My husband is the sunblock police. We were recently on vacation, and I swear, every time I turned around, he was applying another layer on our 14-month-old. He practically followed her around with the bottle in his hand for 5 straight days. (It really was so cute.) He was the one who burned the crap out of his own back on our first day there, however, and is still peeling a week after leaving paradise, but that's another story... oftentimes his burns on his backside are (self-admittedly) my fault because I don't apply it--at least on him--as if I am going to win an award for covering every millimeter of skin evenly (like he does). He often has finger marks and handprints on the edges of his back from me hurriedly slapping some lotion on him--oops. Sorry, Dear. "I swear, I got everything!" I always tell him that night as he scowls at me and points out my own non-burned back, thanks to his tedious application process. That's when I give him my most charming, cheesy smile, and say in a singsong voice with a tip of my head, "Aren't you glad you get to spend your whole life with me?!" I usually follow it up with, "... and you're perfect, by the way." His favorite reply: "Why, thank you..." And I'm out of the doghouse, just like that. :)
This time when he got the worst burn I've ever seen him with, however, it was his own darn fault--he should have used a higher SPF and had someone reapply it after I took the baby up for her nap. Yes, he was fried, but he was EVENLY fried this time, people!! I did my part, thank you very much.
Now that you have all the background information, you can see why my hubby isn't exactly receptive to me telling him that I have a better way of applying sunblock to our children's faces. He likes to kneel in front of them so he can see what he's doing (he doesn't want to miss a spot!), and he practically sticks in his fingers in their eyeballs as they groan and try to back away from him.
"This is important!! You don't want to burn, kids!!! Stay still!" (more eye-poking...)
"Can we just have Mom do our faces??!!"
Silence.
What was that, kids? You want your mother to apply your sunblock, you say? The one Daddy thinks is totally incompetent in that department??
All I can do is smile and shrug my shoulders... Mommy has a better method than Daddy--ha! Take that, Sunblock Police!
My thought-process is simple, really. When you put sunblock on your own face, you rub it in your hands, and then your hands naturally contour over your face as you reach up to apply it. It's easy to apply evenly, and it's comfortable. (When was the last time you poked yourself in the eye while putting on sunblock?) So when you apply sunblock to another person's face, it makes more sense to stand behind them so you imitate what it's like to put it on yourself. Your child is also knocked around a lot less because your body kind of anchors them. It's so much easier than facing them where your fingers can't cup naturally around their face. You will still apply it well from the back--just have your kids close their eyes and rub their face thoroughly. You'll even be able to get their lips and eyelids this way. (Try it right now on your own face--reach up and see what I'm talking about... makes sense, right?)
The above scene (where my kids requested that yours truly save the day!) happened more than once, so my husband finally gave up and awarded me official "face duty". (Hey, I did win an award after all!) But that's all I'm allowed--faces. And his back, of course--trust me, he would apply the sunblock himself back there if he could reach. But until he figures out a way to do that, he's got me! Lucky man. :)
P.S. My friend told me that one time she got a lot of continuous-spray sunblock on her deck railing by mistake, and it actually peeled the paint off in that spot! Her comment was, "It got me thinking that if this stuff can remove paint, should I be spraying it on my kids?!" I admit that I still use the spray sunblock (I use various brands and often buy the generic continuous-spray sunblock) to cover their bodies most of the time because it's just so fast and easy (and I like to use it on myself when I play tennis because the lotion makes my hands feel slippery and it's harder to hold onto my racquet), but each time I use it, I think about what she told me. I also feel like you go through the bottles so quickly, whereas the lotion lasts much longer--not to mention the chemicals I know we're releasing into the air each time we spray that stuff. I recently found Mexitan products, a line of 100% natural and chemical-free sunblock and bug repellent. To quote from their website, "Chemicals used in other name-brand products are not only toxic to our bodies, they enter the environment and are harmful to coral reefs and other living organisms. Many nature parks and snorkeling locations require use of sunscreen that says "Biodegradable" right on the the label." That got me thinking a bit... I might have to give their products a whirl! If I do, I'll let you know what I think! :)

This tip comes straight from my oldest daughter. She's a soccer player, and at her practices there are 40+ girls who all have water jugs that look alike. So every time they take a quick water break, each girl is trying to locate her own jug in a hurry. When we recently got her a new one, she said, "Mom, let's put some fun duct tape on it so I know it's mine!" I thought that was so smart! I told her that I loved the idea and that we should put it on my blog, too! She was so proud--she even helped me set up the little photo shoot--it was her idea to tuck the soccer ball into the corner of the shot. So cute. :)
(As a side note, she's heard me talk about giving proper credit when I blog, so she wanted to make sure I gave a shout-out to her friends' mom for coming up with this idea first! Her friends are sisters, so their mom used duct tape in order for the girls to tell their water jugs apart. My daughter then passed the idea on to me--and now I'm sharing it with you! So kudos to you, Carla!!) :)
This is such a simple way to mark your water jug (or anything else you can think of!) so it's easy to spot it at the field or park--and it will keep others from grabbing your gear by mistake, too. It also adds some color and fun to your stuff--kids will love it! We went ahead and marked all the jugs our family uses--cute! :) There are plenty of "boy options" too, so don't feel like this is just a girl thing...
We also have labels on the water jugs as you can see--I recently had some made with only our last name (so we could all share them) at Mabel's Labels. (Their company's sassy name caught my eye, and everything was great when it arrived!) I ordered some labels hereyears ago through a preschool fundraiser (super idea!), and you won't believe how well these things stay put! They've even held up after going through the dishwasher countless times--it's pretty amazing, really. As I mention in this organization post(worth the read with over 100 tips and ideas to help you organize your home and your life!), I mark all our stuff with labels like these. I have them on my kids' backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, umbrella handles, sports gear---even on the inside of my sunglasses! They are so handy, and it's better than using a Sharpie that just rubs off!! (Clearly I'm a big fan!) I also just ordered some labels like these for the inside of my girls' jackets--hopefully they will find their way back to us the next time they (inevitably) lose them!
Between my handy labels and my daughter's idea to add the fun duct tape, nobody is going to mistake our stuff for theirs now! :)

I think this is such a fun, simple idea! Using the wording "Best _____ Ever... Hands Down!" works for anybody! I actually made this as a Christmas gift for my youngest daughter to give to her three older sisters (to help them all remember the baby's first Christmas), but I think something similar would work perfectly for Mother's Day, Father's Day, a birthday, or any other special day as well.
I used a picture for the gift that I made, but I actually first got the idea when I saw something pinned on Pinterest that originated herewhere they used no picture; they just printed the words "Best Dad, Hands Down!" on cardstock and then stamped two cute hands upside down. There are so many ways you could do this: print and frame cardstock; use a picture like I did; paint on wood; use a canvas; etc.
I wasn't actually sure how my project was going to come together, but it worked out pretty well in the end, I thought! I bought a frame at Targetwith a slot for a picture that was off-center (toward the top), so I would have plenty of room to stamp my daughter's hands under the picture. I thought about writing the words free-hand, but I was afraid I would be kicking myself afterward if I messed up or if things were really crooked or off-center, so I tried printing the words on translucent paper. I was going to attempt to just tape the translucent paper to the matting, but that looked terrible, so ultimately I transferred the words by hand. I really didn't know what I was doing, but it worked out just fine--it was easy! :)
See below for details on my method...

I used to watch my friend roll her orange like nobody's business before she would peel or cut it. I finally asked her what in the heck she was doing. "It helps release the juice," she told me. I remember giving her a doubtful look, and then saying, "Well, that doesn't make any sense. It's not like you're somehow infusing additional juice into the fruit. There's already a set amount of juice inside. How can it possibly make the orange juicier?!" At that point, she pretty much shot me the "please stop talking" look (as only a dear friend can), and said, "I'm not exactly sure why it works, but it does... it's like the juice is released from the membranes or something. It makes it easier to peel, too."
Well, let me just say that this girl is a genius in the kitchen. She can also cut an apple in the air like Edward Scissorhands without using a cutting board (because then she'd have to wash the cutting board, she says), but that's another story...
Needless to say, this tip works!! We don't cut or peel a single orange, lemon, lime, etc. in this house now without rolling it firmly on the countertop first. It's amazing what a difference it makes. We eat copious amounts of cutie oranges in particular (I love that they are called "cuties"!) They are pretty easy to peel--even for kids--and my three older girls (ages 10, 8, and 6) all roll their oranges by habit now, too, before peeling them. As you press and roll, you can almost feel the peel releasing as well. On a cutie orange the peel practically pops off and you just have to rip it away from the orange itself. (Kids love cutie oranges, by the way--I would bring them when it was our turn to provide the class snack back when my oldest girls were in preschool, and I'd have a peeled orange ready to go for each child. They thought it was so fun to have their own mini orange!)
You will have to give this trick a try. My friend was right! I should have known better than to question anything that girl does in the kitchen!! :)

I am thrilled to be able to share this amazing book with some lucky readers--perfect timing as Mother's Day nears, and we women celebrate being a mother and/or a daughter! Two will win an autographed copy of The Myth of the Perfect Girl by Ana Homayoun, and one will receive a surprise gift from the author herself--things like crafts, paper, and activities for a mother and daughter to share.
I just finished reading this book myself, and it has been eye-opening to say the least. I will admit that I haven't read a lot of parenting books through the years. I normally rely on my gut and my degree in psychology when I'm making parenting decisions. But this is definitely a book worth reading if you have daughters, no matter how much trust you have in yourself as a parent. I have come away with so much new knowledge and a fresh perspective--the author's words will surely ring in my ears for years to come as my four daughters go through their preteen and teen years. I know I will make a lot of choices based on what I have just read. Before reading this informative book, I believe that I would have done some things in the coming years that would not have benefited my girls but rather contributed to the problems that I was, in fact, trying to help them solve.
Ana Homayoun knows her subject matter, and she presents so many points of view that you will probably feel like she's been in your house and spent time with your own family! In today's day and age, we parents need to respect the fact that growing up is more challenging than ever before as our children are surrounded by social media--something we never had to deal with as youngsters. It can be difficult for a girl, in particular, even to find her own voice these days with the constant and immediate feedback from texts, tweets, and through various social websites. Our daughters are constantly striving for perfection in today's achievement culture--they are stressed out and stretched thin--and oftentimes, they are quite unhappy, despite what we may think. While reading The Myth of the Perfect Girl, I couldn't help but reflect onthis post I recently wroteafter a reader criticized me for choosing to be a stay at home mom even though I have a college degree. In the post, I emphasized the need for us women to choose happiness; to be true to ourselves and to rely on our own measures of success, regardless of societal pressures. Just as we women feel pushed to achieve at all costs even into our adult lives, then, it's important to recognize the fact that the daughters we are raising feel those pressures even more.
As one review perfectly states, "Ana Homayoun is the counselor, expert, and friend every parentand girlneeds." Sheshows us how we can help our daughters navigate such a turbulent time in their lives and how they can come out on the other side feeling confident, secure, and happy. If you have a daughter, I believe this book is a must-read.

* If you have sons, be sure to check out her other book,That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week(to help disorganized and distracted boys succeed in school and life).

Nowadays, I think most of us use pictures in our holiday cards. Some people still print their photos and then insert them in their cards, but more and more often now people upload a picture and have their cards made elsewhere--and then they arrive all ready to go in the mail! So easy and personal, too. Such a nice way to wish someone well around Christmastime.
But what about other holidays? We might not think to do the exact same thing throughout the rest of the year--but why not, I say?! :) You don't always have to print a zillion cards when you order from all those great card places. You can order one measly little card--did you realize that? :) (My very favorite company is probablyMinted,withTiny Printsbeing a close second. They are my go-to companies these days when it comes to cards. I also loveShutterfly, and I've recently just discovered Treat,Wishing Tree Designs and Cardstore.)
Over the last several years, I have started ordering personalized photo cards for Mother's Day and Father's Day in particular. I don't think there's a grandma or grandpa out there who wouldn't love to receive a special card in the mail with a picture of some of his/her favorite little people on it! :) You can even tuck away a copy of the card for each of your children as a keepsake, just as I mention doing for Christmas cards every year in this organization post. (It's worth reading with more than 100 tips to help organize your home and your life!)
Oftentimes a card at your local card store might cost as much as $5 (or even more if it's really fancy). Depending on how many cards you order, you may pay less than $2 for a personalized photo card. I ordered 10 from Minted this year (including 4 to tuck away--one for each of my own children), and they were only $2/each. So not only did I end up with very special (and humorous!!) cards to send, but I actually saved money in the process! And how many times are you searching for the perfect card, but you just can't find one with the right wording? (All the time, right?!) When you create your own, however, it's the perfect card every time! :)
Below I will share with you a few cards I've created over the past several years. This year's card is absolutely priceless. Just as I illustrate with the very first picture in the 100 Photos to Inspire Your Holiday Cards post, you don't always need the world's best shot to create a memorable card. I have a feeling the one my favorite ladies will receive this year will be one they won't soon forget! :) (If you are one of those ladies in my life--spoiler alert!! Look away now!!!)

I am the picture-hanger in our house. My husband can't stand doing that kind of thing--he really just doesn't have the patience or the desire. As for me, I secretly love that stuff (mostly because I only trust myself to hang things just the way I want them), but don't tell my husband that because then I can't use it against him!! :) On the rare occasions that I allow him to help me with something like this, I typically micromanage his efforts so much that he eventually gives up and lets me do it anyhow because he is so annoyed by my eyeballs being two inches away from what he's doing while I say, "Are you really going to do it that way?" Poor guy can't win. :) (I frequently remind him that I'm all his--ha!!) :)
When I hang up multiple pictures that need to be perfectly aligned, I measure things exactly because I hate stepping back and wishing I had moved something over an inch. But when it comes to hanging a single picture, I am usually in the "good enough crowd" (as I mention in this post where I made my daughter's polka dot cake), because "perfect" really doesn't matter too much when it's just one picture. In the past, I would have tried to hold the picture up where I wanted it and then I'd stick my arm up behind it and do my best to put my finger where it felt like I should put the nail in the wall. But after seeing this post on Pinterest where Stephanie from Somewhat Simple (super-cute blog, by the way!!) shared her idea to use toothpaste, I discovered my new "good enough" method!! My dad is a retired dentist, so we grew up using toothpaste and floss for all kinds of handy things, but this is one idea we never came up with--so smart! How did we never think of this sooner?! Stephanie did hang a collage using this method, and it looks awesome--so maybe if you are brave enough, you can try this for hanging multiple pictures, too. It worked for her! Knowing me, though, I might hurry too much, and pretty soon I'd have a 1000 nail holes in the wall!!
It's definitely a fool-proof technique for a single picture, however! (It works especially well for hanging canvases because there is no hanging wire... maybe if you're hanging something with hanging wire, you could try putting some toothpaste on your fingernail. Reach back and grab the hanging wire, pull it tight as if it's hanging from the nail, and then press your finger into the wall--I bet that would work, too! I might have to try that, and then I'll let you know how it goes!)
See how easy this method is below...

Mother's Day is just over two weeks away already--how did that happen?! I am still getting used to writing "2013" on my checks (not kidding)!!! If you are suddenly realizing that you need to come up with some gifts soon, then I hope this post will be just what you're looking for! I scoured some of my favorite sites for hours to put together this list. I hope the legwork I already did is helpful to each of you and makes your quest for the perfect gift that much easier! Even after Mother's Day passes, I thought this list might be handy to refer to when you're searching for a gift for those great ladies in your life, no matter what the occasion! (And nobody says a girl can't pass this list on to her own family! Sometimes those guys, in particular, need a little guidance... am I right, ladies?) :)
While you're in "gift mode", you may also want to check out this post where I compiled a list of gift ideas for the one you love--great for Valentine's Day or your anniversary!

Cute chalkboard signs are everywhere these days! I have admired them for so long in friends' holiday cards, birth announcements, invitations, and in pictures all over Pinterest, but I have never had one myself. They are so handy--you can use them to writea note ("Happy Mother's Day!", "Thank You!", "I Love You!", etc.);write the year for a Christmas card; indicate your child's age (as shown here); have your child hold it with the date on the first day of school (and the last day of school and see how he/she has changed!); write "Please Come!" for an invitation; "Save the Date" for a wedding; and so on... so many ways to create a special photo!
Chalkboards are particularly handy when you want to use a photo for a personalized card. You could upload the picture to a site like Minted, Tiny Prints, Shutterfly, Wishing Tree Designs, Cardstore, etc. and create a quick personalized card, thank you note, invitation, and so forth... I'm a huge fan of creating photo cards--I think everyone loves receiving one in the mail! (It's pretty shocking that I have never had a chalkboard until now when I really think about it! I used to make a quick sign on cardstock and have my kids hold it--but it's a lot easier for a baby to wreck a paper card by crumpling it or eating it than it is for them to trash a wooden sign!!)
If you are inspired to get one of these handy little signs at this point (you can use it again and again--it's perfect for a party, too... write "Welcome!" or jot down the menu perhaps...), see below for how easy it is to make one yourself. Did you know that all you have to do is find a piece of wood and paint it with chalkboard paint?! Seriously, that's it. Even you non-crafters (Mom, that's you!) could make one in five minutes. I bought my cute board at my local craft store (Michael's) for next to nothing and then painted it--I only used one coat of paint (although I put it on pretty thick--I wanted to knock that thing out in one step!), and that was it!

My youngest of four girls just turned one--sniff! I can't believe I will never have another first birthday party to throw! With this being my fourth go-around, I have learned a thing or two. Before I get into the details of the party (including DIY invitations, photo banners, cake and favor ideas, keepsake gifts, and more), I will first share a few thoughts about first birthday parties in general... just my two cents on the subject! :)

CONSIDER HAVING THE PARTY OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME
I am all about having parties that are outside of my own house. Even if you aren't really particular about things being squeaky clean (me!), you still need the house to be picked up enough for people to be able to congregate (and not embarrass yourself... for example, your friend's baby who's crawling on the floor may end up with a big wad of dog hair in her mouth... I will neither confirm nor deny that this has happened many-a-time in my house over the years!) Also, when a party is held in your home, guests will always have questions about where something is and/or will innocently need a bit of help here and there. Even though no one means any harm by this (obviously!), if you are the one trying to take pictures, film video, set food out, and most importantly, keep your child(ren) happy, safe, organized, and fed on this special day, there is always an extra element of stress when all of this is happening under your own roof, and you're the only one to answer questions about things. Simple solution: go somewhere else for the party! :) Even if that means you head to the park up the street...
THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S LIKES AND PERSONALITY
What does your child love? Bubbles? Elmo? Buses? Balls? Whatever it is, try to incorporate that into the day somehow. It doesn't have to be elaborate. You could take a sheet and put some balls in the center--have guests shake the sheet around and let the balls bounce all over... anything that will evoke happiness in your little one. There is nothing sweeter than seeing your child laughing, squealing, and clapping on his/her special day. All too often, babies celebrating a first birthday end up having a complete meltdown (especially during cake time) because a party can be totally overwhelming for a 12-month-old. (Don't get me wrong, sometimes tears are inevitable, no matter how hard we try to make it a blissful day--and that's okay, too... it adds to the memories, I suppose! Just try to laugh it off and snap some pictures--you'll all laugh about the debacle one day!) But if you are going to invite the whole neighborhood to the party, for example, just make sure your child is outgoing enough to handle that. Sometimes having 50 people singing to you (and staring at you) leads to tears--not joy (as we adults might think). So before you start your planning, I'd suggest that you attempt to think about things from your child's perspective rather than your own... each child is different, so try to get inside the mind of yours. :)
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
When is your child's best time of the day? First thing in the morning? If so, consider a morning party. Does he/she still take two naps? Then maybe mid-day in between naps is best. I think we adults tend to plan parties for dinnertime, but if you think about it, that may be your child's worst time of the day. Even though a first birthday is a great excuse for us adults to have a party and get together with our grown-up friends, I have found that the most successful parties (i.e. the ones where the child is the happiest) are the ones where everything was truly centered around the guest of honor and his/her needs and likes.
IN THE END, RELAX AND HAVE FUN!
With all that said, if you haven't seen your friends in a long time (because you've been busy this past year after all!) and you have been dying to have a party--then by all means, forget about all of the above and go big!! :) Host it at your house, invite the whole gang, cross your fingers that your little one will love every bit of cake time, and then put the baby to bed post-cake and enjoy the rest of your night! After all, it's been quite a year for ALL of you (remember those sleepless nights?!), and that is something for Mom and Dad to celebrate, too!
There's no wrong way to have a first birthday party... just giving you some things to think about, especially if this will be the first time you host a birthday party for your child. :)

If you store your knives in the original wood block they came in (like I do), you are probably dulling your knives inadvertently! My aunt taught me this trick when she was visiting us once. It was one of those lightbulb moments where I was like, "Duh! Of course that's the better way to do it!!"
I think we all tend to store our knives with the sharp side down, perhaps because that's how we hold a knife when we actually use it. But if you think about it, it makes a lot more sense to store them with the sharp edge up. With the sharp edge down, you are dragging the cutting surface across the wood block each time you pull it out or put it back in--obviously this dulls it little by little over time. You can stop this from happening by simply flipping your knives over--store them with the flat side down and the sharp edge up. Your knives will stay so much sharper that way! We have had our knives now for 13 years (since we got married), and they are holding up really well--we rarely sharpen them. (I'm also a believer that they last so much longer if you wash them by hand...)
As for the slots where the knives sit horizontally--well, I've got nothin' for you there! :) Maybe just try to pull the knives in and out without touching the wood too much--almost like playing Operation back in the day! Consider it your daily challenge... you can see if you're surgeon material!

I am so excited to share this idea with you!! When I first started taking these pictures of my daughter each month, I really wasn't sure what I was going to do with them other than have them for comparison (which is pretty neat, in and of itself, I think!) But I came across an offer for a discounted book on Blurb(an online company where you can make your own photo books), and I had the idea to make a little "baby book" for my daughter as a gift for her first birthday. It turned out so cute--I just love it!! It's such a special keepsake for my daughter to mark her first birthday--and her first year!
I do have a traditionalbaby bookthat I'm working on for her, too, (it's about half done even though she's past one now--I will finish it, oh, by the time she's five or so!) but I love the simplicity of this photo book. For those of you who just don't have it in you to spend the time filling out an actual baby book (hey, I know it's not for everyone--especially after the first baby when you have less and less time!), a book like this might be your solution! I took a picture each month of my daughter on her "month birthday" in front of the same bear to show some scale--the bear really gives you a sense of how fast she was growing. At the end of the year, I simply uploaded these pictures to Blurb and then filled in a description of what she was up to that month. (I was able to refer back to her half-finished baby book to help me remember her milestones.) By the way, if your child's first year is already underway (or has past), you obviously don't need "special pictures" to show scale--this post simply illustrates what I did. Any favorite pictures from each month would work just as well if you decide to do something like this!
It will take a little forethought to keep up with the milestones throughout the year (because you will never remember unless you write it down!), but maybe when you take the picture each month, you could also quickly write up a summary of what happened that month--on paper, on your computer, or even in the notes on your phone. At the end of the year, you can quickly whip up this book, and you'll have a very special first birthday gift for your child! You could even give an extra copy to grandparents or someone special in your baby's life.
There are so many book options at Blurb, but I chose a small book that was just 7x7 for this project, and I worked within the Designer Series,which means that things were pre-set to some extent. I ultimately chose the "Geneva" template after messing with some of the others. By making this a designer book, I had less leeway to play with things, but it also made it faster to create the book--I made it all in one sitting one night while I had my computer in my lap and watched TV at the same time! :) If you want the ability to be more creative, you can choose a different style (not the designer series) and play more with backgrounds, layouts, colors, etc.
I have also made many, many photo books at Shutterfly--things like a family cookbook for my brother and new sister-in-law on their wedding day; photo books that I have given as gifts, such as when a friend moved or for the holidays; and plenty of keepsake books for our own family (see a glimpse of many of these books in my organization post here--the mother load of all tips to help organize your home and your life!) This was my first experience using Blurb, however. I have had really good luck with both companies!
The options for photo books are endless... you could pull one together in time for Mother's Day, or give one to your parents after your extended family shares a memorable trip together. Perhaps someone you love is celebrating a special birthday--what better gift to give than a book of photos through the years? I am obviously such a huge fan of books like this! :) And even though I used to do a lot of scrapbooking, I love how you can make one book like this online, and then you're able to order as many copies as you might need for different family members. So much easier! You could even create a book of your family's memories every year and then print a copy for each of your children to take with them one day.
I hope this post has given you some ideas--whether you are inspired to make a book similar to this one to help celebrate your baby's first year or another type of book! Even if you aren't very tech-savvy, these are easier to make than you might think. Give it a try--I have no doubt that you'll end up with something very special.
P.S. In my next post, I will share another idea of how you can use photos like these for something fun. :)

This post has been a year in the making! I started taking these pictures six months before I even had this blog... I first got the idea to take a picture every month on my daughter's "month birthday" after I saw some photos that a friend shared on Facebook. She had taken a picture of her son in a chair next to a big stuffed monkey every month on the same day, and it was fun to see how he grew--or as her cousin commented, "Where did you get that shrinking monkey?!" :)
My daughter was already born when I saw those pictures my friend had taken, so I had to get going if I wanted to do the same thing! I just happened to have taken a picture of my daughter lying across a giant teddy bear in her bedroom shortly after she came home from the hospital, so I figured that would do for month one. So starting with month two, I took a picture of her every month on her "month birthday" in front of that same bear. I really wasn't sure what I would do with the pictures, other than have them as a fun keepsake. But in the end, I did use them in some special ways--I will share what I did in the next two posts to follow! Be sure to check back if you're interested.
I love this idea of taking pictures at the same intervals throughout a baby's first year of life next to something that will show scale. There is never a point in our lives where we will grow that fast again, and it's remarkable to see the difference month after month--and especially from the first month to the last! You could use a stuffed animal as I did here (see how I used a bunny for scale as well as my daughter's Easter basket in this post), or you could use a small chair or a little cradle--anything that will somehow give you a sense of growth.
When I first started taking these pictures, I was just proud of myself when I remembered to snap them! But as time went on and I was less sleep-deprived, I started to have a little more fun with what she was wearing so that it was indicative of the season or holiday. My daughter's older sisters started to look forward to her "mini photo shoot," and they would help me set her up and get her to smile--so cute! :) If you try this, perhaps you could have your child in an outfit or a hat (or even use a chalkboard or a sign of some kind) to help know what time of year it is. Lots of options!
I'm excited to show you what I did with all these pictures... coming soon!
* You might also be interested in this post(one of my very first posts!) where I show how I took pictures of my four girls wearing the exact same thing at the same age--they were all about 8 weeks old. It's so fun to try to tell them apart. Even though they don't look that much alike now, I realize how similar they all seem as babies--especially under a hat!

I have always been obsessed with reusing things--and since I started this blog, my desire to find new purposes for basic items has gone up exponentially. My poor husband. First of all, I'm the type whose kitchen is destroyed after making a meal. While cooking dinner, I typically have a baby hanging off my legs while helping three other children with their homework at the same time. So when my husband walks in after work (on the days I don't ask him to pick dinner up on his way home, mind you), it always looks like a bomb went off--there was some serious multitasking going on for the last hour before his arrival, let's remember. Every once in a while he loses his senses and says, "Wow--you can really make a mess, can't you? I'll never understand why you don't clean up while you cook." And I'll never understand why you think it's a good idea to offer that remark, Bucko.
He is typically captain of the clean up crew at our house since I do the cooking, so I do leave him quite a mess at times. But it's not on purpose. Sure, I would put everything away neatly and do the dishes as things bake beautifully in the oven if I was home alone and had all the time in the world--but I'm not and I don't. So I do the best I can, and he quickly remembers why it's not in his best interest to let me know how I could do things better. :)
Anyhow, when there are cans involved in the clean up, he's always (sighing and) saying, "Can I just put these in the recycling or are you keeping them?" Um, I'm keeping them, pal--hello! There is good use in those beauties!! So my gem of a husband stands and cleans them and pulls the labels off to set them aside for me. I have quite a stash at this point. Which brings me to this post... look at this fun way I've found to reuse those handy cans!
Did you know you can bake in them?? I recently discovered this when a recipe said I could use "large coffee cans" in lieu of loaf pans for baking. What! You can do that?! I never thought about it before, but of course they can go in the oven! You can use them just like a regular pan. So when making chocolate chip pumpkin bread recently (I'll share the recipe later this fall), I simply sprayed some clean cans with Pam and then put the batter in like normal.
I wrapped our cans up in cellophane and added ribbon and a gift tag ("We CAN't thank you enough for all you do!") to distribute to teachers during teacher appreciation week. You could also cover just the top of the can with plastic wrap and then a piece of cute fabric held on with a rubber band--and then tie a ribbon around the rubber band. So many ideas! What a fun gift for teachers, a neighbor, a hostess gift, etc. You could even make a bunch at once and keep them in the freezer, all ready to go!
Here's a closer look...

My girls and I worked on this project one rainy Sunday, and it only took us a few hours to complete it! I really love art with favorite sayings or words that are meaningful in some way, so we decided to give it a go ourselves! It was so easy--I am inspired to try all kinds of different variations now... I'll be sure to share any other canvas art we decide to make!
Here is the step-by-step:

Many of you probably know about today's tip, but if this is one you have never seen before, buckle your seatbelt!! You're going to wish you'd had this trick in your back pocket when learning how to multiply! Obviously anyone learning how to multiply must understand the concept; but once that part of it has been accomplished, sheer memorization takes over. I always thought memorizing the "nines" was the hardest--until someone taught me this trick.
It works like this:
1) Hold out both of your hands, palms down.
2) When multiplying single-digit numbers by nine, you count from left to right and put down the finger that corresponds with the number by which you are multiplying. For example, if I am multiplying 9x5, I will count from left to right, and my thumb will be the fifth finger. I will tuck my thumb under to indicate the break.
3) If you try it, you will see that you have 4 fingers remaining before the break; and you have 5 fingers remaining after the break. Thus, the answer is 45.
See the pictures below to illustrate what I'm trying to describe.
As a third grader, I can distinctly remember playing "Around the World" where one student would stand next to another student's desk. The teacher would hold up a flashcard with a multiplication problem on it, and the student who came up with the correct answer the fastest moved on to the next desk. I would cross my fingers that I'd get a problem with "9" in it every time!! If I was so lucky, I'd fly my hands up in front of me and shout the answer in a flash! Everyone was always trying to figure out what the heck I was doing with my hands! The secret's out now! :)
I hope this little tip is helpful to your kids, students, or maybe even you! Cool, right?! When I taught this to my daughter last year, a smirk spread across her face... After that moment, I'm pretty sure she was hoping to get a problem with "9" in it, too, when their class would play Around the World! I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! :)
P.S. Around the World is a great game to play in the classroom. You can play it as described above with math problems of any kind, but you could also come up with any type of question that needed an answer: telling time, geography, reading comprehension, etc. It's fun for students to see how far they can get before someone beats them out and takes their spot!

Okay, after my last emotional post, I'm ready to lighten things up a bit!! What better way to do that than to give away some free stuff?! :) Thanks so much to Brittney from bramBoutiquefor being incredibly generous and offering $140 worth of products from the super cute shop she and her sister share--woohoo!! The winner will receive a beautiful gray argyle scarf, a fun set of 4 pillow covers (choose either the Mandarin set or the Miami set), and a trendy owl necklace! Pan down to the bottom of this post for larger pictures of each item and more details. (* Please note that the winner will be responsible to pay for the cost of shipping the items as arranged through Brittney. This offer expires at midnight on 4/11/13.)
I first found Brittney when I ordered two of her scarves through a deal I saw on Very Jane. (For more about Very Jane, read below--I am totally obsessed!!) I have the aqua and white chevron scarf and a solid red one. I have never owned an infinity scarf before, but they are so popular right now, and once I had one, I could see why! I have worn mine a ton since I got it a couple of months ago, and they really add something to even a simple t-shirt. My eight- and ten-year-old daughters have borrowed them, too, and I know they have felt quite sassy in Mommy's fun scarves! :) I was really happy with the quality once I received them, and I made a new friend along the way as well. (With everything that happened over the last few days with my blog, Brittney was so patient as she waited for this giveaway to go up so I could concentrate on the stir that was caused by a reader attacking my choice to be a stay at home mom despite my college degree; Brittney even tried to track me down via phone to make sure I was doing okay. What a sweetheart. :) Anyone would be lucky to work with such a wonderful person!)
When I contacted Brittney to see if she might want to give away one of her awesome scarves because I love mine so much, she was all for it--and then she threw in FOUR (!) pillow covers and the necklace, too, to total $140 in prizes! Wow--beyond generous. THANK YOU, Brittney!
You can find Brittney and bramBoutique here:
* bramBoutique's Etsy shop
* bramBoutique's Facebook page
* bramBoutique's (brand new!) blog

How to Enter:
I'm moving into the big leagues with this giveaway, and I'm trying Rafflecopter for the first time. (Lord help me--I have no idea what I'm doing!!) Ultimately this should save me a little time so I don't have to count comments. Rafflecopter keeps track of everything and will generate a random winner at the end--sounds easy enough!
Within the widget below, you will simply need to "like" both Harvard Homemaker and bramBoutique on Facebook in order to enter. That's it!

I never had any intention of writing a post like thiscertainly not this week, maybe not ever. I started this blog back in October as a hobby. My goal was to spread some happiness and share ideas that might be helpful to other women like me. I wasnt interested in tackling issues that were too deep because life is serious enough already. But over the weekend, I received my first real hate comment on my blog. (View both comments at the bottom of my About Me page.) I knew it would be coming at some point, but it did rattle me a bit. I was immediately sweating when I realized the comment was not the typical sweet one but rather as harsh as they come. Apparently this readers parents forgot to teach her about the Golden Rule.
I know you cant please everyone, no matter how hard you try. But I guess I thought the haters I might attract would be those who disagree with a well-intentioned mommy tip I share, or let me know that I was using the wrong type of paint on the chairs my kids and I finished (because we really didn't know what we were doing!)
But my first hater attacked my choice to be a stay at home mom because I have a college degree. In that initial moment, I was stunned and deflatedbut mostly I was angry. Angry because this woman had missed the mark in so many waysit was almost laughable, really. And I was angry because I couldnt believe she felt that she had the right to tell mesomeone shes never even methow to live my life.
Being the eternal optimist that I am, and after the outpouring of support from my family, friends, and readers, I decided that I was going to turn this negative experience into a positive one. From the comments that were sent my way (most notably on my blog's Facebook page), I realized this is a topic that women could benefit from discussing more openly. Every single one of us has a different story, yet at the root of it all, we women are all trying to make sense of our place in the worldwithout being judged and without feeling guilt for those choices.
I hate to mention this anonymous reader too often, because perhaps creating a stir like this is exactly what she was intending. I really dont want to give her that satisfaction. But I feel the need to highlight a quote or two for this discussion, and truly, she is the catalyst for this post. She told me, you are contributing to a culture which values a woman's ability to sort laundry rather than have an enriching career with the education she's pursued." I dont see it that way. I am sorting laundry, yes. But if I was working full time, its not like that laundry would do itself. As one reader wrote on my Facebook page, I sometimes do feel that I am using my education to fold laundry, but I remind myself that if I were 'doing it all,' I'd still be folding laundry after an exhausting day of work AND running around. I've chosen a life path that allows me to do anything rather than EVERY thing! Any woman (or man, for that matter) who has ever stayed at home with their children knows that we are much more than housekeepers. I do believe its the hardest job there is (despite my anonymous reader telling me I need a serious reality check for thinking so), and many women who go to work each day admit that it can be a relief to hand off a screaming child so that someone else can deal with the stress for a while! Another reader wrote on my About Me page, My husband is a pediatric oncologist/hematologist. One would think that might be one of the hardest jobs in the world--who wants to tell families that their children have cancer on a routine basis? But if and when my husband is trying to get work done at home, he doesn't last more than 10 minutes. He looks at me, shakes his head, and says, I don't know how you do it. This is impossible.
All day long, I take care of my thirteen-month-oldmy fourth daughter. I feed her, change her, and basically keep her safe and alive. As Im writing this, she is crawling around me while Sesame Street plays in the background. I suppose some could criticize me for not giving her my undivided attention at all times (and perhaps even for having the television on), but I pause every now and then when she seeks my approval. I say, Wow, youre so great! in my most animated voice, and she seems more than happy with our exchanges before returning to her toys. She is learning to busy herself without needing someone else to constantly entertain her. At one point, she comes up to me while hitting her mouth with her handthe sign for eat. Without the need for crying or a tantrum, I instantly know shes hungry, so we walk to the kitchen together, and I tear up a piece of bread. She takes it from my hand, piece by piece, and feeds herself so she can work on developing her fine-motor skills. When its clear that shes done, she returns to her toys, and I go back to writing this post. Even in these small everyday exchanges, there are teaching moments.
My other three girls are typically in school, but my third is also next to me todayhome sick with a fever and dozing quietly. Im grateful that as a stay at home mom, I dont have to jump through hoops to work out care for a sick childor figure out a way to stay home from work myself and have a colleague or two irritated by my last-minute need to cancel meetings. All three of us are still in our pajamas even though its past noon now, and I havent brushed my hair (or my teeth) yetor looked in the mirror, for that matter. The breakfast dishes still sit next to the sink, and I havent even begun to think about lunch. Wait, did I even eat breakfast? Throughout my day, I will probably do 3-4 loads of laundry, return emails, order my desperately-needed groceries online, send a birthday card, clean up the mess that still remains from having the whole family home over the weekend, and continue to take care of one sick child and another one who is just learning to walk and talk.
Since I can't run any errands today with a daughter home sick, I won't be forced to get dressed until its time to pick up my older two girls. When they jump in the car, they will surely be bubbling with stories of their day. More often than not, at least one will tell me about something someone at school did that was unkind or hurtful in some way. This will occasionally be directed at them, but typically its something they have witnessed. Usually its innocent enough, but they are always seeking my take on the event to help them process it. We discuss how they could have helped the person being targeted, or maybe I just explain that I think it was a misunderstanding. I could go on about the ins and outs of my day as a stay at home mom, but you get the picture. And honestly, many of you reading this are quite possibly in the same boat--your daily life may sound much like mine, so you really need no description. To some, we may just be sorting laundry, but we all know that our role is much larger than that. My girls will only be young like this once. Being home at this stage in my life is enough for me. I know I matter.
This weeks cover story in New York Magazine, The Feminist HousewifeCan Women Have It All by Staying at Home? by Lisa Miller, fell right in my lap the day after my lovely reader thought it was her place to tell me how I was a disgrace to women everywhere by squandering my education. The article states that Feminism has fizzled, its promise only half-fulfilled. This is the revelation of the moment a cause of grief for some, fury for others. Clearly this anonymous reader is in the fury category. But truly, to some extent, I can understand it.
Those women who came before us fought for the right to vote, for equality in the workplace, for respect as thinking, capable individuals. So now, according to Miller, at a time when American women are better educated than theyve ever been, better educated now than men, in factwomen who still ultimately make the choice to stay at home are often viewed as wasting the efforts of feminists, almost as if we are letting the women of previous generations down.
So where do we go from here? Are women supposed to seek a career, then, just because we can? Many women enter their twenties ready to take on the world. We have images of ourselves doing it all, and doing it well, too. But sometimes dreams change, and when you get there, it may even feel like a nightmare for some. Stacy Morrison, editor-in-chief of BlogHer (a network of 3000 blogs for and by women, of which this blog is a member) is quoted by Miller as saying that women today feel that the trade-offs now between working and not working are becoming more and more unsustainable. Miller writes, what if all the fighting is just too much? What if not all women have the ambition to prove their worth in the working world? What if a woman has a more modest amount [of ambition] that neither drives nor defines her? I have come to realize that I fall in this category. I am proud of my past accomplishments, but I dont feel the need at this stage in my life to continue to achieve outside the home. I believe that my daughters (and my husband) currently need me more than the workplace does. I know I am giving up the chance to earn a big salary and a pat on the back in exchange for a thankless job with no sick days, no pay, and little respect. But theres no place Id rather be. So please dont judge me for staying at home because I dont judge those women who work (either by choice or necessity).
In Millers article, she interviews Kelly Makino, a self-proclaimed flaming liberal and feminist, who surprised even herself by her choice to become a stay at home mom when her husband took a position that required more travel. Makino says, I want my daughter to be able to do anything she wants but I also want to say, Have a career that you can walk away from at the drop of a hat. That is exactly the choice I want my own four daughters to have. The dreams they have now may change once they get to where theyre going. And thats okaybecause whatever they choose to do with their lives is a choice I will be thankful they have--and one I will fully support.
I know my own dreams have been in constant motion. I went off to Harvard thinking I would become a doctor. But when I got there, I started to worry about all that comes with itthe schooling, the long hours, the unpredictability. I knew I also wanted to become a wife and mother one day, and I was beginning to worry about how I would balance it all. So I took a different turn, and I wound up in Manhattan post-college with a job that many recent graduates would have killed for. But my college boyfriend and I were managing a long-distance relationship, so my heart was never really in New York. We eventually got engaged, I moved south to be with him, and we married just two summers after I had graduated from Harvard. When I went to my 5-year reunion, there were only a handful of us who were already married. And I was literally the only one there (that I found) who had become a parent. I had my daughter strapped to me in a Baby Bjorn throughout most of that weekend.
Nobody could believe I was a mother at the age of 27 in that crowd. Most were still seeking higher degrees or working their way up the corporate ladder. To some extent, I felt a little like a teenager who got knocked up and derailed her life before it really got started. But that feeling came from my own insecurities, I know. Nobody made me feel like my choices hadnt been good ones. Quite the contrarymany former classmates were tired of still being in school after all those years, and those in the work force were becoming annoyed by the face time they needed to put in to show their superiors how driven they were. They felt ready to start their lives alreadyjust as they thought I had done.
My anonymous reader, amongst her many choice comments, demanded to know how I arrived at the name Harvard Homemaker for my blog. She accused me of "bragging and being an elitist with that title. How does having an esteemed degree from the [sic] perhaps the most prestigious school in the country make you more qualified to do your job as a homemaker? she wrote. It doesnt, lady. I never said that it does. You inferred that all by yourself, and you also connected the words in a way that I never intended. Perhaps the name comes from me finally owning the choices that Ive made and being proud of themno longer apologizing for attending Harvard, becoming a young mom, and then (gasp!) deciding to stay at home. Almost right from the start after graduation, I chose a life of domesticity. I went against the grain in some respects. Maybe that choice could even be viewed as commendable because I didnt let society tell me what I should do with my hard-earned degree; instead, I chose a path that I knew was right for me and my family. Im the Harvard girl who became a homemaker. Thats where my blogs title comes from. Simple enough. I really didn't think it was that confusing. And just because I dont have a high-powered job doesnt mean I have wasted my degree, despite what my reader thinks. An education is never wasted. Ever. Its a ridiculous statement to say otherwise.
Back in college I took a class where we had to conduct an experiment. We were expected to make a hypothesis, carry out the experiment, and then analyze the data. My college sweetheart (now my husband) had already graduated and was living across town in Boston. When I went to visit him, I always hopped on the bus and took the straight shot down Massachusetts Avenue to his apartment. Since I was on the bus each way a couple of times a week, it was the perfect place for me to study peoples behavior in a group setting. I wanted to see what choices people made when finding a seat.
Think about what you do when you get on an elevator. Lets say there is one other person in the elevator when you enter. Do you go stand as close to that person as possible? No. You will position yourself as far from that person as you can. A third person enters; that person will then center herself between you both, and so on. We are programmed to respect one anothers personal space. But what happens on a bus when there is someone in every single row? How do you choose your seat?
I guessed that when forced to sit right next to someone, people would be most likely to choose a person of their own race. Wrong. I found that overwhelmingly, people chose to sit next to members of the same sex, regardless of raceparticularly among women. As time went on, I began to watch for it. I would sit with my little notebook slyly open, and I would chart everyones movements. A woman would walk down the aisle, her eyes darting around quickly as she surveyed her fellow bus-riders in search of a seat that would make her feel most comfortable. She wanted to feel safe among a sea of strangers. Almost every single time, she found that safety alongside another woman. It was fascinating, and I couldn't help but smile at the phenomenon.
I want to get back on that bus. I want to return to a place where women instinctively support one another in this wide world of ours, because if we cant figure out how to do that, how do we expect the men in our lives (and in society) to stand behind us? Makino stated in Millers article, I feel like we are evolving into something that is not defined by those who came before us. Perhaps we women are finally reaching a point where we can have it all but respect that the term all means different things to each of us. We can be grateful for the pioneers who came before us, allowing women the right to choose their own path. We can accept the notion that at any point, our needs and the needs of our family may change, and we can always re-enter the workforce or leave it. We can understand that until weve walked a mile in another womans shoes, its not our place to pass judgment. And we can agree that in the end, we simply need to be happy.
Im on that bus. The seat next to me is open, and I welcome you to take it.

Until next time... thanks for reading. :)
~HH
P.S. As always, I welcome your comments below. I think this is a subject we could all benefit from discussing more openly.

* If you have interest in keeping up with me through this blog (most topics are much lighter than this!),please sign up to get my monthly newsletter.I promise not to clutter your inbox--I have a hard enough time getting the one email out each month! :)

Welcome to "Fast Tip Friday!" I came up with that snazzy little name all by myself. (Why, thank you--you're too kind...) For those of you who have been following my blog, you are well aware of the fact that I am very thorough, for better or worse!! I don't know that I have it in me to write a short post.
Enter: Friday Fast Tips!
I've decided to start a series on Fridays where I will share a quick tip with all of you. We'll see if I can find a way to keep it short, with just one or two pictures. (This may be a challenge for me, people!!) I'm hoping it will allow me to get more ideas out to all of you without each post being a novel. :)
Don't forget to check back on Fridays to see what the latest tip will be! I'm hopeful each one will be helpful to you in some way.

Quick Fireplace Update
Look at this dramatic change!! My friend was so smart to do this to their family's fireplace in their new home. They simply painted the brick and added the mantle. They also updated the brass trim on the glass doors by spray-painting it with black, fire-resistant paint. She said that saved them $1000 since they didn't have to purchase new doors. What a difference!
So bright and airy! I love what they did!! Such a quick, cost-efficient way to freshen up the look of their rather tired fireplace.

This little cake and cupcakes were so easy, but they look pretty darn impressive, if I do say so myself! :) I whipped them out in a hurry (during naptime), and even though I thought the whole experiment was going to fail miserably when I first got started, it ended up working out! And don't you think this would make a great sweet treat for Easter? The polka dots resemble eggs a bit... cute!
I used the mini cake as a smash cake at my daughter's first birthday party (see her other smash cake here when we celebrated as a family), and the cupcakes were for the kids at her party. The older kids absolutely loved biting into their cupcakes to see what color was inside!
I first got the polka dot cake ideahere at easybaked. I thought about making a beautiful three-layer cake like she did, but how was I going to take a picture of it for this blog without cutting the cake apart before the party?! (Although let's be honest--that does sound like something I would do... I have been known to bring people a six-pack as a hostess gift with one or two beers {or Mike's Lite!} missing because that's all we had in our fridge on our way out the door. All part of my charm, people... just trying to get from point A to point B half the time without forgetting anything--or anybody!!)
My other thought was that a fancy cake looked like a whole lot of work for a kids' party... if I'm going to go to all that trouble, somebody better appreciate it! :) So I ultimately decided to make cupcakes. And then when I had some extras, I pulled together the smash cake at the last second. Originally, my new one-year-old was just going to have a cupcake like everybody else, but she wound up with her own little cake... I'd say it was a successful first attempt at this! Now that I know how easy it is, I have a feeling polka dot cakes will become commonplace around here--you can just switch the colors for each season or holiday! Imagine a red, white, and green one around Christmas; red, white, and blue for the 4th of July; chocolate with orange, red, and yellow in the fall, etc. What a fun dessert for any party, all year long!
Read below to see how easy this really is...

There is something so special about watching a baby taste cake (or even sugar) for the first time. You always imagine them diving into their very own smash cake and being covered with frosting from head to toe, blissfully loving this sweet goodness they have only just discovered! But I must say that all four of my girls were not too thrilled with it at first. To make matters worse, two of them burned their fingers on the candle. There were tears from each of them at some point along the way. But in the end, these are always some of life's most memorable moments, no matter how they go down!
With this being my fourth go-around at a first birthday cake, I have learned a thing or two... definitely a lot of what NOT to do! :) This is also the first time I have seen a daughter turn one since Pinterest came into my life. (Oh boy!) There are lots of ideas out there now to make it extra fun... and the photo ops, people!! This is a once in a lifetime chance to get some pictures of your child that you'll never forget. So a few weeks before my youngest turned one, I started flipping through ideas on Pinterest. I'm a minimalist in certain ways, and it was just going to be our little family of six sharing this moment, but I did want a few special touches to help make it memorable.
After some searching, I got most of my inspiration here at Life with the Rudys with this simple set-up of a high chair and a "ONE" banner. We actually no longer have a high chair, though. (I'm a big fan of just using a booster seat either like this that attaches to the table or like this that attaches to the chair--saves space in your kitchen; less expensive; many high chairs swallow up the youngest babies just starting solids; and the baby can join the family at the table this way, too! If I could do it all over again, I would probably skip the high chair! That's what I'm doing this time with my fourth daughter--we put her right into a booster seat that attaches to the chair and has its own tray. Just my two cents...)
Since we don't have a high chair, I wanted to use a cute chair for our daughter's birthday fun for two reasons:
1) It would make for cuter pictures, of course!
2) I can pull the chair back so she won't burn her finger. (Babies always reach for the candle!! And if it's really close to them--on a high chair tray--they will inevitably burn themselves...)
So, I grabbed one of the colorful chairs from our playroom. (We bought our playroom table and chair set at Land of Nodalmost 10 years ago. I can't tell you how well it has held up--it has hosted many a tea party, that's for sure!! We did paint the originally-white chairs to make them four different colors along the way, though, to add some color to the playroom. Hence, the handy bright pink chair for this occasion!) The playroom table was going to be too high, though, I realized. I tried propping the baby up on a pillow on the chair (with her secured to it with my belt!), but she still didn't seem very stable. So we were just about to take a cardboard box and create a little table for her (my oldest daughter's idea--smart, I thought!), when I walked right past a mini-bench that I use as an end table in one room. I had forgotten about that... perfect!
Now I had the chair and the table... I just wanted to add a little "One" banner, some balloons, and a hat... and we all decided that having her eat in her diaper would make the most sense since she would surely be a mess. So we stuck her sister's pearl necklace on her to "girl" her up a bit--too cute! And now we just had to bring out the cake!
Read further to see how I put it all together. Such a fun day! And would you look at that face... clearly, she is fired up!
* View her other smash cake here from her little party with her friends later that week... polka dots! So easy to make it. :)

I love to create my own invitations. I actually used to have a hand-designed stationery business where I used my own handwriting as the font. But it was time consuming since I had to measure everything with a ruler to make sure it was centered! So eventually that went by the wayside after baby #2 arrived, but I still really enjoy cards, stationery, invitations, and the design process. I often make them on the computer and print them out, but I did things a little differently this time around.
I recently shared a photo session of my youngest daughter where I got some cute pictures of her on the beach with balloons. Afterward I decided to use one of these pictures to create her first birthday party invitation. Side note: we don't live near any family, so we were actually only inviting 6 of her little friends and their siblings to her low-key party (find many fun pictures of her playgroup buddieshere),and I know an email to the moms could have sufficed, but it's so fun to have a special invitation to tuck away--especially for a first birthday! I couldn't help myself--and besides, I love this stuff!! You only turn one once! :)
Oftentimes when I upload my pictures to sites with pre-designed cards, the text ends up on top of someone's face or I don't care for the layout, etc. But I just discovered Wishing Tree Designswhen making these invitations, and I love how you can be in charge of all that there! For this particular invitation, I did something even easier yet--I actually added the text myself using Skitch, a free program I downloaded on my computer, and then uploaded the picture all ready to go to Wishing Tree Designs. I was able to add a bright pink border there and print the cards on special paper that rivaled Minted's "pearlescent paper" for about half the price! (And in my opinion, Minted's paper is the ultimate when it comes to stationery!!! I am a huge fan. Although I will say that Minted's envelopes were far superior to those from Wishing Tree Designs if that's something you care about--but remember that you will save a lot of money at Wishing Tree Designs, and you can create your own design there, too. I also just received an email from them--they are currently offering 25% off your order plus free shipping with the code EASTER25).
Below I will detail the steps I took to create my cards. You could do just about anything you can dream up! Have fun with it... maybe you could even get a head-start on personalized cards for Mother's Day or Father's Day!

When my youngest daughter's birthday was approaching, we happened to be at the beach for a few days--lucky timing for me! I think there is no better place to take pictures than at the beach. And I thought it might be fun to grab a bunch of balloons to add some color and mark our daughter's one-year celebration. I've never used balloons on the beach before, but I really think they made the pictures extra special. (Click here to see how I used one of these pictures to create her first birthday party invitation and matching thank you note.)
Things almost went awry from the get-go, though. My husband ran out to the grocery store in the morning, and I asked if he would order a mix of balloons while there to be picked up later in time for sunset. He proudly came home with a colorful bunch of balloons already in hand; I didn't have the heart to tell him that I wasn't sure they would still be floating by that night! Sure enough, they were practically sitting on the floor eight hours later. Poor guy thought he was being so helpful by checking it off the list first thing in the morning!
Then on the way to the beach, we realized that it was pretty cloudy. There really wouldn't even be a sunset--but at least it wasn't windy and no one would be squinting! (You can't have everything!) We were meeting my parents, and they weren't even sure that it was worth taking any pictures because there was very little light left. I told them the photos would be dark, but I thought I could adjust the lighting afterward so they would still be useable--I wasn't about to bail on the whole thing! I mean, I had just gotten myself and four girls ready and out the door!! And we had BALLOONS, people!!
So when we finally arrived at the beach, we headed out toward the water. I buried the little coffee cup that the balloons were attached to down in the sand, stepped back, and right on cue, the balloons proceeded to lie straight across the beach and on top of the baby. While my husband was throwing up his hands and muttering some nonsense about not even using the balloons, I quickly moved to plan B. (Not use the balloons?!! That was crazy talk.) I happened to have a scissors with me because I had promised the girls they could let the balloons go one by one when we were all done, and so I cut off some extra ribbon hanging from a few balloons and tied all of those pieces together. I took that one long piece I now had and tied it to the balloons, and then I wanted someone to hold that off-camera to pull the balloons up. (Meanwhile, the sun was going down quickly, and it was getting darker by the second... ah, the joys of a family photo session!)
My husband was already maxed out at this point with the balloon debacle, and we had yet to take a single picture. (Are all husbands this way when pictures are involved? Because it seems like some kind of rule to me!) So my dad came to the rescue, and he calmly took over balloon patrol. If you look really closely, you can see the ribbon he's holding! :) It actually worked out pretty well because I like how the balloons sit straight up and then kind of curl over the top of the baby.
You can see how dark it truly was in a few before and after shots. Someday I will write a post showing you how I use iPhoto to edit my pictures. And yes, I edit almost every single picture I take. Even if it's just some quick cropping or adjustment of lighting. It makes a world of difference--you can take a so-so picture and make it one to remember! I think the photos below demonstrate exactly that.
Hopefully these shots will give you a little inspiration! I think balloons add an element of happiness and fun to any photo for any age group!
And happy first birthday to my sweet girl! You're the best little caboose our family could ever dream of having. You make us perfectly complete. xo

Alright, my friends, this is a recipe you're going to want to try! If you like tortellini, and you like soup (and you like FAST!), this one is for you!! My friends and family can't believe I am only just now posting this recipe because it is my go-to speedy recipe, and it's also tasty and healthy to boot! My kids honestly jump up and down when I tell them I'm making this for dinner. (Although I will admit that they try to avoid the spinach, but it sneaks into an occasional bite!) I have submitted this recipe for every fundraiser cookbook I have ever participated in through churches, schools, etc., and I can't believe the number of people around town who tell me that they found the recipe in one of those cookbooks and now make it all the time, too! So I think this recipe gets "famous" status for that! :)
This is one of the few recipes I use where I know the ingredients by heart--simply because there isn't much to remember! So if I find myself out and about, I can swing into the grocery store and grab the few things that I need, head home, and have this on the table in about 15 minutes. Add some warm, crusty bread and you're all set!
You all know that I love this crockpot chicken noodle soup (it even gets the nod on my birthday!), but honestly, I make this tortellini soup even more often just because it's so quick. Getting dinner on the table in 15 short minutes is tough to beat! And just like the chicken noodle soup is great for babies just starting to eat finger foods, this is another recipe that's perfect for the little ones. I grind some up with a hand blender and my 11-month-old (virtually toothless) daughter eats it like nobody's business! And I think eating foods like this helps her to develop a taste for things our family already eats and loves, too.
I hope you like it! I have a feeling it might be added to your regular rotation! :)

WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Leplady, who left the 46th comment, wins!! See the screenshot down below. And to everyone else: Lisa is offering free shipping to anyone who orders through the end of March. Please use the code FREEBIRD. Thanks so much for entering!

I love "moments", and I'm always afraid one will sneak past me before I can truly savor it. So when we were having our fourth daughter, I knew I wanted to make a huge deal out of her arrival. In part, I wanted to celebrate her birth, of course, and the completion of our family; but I also wanted to make sure her sisters were involved and excited about this big change. It had been just the three of them for so long, and I was worried about how they would adjust--especially my youngest (my third) since she had been the baby herself for almost five years.
When I was pregnant with each of my girls, we kept the names we had chosen a secret. To be honest, we just didn't want to hear any negative feedback, and it's also fun to have "the big reveal" on the day the baby is born. (With our first two girls, we also didn't know their gender. More on the gender reveal of girls three and four in a future post... remember that I like "moments"!) :)
With my fourth pregnancy, my husband and I decided to keep the name we had picked not only from friends and family, but we kept it from our daughters as well. For one, they would never have been able to keep a secret; and two, they loved to brainstorm and come up with names for the baby. (I have so many name lists tucked away as keepsakes!) So we hated to take away that fun from them. As the baby's arrival neared, then, I decided that after months and months of our older girls dreaming about her name, it would be so memorable for them if we revealed it in a special way. And it would help them create a memory that will surely last a lifetime surrounding their sister's birth.
I would lie awake at night (I was up with her kicking me all the time anyhow!), trying to come up with a way to reveal her name... should I order shirts? Should I have a blanket made with her name on it? Should I create a game? Maybe there should be a birthday party? In the end, I basically did all of the above. I put together a scavenger hunt that was left behind in the house. There were clues and letters, and the girls had to run all over the house to collect them... so when the baby was born, we called them and they were shouting, "What's her name? What's her name?!" And I told them there was a note waiting for them in the house--they were to read the note and then call us when they had her name. Huh? They had no idea what was going on!
I was so worried the baby would make her way into the world before I had everything set up for the scavenger hunt. I couldn't hide the clues too early or the girls might find them! We also weren't sure of her middle name until shortly before she was born. But in the end, it all worked out just fine. I actually ended up being induced, so I was able to explain it all to our sitter, and I even had birthday cupcakes waiting for them at the end.
What a great memory for all of us--our girls talk about it all the time. Read below to see how it all unfolded! :) (By the way, starting a blog was not even on my radar back when these pictures were taken... it's so funny to me now that I have a photo record of all of this!! Apparently writing a blog is exactly what I should be doing--ha!) :)

These cookies melt in your mouth... I think it's the powdered sugar that goes into the dough. And if only you could smell the almond extract--mmm!!! We typically make them without the chocolate--either rolled in sugar and then flattened with the bottom of a glass, or cut into shapes and then either sprinkled with colored sugar or topped with frosting. But with Valentine's Day around the corner, my daughter and I decided to add a heart-shaped chocolate, and she also voted to color the dough pink. (With a houseful of girls, we need some pink cookies every now and then!) If you're someone who doesn't like things too sweet, though, I'd leave the chocolate off. Don't get me wrong; these are sinfully good! But the cookie part itself is perfectly sweet even without the chocolate. Your choice!
Here is the step-by-step for those of you who like the visuals (me!)... my five-year-old was my partner this time around. Her older sisters got to have playdates one afternoon while she stayed behind, so I turned this little friend's frown upside down with a consolation prize--the joy of making cookies with mommy! (I might have danced a little jig and made some silly face, too... works every time...)

Kids love Valentine's Day! If you have children, I'm sure they are already getting fired up for February 14th! And who can blame them--parties at school, sweets up the wazoo, and receiving a card from each and every friend... sign me up, too! :)
My girls usually make their own Valentines to exchange with their classmates, but this year we decided to get creative by using their picture. One of my daughters received a Valentine like this last year where it looks like they're being handed a sucker--so fun! We all thought that was such a neat idea, so this post details our own version of it!
You simply need to get a picture of your child holding their hand straight out--make sure it's slightly off to the side or the sucker will end up right in front of their face, though! You then cut two slits in the photo, insert the stem of the sucker, and you're good to go! Easy.
For my daughters' photos, I set up a little photo shoot outside (I love having girls who are always up for doing these kinds of things!!! Seriously--it's like a dream come true for this photo-loving-mama!) I taped up a canvas on our garage door and hung a few hearts from a tiny Christmas tree that was still hanging around. All I needed was a red blanket for them to sit on, and our set was complete!
After uploading the pictures, I used Skitch, a free program I downloaded, to add the text to the photos. (The font shown is Mountains of Christmas... I am totally obsessed with that cute font these days!!) The girls and I decided to use the saying, "I've got to HAND it to you... you're GREAT!" Next I uploaded the pictures, complete with text, to Shutterflyand printed them there for less than $0.15 each! (I had some free ones mixed in, so I didn't have to pay for them all--nice!)
What a simple, affordable, and personal way for your child to say "Happy Valentine's Day" to their friends!

The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and chances are you might be watching it--or eating while it plays in the background anyhow! (That would be me... who's playing again?? Sadly, I'm serious. Ask me about hockey, though, and I'm golden!! I can only focus on one sport at a time!)
This super-easy dip recipe is perfect for a Super Bowl party or any type of gathering. Our family makes it all the time--and I mean all the time. It only has three ingredients, so you can pick up everything at the store in a hurry without having to reference your recipe book.
Let me know what you think. If you whip it up this weekend, I have a feeling you will bring an empty bowl home--I'll be surprised if there's any left!!
Enjoy the game--and the commercials! :)

Valentine's Day will be here before we know it! If you are starting to think about a gift for that special someone, I have put together some ideas below with the hope that it will help get you thinking and save you some time from searching all over the web yourself! Most of these ideas would work for an anniversary or wedding as well.
I am sharing some cute do-it-yourself gifts that I've come across--you can click on the link provided to find the tutorial. They range from being simple and sweet to being a bit more involved. I have also searched the web for some different options if you're more of a shopper. In particular, I had a lot of luck at two sites I just discovered: Boldloft and Layla Grayce. I also pointed you to Geezees Custom Canvas Artwhere I had a canvas made last year for our master bedroom. I love it so much!!! You can have absolutely anything you can imagine made--a perfect anniversary or wedding gift, too! (Receive a 10% discount there through 2/27/13 for all my readers! See below for the code.)
I hope these ideas are helpful to you! Enjoy some time with the one you love on Valentine's Day or any day, my friends! :)

I love to organize!!
Okay, that may be overstating things a bit.
Let's rephrase: I love to be organized.
I think all of us love to be organized, whether we admit it or not. Let's face it, there is so much less stress in life when things aren't a complete debacle.
Sometimes I really have my act together on that front, and other times--not so much. When I can't take the chaos anymore, it's time to reassess! Every January, I always seem to get the bug to revise my "systems" because after a while, things just seem like they aren't working. This has brought on simple changes in the past, like moving things around in closets and labeling bins; but it also led to a renovation project one year where we actually widened our hallway and added cubbies to create a mudroom of sorts. (Ahhhhh... so much less stress in the mornings now!)
With four kids, I always seem to have a hard time getting out the door. Being (somewhat) organized is practically a law for moms. Kids dressed: check. Bags ready: check. Shoes on: check. (Except for the time I forgot we were picking up one daughter and then going straight to the dentist--so two of my girls weren't wearing shoes since I had told them they wouldn't even need to get out of the car. Oops! Okay... so maybe it's happened twice...)
Anyhow, if this time of year also makes you feel the need to get more organized, this post is for you! Along with the help of some friends with super-smart ideas, I have detailed every possible way I could think of to help you tame the chaos in your home, and most importantly, get time back in your day! Not only have I detailed ways to organize your laundry, kitchen, closets, shoes, jewelry, etc. but I have also shared ways that I manage what can be the overwhelming task of creating keepsakes. (I don't mess around when it comes to keepsakes.) Most of those ideas simply take a little forethought--not necessarily a lot of time. And a few points could also qualify as parenting tips that work for me--how teaching your children to do more for themselves leads to a neater home and a calmer mama (not to mention more confident, self-sufficient kids!) :)
This post is massive--there are over 110 ideas here--and it took me almost two months to write it. (I didn't realize quite how ambitious I was being when I first started it!) I have made it as visually appealing as possible so you can skim it and stop to read certain sections that catch your eye. I'm honestly not sure that there's anyone out there who will read every single word (except for maybe my dad!), but I hope various ideas grab your attention and give you some inspiration! Not everything may work for you, your family, or your home, but if even a few ideas help to make your life a little less hectic, then all the time I spent on this post will be worth it! :)
May 2013 be your best--and most organized--year yet!
(And as always, please share any of your own favorite tips in the comments below... I'd love to know what works for you!)

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! :) There is a screenshot down below of the number generated!! Pan down--it's underneath the picture of Arrington and her daughter. Drumroll, please...

I have four daughters, and I have only just discovered the adorable clothing line from Matilda Jane--if only I had known about this ridiculous cuteness sooner!! A friend of mine also had on a dress I absolutely loved this summer--I couldn't ask her fast enough where she got it, and it turns out Matilda Jane has women's clothes, too! Who knew?! (Unfortunately for me, that dress in no longer available, but good thing I know where my friend lives so I can borrow hers!!) :)
There are a few pictures in this post to give you a sense of the Matilda Jane style. You can also view their "Lookbook"or the "Shop the Collection" section of their websiteto see more. Sizes range from 6M -14 Tween for girls, and for adults: XS-XL.
This clothing line is only available through in-home Trunk Shows, but as luck would have it, I happen to know one awesome trunk keeper! Arrington Howard is the trunk keeper for the Raleigh, North Carolina area, but you can order through her even if you don't live in Raleigh! Arrington (isn't that the prettiest name?!) has been so sweet to offer one of my readers a $50 gift card toward anything that Matilda Jane carries.
Matilda Jane's spring line (called "Good Hart") launches on February 1, so this giveaway will expire on that day, just in time for the winner to go shopping! :) I know I can't wait to go shopping myself for some spring cuteness! (My youngest daughter turns one soon, and I already have a Matilda Jane outfit that I bought last fall, ready and waiting for her! Can't wait to snap some pictures of her in it around her first birthday. I have a feeling some shots will end up in a future post at some point!) :)
Thanks again to Arrington for offering this great giveaway. Please email her with any questions or if you would like to make any future purchases. (Remember that you cannot purchase directly from the Matilda Jane website.) She is the best!! When we had professional pictures taken recently, Arrington totally helped me outfit two of my girls--they are down below, head-to-toe in Matilda Jane!
Pan down to see how easy it is to enter... you or a little girl you love could be sporting some snazzy new duds for spring in no time! :)

Happy New Year, my friends! After eating like it's my job over the past month, I know I'm ready to start taking better care of myself again! So tonight for dinner, my family had one of our old favorites. I hadn't made it in a while, and I had forgotten just how easy it is! A friend shared this recipe with me years ago, and I remember being surprised by what went into the dressing: just three ingredients, and you will probably have them all on hand!
Most of the time I am in a hurry to get dinner on the table and I just grab a bottle of salad dressing, but I think a salad with homemade dressing really is so much better. And this dressing takes about 60 seconds to whip up--I need to make this more often!! It's really light and sweet, so it pairs well with any kind of fruit... I often add apples, kiwi, berries, pears, dried apricots, Craisins, etc. Nuts are a good addition as well--here, I added sunflower nuts, but I also love to lightly brown pine nuts over heat (no oil or butter added)... yum! Just be sure to watch the pine nuts closely because they can burn easily.
We also add grilled chicken quite often. Tonight I served it with chicken that I dipped in egg and then bread crumbs before sauting it in olive oil. The kids ate their chicken on the side with ketchup (as always!) but my husband and I added the chicken to our salad.
This would make a perfect dish to serve at a luncheon or summer cookout! It's been a hit for me at many showers and parties, and people always ask for the recipe... it's so easy, it's almost embarrassing! But those are the recipes I love most--simple and good!
Give it a try... I really think you'll like it! And a little of this dressing goes a long way, so you barely need any. This is definitely something to add to your rotation for a healthier 2013! :)

"Choose to be happy."
That is something we say all the time in our house. To some degree, we believe that happiness is a choice. Yes, there are good days and bad days. But you can choose to focus on the positives or the negatives in your life. That is a choice, and your children learn from watching how you handle the bumps in the road.
When our two oldest girls were little, one time the baby started crying in the car. She was getting louder and louder, and finally her older sister couldn't take it anymore: she started shouting at the top of her lungs, "Choose to be happy... CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!!" Needless to say, the baby only cried harder, but we loved that our three-year-old had obviously heard us as we had already been encouraging her again and again to make a choice about her happiness. You can never start instilling that too young! :)
Sometimes life stinks. There are some really crappy days, and unfortunately, there are some really crappy years, too. When New Year's Eve rolls around, it can occasionally be a relief to close the door on a year and feel like you are getting a new start the next morning. But even during the hardest years, there are most certainly still some great moments along the way. Times of laughter and pure joy. These are the moments we need to remember. We need to choose to be happy.
This year for the first time, our family is going to have "A Little Jar of Happiness." I first saw this idea on Pinterest herewhere they discussed focusing on your gratitude for 30 days, but I'm expanding on that. We are going to start a new tradition where we focus on the positives in our life all year long.
Our family already does "favorites" most nights when we have dinner together. Each daughter loves to take her turn telling everyone about the favorite part of her day, and then she picks the next person who will share. So this year, we'll write down some very special favorites and date them, and then into our "little jar of happiness" they'll go! On New Year's Eve next year, we can pull them out one by one and reflect on all the good things that happened to our family in 2013. What a great way to close the book on another year!
This year, we are going to choose to be happy. I hope you are, too!

The year 2013 is almost here! I love this time of year when everyone gets to regroup after a busy holiday, reflect on events of the past year, and look ahead to the clean slate that a new year brings. You get a fresh start and another chance to be "your best self"--think of it as the gift you give yourself!
A few years back I was joking with my husband about how I wanted to write his resolutions for him--at the top of that list would be to use his turn signal regularly and become a better driver in general! He, in turn, wanted to write mine: close the cabinets and finish a project before I start the next one. (My reply to him was to ask if "stop being so wonderful 100% of the time" might be a more accurate resolution for me--surprisingly, he didn't think so?!)
When my husband and I had the above conversation, our kids were within earshot and began asking about resolutions. So as we explained that they were things you wanted to work on throughout the coming year to make yourself a better person, they started brainstorming about what they needed to work on themselves. And "Kids' Resolutions" were born in our house!
On New Year's Day each year, our girls now write out their own resolutions. Oftentimes they are more like "goals"--such as learning to read. We then hang their lists up in our kitchen, and they stay there all year long. Throughout the year, they love to read through their resolutions to see how they're doing. If they feel like they are doing something well (and we agree), they give themselves a check mark, and that goal has been attained. At the end of the year, anything that doesn't have a check mark is put back on the list the following year.
I hang on to their resolutions and tuck them away with their other keepsakes. Some of the lists are hilarious, and they all certainly sum up that daughter and that particular stage in her life. And for a parent, making kids' resolutions has been a great thing. It can be July and if one of the kids is struggling with something, we can say, "This is one of your resolutions! You made a pact with yourself to work on doing better with this..." and it usually helps her come back to reality and collect herself. The girls often remind one another of their resolutions and encourage each other as well.
This year, maybe this is something you want to try with your own children. It shows them that resolutions aren't just for adults--it helps them realize that they, too, get a fresh start each year (and each day) to do better and to accomplish new things. I think this simple tradition is a great way to teach kids two important life lessons: 1) If you start down one path in life, there is always a chance to take a detour and start anew; and 2) You are never done growing as a person. Even grown-ups are always working on being the best they can be.
Life is short. Be your best self, and enjoy!
Happy New Year everybody!

Spreading reindeer food, along with leaving cookies for Santa, has become a tradition for our family on Christmas Eve. I had never even heard of sprinkling reindeer food outside until one of my girls came home from preschool with it a few years back. She literally could not wait to spread it around our yard because she was sure Santa and his reindeer would spot the glitter from the sky (because the moonlight would shine upon it) and that's how the sleigh would be guided down to our house. And the reindeer would certainly be hungry, too, with all that flying they'd be doing!!
She was so cute about it, I could hardly stand it. She just knew Santa would think it was a kind gesture and she would definitely end up on the nice list!! :) How could something this sweet notbecome an annual event?
This is the easiest kids' project. You simply mix glitter with old-fashioned oats (they are larger than the instant ones, so they look better). I wrote a little poem to go with it, too. (get the printable here.) I recently did this project with my daughter's kindergarten class, and they seemed to like it--they were all very excited to bring it home and show their family! Almost all of them had never spread reindeer food before, so they seemed pretty fired up about it. You could also have these bags ready to go and give them as a simple and affordable party favor at a children's holiday party. Or hand them out on Christmas Eve to all the children if you are gathering with friends and/or family.
I hope this post inspires you to try this fun activity--perhaps it will become a new tradition in your family as well! And if you don't live in an area with a yard, who says you can't shake the reindeer food on a balcony, a roof deck, or even on the street? The sleigh has to land somewhere! :)

This has been my go-to treat around the holidays for years. I bring it to cookie exchanges and give it as gifts. It flies off the platter when it's served at parties. My family literally jumps up and down when I make it. (Okay, maybe my husband skips the jumping part, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't eat himself silly when this is around!)
Basically, THIS STUFF IS GOOD. And did I mention that it's also ridiculously EASY?! This is a great recipe for kids--my girls are so helpful when I make a ton of this. We set up a little assembly line and make copious amounts of toffee in December! :) It freezes really well, so it can be ready and waiting for you until you're ready to give it as a gift or serve it yourself. (I often give it as a gift to teachers, along with a gift card. It would also be a perfect neighbor or hostess gift. To help you out, I have created recipe tags that you can print and attach as well.)
A single tray can give you about 50-55 pieces, so it's great for a cookie exchange, too, especially if you are short on time. One night my girls helped me whip up 4 trays (more than 200 pieces!) in less than an hour. No kidding. We can all stand to get some time back in our days around the holidays!
Give it a try! I think it will become a go-to in your house, just like it is in ours. :)

The night before I got married, my mom handed me a present and told me to open it the next morning. So as the sun came up on my wedding day (I was a wee bit excited!), I was overcome with emotion as I discovered my life in a box. My mom had gone through our family's Christmas ornaments and set aside the ones that were meaningful to me--they were mine now for my own family's tree. I was a puddle as I sat there by myself, looking at all the tiny reminders of moments passed--my first Christmas, ornaments that were gifts from my grandparents, souvenirs from trips, sports figurines, and crafts I had made as a child. Everything I had experienced up until that point in my life was summed up in that box. And now I would take that part of my life forward as I began the next chapter with my new husband... (I am on the verge of tears right now just remembering that morning--get a grip!!)
That was easily the most meaningful gift I have ever received from my parents. It was their way of saying, "This is what we have done for you and with you... now it's your turn." I was overwhelmed with gratitude and nostalgia... and I knew right then that I would give the same gift to my own children one day.
That was thirteen years ago. Here I am now with four precious daughters. As we decorated our tree this year, I was (once again) quite emotional. I am a bit of a softie anyhow, but hanging our ornaments always gets to me. Our family's Christmas tree is not color-coordinated. It doesn't have the most beautiful or bejeweled ornaments. But it has meaning. And I love that. To me, that's what Christmas is all about.
So as we opened "our life in a box" this year, we were all reminded of our family's history with each ornament we hung. I came across all those ornaments my parents gave to me on my wedding day--and of course there are so many more that my husband, children, and I have now added to the mix. Decorating our tree for us brings everything full-circle. We are reminded of the blessings of our past; we are grateful for our time together in the present; and we look forward to all that is to come when we'll add more meaningful ornaments to our collection.
Our Christmas tree tells our family's story. Read below to see how... I hope this post inspires you to find ways to bring meaning into the ornaments that your family hangs as well. :)

P.S. As you will see, I love to use photo ornaments! I often find frame ornaments at various stores where I can simply add my own picture, but it's also nice (and easy!) to use the kind that arrive in the mail already made. I order most of mine from Exposures (as you'll see below), and I plan to order a few of these at Shutterfly this year. Typically I wait until after Christmas to order my ornaments--you can usually catch sales that way, and then I can use pictures we take on Christmas Eve (or Day) as well... (not to mention the fact that I'm usually so busy making Christmas special that I don't find time for things like this until later. My husband always asks me why I tend to get stressed this time of year even though Christmas is my favorite holiday... In my sweetest voice, I let him know that he gets to wake up on Christmas morning and, like magic, it's a wonderful day for everyone... and you know why it's a wonderful day? BECAUSE I MADE IT THAT WAY! Yes, that's what I tell him. Politely, of course.)
Wait, what was I talking about?! :)
Ah yes... I'll take you for a spin around our tree now... (love my husband!) :)

As you can see below, the numbers 10 20 were generated.
Congrats to alishalfitz and mfothergill who left the 10th and 20th comment! I will be in touch with you both to get your addresses so your books can be sent to you ASAP! :) Yay! I can't wait to hear what you think about this special book!!!

This is my favorite (and easiest!) way to decorate the outside of our house for the holidays--and no lights or timers are needed! All you need is some cheap wreaths, ribbon, and candles with sensors if you really want to get fancy.
When someone told me how easy it was to hang wreaths on my windows, it was an "Aha!" moment. I was saying how I thought homes with wreaths were so beautiful because it made the house look decorated during the day, too... but that I didn't feel like dealing with huge ladders to get them on our second-story windows. I remember that person looking at me like I had ten heads.
"You just open the window and stick the wreath out."
Come again?
Oh my gosh, that's it?! Well, duh!!! Why didn't I realize that?!! So if any of you thought it was difficult to add wreaths to your windows, too, I'm here to help you out! :)
I had the above exchange with my friend 13 years ago. After she enlightened me, I went and bought the cheapest wreaths I could find (I went to Michael's), along with pre-made bows for $1, and I attached all the bows to the wreaths. I went with the cheap wreaths because my thought was that from far away, you'd never realize how fake those wreaths actually look! And you know what, it's true. I'm still using the same crappy wreaths after all those years! I did finally change the ribbon this year, though, because it was pretty faded. But 13 YEARS, people--that's (little) money well-spent if you ask me!
I also bought some red ribbon (again, not the nicest stuff--I bought the type that came with a LOT on the spool). I simply tied some ribbon to the wreath, opened the window, and stuck it out there. You close the window on the ribbon to get it to stay. I have learned that sometimes it slides, though, so just tie a knot to hold it in place.
When the holidays are over, you just pull the wreaths back in as is (keep the ribbon on them) and then the following year you just slide them out again and you're good to go! So simple.
I also have candles that I put in each window. I have had those for 13 years as well, and I hardly ever have to even change the bulbs! They plug in and they have sensors, so they come on at dusk and they turn off as it starts to get light out again. I don't even have to touch them! So between the wreaths and the candles in every window, our house is ready for Christmas, day and night! Easy and cost-efficient, too! And you never had to deal with tangled or non-working lights!
(Although let's be honest, we seem to add a little more each year at our house--so we now also have lights... and a 9' inflatable snowman... and a 12' inflatable Santa... but it's all fun! Love this time of year!!)
Happy decorating!!

My youngest daughter is celebrating her first Christmas this year. (That's her sitting in the wreath... we think she's pretty cute!) I am big on "moments", so I'm always worried about making sure I capture them before they pass us by! To help get a little snapshot in time this holiday season, I made this plate with her footprints. It's not perfect, but I still love it. I know we'll use it around the holidays for years to come, and it will always remind us of this very special time when we celebrated our first Christmas as a family of six thanks to the arrival of this sweet baby girl. And then someday this plate will be hers to use around the holidays. I hope it will help her know how much she's always been loved from the very beginning of her days...

We have a WINNER!! Lainstar left the 43rd comment--and 43 was the lucky number generated (see the screenshot below)! Yay! Please contact me ASAP so I can figure out how to get your prize to you. :) Thanks for entering everybody! So fun to count the comments--I was almost nervous as I was getting closer to the lucky name!! :) $100 to Target--woohoo!!

We love books. As you can tell by the picture above, they get a lot of love in our house. I think books make the best gifts, especially when you have no idea what to get someone. I like to write notes inside special books, too, so the recipient can always remember when he/she first received it. I cherish the books I've been given over the years with handwritten notes inside.
With the holidays approaching, I thought this post might be helpful as you start your shopping. The majority of the books in this list are ones that our family loves personally, but I also surveyed others to help me compile everything below. There were so many to recommend, it was hard to narrow it down! Many of these books you will have heard of, but some will surely be new to you. I hope I've done a good job providing different types of books for all ages and all genders. Please leave other book ideas in the comment section below! We can work together to make this an even better resource going forward for all of us.
To make things as easy as possible for you, I have included images, pricing, and a link for quick locating. I have provided links to all the books below, but please note that sometimes they are hardcover and sometimes they are paperback. Some are listed in sets, and some are listed individually. Please look carefully if you do make any purchases. I don't want you to think you've ordered a paperback book when the link actually took you to a hardcover one or vice versa! :)
For more holiday ideas, be sure to check out another post I recently wrote: 100 photo ideas to inspire your holiday cardswhere Icompiled 100 pictures to help you brainstorm for your upcoming holiday pictures. I hope that post is helpful, too!
Lastly, please keep in mind as you view the book recommendations for kids that not all children read at the same level nor are they emotionally ready to read certain books at the same time. I did my best to categorize the books by age, but some children might be ready to read a book sooner, and others may benefit from waiting until they are older to read the same book.
Happy reading everyone! And Happy Holidays, too! :)
* Please check out my "Follow Me" page if you like this post and don't want to miss out on others!

Can I just say that I LOVE this idea!! It's such a simple way to bring some meaning into your Thanksgiving meal. I got the idea for this post when I saw it on Pinterest here. So smart! :)
Have each person write a word or two telling what they are thankful for, and then you can roll up their note inside the dough and bake. Then during dinner, everybody can open their roll and read the note inside. You can have some fun trying to guess which note belongs to each family member. This is something kids can enjoy, too. What a creative way to bring your family together and give thanks for all your blessings. I LOVE IT!

The cranberry part of Thanksgiving used to gross me out. But thanks to this cranberry applesauce recipe, it's my favorite part of the meal now! And I don't even like cranberries!! This pairs so well with turkey--you might not even want to use gravy anymore! You can also serve this with pork or chicken any time of the year--yum!
Give it a shot--maybe all of you cranberry-doubters (like me!) will give it a thumbs up, too. I have a feeling this might become a Thanksgiving tradition at your table. :) Let me know how it goes!

Short on time and looking for the easiest (but still impressive!) fall appetizer? This simple recipe (if you can even call it that) is a go-to for me this time of year. My dear friend gave me the idea--I thought it was genius!
Paired with the ridiculously good Honeycrisp apples that are available now (my family says they actually "taste like fall"), and you have a sweet appetizer or even a healthy dessert. Adults and kids alike will love this... so easy and you can have fun with the presentation, too. Give it a try--I bet it won't last long at your next party!

It's November... you know what that means! Yep. Time to start preparing for the holidays! Poor Thanksgiving. It never gets the attention it deserves.
When Halloween is over and I shift gears, one of the first things I start thinking about is my holiday cards. I love everything about "card season"--both designing my own cards and receiving them. There was a time I even made my own cards (I used to have a stationery-design business), but now I usually turn to Tiny Printsto do that for me. I love their cards, and I use them for almost all my stationery needs these days. I have also occasionally used Shutterfly for various cards, and I think Minteduses the most beautiful paper ever. After admiring others' cards from Minted for several years, I decided to get my holiday cards this year from them. I must say that I love them so much!! My little girls say they are our best cards yet. :) They even came with these little vellum papers that you insert so that the ink from the pictures on the inside doesn't transfer to the other side of the card where our names are signed. Brilliant!
Putting together a card to send out is something I truly enjoy. But I'm pretty sure that isn't a universal feeling?! To help you brainstorm, I have compiled 100 (!) photos under various themes to get you thinking.
As you'll see, some of the pictures are sweet, some are creative, and some are downright hilarious. Getting a photo for your card doesn't have to be the worst part of Christmas--have fun with it and think outside the box. The very first picture was sent to me by my friend a few years back. It was the result of a photo session gone bad. While that shot wasn't what they were going for, they certainly succeeded in spreading some holiday cheer with their cards... I remember laughing so hard when we opened it!
So have an open mind, relax, and see how your pictures turn out. Even if they aren't "perfect", they just might be your favorite cards yet!
And while you're in "holiday mode", please check out this post with 100 books for all ages--tons of great gift ideas!

* Kudos to all the talented photographers and bloggers from whom I collected these photos. If you see your photo here and it's not sourced to you, or if anything should be corrected in any way, please let me know!! I really want to make sure everything in this post is as accurate as it can be. I hope this post sends a little traffic your way so others can be impressed by your fine work, too! :) Thanks for making this fun post possible!

I'm always looking for fun photo ideas. I thought I'd start this post, and then just add to it over time. I hope this compilation of photos will give you some inspiration! Please check back every now and then to see if I've added new shots. :)

This is the best chicken noodle soup ever. Yes, ever. (My husband says that sometimes I'm too enthusiastic and then things can never live up to the hype--but for the record, I really don't think I'm doing that in this instance!) :) I've been having this for my birthday dinner ever since my mom discovered the recipe. (One more side note: my birthday is big time in my book, people--so you know I must really like this soup if it gets birthday status!!) It makes the house smell so good all day long, too, as it cooks in the crockpot... perfect for a chilly day. It's hearty and thick, so it's easily a meal in and of itself when paired with a crusty, warm bread. Our girls also love to scoop it with saltines. Even the baby can enjoy this one.
(For anyone out there with a baby who is beginning to be a self-feeder/crawling age, this soup is great! He/She can pick up the soft peas, carrots, and noodles and eat this even without teeth. You could also grind some of it up with a hand-mixer or even mash it by hand and spoon-feed your little one. This soup has always been my go-to when my girls have been transitioning into eating "people food"...)
This is a meal you make in the slow cooker, but it does take a little chopping beforehand. If you're really organized, you can have everything ready to go the night before, and then you simply need to plug in the crockpot before you head out the door. Later that night when you get home, you'll have to add the noodles, and then it will be ready about one hour later.
I have two crockpots (doesn't everyone?!), and I often have them both going at the same time. I always double this recipe because I can freeze all the extras, and then I have dinner made for another night or two... just thaw and reheat!
Give it a try--I bet it will be a hit! :)

When I was in kindergarten, I can remember my mom coming to school to volunteer and working on flash cards with me. One day I got the word, "knife". I sounded it out, "Ca-NIFE", and even though it sounded like a word I had never heard of, I was confident I had it right. Of course she informed me that the "k" was silent and that the word was actually pronounced, "NIFE". I can distinctly recall saying, "Well, then why did they put the 'k' there if you don't have to say it?!" And all she could do was smile and shrug her shoulders.
Let's face it--learning to read is hard! It can be downright frustrating for little kids. This means that parents are often distraught as well, especially if their child doesn't seem to be catching on. So why not find a way to make learning to read fun?
A while back, my oldest daughter came home from a preschool Valentine's Day party, and she had this cute little "mailbox" she had made from paper plates. That eventually ended up on her doorknob, and I had the idea to start leaving her notes. I didn't even mean for it to be a tool to help her learn to read, but that's exactly what it became over time. She absolutely loved to get mail, just like any of us! Each morning she'd jump out of bed and run to her mailbox, so excited to see what was waiting for her.
In the beginning, I would write an uppercase and lowercase letter on an index card, along with a picture that went with that letter. Eventually she had an entire set of homemade flashcards. We would talk about what sound the letter made, and she got a little better with time.
Once she had her letter recognition down, I started to write simple words like "on" and "cat", and I'd draw a quick picture to help her. That slowly transformed into me writing her short notes, and then the mail I'd leave her gradually got longer and more complex. I can't tell you how proud she would be when she'd come flying into our bedroom in the morning and read us the note she had found. It was better than the Tooth Fairy! (well, almost...)
The beauty of the doorknob mailbox is that your child doesn't even realize they are learning. Some kids don't respond well to sitting at the kitchen table and filling in workbooks while you look over their shoulder. This is a great alternative, and your child will love it! Give it a try!
(Side note: We got the bed abovefor my daughter from VivaTerra. I remember seeing it in the catalog and loving it so much, but I was afraid it would seem too "old" for her. With a mix of some white furniture (that we painted) and adding dark knobs to tie in the stain of the bed, it all pulled together so well, and I think it seems perfect for a five-year-old. I just love it! It's my favorite bed in the house. :) Come to think of it, maybe I'll do a post someday and show you what we did to make her mix of furniture work--except for the bed, we worked with old pieces we already had and gave them a makeover! I love taking worn pieces and giving them new life!)

Is it a muffin? Is it a brownie? Is it chocolate cake? I would say "yes" to all of the above! And Greek yogurt replaces the oil, too?! Sign me up! Not to mention these are about the easiest things to make ever. Even those of you who hate to bake can whip these up in a snap.
I tried making these chocolate muffins a few months back, and we have been baking them like crazy ever since. So simple I really don't even need to write up the recipe for you. These come from a BOX. Yep. No one will ever know--I won't tell if you won't! :)
These muffins are a great grab-and-go sweet treat (think kids' lunches), but they also make a delicious dessert. We love to eat them right out of the oven warm with vanilla ice cream. (We always buy Edy's Slow Churned with half the fat. Have you tried that stuff?! YUM!! We normally have about 6 different flavors in our freezer at once, no joke.) If the muffins are no longer warm, I just pop them in the microwave to warm them back up, add some light ice cream, and voila! A sweet treat that isn't terribly sinful. No frosting, no oil, no guilt! (okay maybe a little guilt--but a reduced amount of it anyhow!) :)

Just wanted to share a quick idea with all of you today... instead of using a stand-alone mirror that takes up space in a room or hiding one inside your closet door where it's hard to see it, why not install a sheet mirror right on the wall? You could trim it out like this one so it feels more like a furniture piece, or you could leave it clean...another great thing about using a sheet mirror: you can have it cut to any size that works in your space. Simple enough!
What quick ideas can you share?
Until next time,
HH

We recently did some renovating, and when it came time to do the finishing touches in the two bathrooms our girls share, we decided to use hooks instead of a towel bar. Not only that, but we made sure the hooks hung low enough so the girls could actually reach them. What a difference!
Our daughters couldn't even reach the towel bar before our renovation. They'd attempt to throw the towel up on the bar, and if they got lucky, it might stay put--for a while anyhow. Typically the towels ended up in a heap on the floor, with no chance of drying. This meant that they'd constantly grab a clean towel each time they bathed, and I was doing laundry up the wazoo. This system was clearly not working!
Now that we have hooks everywhere--at their height--our bathrooms are so much neater. They can easily hang four towels instead of one or two on the bars. The towels dry completely so the girls can use them again and again. And perhaps most importantly, we are teaching our daughters to be more responsible as they are now in charge of making sure their towel ends up on the appropriate hook. We even installed hooks by the sinks for the hand towels. The girls used to pull their hand towel right off the ring and then they'd struggle to hang it up again. Now it takes them a nanosecond to whip the towel right back up on the hook. I love it! Why didn't we do this sooner?!
What small changes have you made in your home that made a big difference?
Until next time,
HH

I love photography. I take tons of pictures, and I manage to capture some sweet moments even if I really don't know how to shoot in any mode other than auto! (someday I will figure all that out!) One of my favorite ways to get some great shots is to take pictures from behind. When the subjects face away from you, there is no worry about smiles. Squinting, closed eyes, and shadows on faces are no longer a factor. You can't even tell if a child is having an absolute melt-down! (In the collage below, my children are completely covered in spaghetti sauce in one shot, and one daughter is bawling in two other pictures--can you figure out which ones?! Probably not. That's the beauty of this angle!) :)
There's something special about photographs where no one is looking. Nobody is posing or trying to make the perfect face for the camera. Even if your children were being totally uncooperative at the time, you will probably see a beautiful timelessness in your shot. I have photos like the ones below framed all over our house. Each one tells a story for me, and I love the memories I see in them. I feel like each photo has captured a special moment... and for just a second, time has stood still.
Keep reading for some tips on capturing moments like these...

I had never heard of "Boo-ing" until I moved south. It's not something we did growing up. But boy, would I have loved it!! It is right up my alley. Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree--my kids think boo-ing is the best part of Halloween... it even trumps getting a pile of candy so big it could last until Easter.
The first time we found a surprise treat on our doorstep, I had no idea what it was... but I thought it was the coolest thing ever once I figured out what was going on! My husband and I were new in our neighborhood, and we didn't even have kids yet. But that didn't hold us back--within 48 hours, we were sneaking around our neighborhood delivering candy on the sly. It was a blast.
Now we are boo-ing experts, and more often than not, we get it started in our neighborhood. "Boo-ing" is serious business in our house, and our girls even dress in black from head-to-toe. It's like an unwritten rule that we all have to do it together, too. So the whole family piles in the minivan, and we drive throughout the neighborhood to figure out which lucky homes (in our opinion anyhow!) will receive our treats. The girls then sneak up to their front door, ring the doorbell, and get the heck out of there! Of course they are giggling the entire time as they race to our get-away car! Now that is some family fun at its finest!
How, exactly, does "Boo-ing" work? Follow the steps below and start a new tradition in your neighborhood! :)

If you love pumpkin bars, look no further--this recipe is for you! My aunt gave me the original recipe, and then I modified it. I took out an entire CUP of oil, and I also replaced the four eggs it called for with egg beaters. You will never know the difference--I promise.
At Thanksgiving one year, my aunt and I actually both brought these to share--although she had used the original recipe, and I had used this healthier version. Everyone (even my aunt!) agreed that the modified recipe was the winner, hands-down! You will not believe how moist these are... give them a try!

When my third daughter was born, I had three children under the age of five and a husband who traveled a lot. We don't live near family, and without much support, I felt completely overwhelmed. (Hence, the reason there is a near-five-year gap between daughters three and four!) At the time, someone suggested I try online grocery shopping. I was hesitant at first... I mean, have a strangerpick out my fruit? What if they gave me (gasp!) overripe bananas when I wanted greenish ones?! That would be disaster.
But it seemed like the days were getting shorter while my stress level grew, so I decided to give it a try... and my life changed overnight! Seriously. I love it that much. Now that I have four children, the below picture pretty much sums up my trips to the grocery store when they are with me. The woman is smiling in the cartoon, but an afternoon like that doesn't exactly look like a barrel of laughs to me.
My friends joke that I am like a walking infomercial when it comes to online grocery shopping. I'm always promoting it. But that's just how great I think it is! Read below for the reasons why...

We have a room in our house that wasn't used much. We called it our sunroom. It's a cute room that gets a lot of light, but without a TV in there, let's face it--it usually only got some use when I hid from the kids in there when I was on the phone. So, as our girls are getting older, we decided to repurpose that room. We cleared out all the furniture and shipped it to my parents so they can do their own repurposing up north! (Side note: my parents were thrilled... in classic style as usual, my mom also asked if I could "throw in any lamps lying around" and my dad was wondering--tongue in cheek--if he could also have the new leather chair in front of our fireplace?! They like to joke about how most parents give their children home furnishings they no longer need... my highly-practical parents always say they are the ones benefitting from their children's overhauls! Ha!)
With the sunroom empty, we are waiting upon the arrival of four desks so we can now have a place for our girls to do their homework and study over the years. The desks will all be identical, so we decided to mix things up by making each chair different. We found some unfinished chairs, and the girls and I decided to finish them ourselves. Did we have any idea what we were doing? Nope. And since I let my kids paint, there are some drips here and there that I probably should have taken the time to sand out (but I didn't). And we used the leftover paint we already had on hand from recently painting their bedrooms. Was that the right type of paint to use? No idea. Probably not. But they each wanted their chair to be the color of their bedroom, and I thought that sounded like a fabulous idea! And who wants to buy more paint?
Even after all that, the chairs turned out really cute! I even like the imperfections and drips--they will always remind me of the weekend my girls and I painted their chairs when they were young. They were so proud, and they had so much fun working together. And somewhere along the way, I'd like to think that I taught them a few life lessons: 1) not everything has to come finished from a store; 2) if you make a mistake, no big deal (just try again and paint over it); 3) never be afraid to try new things; 4) you can save a little money by doing things yourself; and 5) (my favorite) girls can handle tools and a paintbrush too!!!
So give it a try and attempt a project you've been considering! Chances are it will turn out just fine, and you might even make some memories along the way...
Here's our before and after shot. What do you think?! See below for the steps we followed. As I said, we are no painting experts, but I am really happy with the finished product. You can do it, too--good luck!

Our girls really don't look that much alike. One is fair with blonde hair and blue eyes. Another has a deeper skin tone with dark hair and brown eyes, while the other two are somewhere in between. But by looking at these pictures where they are each wearing the same clothing and the same hat (it's the hat our oldest daughter wore home from the hospital--awwww....), it's pretty hard to tell them apart. They are each 8 weeks old in these pictures. Our daughters are almost ten years apart from oldest to youngest, so it's fun to compare them like this when you take away the age spread.
No matter how old your kids are, you could start this little tradition. We have various pictures of our girls in the same outfit throughout the years. Basically it started by having a nice shot of the oldest daughter, so then when her younger sisters came along and were wearing her hand-me-downs, I figured I might as well get a similar picture. Who knew I would eventually end up with four daughters and get a chance to display the pictures side-by-side like this? Everybody enjoys analyzing a new baby's features to figure out which relative he/she most resembles... that's half the fun of meeting the newest family member! Hope this gets you thinking about starting your own traditions with pictures! I'd love to hear about what you do!
Does your family have any special photos you routinely take?
Until next time,
HH

Do you have leftover chicken? Or turkey works just as well... tuck this recipe away for right after Thanksgiving. The perfect way to use up some post-Thanksgiving turkey!
When I made this dish recently, I didn't have leftovers handy. I picked up a rotisserie chicken (a busy mom's best friend) at the grocery store instead. Easy!
This recipe comes from my own mother, and it's a keeper. I always "health it up" a bit when I make it, but that's up to you! I usually make it in advance so all I have to do is pop it in the oven when dinnertime rolls around. Hope you like it!

If you like visuals, here's a picture tutorial below. Even the non-cooks can make this one! :)

photo credit: my 10-year-old daughter :)