I remember the day the Mall of America opened. It was the place to be when I was in high school. Over the years I have watched stores, attractions and restaurants come and go. This past spring, the Crayola Experience debuted at the Mall of America where Bloomingdale's used to be located. There are two other Crayola Experiences in the United States, Orlando, Florida and Eastan, Pennsylvania. I think it's pretty neat to have one here in my home state.Crayola has always been a staple in our ...
Pizza Circle Bento Box
There is only so much you can do with a Bento Box when your kid is fixated on sandwiches. But, last night we had Schwan's Four Cheese Pizza. It is by far the best cheese pizza I have found. Well, we had almost half a pizza left over so this morning I decided to use it in Peyton's Bentgo box. I was not sure how well this was going to go over with Peyt. She is on a PB&J kick lately. So as Peyton was munching on her cereal I started to cut the pizza into little circles. Out of the corner of ...
A Little Throwback to Sea World
One of my fondest memories growing up was the vacation my grandparents took me on to Sea World. I was about 6 years old and it was my first time to a park with sea animals. Oh boy was I excited! Back in 1983, Sea World was a lot different than it is now. I don't remember there being any rides. I just remember walking around this huge park and seeing all the animals. There were so many first for me on this trip. First time I'd ever seen a whale in captivity or any sea animal. Back in Minnesota we ...
Tips to Bring The Family Together
Whether your kids are barely out of diapers or they’re practically adults, it’s pretty normal to look for ways to bring the family closer together. With all the trials and stresses of working life, along with all the technology we have now, more and more families are getting squeezed for quality time. If this sounds all too familiar, here are some ways for you to bring the family closer together. First of all, baking and cooking together. It’s always a good idea to encourage your kids to cook ...
One Big Turkey
I know we are in summer. So talking about turkeys and fall may seem a little premature. But summer is coming to an end. Peyton starts school in three weeks! The fair is starting soon. Which means, fall is right around the corner. One Big Turkey by Anne Vittur Kennedy lets us follow the adventures of One Big Turkey and all his silly friends as Thanksgiving draws near. One Big Turkey is in board book shape format, which I love for little ones. The book is cut out in a shape of a giant turkey! ...
Back to Coloring!
The adult coloring book craze has been going strong for nearly a year. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I love to color. I love to color with my daughter. I find it relaxing and fun to spend time together coloring. Peyton uses adult coloring books too! She loves to color in mandalas. Over the past year, I have experimented with various coloring supplies. I have discovered that I enjoy coloring with colored pencils the best. Why colored pencils? Well, they are forgiving. You can blend them to ...