Sustainable & Creative Living
My 2 and-a-half-year-old son is at a very inquisitive age and thinks just about anything and everything is “so cool!” The “what’s that” stage started around 18 months and hasn’t let up. He’s not only into anything with wheels but also wants to know how things work. It’s amazing to see at such a young age the true wonder in his eyes. Looking for something to do and capture his attention, I was inspired by his favorite YouTuber, Blippi, to do a very basic science experiment. [Read more…]
I love to shop! Anyone who knows me, knows I’m good for an all-day shopping spree. All I need is a comfortable pair of shoes, a chai tea latte from Starbucks, and a bag of my new favorite snack, Bare Cinnamon Banana Chips, and I can easily wander the aisles of Target for 5 hours. Sometimes longer if it’s Christmas! If you think about it, toddlers are the same way. They need to be comfortable and happy just like mommy if you’re going to avoid an all-out public tantrum (I’ve been there). You’re probably not going to make it through a shopping trip unscathed if your child is hungry, tired, bored, or thirsty. So be prepared. Stuff your diaper bag, purse, pockets, shoes— wherever you can fit a toy car and a bag of snacks—cross your fingers, and pray for the best. [Read more…]
I’ve been looking for a way to help calm my 2-year-old son when his temper gets the best of him. About 7 years ago a family member made this DIY Calming Glitter Jar for her daughter to serve the same purpose. I made a mental note to give it a try when my own child came along, you know if I needed it.
Fast forward 7 years, the terrible twos in full swing, and I’ve quickly learned that toddler tantrums are tough to deal with. When your crazed child is [Read more…]
I’m always in search of a yummy treat that I can serve my toddler, he’ll taste it, and he’ll actually want a second bite of it. This raspberry orange roll is adapted from a cranberry orange recipe I came across while on the hunt for something new. This Raspberry Orange Bites recipe came about mostly because I didn’t have cranberries on hand so the Raspberry Orange Bite was born.
I love making mini bites or mini muffins because they’re the perfect size for my toddler’s tiny hands. These particular bites have very few ingredients, which is my favorite ways to cook, and they’re ready to eat in 6 simple steps. [Read more…]
We just celebrated my son’s 2nd birthday a few weeks ago, which was perfectly themed “Cars.” He’s a typical little boy who loves anything with 4 wheels! After spending months of planning his 1st birthday party, I decided to make the second-year celebration a little more low key. So, this time around I bought most of the decorations instead of making them. I was able to find a lot of the Cars themed party décor at Party City and Walmart (which you can check out below). The one party décor item I made was this DIY Cars Theme Cake Pop Stand. J loves cake pops from Starbucks (a horrible thing I blame myself for) so I decided on cake pops this year instead of a cake.
Don’t be intimidated by the all the steps, it’s actually quite [Read more…]
Beach vacationing with a toddler is not the same vacation I took pre-baby. Back then I had 10 swimsuits and they all fit and all I cared about packing was snacks, water, and a towel. Post-baby beach vacationing, whether it’s for a week or a weekend, the packing list has [Read more…]
Meal time is stressful when you have a growing toddler. One day, all is good and they gobble up anything you put in front of them. The next day, they throw it your face. Dry, salty snacks that are loaded with carbs usually do the trick as a quick and easy snack, but they also get boring. If you’re looking for something a bit healthier than the average toddler snack, try these Frozen Yogurt Covered Bananas. They can be whipped up in a hurry from [Read more…]
Registering for baby gifts is one of the most exciting and highly anticipated stages of pregnancy for most expectant parents. Most can’t wait to send the barcode scanner into overdrive scanning anything and everything from diapers and bibs to car seats and strollers.
I was sick most of my pregnancy so no supermarket sweeping the baby aisles for me. I registered the boring way…online at Target.com and Amazon.com.
I did, however, end up really enjoying registering this way because it allowed me to [Read more…]
Since my son was born almost 2 years ago, I’ve made handprint or footprint cards for loved ones on every holiday. My sister makes jokes that I don’t have to buy a greeting card ever again.
Of course, that’s not entirely true; I’ve yet to make a Mother’s Day card for my mom with my own footprint. For babies and toddlers, on the other hand, there’s no better way to show how much they care than with a handmade card. For older kids, this DIY Father’s Day Space Ship Footprint Card is a fun way to use their imagination while expressing their love for Dad.
Watching our babies grow up is an inevitable part of life. It’s exciting, sad, happy, fun, terrifying, and occasionally heartbreaking. Basically, a bag of emotions that we sometimes have no words for.
Sometimes just a smile tells the whole story. Other times, laying it all out on the table to anyone who will listen is what really tells the whole story. Either way, watching our babies grow up is one of the most rewarding, gratifying and yes, difficult gifts we as parents are given.