Tag: Kids

August 28, 2020 Fun

Ultimate Fall Bucket List of Fun and Adventurous Family Traditions

Fall is one of our family’s absolute favorite seasons. There is something so magical about the crisp weather that somehow makes everything feel so cozy. Throughout this post you will find our family’s top fall activities, and your family’s soon to be favorite activities too!

Feel free to scroll to the bottom of this post to find your Free Fall Family Bucket List Printable.

The Ultimate List of Fall Activities

Visit an apple orchard.

There are quite a few apple orchards in our area, so we usually make at least one if not a few trips to local apple orchards during this season. Most of our favorites have adorable kid play areas, family activities, apple picking, shops, and so much more. There really is no better way to kick off fall than with fresh warm apple donuts and hot cider at a local apple orchard. I can practically taste the sugary deliciousness and feel the warm and cozy feeling of drinking fresh hot cider from just the thought!

Go apple picking.

I’ll never forget the first year we brought our girls apple picking. The delight that lit up their little faces at the sight of all those apples hanging off of the trees was pure joy. Apples, at that time, were their absolute favorite and watching them take in the scene turned out to be my favorite. We have gone apple picking every year since, and it is definitely a fall tradition that we all look forward to each year.

Our kids can rarely wait to taste the crisp deliciousness of the apples (as shown above)!

Bake a fresh apple crisp or apple pie.

My kids love to help out in the kitchen. Baking a fresh apple crisp or apple pie is sure to fill your home with scents of the warm coziness that is fall. The warm yet crisp apple and cinnamon flavors and scents that fill your home while baking these delicious treats are well worth the effort put it and definitely helps to signify that it is officially fall.

Visit a new playground.

I have young kids, and they have a lot of energy…like A LOT. Parks are a dream come true especially in the crisp fall weather. It’s the perfect opportunity to let my kids have a great time and get out that energy all for free. Grab some hot cider or warm coffee and head out to check out a new park in your area.

Do a nature scavenger hunt to find and collect leaves, pinecones, and other cool nature finds.

Fall is the perfect time to head outside and explore the world. There is such a variety of pinecones and leaves that have fallen that you and your kids are sure to find something awesome!

Do a craft with your fall nature finds.

Once you go on your nature scavenger hunt and have collected all sorts of fall nature finds, it’s time to use those cool nature finds to do a few crafts! A few of our favorite ideas include making pinecone bird feeders or doing leaf rubbings with coloring supplies and papers. For the leaf rubbings, put a leaf under a paper and color over it with crayon or color pencil. Your leaves will appear on the page. My kids love this, and we usually do it a few times during the season!

Take a fall family picture.

Whether you have professional pictures taken or just take your own family picture, you will be happy that you have them. We make a point to do one of these options every year during fall. The leaves are gorgeous, and it’s a perfect time to take cozy fall pictures. We usually end up using one of these on our Christmas cards too, so it really is a win win!

Rake up a giant leaf pile and jump in it.

This is a ton of fun and a great way to get out your kids’ energy! This is definitely not an activity limited to only kid involvement, so get out there and jump in the leaves with them. It is seriously a ton of fun for the whole family even our dog loves to run and jump in the leaves with us! Your kids are happily playing and throwing gorgeous leaves into the air, so it’s also a perfect photo opt too!

Visit a local forest preserve.

This is one of our all time favorite activities throughout the entire year. We go hiking and picnicking at least a few times a month. However, fall is a beautiful time to head out into the wilderness and enjoy the changing colors and the fresh crisp air.

Visit a pumpkin patch.

We love visiting our local pumpkin patches. The pumpkin patches near us offer a wide variety of fall family activities in addition to all of the pumpkin treats! You can go on a tractor or horse drawn wagon ride, or try to find your way out of a corn maze. So fun!

Pick out the perfect pumpkin and carve it into a jack-o-lantern.

Whether you search for your pumpkin at a pumpkin patch or pick a perfect one up from the store, you should definitely add this to your family’s fall traditions. It has been so fun to watch the amazement on our kids’ faces as they carve their pumpkins and play in the pumpkin insides. It’s a great sensory activity for littles.

What are your favorite fall traditions?

I would love to hear about your favorite family traditions in the comments below. Thank you, and I look forward to hearing about them!

For your free Fall Bucket List printable, simply click on the link below.
Fall-Family-Bucket-List-PrintableDownload
For help getting your family out the door, check this out!! (Especially if you have young kids!)
For more fun, check this out next! So much more fun to come, so make sure you don’t miss out!
June 1, 2020 Fun

Ways To Encourage Independence Your Young Kids Will Love

Encouraging independence was a huge help with our twins, and it was a total life saver when their little brother was born two years later.  It was a bit more work upfront but well worth the time it saved me once they got going.  I also found that they really enjoyed having a bit more control over the smaller decisions in their life which led to less tantrums.  It was a win, win for everyone. Everyone is different and there are pros and cons for all decisions, but I think that encouraging independence with our kids has helped our family tremendously. The following include some of our family’s favorite ways to have our kids help out and to encourage them to be more independent and responsible individuals.

Ways to Encourage Independence

Put their kitchen items where they can reach, so that they can get their own bowls, plates, cups, and silverware.   I started this one quite early on.  The kids were able to pick out their own dishes, clean up their dishes after meals, and help put their clean dishes away.  

Set up a snack station.  We do mostly produce snacks, so I set up all of the fridge snacks in clear tubs in the door of our fridge that way the kids can reach and pick out their own snacks.  I also set up a snack bin for pantry snacks and bananas.  This was especially helpful when their baby brother came and the girls were able to ask and then get their own snacks.  I do try to minimize snacks before and after meals though, so that they will actually eat their meals.  

Let them feed themselves.  We have never fed any of our kids because they all fed themselves.  We chose to do baby led weaning.  There are quite a few resources online in addition to the Baby Led Weaning book and cookbook.  We started with banana, sweet potato, and avocado and went from there.   The first few times they just played with their food, but they were just learning to figure it out.  From there, they worked through learning how to chew and swallow all of their food on their own.  I loved doing baby led weaning for so many reasons including that we were able to all eat as a family and enjoy our meals while feeding ourselves.  Meal times were actually enjoyable.  It also simplified the entire meal process because they were eating foods that we were eating instead of us buying and preparing separate foods for them.  They were able to experience and enjoy a variety of flavors and textures right from the beginning.  It is a decision that worked well for our family, but definitely do your research and do what works for you and your family.    

Set up a clothing system that they can help maintain and use on a daily basis.

In the beginning, I spent quite a bit of time folding, refolding, and then refolding their clothes again.  When I say quite a bit of time, I mean ALL THE FREAKING TIME. It was a vicious cycle that never seemed to end.  After many weeks of this, I finally decided to stop wasting my time.  I placed 4 baskets in the girls’ closet and I stopped folding their clothes…..I repeat I STOPPED FOLDING THEIR CLOTHES!  It was life changing and gave me a few extra HOURS in my week.  There was and still is a basket for dresses, shirts, pants, pajamas.  They can pick out their clothes, dress themselves, and best of all help put their own laundry away.  There are nice items that we do choose to hang.  I’m sure at some point our system will change, but for now, it is working wonders and saving me a heck of a lot of time.  

Let your kids help with household tasks.  Laundry, feeding the dog, cleaning up, etc.  My kids do love to help with the laundry that we do fold, like towels.  They have gotten very good at folding towels.  They also love to help out with various household tasks.  If they want to help out with something, I usually let them.  If nothing else, at least they are learning and practicing a life skill instead of causing mischief or making an additional mess. Use a towel to help clean up a spill.  

Go through the day constantly asking yourself if the task is something that they can do on their own or at least help with.  It is amazing how quickly they turn into such capable little beings.  We’ve all seen how quickly they can undo something or make a massive mess, so we might as well use that energy for something productive.  There is so much that they can do on their own and that they can do to help out around the house.  Let them. It will make you both happier.

If you are interested in easy breakfast ideas your kids are going to love, click here!!
For help getting your family out the door, check this out!! (Especially if you have young kids!)
May 27, 2020 Recipes

Simple and Healthy Breakfast Ideas Your Kids Will Love

Ever since they were babies, my kids would wake up hungry.  Like the world might end, we need food now kind of hungry, and this is when I began my search for fast, easy, and filling breakfast ideas to get their day started off right. 

The following breakfast ideas are both healthy and satisfying.  We have pretty much rotated through some version of these breakfast foods every week ever since my girls started eating solid foods.  These breakfast ideas have grown and evolved with us as my kids have grown. 

They can be made with a few simple ingredients and any extras you happen to have on hand.  This makes them both easy and versatile so your kids never get sick of them.  I will often make these in bulk for the week, so that I only have to actually cook breakfast a few times.   

Oatmeal

This is a simple classic that can be easily mixed up with a variety of flavors and toppings.  We make a basic oatmeal recipe then add whatever toppings we happen to have on hand that day.  Some of our favorites are apple cinnamon oatmeal, banana peanut butter oatmeal, blueberry oatmeal, mixed berry, and seriously so many more. 

Bonus Tip: When my kids were early toddlers, I would make thicker oatmeal (add less water) so that it would be a little less messy.   

Waffles or Pancakes

I make oatmeal banana waffles or pancakes, and when I do, I make an insane amount.  I freeze them and keep them on hand for an easy breakfast option. 

These are my kids’ favorite, and they have been for quite some time. It is very versatile and can be made into waffles or pancakes depending on which you prefer. 

The waffle maker that I have makes 4 rectangular waffles at a time which is perfect to freeze and then pop in the toaster.  I love these because they are basically a mess free version of banana oatmeal.  I first got the oatmeal pancake/waffle idea when my girls were babies, and the tiny pancakes consisted of blended oats and milk slowly evolving into the more flavorful and delicious waffles they are now. Yum!  You can find this delicious recipe here.

Eggs

We eat eggs quite regularly, but we usually mix them up to be omelettes, scrambled eggs with cheese, over easy eggs with toast.  Depending on the day, I will make eggs in bulk on the stove or I will make a quick version in the microwave.  If it is a quick weekday breakfast, I usually go with the microwave version. 

An easy and quick way to make eggs with less dishes is to spray oil in a large glass Pyrex measuring cup or a glass bowl.  Crack a few eggs (however many you want or however many will fit) and a splash of milk into the measuring cup or bowl. They will fluff up quite a bit so make sure not to fill the cup or bowl all the way to the top. Cook in the microwave for about 3 minutes.  Enjoy! 

Yogurt Parfait

My kids absolutely love Greek yogurt and will gladly eat it plain. However, when we have yogurt with breakfast I usually make it into yogurt parfaits. These are great since they are made with ingredients that we usually already have on hand. I start with Greek yogurt topped with any fresh or frozen fruit and homemade granola (usually made in advance).

Smoothies

The final go-to breakfast option is to make smoothies. These are absolutely delicious and can be made with such a variety of ingredients that we usually already have the ingredients needed on hand. Our smoothies usually consist of a combination of bananas, Greek yogurt, spinach, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, mango, and literally any other fruit we happen to have on hand.

These have been our family’s absolute favorite breakfast choices since they are nutritious, filling, and surprisingly simple to make and keep the ingredients on hand.  I hope these 3 simple breakfast ideas help fill up your family to make your mornings a bit more calm and give you a little extra time to drink you coffee before it gets too cold.  Cheers!

For more on Meal Planning including a free printable, check this out next!!

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May 19, 2020 Plan

Everything You Need To Know To Successfully Leave The House With Twins (Or Any Kids)!

You’ve got this, Mama!!

Seriously, you really, really do.  They are yours.  You were literally made for this. As a parent…  heck!  As a human, you are going to have fears and worries in the back of your head (well at least I do so far)….some realistic and some not so much.  If you let them be the guiding force of whether or not you leave the house, you never will. 

You just have to go for it and see what happens!  Some days it will feel like a seamless work of art where everything runs smoothly and people practically cheer you on as you seem to have it all mastered.….and then there are the other days. We all have them. The days where it will be (or at least feel like) a total shit show.  This is life. It happens. You just have to give it your best shot, be prepared, and hope for the best. Throughout, the rest of this page, you will find my tried and true tips and strategies to help prepare you to get out the door. I want to help guide you towards having more positive and successful experiences, like the earlier example. Below you will find a guide to leaving the house with babies and a second guide for leaving the house with toddlers. I hope it helps to encourage you to head out into the world with your littles!

Let’s gets started. You’ve totally got this!!

In the beginning, I had my diaper bag fully loaded with every possible thing my new sweet little babies might need, but I quickly realized that paring it down to just the essentials made my life a whole lot easier. 

It’s much easier to shuffle through a few essential items versus digging through to the bottom of the stuffed and overflowing diaper bag to find the one item that you actually need (especially when one or all of your littles are losing their cool).  Make sure all basic needs are met prior to walking into wherever you are going to ensure you have the best possible chance of having happy, content babies and kids while out. 

The following includes things that I bring with me to the outing, store, library, or wherever we happen to be going.  I do usually bring a bag with extra clothes for everyone and additional snacks, but I leave it in the car as a back up. 

Leaving the House with Infant Twins

What to do before leaving your car:

  • Nurse or feed the babies
  • Make sure they have clean diapers
  • Double check your purse or diaper bag for the following items
  • Take a deep breath and tell yourself you’ve got this (because you totally freaking do!)

What to bring with:

Swaddle Blanket – These have about a million different uses and seriously come in handy ALL THE TIME.  It is great to be able to bring one item that can easily take the place of ten items. They can be used as a blanket (obviously), burp cloth, car seat cover, nursing cover, distraction to play peak-a-boo, and so much more.  The large bamboo muslin ones are my favorite!   

Diapers – 2-4 depending on how long you plan to be out.  We used cloth diapers at home but opted to use disposable when out and about for convenience.  You do you and do whatever works best for your family!

Wipes – Honestly I don’t leave the house with my kids without some form of wipes.  These are great for not only changing diapers, but also wiping face, hands, carts, spills, you name it!

Wubbanub –  None of my kids have been big fans of pacifiers.  However, in the beginning I would usually bring a wubbanub pacifier with me just in case they were in the mood for one and it doubled as a toy or distraction.

Your boobs or a bottle – I went the nursing route, but if you are bottle feeding then you can bring a bottle if it makes you feel more comfortable.  Otherwise, you can probably just leave bottles and feeding supplies in the car.    

Small, easy snacks (if they are old enough)-  As soon as my kids started eating, I would usually bring a snack or few that I could fit into my purse and easily pull out if needed.  Frozen peas were a favorite snack for us!  The kids loved them, and they seemed to help with teething.

Leaving the house with toddler twins

What to do before you leave the car:

  • Feed the toddlers –  If you can’t tell by now, my kids get very hangry, so we don’t take the risk of leaving the house hungry.
  • Make sure they have clean diapers or have them do a potty break
  • Double check your purse or diaper bag for the following items
  • Take a deep breath and tell yourself you’ve got this (because, again, you totally freaking do!!)

What to bring with:

Snacks (and a couple extra snacks) – Seriously! As soon as my kids get a little hungry, they can go from being my sweet littles to hangry crazies in a matter of seconds. I always…I repeat ALWAYS bring extra snacks. We eat a lot of produce snacks in our house, so this is usually what we bring. Apples, oranges, and bananas are great for this! Bonus tip: If any produce snacks are not eaten during the outing, ALWAYS remember to put them back in the fridge or kitchen. I have forgotten to do this one time, and the experience was so horrifyingly disgusting that I have not made the mistake again.

Water Bottle – We all bring our water bottles with us all day long whether we are out and about or at home. It is a perfect way to make sure everyone stays hydrated!

Diapers/Pull ups or Extra Undies – It’s always great to keep a few of these with you just in case someone has an accident 

Wipes – I still carry these in my purse for the reasons above.  They are great for wiping up pretty much anything and definitely come in handy!

A small distraction – A small quiet book and/or quiet toy works well for our littles. Our favorite quiet toys are usually small animals or cars! I did always try to bring a toy that was a “quiet animal” or at least one we weren’t sure on what sound the animal made (that way they wouldn’t be baa-ing, moo-ing, or growling the entire time we were out.)

What are you waiting for? 

Get out of your dang house and explore the world with your kids or just get out and get your errands done while managing to stay sane.  You’ve got this!!  To download my free Leaving the House Checklist Printable click here.  

Bonus Tip: “It’s not on the list”

It’s not on the list.  When we go shopping, we bring a list.  If we want something but it’s not on the list, we don’t get it.  Using the phrase, “It’s not on the list” has saved us from so many fits and tantrums.  It has worked for my kids like magic.  I usually say, “Oh that sounds good, but it’s not on the list.  We will have to remember to add it to the list next time.”  My kids have yet to throw a fit over not getting something that they wanted at the store…..I’m really hoping revealing this top secret, yet totally obvious tip, doesn’t jinks us! It seriously works like magic and takes the pressure off of me and puts it onto The List. It totally clicks with my kids and completely avoids the fit and battle of whether they get the item or not. Give it a try next time you and your kiddos are at the store and let me know if it works wonders for you too!! Good luck!!

These ideas have been a lifesaver!! If you’re interested in finding more ways to encourage your young kids to be more independent, click here!! My kids love doing these!