This is a sponsored post We often wonder what our Yellow Labrador, Oliver, does when we’re not home. Is he hosting secret playdates with the dogs in the neighborhood in our yard? Does he stand on his hind legs and nudge the container of dog treats from the top of the fridge with his nose…
2016 Gift Guide: Best Gifts for Teens (ages 13+)
If you don’t know what to get your teen besides a gift card, think. Think HARD. What are they always talking about? What are their friends talking about? What are the things they are never without? Chances are there’s something far more creative than a gift card you can think to get them that will…
2016 Gift Guide: Best Gifts for Tweens (ages 8-12)
Not quite kids but not exactly teenagers yet, tweens often feel stuck between cute and grown up but the truth is that they possess growing self-confidence, independence, and academic skills. They flip flop between wanting to be seen as kids but also wanting to be viewed as grown up and crave some autonomy to explore…
2016 Gift Guide: Early Elementary Ages (ages 5-8 or grades K-2)
As a former first grade teacher, my students spanned a wide spectrum of knowledge so I know that kids this age are the same way. Kindergarten through second graders are experience huge growth in their social, emotional, gross motor, and academic skills. Gifts that allow them to have fun while practicing what they know are always…
2016 Gift Guide: Gifts for Toddlers & Preschoolers (18 months- age 5)
Oh how I miss this age! I never thought I wanted to follow in my mother’s footsteps as a teacher until I spent so much time with these age groups. There was always something magical about toddlers and preschoolers. Maybe you don’t feel the same way as a parent in the thick of tantrums, potty…
2016 Holiday Gift Guides
It’s been a hard week and one where I’ve struggled to find the importance in my work especially when there seems like there are far more important things to do than write holiday gift guides. But here I am because for me, the holidays mean time with family, joy, and less stress and one way…
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Gets a Tech Savvy Upgrade with 2 Free New Apps
This is a sponsored post Sometimes it’s necessary to take a break from reality and have a little fun. Maybe your break comes from a great workout session and a rush of endorphins, a getaway to a fictional place thanks to a fabulous book, taking time out of your day for a massage in the…
From a Black Thumb to the White House Kitchen Garden: Things I’ve Learned as an Accidental Gardener
I used to be a houseplant serial killer despite aspirations of having a green thumb. Lush Boston ferns would succumb to too much heat and direct sun on our front porch while indoor plants would die a slow death from being overwatered and then neglected. I dreamed of having a lush fruit and vegetable garden…
2 Easy Ways to Save Time & Money with #CVS ExtraCare Rewards to #FindYourHealthy
This is a sponsored post If you shop at CVS like I do, you’re probably a member of their ExtraCare Rewards program but do you maximize the benefits that come when you sign up for a free account? Taking advantage of CVS ExtraCare Rewards doesn’t require you to be a contender for Extreme Couponing but…
How You Can Protect Little Lungs by Voting for Clean Air on November 8
This is a sponsored post When I was little and my family temporarily moved from Northern to Southern California, my mother used to look outside at the gray sky and put a sweater on me before sending me outside to play. Having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area, a gray sky meant the…
