Double gauze baby blankets are probably my favorite blankets of all time. Coming from me (self proclaimed blanket connoisseur) that’s saying something! I love how the double (sometimes called “bubble”) gauze crinkles up so snuggly and gets softer and softer with every wash. What’s better than a double gauze baby blanket? A double layer double gauze baby blanket. Perfectly comfy and soft without being super thick and hot. This particular double gauze baby blanket was a gift for my brand new (and first ever!) baby nephew in Hawaii. I wanted to give him something really special that had submarines on it because his Daddy, my brother Nicholas, is a nuclear submarine officer for the ... read more
10 Ways to Nurture a Love of Reading in BIG KIDS
I’ve been hearing a lot of stories from Mom’s of big kids struggling to get them to WANT to read anything that’s not “required” for school. This always gets me going because I do think kids can learn to love to read with methods and ideas that turn reading into something fun and rewarding. My ten tips below are definitely not a one size fits all guide. Hopefully they spark inspiration and ideas you can implement in your own families to make reading less of a chore and more of a privilege! The power of words and stories and history and imagination and information... these are gifts that will serve our kids for their entire lifetimes. Before reading this list remember the number one way to ... read more
10 Ways To Have a Happy New Year
I’m no expert in happiness. I don’t have all the answers and I’m sure what I have to share is not any kind of big revelation or amazing secret. But the following list of 10 changes I made in my life over the last year are things I can say without a doubt have made me happier, healthier and more content in general than any New Years goals or resolutions I’ve made in the past. So what are they? 10 foolproof ways to have a happy new year: Get up early. Resist me on this one all you want... this is a proven key to success, wellness and happiness. I wake up at 4:15 every week day and head to the gym for a half hour bootcamp class. By 6am I have already exercised, drank a whole thermos ... read more
Photo Filled Christmas Ornaments
This little diy is one I had swimming in my head all summer! How do I get more than one photo onto or into a Christmas ornament and not have it look cheesy? Itty bitty photo books? Photo garland? After a little trial and error I landed on these- photo filled ornaments that require basically just a printer and some clear packing tape! The end result is an interactive ornament that reveals a new memory every time you shake it. I used random photos but you could focus on on theme (a favorite trip or a specific person maybe!) or moments from this year. MATERIALS: Clear plastic ball ornaments Clear packing tapePrinter/papercomputer or double stick tape OPTIONAL: laminator (here’s ... read more