sensory activities we made last week for playgroup. Check the recipes out here. Another option is an easy sensory bin filled with corn, rice, or anything else small and fun to scoop up and pour out. The yellow sensory bin below is featured on Every Day Chaos and Calm.

Stack ’em Up– How easy is this, but I swear, it keeps them busy! Experiment with cups of different sizes to see what works best for your child.

Photo credit: Everyday Chaos and Calm

Make a Busy Bag– There are so many variations of busy bags, but basically they are engaging activities that kids and toddlers can complete mostly independently, and they are stored in bags so they are ready  to go at any time.  The Teaching Mama does a great job listing some great examples on her blog. Check out her great color sorting bag below.

Have Your Own Mini Toddler Obstacle Course- This is similar to what you’d see at a toddler gymnastics class, an obstacle course that little ones can go through over and over again to work on their gross motor skills and spatial awareness. How fun would it be to create your own obstacle course at home? It just takes some creativity. Start by finding some things that your kids can go under, step over and step on and some bean bags to throw into bins or to balance on their heads. Whatever you do, make sure you model it for them, step by step.

Photo Credit: How to Run a Homemade Daycare

∗ I also have to include this amazing list of 45 age-appropriate indoor learning activities for the littlest of learners, 18-24 month olds.

Hopefully the skies will part and the sun will come shining through again before we know it! Until then, keep your sanity by keeping the little ones occupied and having fun…..and be sure to stock up on wine.

♥ Erin