holiday

24 Days of Christmas Books: an advent calendar tradition
Ten years ago, we began a tradition of reading one Christmas book every night for the month of December until Christmas Eve. My religion aside, Christmas to me means family traditions – those are the memories that will last. Kids will long forget the various gifts they receive, but the

a smart robot who reads color {Ozobot}
It’s not everyday I come across something truly unique, and often times I think I’ve just seen it all. Perhaps that is because I am still surrounded with baby and toddler toys, but as my oldest grows even older, the toys get more interesting for all of us. Enter the

hot holiday toys with a side of charity {Kmart Fab 15 list}
Christmas is less than 6 weeks away – say whaaat? I know, I’m panicking too. My daughter is tough this year. She only wants one thing – an Xbox ONE and more games. I’ve been begging her to make a more extensive list to give me, Santa and grandma more

fire roasted red pepper meatball skewers {party food}
I created this Fire Roasted Red Pepper Meatball Skewers recipe as a part of a sponsored post for Ragú® and SocialStars. #NewTraDish My family lives by the rule that everything tastes better on a stick. It’s true. So when I was put to the task to mash together two classic

mini chicken pot pies {easy family dinner}
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Frozen Food Foundation for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. I’ve been known to over-complicate a dish, and I’m still guilty of that when I think I have the time, but I do like to pick my culinary

Light Raspberry Melting Moments {party cookie}
A friend of mine who grew up in Australia shared a Melting Moments recipe with me a few years back. Melting Moments are very popular in Australia and for her, very nostalgic. She shared the recipe around Christmastime and every since I’ve made them for the holidays, but they are

Spring is in the air {books for kids}
Welcome to Spring! I absolutely adore spring here in the desert — it is quite perfect. We are outside all day enjoying the weather before summer swoops in and boils us with its 120 degree heat! It is a great season to really experience nature. Instilling love and respect for

Valentine’s Day and beyond candles {Archipelago}
The month of February, I like to keep my house feeling a little extra lovey. I break my vows of never buying or receiving red roses, I place a heart here and there, and I light a lot of red candles. When I want to set the mood, I look

The Popcorn Factory and Cheryl’s {Valentine’s Day Gifts}
No matter what Facebook says your relationship status is, Valentine’s Day is the unofficial, official cheat day. Everything should be dipped in chocolate and covered in sprinkles, and you cannot feel bad about consuming more than a moderate amount. For those in your life who deserve their indulgences this Feb

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas {Chinese New Year}
Have you ever been in China during Chinese New Year? Me neither, but it is on my bucket list. This most important holiday is celebrated for 15 days, beginning the first day of the lunar calendar. This year, January 31st. I’m big on holiday books for my daughter, as they are