We’re filling our days with Christmas crafts. Reaching back to some Scandinavian roots, we made woven heart baskets. These were more fun than I expected, and I may or may not have needed my sixth grader’s help figuring it out. He enjoyed the puzzle aspect of it. This is an otherwise easy craft resulting in…
I have always loved Christmas crackers. It’s so special to get the fancy ones. This Christmas at home, crackers were harder to find, shopping less convenient, and home activities a little more cherished. I made a last minute decision to make our own. They’re definitely not the fancy ones, but hold that place in our…
We love the animated feature, Aladdin. We couldn’t wait to put these costumes together, as there are so many great characters! You can put this together too! Five costumes are a lot to make, and some just can’t realistically be made at home, so I start with shopping. I found the Jasmine, Aladdin, and Genie…
The recent passing of Sam McBratney reminded me of tender, deep memories of reading his best-selling book. It seems like just yesterday we were reading this book, but it’s been a surprisingly long time. It was a gift to us when we had our first child, and was read many, many times. We didn’t have…
We’ve been home for seven months now, due to a coronavirus causing COVID-19 disease. This period has been long, but the uncertainty hasn’t waned. The things we have done seem like the stuff of movies. As we went into our time at home, I couldn’t help but find similarities to the movie, Bird Box, as…
This tutorial is for a child size cloth mask with a filter pocket and straps. I saw a lot of people posting on social media about making cloth masks, and it looked like an easy craft to pass the time, so I thought I’d make some for fun. I’m sharing how I made them in…
Are you feeling like the idea of family costumes is inconceivable? Does it seem like pulling it off is like trying to find the six-fingered man? Putting together theme costumes can be as complicated or as simple… as you wish. After a family viewing of The Princess Bride, our four year old went around performing,…
If you ever need a family or group costume, I highly recommend Wizard of Oz. It’s easily adapted to small or large groups, and we all love the color and magic of that 1939 film. The kids immediately knew which characters they wanted to be. I was so happy to see them so into…
On the lookout for family or group costumes? This classic is a crowd-pleaser. Who doesn’t love the nostalgia of Popeye the Sailor Man? And how cute is Swee’Pea? Our family may be known for our family costumes, but this one was one of our very first. When our older son was two, his first time…
Forget bipartisan politics. This Coronavirus has all the strong opinions coming out. There seem to be two extremes in the spectrum of reaction. As a mom with some health department and emergency management background, I’ll offer what I can here. You’re already doing things right. This health event involves a lot of the same…