Double Egg Yolks and Fertility Superstitions
Have you ever cracked open an egg and found two yolks inside? What does it mean? Marriage, pregnancy, twins, death? Here’s what happened to me.
10 Daily Habits of Happy Homemakers
Most of us know other homemakers who always seem to be cheerful, even when things are chaotic. What daily habits do these happy homemakers have in common?
- Crafts | Crochet | Family Life | Montessori | Sewing
25 Handmade Gifts for Toddlers (or Preschoolers)
These handmade gifts for toddlers (or preschoolers) are perfect when you want to give a child a gift that’s a bit more personal, meaningful, or special.
Painting With a Smaller Brush: What My Toddler's Artwork Taught Me About Homemaking
A closer look at my toddler’s artwork made me see the beauty in my smallest homemaking efforts. Not every brush stroke will be perfect. Not every attempt will be a masterpiece. But the process is beautiful.
How to Manage the Holiday Gift Influx
Ahh, the holidays. There’s so much to do. So many people to visit. Countless traditions to keep up with. A whole stack of favorite recipes to bake. And suddenly, what was supposed to be a family-focused time to be grateful for the important things in our lives has turned into a stressful, complicated circus….
How to Stay Focused on Family During the Holidays
How can we stay focused on family during the holidays? 11 homemaking experts share their best tips.
Holiday Preparation – Are You Making This Mistake?
Ahh, the holidays. There’s so much to do. So many people to visit. Countless traditions to keep up with. A whole stack of favorite recipes to bake. And suddenly, what was supposed to be a family-focused time to be grateful for the important things in our lives has turned into a stressful, complicated circus. It…
Prepare for the Holidays: Do This ONE Thing Well Ahead of Time
What ONE thing should you do well ahead of time to prepare for the holidays? 11 homemaking experts weigh in.
How to Prepare for the Holidays (Without Losing Your Mind)
A panel of 11 homemaking and organizational experts share how their own families prepare for the holidays each year. Emily Chapelle, Jen Jones, Rachel Masser, Beau Coffron, Courtney Carver, Joshua Becker, Laura Wittmann, Becky Rapinchuk, Jen Hadfield, Danielle Smith, and Andrew Mellen.
18 Ways to Have a Clutter-Free Halloween
I’ve been hard-core decluttering the house. And I’ve been working hard to keep the clutter from coming back in. I’m guessing you’re here because you’re on the same kind of journey. And Halloween is working against us! With all of the costumes, candles, spooky decor, junky little trinkets and toys, the clutter situation can get…
“If You Made a Million” Activity – Penny Cleaning Montessori Work
Want an “If You Made a Million” Activity to do with your kids or students? Try this penny-cleaning Montessori work. With extensions for art & science.
Montessori Toddler Paper Punching Activity
In our house, the playroom is for imagination, for open-ended toys, for free exploration. We have dress up clothes (mainly play silks and scarves), building materials (wooden blocks or legos), musical instruments, and other pretending toys. In the rest of the house, the kids tend to gravitate toward helping with real-life chores, like cleaning surfaces…
What This Pine Cone Taught Me About Memories
The pine cone taught me something last week, as I picked it up to dust underneath it, and noticed how it’s become a little bit broken, a little worse for wear.
4 Ways to Clear Your Mind (When You Don't Have Time)
When you don’t have time and your mind is muddled, you need to clear your mind quickly. Here are 4 great (fast) ways to quiet your mind.
Your Purse Contents = Your Homemaking Style, Revealed
Your purse. It goes everywhere with you. Always by your side, it’s disguised as a fashion accessory. But what is it really? It’s a little piece of your home. And what might surprise you is that its contents are saying a lot about you and your homemaking style. “I’m thinking balls are to men, what…
Travel With Kids: 3 Real-World Tips for Packing Light
Traveling with kids. To some of you, it sounds like an exciting adventure. To others, maybe it’s as frightening as being trapped in an episode of Hoarders. (We all like organizing here, right?) Because kids can come with a lot of baggage. Pun intended. They’ve got endless toys, 27 favorite books, can’t-live-without lovies, special kid-shampoo,…
5 Signs You Should Invest in a Mother's Helper
Maybe you feel like you should be able to do it all. So you struggle and push and cry in the bathroom while you eat candy and your kids pound on the door. There’s really an easier way, and I don’t mean shipping your kids to boarding school. I mean hiring a friendly neighborhood mother’s…
Kids Can Cook: Crispy Greek Potatoes
Get your kids in the kitchen and make these delicious crispy Greek potatoes!
- Decor | Family Life | Montessori | Organize
Montessori Toddler Kitchen (and Mini Fridge Makeover)
Lately, my daughter has been more into Real Kitchen Stuff. Wanting to help wash, peel, and cut fruits and veggies. Stirring and pouring. Wearing her little apron. Sweeping and cleaning spills. And standing inside the refrigerator, door open, scanning for snacks. So I figured it was time for a fully-functional toddler kitchen.
7 Ways to Prepare Your Toddler for a New Baby
When I became pregnant with Joey, Anneliese was just under a year old. I knew she couldn’t possibly understand what was really happening, and what was going to change with our family in just a few months, but I did my best to prepare her for his arrival. Considering that upon seeing him the first…
Practicing Independence and Responsibility – Chores for Toddlers
Part of why the “twos” can be so “terrible” is because these quick-growing toddlers are starting to realize they're their own person, and they want autonomy. It's almost as if they're saying… Don't TELL me to wear that blue dress. I want to wear a green shirt with a yellow tutu! And I want two…
Designing Your Home With Montessori in Mind
What is Montessori? Maria Montessori created a framework for education which focuses on independence and freedom within boundaries, “following the child” (respecting the child as an individual, with unique personality, strengths, and preferences), and a carefully prepared environment. Classrooms are mixed-age, so that children can teach and learn from each other, and teaching younger children…
How Toddler-Accessible is Your House?
One way to save on a lot of frustration in the toddler years is to encourage the independence these little people so fiercely desire. When the toddler feels as if, “I can do that,” instead of “The world is intended for people much bigger than I am,” there is less struggle and angst in daily…
Anneliese’s Big Girl Bed
One of the things my husband and I decided to do as Anneliese’s second birthday approached (it’s today!) was to change her room around a bit, adding a “big girl bed” for her, and a floor bed for Joey (so hopefully he can take some naps in there). I had found this great twin storage…
