Ah, the great outdoors! The most wonderful place to explore, interact with nature, enjoy some peace, get some exercise and breathe in the fresh air. I know how important it is to raise children with daily outside experiences, but getting bundled and out there isn’t always as easy to actually do as it is to say.
Now that winter is in full swing, it’s hard to imagine spring bursting from the cold, barren ground in a few months. But until then, why not create a terrarium to bring a little life and greenery inside? A homemade terrarium is an easy and inexpensive project you can do by yourself or with your kids in an afternoon. The bowl of year-around greenery, will instantly brighten a room and make the browns and whites outside seem a little less daunting.
Everyone remembers his or her first Bikram Yoga class! And for good reason! It can be overwhelming, unfamiliar and a bit scary! But don’t be disheartened. Follow these easy tips to make sure your first class is as positive an experience as possible. And don’t be discouraged if it is tough. It should be tough! For many of us, it is the first time we have worked so deeply into our bodies. Plus, it’s 105 degrees in there!
The New Year brings us more than an urge to make resolutions, clean out cupboards and start new regimes: it brings colds and flus. For parents with little ones, this is a most difficult time of year. Just when we were ready to bustle them into their coats and mitts and head back to school, they come down with something just ghastly enough to keep them from attending… yet not so debilitating it knocks them out for the day.
We have a live in nanny and he rocks. His name is David and he has been living with us for almost a year. David was a family friend before he moved in. He never intended to be our manny (a live-in nanny, who happens to be a man) but the situation worked out well for him and for us, so here we are.
The other day, my daughter came home from school very excited. She asked me if I knew what her favorite holiday was. Knowing this is an answer that can change quite frequently, I guessed Christmas. And, I was wrong…
I’ve been working lately on trying to get my morning act together. Not so much my routine, but my mindset upon waking. I’d fallen into a habit of opening my eyes, tossing out a quick mental, “Hey God, it’s me, Annie,” picking up my phone, and immediately bombarding myself with the day’s news and to-dos. I knew I needed a new habit—something to replace my (rather pathetic) God nod and morning Facebook feast.
It’s hard to stay fit as a family in winter months. Between the hectic holiday madness, the shorter days and holiday treats, regular exercise gets put on the backburner. Throw in cold weather, snow and a desire to drink wine under a blanket on the couch, it’s pretty easy to justify not moving for most of the winter.
If you are sharing living and play spaces with your children, read on for some tips and tricks to declutter play rooms and make your shared spaces more fun for kids and less stressful for parents!
It has been a rough month and our world is changing. We are focused on what matters most in our lives, and what is essential. What is most meaningful?