Nibble + Squeak Welcomes Toddlers

Many families consider dining out to be a relaxing treat. The experience might not be so easy for parents of toddlers. There is reason to be concerned that your toddler might throw a loud tantrum that causes other people in the restaurant to complain. Fortunately, there is a dining club that is actively welcoming toddlers (and their families). Nibble + Squeak describes itself as: a unique dining club for “parents with pipsqueaks”. It hosts food events for babies and toddlers and their caretakers (parents, grandparents, and more) at its restaurants. Right now, there is a Nibble + Squeak dining club … Continue reading

Ways to Practice Gender Neutral Parenting

Many of us grew up with the idea that certain toys and activities were only for one gender of child. There were toys for girls, and toys for boys, and our parents may have steered us towards one or the other. Today, things are very different. Now is a good time to practice gender neutral parenting. When I was a little kid, I was taught that girls were supposed to play with dolls and enjoy kitchen sets and playing dress up. The boys in my kindergarten were taught that boys were supposed to play with trucks and blocks. Today, things … Continue reading

Coloring Books Aren’t Just for Kids

Think back to when you were a child. Did you spend time happily coloring the pictures that were in your coloring books? Today, many adults are rediscovering their love for coloring. There are several different types of detailed coloring books out there which are intended for grownups to use. Coloring is fun. It’s something that people first learn how to do when they are in preschool or kindergarten. Little kids can improve their fine motor skills by grasping a crayon and using it to color a picture. They find it rewarding to color a picture all by themselves and are … Continue reading

Be a Better Parent in the New Year

What’s your New Years Resolution? Many people choose something related to weight loss, or money, or productivity. This year, why not pick a resolution that will be much more meaningful? Resolve to take steps to be a better parent in the new year. Parenting can be as rewarding as it is difficult. It is easy to see why parents often make mistakes. Everyone does it – nobody is perfect! Ideally, people learn from those mistakes so they do not repeat them. What I’m trying to say is that parenting is a skill that can always be improved upon. It is … Continue reading

Five Weird Pregnancy Symptoms

There are a number of weird, though perfectly normal, side effects to pregnancy that no one tells you about.  You might get all or none of these, and it could vary from one of your pregnancies to another. 1. Bloody Gums.  Early in the second trimester I began noticing a bit more blood than normal when I flossed.  I went to my routine dentist appointment, and the hygienist confirmed that yup, that’s just something that can happen when you’re pregnant.  Chalk this one down to hormones; they’re making your gums (and other parts) more inflamed than usual.  Pregnant women are … Continue reading

Frugal Is as Frugal Does

Life may be a like a box of chocolates, but for the really frugal minded, those chocolates were half price and purchased with a coupon. Pick a random group of 25 people and ask them what it means to be frugal and how they make choices to be good stewards of their money. Chances are that you will get a lot of different answers all across the board concerning frugality and saving money. It tends to mean different things to different people. I recently read an article in a national women’s magazine about a family that decided to be frugal, … Continue reading

My Home School Grades

Not all states require homeschoolers to keep records but all homeschoolers should require it of themselves.  Even a personal log of what your children have done and accomplished is valuable.  Your child may want to keep track for herself, laws in your state may change, your child may attend school or college, you may want to keep track for yourself to know what your child has done and what worked best in your homeschool.  For all those reasons and more, you will want to an easy to use, thorough, and affordable tracking system.  One such system that you may want … Continue reading

Picture-Perfect Mother’s Day

What are you asking for this Mother’s Day? A clean basement? Not if your husband’s idea of “cleaning” is tossing out all of your stuff. An expensive vacuum? Not if you have to use it more to justify the price. Breakfast in bed? Not if it means doing damage control in the kitchen until dinner. What about a peaceful day surrounded by the people whose existence affords you membership in the sweetest sorority on earth? This Mother’s Day consider cuddling up with your kiddos and enjoying a quiet moment with these picture-perfect holiday reads: The Berenstain Bears: We Love Our … Continue reading

Think Positively and Save Money

Thinking positively can help you save money. When you focus on the blessings in your life rather than on the things you don’t feel that you can afford, you will naturally be happier and require less of the material things. Also, thinking positively may help you figure out creative solutions the next time you feel as though you need to acquire something expensive. We do our best thinking when we are in a positive emotional state. Here are some ways that you can think positively about being frugal and consequently save money. Have goals and imagine how your life will … Continue reading

Be Content with What You Have and Save Time

Something funny happens when you start being content with what you have. You gain more time to do the things that you love. No longer are you having to hunt down and scheme for the material things in life, or work harder to afford them. Instead, you can sit back and enjoy the little things that make life worthwhile, all while saving time. Here is a good example. We used to spend most weekends or even weeknights running around doing shopping errands. You know, the typical trips to Target and Home Depot with maybe some groceries thrown in. While we … Continue reading