Encouraging reading at home is a foundational step to instill within your child a lifelong love of reading. Providing our kids opportunities for reading in any form (whether it be a book, comics, graphic novels, newspapers magazines, recipes, etc.) is critical for establishing a solid foundation. Reading for the simple pleasure of enjoyment is so important, but if you’re looking for a few ways to extend a reading experience with your child, or students, these ideas might help. Challenge Accepted!Designate a specific number of books to read within a given time frame. This can be done individually, as a family, etc. Keep a running list ... Read More
Fiesta Creamed Corn
My grandma passed along the MOST DELICIOUS fiesta corn recipe to me a few months ago and I couldn't wait to try it. I'm not a fan of the fiesta corn in a can...maybe the only kind of corn I don't like...but this one sounded too good to pass up. I mean, how can you go wrong when bacon is part of the recipe?! Needless to say, this was a HIT. There was hardly a bite left when it was all said and done. This is definitely a go-to side dish now. Perfect for dinner at home or for entertaining a crowd. It would definitely be the hit of the party! ... Read More
Building Relationships – Use Your Spidey Senses!
Creating opportunities to share an experience together is one of the best ways we can help build relationships with others. Whether it's establishing connection with our kids, co-workers, spouses, or family & friends, shared experiences are the building blocks in the foundation of relationships. As teachers and parents, it's important for us to create opportunities that allow our kids to engage in those experiences. Whether you're a parent with kids at home or teacher with kids in school, it's important to be intentional in the experiences you're providing. One of my favorite relationship building activities for both home and school ... Read More
200+ Conversation Cards for Kids
As parents, we have a strong tendency to fall prey to the familiarity of routine. The monotony of the normal day-to-day tends to set the tone for the interactions we have with each other & our kids, too. Oftentimes, I can predict how a conversation with my boys will go before I even initiate it. As a mom, I crave authentic communication and conversation with my kids. Sometimes I feel like I'm pulling teeth to get more than one word answers from them. I also realize that asking them the same questions over and over again breed the same answers. I'm always trying to engage my kids in conversation one way or another and I've ... Read More
100+ Activities For Kids to do at Home
As COVID-19 continues to shut school doors, many parents are finding themselves with their kids at home and struggling to keep them engaged in meaningful activities. I put together a list of 100+ ideas to help you keep your kids occupied in meaningful ways. While these ideas aren't necessarily academic, they will learn from them. Real life skills, patience, problem solving, creativity, perseverance, and so much more. I hope these ideas are helpful, as well as enjoyable, for both you and your child(ren)! Get in the Kitchen!- Scour Pinterest or sift through old cookbooks & magazines for new recipes. Some of my favorite kid ... Read More
30 Free Virtual Learning Resources for COVID-19 School Closures
As schools all across the country continue to shut their doors amidst growing concerns of COVID-19, I've been encouraged to see so many individuals and companies provide virtual opportunities for kids to continue their learning experience even when they aren't in the classroom. I thought it would be helpful to share a landing space here that would provide both parents & teachers with free resources that can be accessed while your students/children are at home. If you'd like to add any additional resources in the comments, please feel free to do so as well. I hope this helps make things a little easier for us all. Before sharing ... Read More
Butternut Squash Noodles with Spinach & Sausage
My husband and I were recently talking about how our eating habits have changed since we got married 15 years ago. I was an AWFUL cook. Like, couldn't toast toast kind of bad. For the first 3 years of our marriage, we survived on tater tot casseroles, chicken squares (gag), Hamburger Helper, and pizza. We eventually moved onto a variety of meals to make up for those lost three years, but only in the recent years have we shifted toward a healthier diet. I'm not saying we're perfect eaters 100% of the time. We still love all the "bad" stuff, too. But these days we practice the motto, "everything in moderation". On nights when we want ... Read More
February 2020 Book Review
February found me coming & going and unable to read as much as I wanted. I was able to finish four books, one of them being a repeat I enjoyed last year. I think you might enjoy a few of these, too. Open Book, by Jessica Simpson This was the first pick of the month and it did NOT disappoint. I opted for the audiobook because Jessica Simpson herself was narrating her memoir. I would HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook if you have the chance. There are certain points throughout her narrative where her voice cracks and shakes, her vulnerability palpable. I didn’t have high hopes going into this one, ... Read More
Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I'm always on a mission to find dinners that are easy to prep and cook and take little time from stovetop to table. When I can pair that winning combo with something that also tastes delicious and has me going back for thirds?!?! That my friends is what I call 'winning'. Yes. Winning in every way possible. If you're a fan or these flavors, I think you'll feel the same. Thank you, Little Spice Jar. This is a recipe we'll come back to time and time again! ... Read More
Pizza Twists
This twist on a traditional pizza caught my eye when I was scrolling through Facebook one day. I think my favorite food page to follow is Tasty. You know, all those delicious videos of foods you can only eat in moderation...the foods that make you salivate and your buttons pop just by thinking about them. The recipes you watch being made, but never make yourself. I decided this one looked easy enough to try and really wanted my boys to try something different with a hint of familiarity. Let me just tell you that what it lacks in appearance it makes up for in taste! The boys absolutely LOVED these pizza twists! ... Read More
