Some posts just get a little more attention than others. Check this area for seasonal favorites, category roundups and my readers’ top picks of the last five years.
Friday’s Find: Free Birthday Gift Printable
Birthdays are a tricky thing. Oh sure, for family and friends it’s a no-brainer to run out and spend cash on great gifts. But what do you do about all those other birthdays that creep up on you during the year…teachers, neighbors, kid classmates, church friends, coaches? You want to offer something nice to let them know you appreciate them but you don’t want to spend big money to do it. Well, thanks to the suggestion of some helpful MeckMom readers, I’ve got a perfect solution for you. It’s free birthday...
read moreThe Wanda Witch Party Roundup Post
I can tell it’s getting close by the emails coming in…that wonderful time of year when dozens of you readers anonymously invite all your friends to a big party and take on my favorite pseudonym…Wanda D. Witch. I hosted my first Wanda Witch party 10 years ago and I’m still going strong. We’ve done variations of it in 4 different states. It’s been the source for new friendships and awesome memories we retell with friends to this day. But the benefits don’t end there. Some of my favorite family...
read more‘Cooler’ Cold Lunches Mini-Tip 5
We’ve finally made it to the end of the series. I’m sure you guys are anxious to move on to other topics, but I have one more to share. It was inspired by an idea I read about in Family Fun Magazine. This cool lunch tip is probably my kids’ favorite; mostly because it gets them a lot of attention at the lunch table. Thankfully it’s a cinch for me to create too. I just pop the cap on a marker. ‘Cooler’ Cold Lunches Mini-Tip 5: Make Your Mark You’ve probably been there. You’re helping...
read moreHelp Kids Conquer Fears with a Fear Factor Challenge
Are your kids scared to do this? How about riding down a huge water slide in this? Does the idea of popping one of these into their mouth make their nose wrinkle in disgust? If so, I can relate. My kids were scared of all of those things and more. So last summer we began a new tradition – our annual Fear Factor Challenge. It was inspired by a clever ‘try new foods’ program at my kids’ school. Each month they provided a new food for the kids to sample at lunch. Anyone brave enough to try it signed their...
read moreTackling Laundry Mini-Tip 5
Ok, ok. I know I said I was done talking about laundry but four tips just seemed like a weird place to stop. Sorry, these things bug me…I can’t explain it. Additionally, my site is having issues displaying posts on the home page lately (big changes are coming soon) so I thought I’d add one more post to the laundry series and provide quick links to all five. Tackling Laundry Tip 5: What You Give is What You Get I’m not sure how it happens but my big kids must peel off their clothes like you’d peel a wrapper...
read moreAdd Some Flair to Your April Fools’ with This Free Printable
When it comes to April Fools’ Day, we like to keep it pretty simple. This year, my husband and I snuck into our kids’ bedrooms at night and signed their faces with washable markers (I made sure to to it in pink and add hearts – just to bug my boys). Our kids quickly retaliated by leaving dry erase messages on our mirrors and by flipping our laptops over on our desks (mine had been invaded by Star Wars figures). I also borrowed an idea from Family Fun and whipped up a batch of orange “Gelled Juice” last night....
read more4 Ideas for Easier Easter Egg Dyeing
To me, coloring Easter eggs is like crafting with glitter – the end result is lovely but the process is a big mess. Since cutting out this colorful tradition isn’t really an option (my kids love it too much), I came up with a few simple strategies to make the egg dyeing process a little easier and the clean-up a lot quicker. 1. Cover Your Bases Newspaper and paper towels can only go so far. When you want real protection for your table you need something stronger. My personal favorite? Puppy training pads. They’re...
read moreThe Best Burp Cloths Ever
This particular tip comes from years of experience. Not general mothering experience, mind you. I mean experience walking into church, a store, or the kids’ school only to find that I’ve got lovely patch of baby spit-up hanging out on my shoulder. I’ve tried tons of different burp cloths over the years but nothing really seemed to work. Even the washable diapers everyone raved about didn’t actually absorb anything. For the most part the spit-up just sat on top of the fabric, which inevitably found its way back...
read moreKeep Diaper Supplies Handy with this Simple Trick
Yesterday my husband had to take our new son to the doctor for a routine check up and was presented with a dilemma. He knew he’d need to bring diaper changing supplies but had no desire to tote my cute, melon-colored purse along with him. I couldn’t send him to the doctor empty-handed so I showed him one of my favorite mom-tested tricks. I grabbed a diaper and a thin pack of wipes and tucked them into the lining of the baby’s car seat. Viola! Instant access to the supplies he needs without compromising his tough,...
read more3 Cheap Kitchen Tools that Make Life Easier
I love a great kitchen gadget; especially those that simplify my life and don’t cost an arm and a leg. Here are a few of my recent favorites. Painter’s Tape ($2, WalMart) Ok, I know this low-tack tape probably doesn’t qualify as a kitchen gadget to most people, but I use it in my kitchen all the time. I’ve even got a special hook inside my cupboard door to keep my roll of tape handy (and keep it out of the hands of my tape-loving kids). I use it for all kinds of things like making a reusable seal on bags of...
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