About a week ago, I took 3 of my kids out on a shopping trip. Since my kids have been in school full time for the last 2 years, and because I have a couple of amazing built-in babysitters when they’re NOT in school, I had completely forgotten how difficult it is to shop with…
“How Do You Afford All Those Kids?” – Big Family “How Do You Do It?” Series
Raising kids is not cheap, and we are certainly not rolling in money around here, so I frequently hear the question, “How do you afford all those kids?” Being raised in a family of 7 was great preparation for learning how to save money, and I learned many of my best tips and tricks for…
5 Tips to Throwing a Great Backyard BBQ Get-Together #SummerwithSears
Nothing says outdoors and grill like the Fourth of July. This week was made for grilling (really, it should be a crime to NOT cook something on the grill on the 4th of July, don’t you think?) and friends and family. I love grilling during the summer months, mostly because I want to do anything…
Help Your Kids Avoid the #SummerSlide
My kids are officially on Summer Vacation, as of last Tuesday. Summer time is both a blessing and a curse. I love letting my body wake up when it wants to. I love spending time at my neighborhood pool and playing games with my kids. I love taking day trips to see my sister in…
Tips for a Happy Summer Break – Big Family “How Do You Do It?” Series
Do you ever feel like the mom in the picture above, playing a massive game of tug-of-war during the summer just to maintain a sense of sanity with the kids? How often do YOU hear: “Mom! I’m bored!” “What are we going to do today?” “Mom, when are you going to be dooooone?” I adore…
Tips for Making Dinner Time a Success – “How Do You Do It?” Series
I love to cook. I love to EAT more, but I do love to cook, and I dare say I’m rather good at it most of the time. I have a few challenges with cooking, though, that tend to minimize the enjoyment that I get from the task. As a mom of 5 kids,…
How to Manage CLEANING the House – “How Do You Do It?” Series
I’ve joined a few of my blogging friends who also have big families in a new series called “How Do You Do It?” – exploring how moms of big families handle things like cleaning, homework, dinner time, car pooling, discipline….you name it! In fact, if you have a “How Do You Do It?” question for…
Ideas to Make the Most of Time Together – Together Counts
Spring Break is one of my favorite times for spending time with my kids. The weather is nicer than Winter Break, so we can spend time outdoors and exploring things around the DC area. And the time is shorter than Summer Break so we don’t get tired of each other (wait….did I really say that?)….
How to Avoid Cleaning the House in 10 Simple Steps
When my kids were little and taking care of them (and my house) was my only job, I remember thinking ahead to the day when all of my kids would be in school and I would be in an empty house for 6 hours each day. When I was in the middle of the toddler…
How to Create a Love List With Your Kids
I am sitting at my desk. I am trying to start a post inspired by a fantastic conference call I was on tonight with Dr. Karen Reivich and my fellow faculty moms with the Fishful Thinking program. For an hour we shared and discussed how our families give and receive love. It’s just before 9:30…