Around the Home: Front door sign

Wreaths seem to be the most common front door decoration. When I saw this sign (found at Target), I wanted to put it on the front door, though. Not inside the front door -- on the outside.(Also, the tone of the colors matched the tone of the paint on the outside of the door very nicely.)I think a sign on the front door gives guests a better idea of who lives inside. And some, like this sign, can

Host an owl-themed birthday party

It's hard to believe, but my baby is going to be two years old this week. Sniff, sniff.We had a party for him on Saturday with about 40 family members and friends showing up. I don't think my baby knew everyone was there for him -- but he had a good time.It was my husband's idea to have the party at a local wildlife rehabilitation and nature center, where biologists bring out various animals for

Summer camp at home: Week 3 -- America, the Beautiful

There's a long holiday weekend ahead! Independence Day is next Monday. I know lots of folks will be traveling or barbecuing with friends and trying to stay cool. In my plan to keep my boys entertained and learning something for the 10 weeks of summer at home, we're going to keep things simple this week -- not too many activities, both to recoup from my baby's birthday party last week and also

My preschooler's 9 trips to Disney World

On my family's most recent trip to Disney World a couple weeks ago, I found myself thinking my oldest son had now been to Disney 10 times.And I was a little shocked. So I started thinking about that.He is four and a half, so that averages out to be about two times per year. Going to Disney World twice a year doesn't really sound that impossible. Disney World is a three-hour drive from our home ..

10 time savers for busy moms

"Why are you always doing two or three things at once?" my husband asked me recently."Well, duh, I'm a mom," I wanted to say. But what I said was, "That's how I have to get things done."True, isn't it? For any mom?In addition to multitasking my way through the day (which I don't really do all the time), here are other things I do to make the most of my time or to make tasks easier.1. Prepare the

Cars 2

...Two days until the premier of Cars 2! I saw this huge Cars 2 poster in Downtown Disney when my family was there a couple weeks ago. (My husband would call it gigananormous.)From Kung Fu Panda 2, to Mr. Popper's Penguins (which I took my boys to see when it opened on Friday!), Cars 2 and Winnie the Pooh and others, there are a lot of kid-oriented movies this summer. Which do you want to see?

Great American Backyard Campout

This coming Saturday, June 25, is the Great American Backyard Campout. Organized by the National Wildlife Federation, the idea of the Campout is to get kids enjoying the outdoors -- where they feel safe and comfortable.I think it's genius!(Not to mention, I know plenty of grown-ups who would say yes to camping in their own backyard over a wilderness area. Any month of the year.)If you ask me,

Summer camp at home: Week 2 -- Camping

My family loves camping, and because Saturday, June 25 is the day of the Great American Backyard Campout, next week seems like the perfect week for a camping theme for our summer camp at home.My love of camping started early. As a kid, my family camped at a state park and national lakeshore near our house. Later, my husband and I were invited to go camping with friends two months after we were

SeaWorld's Aquatica is the best waterpark for kids!

Crazy confession: There are fewer things I love more than waterslides. (Yes, I'm 11 years old on the inside.) I could live at a waterpark, and I think my favorite waterpark is Aquatica -- at least this point in my life -- because of all the major waterparks in Florida, I think Aquatica has the most for little kids.My family and some friends went to Aquatica last week. It was the second time my

Win a Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush and flossers

What's more fun than a toothbrush that looks like a Crayola crayon? How about a toothbrush that also lights up?The GUM Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush helps kids brush for a full minute by flashing a light that signals to them when to stop. Kids push a button in the bottom of the toothbrush to start the light flashing, and they start brushing their teeth. When the light stops flashing, kids know

Summer camp at home: Week 1 -- Mr. Popper's Penguins

Today begins the first full week of summer for my preschooler. I've got big plans for our summer together, which lasts 10 weeks. If you are looking for things to do with your children over the summer and ways to keep them entertained, please check out my initial post about having summer camp at home. I will post what we are doing each week in more detail.This week, the movie Mr. Popper's Penguins

Miami Beach Botanical Garden

Public gardens are some of the best kind of public spaces, and I was lucky to stumble across one recently: the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. The tall wrought-iron gates were open, so I stepped past them into the lush, tamed jungle, looking around at the green and pink and white as though I was collecting colors, and wondered which way to go first. A young couple was to the right, peering over a

Ways to save money on gifts and cards

I love gift bags. I love them so much that I started saving them way back when I was engaged to my husband. I'd get these nice gifts in gorgeous bags that were too amazing to just throw away. Then the wedding came, and the holidays we spent together, and all those gift bags piled up.I couldn't keep all those gift bags, so I started reusing the nicest ones to put gifts in that I'd give to family