We just came home from a long weekend at Crystal Mountain, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. This is our third year visiting and I think it was our best ever. We meet friends every summer and it’s so lovely to spend time together, especially in a place as beautiful as Crystal Mountain. It was made for family fun. Let’s start with a room tour. Like last year, we booked a one bedroom condo at the Inn at the Mountain. We’ve stayed in other rooms, but this one is our favorite. We love the full kitchen, the private balcony, and bunkette. The location is also very convenient – we were right ..read more

We are a mixed bunch of beginner skiers, friends. The kids have skied twice, my husband skied a little bit in high school, and I kind of skied once. True story – my kids were in the middle of a ski lesson two years ago and I followed them and their instructor up the chair lift for a few pictures. I thought I could ride the chair lift back down. Nope. The ski instructor took my big camera, put it around his neck, and skied me down the hill. There. That’s my one time on skis. Oh, and I fell. Anyway, my husband and I are determined to give our kids at least a little bit of experience in winter sp ..read more

These are really easy, you guys. On an effort scale of 1 – 10, I’d give them a 3. The best part is they’re easy to customize, make a big impact, and are inexpensive. There are plenty of tutorials on how to make these out there. This is the way that I’ve figured out and works best for me. (And hopefully you!) You’ll need: Scrapbook paper (make sure you use paper, not cardstock). You’ll need eight squares per pinwheel. One piece of coordinating paper Glue stick (not pictured, sorry) Glue gun Paper cutter (helpful but not necessary) Paper scoring board (helpful but not necessary) Paper punch (he ..read more

It’s January in Michigan, which means it’s cold and grey, and the sun sets before six. Add the fact we’ve been home for ten months now, and our family needed a pick-me-up. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I gave myself several options. Make the lemony-iest lemon bars in the world Make a huge, three-tier cake with 800 million sprinkles Decorate the house overnight (more is more) Plan the most extra porch drop of all time for friends Meet besties for sledding + hot chocolate Somehow I landed on decorating the house overnight and somehow I decided rainbow was the theme. Then I real ..read more

I first made these in 2015 as a class party activity in Young 5’s. I thought it would be fun because the class talked a lot about nature and being outdoors, and the word “bug” was something the kids could easily recognize and read. And because all the kids were love bugs, of course. With any class activity, I want the kids to be as hands-on as possible. It’s way more fun when they have ownership of a project and can work independently. For this project, that meant doing a lot of prep work. Assorted colors in all the materials gave the kids more choice and chance for personalization. To make 2 ..read more

Printables are one of my favorite mom hacks. They are a quick, easy, free way to add decor and fun to special occasions. Here’s a roundup of my favorite free Thanksgiving printables. (Pro tip – print on cardstock.) Giving Gazette by Darcy Miller Designs Darcy Miller is one of my go-to resources for great printables. Download the Giving Gazette here. Thanksgiving Turkey Placecard Holders by Jessika Reed I’ve used these guys several years in a row. My daughter loves to cut them out, write everyone’s name and decide where they’re going to sit. I’ll never get tired of seeing her handwriting arou ..read more

We have four kids and our oldest is 19. What does that mean? We’ve given (and received) A LOT of gifts for kids over the years. Here’s a short list of the toys we give over and over again. I should note this list also follows a few ground rules for me. The toys are well made, fun, and hand-me-down quality. I refuse to give any family more junk. I try to buy locally, but when that’s not possible, Target or Amazon do the trick. Maileg Mice A friend gave my daughter Little Sister Mouse for her fourth birthday. I hadn’t seen Maileg before and was seriously doubtful she’d like it. It’s a mouse in b ..read more

It’s October, and that means it’s time for boo bags. We’ve been booing friends for years, but just recently I realized not everyone knows about it. Here’s the basic idea. We put together a small treat and activity, bag it up cute, sneak up to a neighbor’s porch, leave it on their steps, ring the bell and run. This is easily my kids favorite part. They are 100% spies on a mission, complete stealth-mode. Watching them is my favorite part. It fills my heart every single time. (Sometimes, if I know it’s going to rain at night or the kids are really young and I don’t want to interrupt bedtime, I as ..read more

I have the cutest craft for you, friends. You know I’m all about simple, fun and easy and this craft is all of those things. And it’s wearable, so it has a real use. Crafts with a practical side are always a plus for me. I mean, I like wood birdhouses, but you can really only have so many. My daughter and I have made these a few times already and they always turn out cute. This time I’m making them for Halloween boo bags. (Stay tuned for that post!) You’ll need: Puffy paint – your choice of colors String – I prefer yarn or cotton twine because it’s inexpensive and soft Scissors Tape – I like ..read more

My 11-year-old daughter loves to read. I thought it would be fun to share her thoughts on her favorite books from this summer. These reviews are in her own words. Also, I had to pay her $10. My first book recommendation is called “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children,” by Ransom Riggs. This book is about a boy named Jacob. His grandfather used to go to this mysterious island as a kid where he stayed safe at a school called “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children.” Jacob’s grandfather wants Jacob to go to the school to stay safe from people who are off to get him, so, Jacob and his ..read more