Living Archives > Page 14 of 26 > From Under a Palm Tree

Vacation Countdown Calendar for Kids

July 2, 2018 by Meagan 4 Comments

For the past 15 years, our little family, along with my husband’s large side of the family, has been gathering on the white sandy beaches of Captiva Island for our summer ritual of fun and relaxation. One week spent in the same time share, for over thirty years, first began with my husband, his brother and sister, and his parents. A once small, but traditional family vacation, has now turned into a great gathering of friends and family where we share food, wine, laughs, game nights, ice cream, burgers, and more wine. [Read more…]

Update From The Road

June 29, 2018 by Christina 6 Comments

It’s been almost 2 months since I left Florida with my husband, Nate, and dog, Mash, in tow for the van life. We’ve been living and traveling in a van up the east coast of the United States. It’s crazy to think it’s only been 2 months. It feels like it’s been a lot longer because we’ve done so much and been so many new places in such a short amount of time.

[Read more…]

Guide to the Best Potty Training Chairs and Seats

June 25, 2018 by Meagan 7 Comments

The right potty chair or seat can be the key to a smooth potty training experience. And I’m here to tell you that not all potty training chairs and seats are created equal. If your little one is potty training or close to starting, check out this Guide to the Best Potty Training Chairs and Seats. [Read more…]

How to Teach a Toddler the Alphabet

June 18, 2018 by Meagan 4 Comments

When I first started thinking about teaching my 2 and-half-year-old son the alphabet, I thought the easiest approach would be to just sing the ABC song over and over and he’d eventually catch on. Wrong. He couldn’t even stand to hear me sing the ABC song let alone sing it over and over again. I’d get about 5 letters in and I’d hear my sweet boy say, “Mommy stop, stop singing!” Ugh! After being thoroughly offended for about 2 minutes, I had to think of a different approach. I decided to try using the Letter of the Week strategy and after about 4 weeks he was hooked on letters and singing his ABC’s anywhere and everywhere! My favorite is when he sings at the top of his lungs while we’re in the stall of a public restroom…it makes my heart smile every time! [Read more…]

22 Ways to Avoid Plastic Shopping Bags

June 8, 2018 by Lisa 5 Comments

Plastic shopping bags are a huge threat to our environment. Their impact is widespread- from the energy it takes to produce the plastic to the pollution they cause on land and sea. Yet they’re still one of the most used single-use convenience plastics. If these are items you’d like to eliminate (or cut back on), here are 22 Ways to Avoid Plastic Shopping Bags. [Read more…]

17 Best Cloth Diapering Accessories

June 4, 2018 by Meagan 5 Comments

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you know I’m pro-cloth diapers. They’re eco-friendly and healthier for your baby’s delicate skin. I love all the adorable patterns and prints and I feel good about doing something to reduce my footprint. Cloth diapering can be quite a commitment but doable if you’ve got all the right information. Much like using standard disposable diapers, you still need all the accessories like wipes, diaper rash creams, and changing pads. But, besides the obvious, here’s a list of the Best Cloth Diapering Accessories you may not have thought of. [Read more…]

Van Life Beauty Essentials

May 30, 2018 by Christina 4 Comments

It’s been almost a month since my husband and I started our van life adventure. It’s definitely been a whirlwind of change. Our whole world has been turned upside down and all the comforts of home have just been completely changed. We now find comfort in simpler things. Like a quiet place to sleep or a private place to shower.

[Read more…]

11 Must Have Potty Training Tools To Make the Process Easier

May 21, 2018 by Meagan 6 Comments

Potty training can be a dreadful time for toddlers and parents. I’ve heard horror stories from friends and family about the awful process. Some parents warned me it could take months or years to get my son out of pull-ups and into underwear full time.

So, before I started the potty training process with my son, I did a lot of research on what to expect and how to prepare myself (and him). After endless reading and stressing, I came to the conclusion that no matter how many blogs I read, my process and my experience would be different because no child or family situation is the same. I just had to dive in, expect the worst, and hope for the best. [Read more…]

First Week of Van Life

May 16, 2018 by Christina 10 Comments

Just over a week ago my husband and I started our adventure as Van lifers. We’ve spent the last 4 months renovating a 2002 Dodge Ram Conversion Van into a space we can live in full time as we travel the country.

[Read more…]

10 Eco-Friendly Laundry Tips

May 11, 2018 by Lisa 4 Comments

If you’re trying to adopt natural and more eco-friendly cleaning habits, one of the easiest places to start is with laundry practices. There are many different alternatives to harsh detergents if you want to go green in the laundry department.

Natural laundry practices are especially important because clothing actually touches our bodies, as opposed to the surfaces in our homes. Of course, we’d only want non-toxic substances touching our skin. [Read more…]

How to Use a Prefold Diaper on Your Baby

May 7, 2018 by Meagan 6 Comments

Depending on how familiar you are with cloth diapering, you might be thinking, “What exactly is a prefold diaper?” Simply put, it’s a 3 panel, rectangular piece of fabric that contains multiple layers of either cotton, bamboo, hemp, or flannel— traditionally with an extra layer in the middle for extra absorbency. They’re folded and fastened to baby inside of a waterproof diaper cover.

Before I even got pregnant with my son I knew I wanted to use cloth diapers. My mom used them with me and my sisters, and because there are significant age gaps between us, I still remember diaper laundry, safety pins, and plastic pants all around the house. Let me assure you that this sometimes referred to as “old fashion” way of diapering has come along way in recent years. [Read more…]

The Vanlife Adventure Begins!

May 2, 2018 by Christina 7 Comments

After many months of planning, things are finally happening! A little less than a year ago, before we were married, my significant other, Nate and I decided that we were going to travel the country.

We’ve always been travelers, from the very first year of dating. So it kind of feels like everything we’ve done together has been in preparation for this trip. It started out as a small idea inspired in part by our first trip to Colorado. Another bit of inspiration came from when two of our best friends went to New Zealand for a year.

[Read more…]

Shape Recognition Activity

April 30, 2018 by Meagan 10 Comments

When I first started teaching my son how to recognize different shapes, I would draw them on a piece of paper, point, and tell him what each shape was. Before too long he would get bored and move on to a toy with wheels or sound and leave me in the dust. It didn’t take me long to realize I was going about my teaching style all wrong. He needed something to touch and feel in his hands to be more interested in learning his shapes. So I turned my original boring shape activity into a reusable, hands-on, and very easy-to-make Shape Recognition Activity with colorful felt shapes that can be stuck on and peeled off over and over. [Read more…]

Vacation Countdown Calendar for Kids

Update From The Road

Guide to the Best Potty Training Chairs and Seats

How to Teach a Toddler the Alphabet

22 Ways to Avoid Plastic Shopping Bags

17 Best Cloth Diapering Accessories

Van Life Beauty Essentials

11 Must Have Potty Training Tools To Make the Process Easier

First Week of Van Life

10 Eco-Friendly Laundry Tips

How to Use a Prefold Diaper on Your Baby

The Vanlife Adventure Begins!

Shape Recognition Activity

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