“Big Me, Little You” Review & Mother’s Day Book Giveaway
{Winner Announcement at bottom of post} I am always on the lookout for great activities that can bring my kids and I closer together. Something that bonds and creates special moments and memories. If the activity provides a tangible object for us to hold on to for...
Growing as a Parent at the Cleveland Parenting Expo 2014 & A Giveaway
This content has been compensated as part of a promotion for the Cleveland Parenting Expo. However, all opinions remain my own. #parentingexpo Graduation days. Do you remember the days? The pomp and circumstance. The long robes. The feeling of accomplishment as...
Wizard of Oz Party & Family Movie Night
Last Saturday, we hosted a little Wizard of Oz Party and Family Movie Night! It was a fun theme for decorating and creating. And it was the first time all the kids saw the movie. Now, I will tell you that we fast forwarded through some of the parts. There will be...
Build-A-Bear Workshop Spring Review & Giveaway
Oh friends, you know how much I love Build-A-Bear Workshop. It is such a fun experience for your children (ok, the parents too!) to make a new friend and take it home. We have thrown a Build-A-Bear Workshop party and we have experienced all their techy advances that...
Chip Richter’s New Dream Tree CD Project
I'm excited to share with you about Chip Richter's new Dream Tree CD project. We are big Chip Richter fans in this house! We have seen him in concert 4 times and listened to his CD's hundreds of times. We love his songs about Jesus, Lakeside and growing up....
March Madness Fun For the Whole Family
Dan loves March Madness. In fact, it is his favorite "sports" time of the year. A couple years ago, he got me more interested in the games by having me fill out a bracket. My competitive side came out and I watched just to see if my picks were doing well or not....
Running from Materialism
When I was in college, I had a professor who shared this story: It was moving day for his family. They were unloading the truck and taking the furniture into the new house. The professor was carrying a lovely, family heirloom. . . a cherry table that had been passed...
Creative Kids’ Spaces
"You want to put what under your basement stairs?" That was what I heard when I told my husband and his cousin, the contractor, that I wanted a kids' clubhouse under our basement stairs. Growing up, my brother and I spent a lot of time playing in the fun space under...
Stop Thumb Sucking
Do you have a thumb sucker in the house? We did until up until a couple months ago. My daughter sucked her thumb only at night when she was holding her sweet teddy bear, the trigger. I couldn't bear the thought of taking away her beloved teddy so I tried something...
Are You Just Getting By? Notes from a Blue Bike Review & Giveaway
You would think that after coming back from vacation that I would be feeling peaceful, rested and ready to jump back in to my busy life. But even if we hadn't had such a miserably sick week on vacation, I would still not be ready. Before we left, I read a great book...
10 Simple Ways for You and Your Child to Serve this Winter
Even though it is winter and many of us are bundled up to stay warm inside, there are still plenty of ways to serve and help others. Serving needs to be a mindset until it becomes a way of life. I know from experience that the idea of helping others must be in the...
A Parent’s Thoughts on Snapchat
Snapchat. What is Snapchat? If you're like most people in their thirties (a'hem, me), you may not have heard of Snapchat yet or you've heard just enough to wonder what it is really all about. So today, I'm sharing my thoughts on Snapchat: the basics, what I like...
My 2014 Lovely Generalities
Happy New Year, friends! Did you make any goals this year? I love goals and am a big proponent of setting great goals. But this year, I have decided not to write anything specific as I have in the past . . . at least for now. Life is just a bit to crazy to add more...
Books to Snatch up! Discounted or Free eBooks on Amazon
I love great deals and I love free. So of course, I wanted to share these discounted or free ebooks with you! I Can Teach My Child to Read: A 10-Step Guide for Parents On sale for $1.99 this week only! This book helped me be intentional about teaching my son to...
Candy Cane Mosaic: Edible Art for Kids
Wondering what to do with your leftover candy canes? Grab a mallet and melt some chocolate because we are making art! With just two ingredients, your kids can easily and inexpensively create their own edible mosaics. A Mosaic is a picture or decorative design made...
Top Ten Posts of 2013
Thanks for spending another great year with me here on the blog. I am so thankful for you! In case you've missed any of 2013's top posts, check them out below. (Ordered according to the stats.) 1. 25 Scripture Verses on Goal Setting 2. Path to a...
New Traditions with the Cleveland Nutcracker
I couldn't have been more than seven or eight years old, but I remember going to the Nutcracker with my family. Beautiful dancers, a charming story and first memories of seeing the ballet. And now starts a new tradition. In a few weeks, I will be taking my daughter...
In a Rush?
Feeling busy and distracted? Maybe a little overwhelmed? Lists are long and we're rushing to get everything done. We rush through our days. We rush through our errands. We rush through our lists. We rush our kids out the door and we burn the midnight oil. We...
12 Reasons Moms Everywhere Love Kiwi Crate
Once a month, for over a year now, a little green box arrives on my doorstep. The mail lady may think this is an ordinary box. Here is what the Mail Lady sees: But to my family, when this special package arrives . . . Here is what WE see: ...
Tasks for Simplicity
This month, we are wrapping up our journey to a Simply Organized Life. It has felt great getting things in order, hasn't it? For December, we are finishing with easy tasks to simplify our lives. I wrote about this in a previous post and since there is no need to...
The Value of Traditions
Hi Friends! Did you have a nice Thanksgiving? We went to Dan's aunt's house and had 120 people (counting all the babies). Crazy, right? It is so much fun and very organized. Each person is assigned what to bring. Furniture is moved around, tables and chairs are...
Cool Science Experiment for Kids: Create an Afterimage
Did you know that our eyes have the ability to retain an image even after it is gone? This is called an AFTERIMAGE. And in just a few steps, you and your kids can be playing and learning together. What you'll need to create an afterimage: Notecards Colored Pencils...
My End-of-the-Year Purpose-Filled Hit List
Plow through. Get it done. Plunge ahead. . . All thoughts and attitudes that can easily steer us as we move through our busy days. But, what I have been thinking about lately, what I have been asking myself is: Are there costs to this sort of approach? Do things...
Organizing Your Paper Life & My Dream Command Central
With last month's task of organizing our digital life, it is timely and appropriate that this month, we organizing our paper life. I don't know about you, but paper in my house is Clutter Enemy #1. It is not toys. It is not books. It is paper. I cannot...
Minted.com Review and Why I am Squealing with Delight!
This week, I had the opportunity to review the website, Minted.com. Friends, I am loving this site and could spend all day browsing through their beautiful lines of products. Minted has so much to offer, whether you are creating photo cards, planning a party,...
1st Time Offer: Teach Me To Serve ebook PDF version 50% Off!
Over one year ago, I launched my ebook, Teach Me To Serve. I have been so blessed and thankful for the wonderful response. And it is time to celebrate! For the first time, I am offering a 50% off discount code for pdf copies. Teaching your kids to serve can seem to...
Younique Products Makeup Review & Giveaway
I have something to confess. Every day, my makeup looks the same. Same colors, same techniques, same amounts. I don't do anything different. Partly because of habit, but mostly because of a lack of makeup knowledge and style. There have been many times I have...
Beauty in the Moment Final Update
Hi friends! Well, today is the last day of our Beauty in the Moment challenge. Have you enjoyed it? I am noticing the simplicity in small things, finding the delightful in the imperfect and discovering the soothing sigh of slowing down if only for a moment in a fast...
The Do’s & Don’ts of Organizing Your Digital Life
Remember our plan for a simply organized life? Well, we are on the down-swing as we draw close to the end of 2013. How have you been doing? I have loved getting things in order . . . except for the cleaning routine. It simply isn't happening. But since most of us...
Beauty in the Moment Update #1
Hi friends! I am LOVING the photos you have been posting for our Beauty in the Moment Challege! It has been fun to pause and deliberately enjoy the moment and not rush off to the next thing. Here have been some of my Beauty in the Moment pics: If you would like to...
Welcome!
My name is Kristen. I'm a former Wedding & Event Planner blogging about fun ways to celebrate each and every day and the special occasions of life. Here you'll find inspiration for family fun, children's activities, party planning and a faith-filled life. 
