Saturday Morning Markets

One of this mom’s favorite things to do as summer begins is take the whole family to the local farmer’s market. The one near my house is now in full swing and to me this is what life is all about. Really, this has to be one of the best family events going. Our whole family loves going stall to stall listening to the people talk, sharing recipes, and just interacting. People are friendly, no credit cards are used, and everyone gets a good deal. These sort of markets hearken back to a different time where people talked and listened to each other and where money was invested locally, not globally. These are the sort of lessons and environment this mom wants to continue to reinforce within my family - that people matter more than things. Give me this sort of shopping any day of the week (not just Saturdays!).

Shop online & save time, energy, and money

Recently someone asked why we buy so much online. I responded with three statements: it is cheaper, you save time, and you save gas. So which online stores have Mom’s Seal of Approval?

Below you will find some of MF’s Best Online Stores:

Ditch the Cell

Today I went to the park and witnessed something I have seen often, and cringe at every time - adults talking on their cell phone while vaguely watching their kids. Although I can sympathise that there might be important matters to take care of over the phone, it seems that maybe the park is not the best place to do it.  Really, I am trying not to be too judgemental, but I watched a woman talk for forty minutes on her phone while her two small children went up and down quite a steep slide by themselves.  I am the first person to say that it is important for mom not feel isolated, lonely, or disconnected and maybe she was talking to her long-lost sister, but my guess (by the tone of the conversation) is that she wasn’t.

Before cell phones were everywhere, my husband was asked if he had a cell phone and he answered “I am not important enough to have one.”  Honestly, though flippant, there is some truth there. Unless it is your long lost brother, sister, or parent, put the phone down for a bit and interact with your child.

Sermon ended. Venting done.

“Help, we are new parents”

Boy, haven’t we all been there? There are so many reasons new parents need help. But recently a friend called me and her “help we are new parents” line was related to what “baby gear” she needed to buy and what was decent. So in her honor I drew up this list. Some of mom’s, dad’s, and yes, baby’s favorite items include:
Continue reading »

An Old Fashioned Birthday

Today I was talking with a friend and I asked how the two birthday parties were for her two sons. She sighed and went on to tell me all about them. She told me that one was a “dragon” party and the other was a “train party” that took place in her backyard with all the appropriate decorations, games, food, and homemade cakes. I thought this sounded great and inquired why she seemed exasperated. She told me that she thought the birthday celebrations were great, but as her friends were leaving a few of the parents said to her “oh, we think it is so nice that you had an old-fashioned birthday party for your boys.” I stared back at her - to me this is a birthday party routine - so why would this be considered old-fashioned? She went on to tell me that in the area she lives in parents rent out different venues to host their child’s birthday. I still wasn’t following. “What do you mean?” I asked. She answered Continue reading »

The Worry & Dread of Shots

We are using our day off to make a list of “to-do’s” for the week. One of the things we are in desperate need of doing, yet we all will dread, is going to the pediatrician for vaccinations. Although we trust our pediatrician, even we are a bit skeptical about how many shots are pumped into little bodies so regularly. We have tried to research all of the data around vaccinations, but it is a daunting task to know who to believe. We were happy to see Time Magazine’s recent cover on the topic and we were even happier to find some helpful information. You can read the whole article here.

An Impromptu Picnic

This mom has a lot of favorite things, but I definitely love a wonderful, long picnic. At least I love the idea of a picnic. In reality, making the picnic spread, getting everyone in the car, and getting to the perfect picnic spot can take longer than the actual picnic itself. So today our family did what will become a new favorite - we did a impromptu picnic and although it seems odd to try and plan such a thing I believe we will from now on. What are mom’s favorite tips for a quick & painless picnic success?

Dont’ plan for a full day extravaganza. Instead keep it short and simple. Minimize the goal so that it is easier to manage. Instead of packing a full day’s supplies you just need to get the family in the car and grab the food.

Have one adult get all the kids on the car, so that the other adult can pack up the food that is needed.

Don’t get fancy. Ditch the tablecloth and nice basket and instead get a brown bag and start filling it with the items you will need.

As the food doesn’t need to sit around all day going bad, this also means you have more picnic choses.  If you aren’t going far don’t even bother with the cooler, and instead grab the cheese slices, bread, mustard, chips, bag of grapes, cookies, and drinks and go, go, go.

 

Road Trip!

I recently wrote about mom’s favorite “smart snacking” in the car or on the go. But when you are in the car for eight or more hours, you just don’t need food, you definitely need entertainment. This mom has some favorite items to keep little minds active and boredom at bay.  They include audio books, regular books, and a few interactive toys: