Turn Your Vacation into Fun Education
July 26, 2011
School is now but a distant memory for most of our kids, along with at least some of what they learned while they were there. At 4 and 7, my kids are learning so much about the world around them -- the last thing I want to do is watch them forget it over the summer. I've challenged myself over the last few years to turn as many of their every-day experiences into learning experiences as I can. The trick is to do it without...

Cool Fun for Kids (and a Great, Easy Craft!)
July 22, 2011
Like me, many of you have entered that uncomfortable time of summer when it's really too hot to take the kids outside. My 4 and 7-year-olds tend to wilt quickly in hot weather, which means I've had to come up with some good indoor solutions to keep them occupied- and to keep me from going insane! Many towns have interactive children's museums- I had always read about events going on at the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro,...

Summer Magic
July 14, 2011
Thanks to Plum Organics for sponsoring my post about fun kid photos and the stories behind them. Enter Plum's "Babies for Yum Caption Contest" on Facebook and you could win a $100 gift card or Plum goodies. One beautiful summer evening, we packed up a basket of food  and headed to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens for one of its Family Nights Out. While our supper was delightful, it wasn't what caused the rapturous...

How Our Garden Grows
July 12, 2011
I have always, always, ALWAYS wanted to have a backyard garden. However, I have a slight problem: I have killed every single plant I have owned. And there's another small matter:  I hate bugs. Also dirt. And sweating. These things combine to make me rather, erm, gardenally challenged. Which is probably why I have always, always, ALWAYS wanted to have a backyard garden. Fate intervened in the form of an e-mail...

35 Things to Do with Your Family in Hilton Head
July 5, 2011
I've been to a lot of beaches over the years and Hilton Head gets my vote as one of the most family friendly vacation spots in the U.S. The island caters to parents and kids, and there are a zillion things to do and see, whether you're a history buff, an adventurer, a nature lover, or a beach bum. (We have all these types in my family!) We did A LOT of research on Hilton Head before we went this summer- Now you get to enjoy...

Let Them Blow Bubbles
June 30, 2011
It was one of those days. The kids were complaining, the housework was mounting, the writing deadlines were approaching and I? I was having a Calgon moment. Don't even pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about. I try to keep a small cache of activities on hand for moments like this one, and on this day, I decided on a no-fail activity, one that fits just about any budget....   Bubbles. An...

The Butterfly Project
June 28, 2011
You wouldn't know it by looking at me, but I've always had a secret longing to hatch butterflies. I don't know why I never got to do it as a kid-- probably because my mother was too busy making soup from a stone in a bucket of water to bother with helping me catch caterpillars. Not that I was deprived... We kids always had at least one spoonful of cold mush to go with it! Anyway, my butterfly bug seems to be hereditary,...

Crane Day, 2011
June 8, 2011
As my rough band of renegades and I strode into Snappy Tomato, all seven heads in the place turned, a mixture of fear and awe plainly visible on their faces. I paused for a moment, lowered my aviators, and took a quick look around the room. "It's in the back, gang," I muttered to the two henchmen flanking me. "Let's roll." Confidently, we passed the greeter, the cashier, and the cook and made our way to the back of the restaurant.We...

See How They Grow
November 15, 2010
It was one of those perfect fall days when I took the kids to the zoo on Friday, and if I've learned anything as an amateur photographer, it is to take my camera with me everywhere I go this time of year. Those of you who love taking pictures know that in late afternoon when the sun dips low in the sky, it's the best time for photo-taking. The light makes every shot look magical, and I've been known to stop talking...

Baby’s First Roller Coaster Ride
October 11, 2010
Yesterday morning, my husband and I hauled ourselves and our little ones out of bed and drove three hours up to Santa Claus, Indiana, for a visit to... HOLIDAY WORLD!! It was our second visit and I have to say we're completely hooked. I know the place sounds completely kitschy- and it is- but Holiday World is also the cleanest, friendliest, least-crowded amusement park we've ever been to, it has TONS of rides for everyone...