12 year old Emily loves reading, drawing, her dog and chickens, making ribbon barrettes to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and cooking. But more specifically baking. Ever since she learned how to crack an egg with one hand, she’s stretched her culinary skills. Baking is one of her favorite things to do. She’s a masterful…
Lifestyle
Why I Will Always Encourage My Daughter to Keep Playing Sports #LikeAGirl
This is a sponsored post written for the Always #LikeAGirl campaign During the 8 ½ years I’ve been blogging, my little girl has grown up. No longer the four year old who once had a pseudonym and was occasionally featured, 12 year old Emily is now a bigger part of the content that I share. By…
4 Things I Learned When I Ran Away and Joined Ringling Bros. for Out of This World
If you’ve ever contemplated running away to join the circus, I got to do exactly that. Ok, so perhaps my time with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey was temporary but my recent trip to the Feld Entertainment Studios in Palmetto, Florida provided a behind the scenes look at Out of This World, the newest…
Four Things I’ve Learned from Three Amazing Women in the Arizona Desert
This post is sponsored by Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4 If you got an invitation to journey to the desert with three people you didn’t know for a trip that would cover “interesting terrain and experiences” and require “a moderate to high level of activity,” would you say yes? I did and have no regrets. Let me…
5 Ways to Protect Your Family & Home This Summer and Beyond #LSSS
This is part of a sponsored post series written as a compensated member of Master Lock’s Live Secure Safety Squad. June signifies the end of school and start of summer. Since we’re far more likely to be spending additional time outdoors and away from our homes during the next three months, it’s a good time to…
Finding Dory: 3 Things to Do Before You Go & 3 Topics to Discuss After
If you were first introduced to Finding Nemo 12 years ago and are eager to share the long awaited Finding Dory sequel with your children, this charming animated tale is filled with positive messages about family, devoted friendships, and teachable moments about conservation but also has some scary moments that could be frightening to young…
Parenting Through Changes at Every Age and Stage #BringingUpBates
This is a sponsored post By nature, human beings are creatures of habit and while change is inevitable, it’s not always easy. As parents, we deal with change on a constant basis as our kids grow. There are changes at every age and stage and it seems that just as you’re getting used to your…
4 Reasons Your Kids Will Want Every Weird But True Shirt from Crazy 8 & National Geographic (w giveaway)
It’s no secret that our family loves (like big puffy heart LOVES) the National Geographic Weird But True books. It doesn’t matter how many we have or how many times Thomas and Emily have read them, they never get old. These are books that I don’t mind the kids reading over and over again because…
How We’re Completing Our Summer Bucket List with Help From DC Mosquito Squad
Like those who are still in school all across the country, my kids are counting down the days until summer vacation where structured days mix with carefree ones that are opportunities to complete the items on their summer bucket lists. Thomas and Emily recently sat down and made a list of all the things they…
The Importance of Unplugging and Being Present to Make Moments Count #BringingUpBates
This is a sponsored post “How was the concert?” my friend, Thien-Kim of I’m Not the Nanny messaged me when I returned home from last night’s end of the year instrumental music and band concert. “It was your typical elementary school band and orchestra concert!” I replied. “The kids were great but there were way too many parents…
