So obviously I love O dearly. But boy do I envy those friends of mine who have family nearby. Not only to help and babysit but because their kids form great close relationships with them. Both my parents and Aa’s are about 3 hours away in opposite directions, which isn’t that bad distance wise. But we try and see them,… View Post
Apple Tree Felt Board
If you’re looking for a fun fall activity for your kids, here’s another good one that’s pretty cheap and easy. I often take O to storytime at our local library (unfortunately it’s the giant main branch of the Chicago Public Library which is huge and hard to navigate, I miss the cute little library in my hometown!) Anyway, the librarians… View Post
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
After conquering eggplant, I started to wonder if there were other vegetables out there that maybe I wasn’t giving a fair shake. I have a definite aversion to mushrooms (a vegetarian that doesn’t like mushrooms?!?!) but I’m not ready to take that on yet. So next I thought I’d try cauliflower. I roasted it a bunch of different ways and… View Post
What Are Printables and Why Are They Awesome?
Are you asking yourself, what are printables? Well, I have your answer! I’ll explain printables, tell you how to use them, and tell you why printables are AWESOME! Have you ever wondered, what are printables? Do you hear people talking about printables on Pinterest or facebook and you’re not quite sure what they mean? Well you’re in luck! I’m here… View Post
Caramelized Onion & Barley Soup — aka my favorite soup ever!
When it gets to be chilly outside and fall finally shows up, I become a soup fiend. There is nothing I like better at that time of year. Plus soup is one of those things that is pretty easy to adapt to be vegetarian (even if it almost never is in restaurants) so I have a lot of recipes. Today… View Post
Very Hungry Caterpillar Freezer Paper Stencil Tshirt
A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine was telling me she wanted to make a baby gift for her cousin, a onesie with a cute design that she thought up, but she wasn’t sure how to make it or if she should try and have it printed somewhere. I suggested freezer paper stenciling which she had never heard… View Post
Weekend in Savannah
About six months ago we got a save the date for Aa’s cousin’s wedding in Savannah, GA. We weren’t sure where they were going to get married, he’s from Tulsa, she’s from Dallas, and they go to school in Savannah. But when we found out, the very first thing I did was call my parents and ask if they would… View Post
Very Hungry Caterpillar Apple Lacing Cards
I’m sure you’ve heard of Lacing cards, right? They’re usually a shape or a picture with holes around the edges that toddlers and preschoolers can use to practice “sewing”. They’re great for hand eye coordination and learning about patterns etc. So a few months back, I wanted to get one for O, but being the cheapskate that I am, balked… View Post
A Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party
Last week O turned 3. ( I know!) Not really one to get emotional about things like going to school, this one got me. Three just seems so old! O had plans to see both sets of Grandparents within two weeks on either side of his birthday so we decided to just have a little playdate on a weekday morning… View Post
Birthday Weekend Recap
So last weekend was my birthday. It often falls on or around Labor Day which is pretty awesome because, THREE DAY WEEKEND! This year I didn’t have any specific plans but I ended up having a lovely weekend (am I the only one that milks their birthday for the whole weekend if at all possible?). I started off with a… View Post
Our Food Allergy Story: Back to School
It’s back to school time, a busy and anxiety producing time for most parents (and kids). Add a food allergy and the thought of someone else caring for your child, and it’s downright scary, especially for a young child. O is turning 3 this week which is a great age but it means he’s still so young he doesn’t completely… View Post
They’re Two, They’re Four, They’re Six, They’re Eight…. (Day out with Thomas the Train)
Did I get the song in your head? Last weekend, as an early birthday present for O, we went to check out Day out with Thomas at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL. It took us about an hour and fifteen minutes to get there from downtown Chicago and it turned out to be a really cool museum. We… View Post
Preschool Tote Bag Tutorial (aka I can’t believe my kid’s old enough for school!)
So last thursday we sent little O off to his very first day of preschool with his snack, his drink and his little tote bag. (Back to school printable available here!) I’m not generally the kind of mom who has a hard time separating or gets weepy about things like this. Nervous? Yes. Excited for him (and me! I get… View Post
Baby Bear Hat Knitting Pattern
This adorable Baby Bear Hat knitting pattern is a quick and easy knit and makes a great gift for the newborn, baby or toddler in your life! As I mentioned previously, it’s new baby season in my neighborhood. I made a couple Super Easy Baby Shower Quilts a couple weeks ago and I also wanted to add some cute knitted… View Post
Kids Art Gift Wrap
About a two years ago I decided that if at all possible, I was going to stop buying wrapping paper and gift wrap. It was Christmas at my parents’ house and the giant garbage bag just full of wrapping paper kind of made me feel sick. Of course, sometimes it can’t be helped, like if you are giving a gift… View Post