How-To

When we moved into our current rental, my oldest was about to turn two, and we had twins on the way. Setting up a safe environment for our toddler and soon-to-be newborns was super important to us. For the most part, the home was easy to safeguard. Except for the banister; we desperately needed a …

Do you need your kids to drink more water? Now that school is back in session, I can honestly say that we had a great summer. My family traveled, built a tree house in the backyard, visited the pool quite a bit, played outside and participated in summer sports. With athletics being a big part …

I am not what you would call a gardener. I’ve never grown much of anything, except for babies, but that track record is about to change, starting with this tomato planter. We happen to be living in a rental house with enough yard to grow somethings. We’ve started a few seedlings, and we’re beginning to …

Do you know how to clean your dishwasher? My husband and I have rented homes for 11 years now. Each apartment, condo, and house with different appliances. Some were brand new, most were less than ideal. Nothing is more frustrating than opening your dishwasher to find all the dishes you prewashed and then ran through …

Like most moms of little ones, I drink coffee like it’s going out of style. It’s my life’s blood, the nectar of the gods. I love it almost as much as I love my kids, and some days, more. But my teeth don’t love it so much. The years of sleepless nights and coffee guzzling …

I can’t adequately explain to you the disaster that is my car. Well, maybe I don’t have to. I mean, after all, you’re a mom. You get it. Food wrappers, toys, shoes, crumbs, craft projects, hair bands, and everything in between. With three little ones riding in back, I just end up with so much …

My little guy is just beginning his exploration of Legos, but it is quickly becoming an obsession. I’ve already stepped on my fair share of Dulpos; enough to force this mama to seek some lego storage solutions STAT! If I can expect to accumulate more and more of these Lego Bricks in the coming years, …

The blended family was really brought to light with the popular TV show The Brady Bunch. As kids watching the show, most of us thought that it was just a happy, normal family. But if you paid attention to the theme song, it was a family brought together when a lovely lady and a man named Brady met, …

BY: Shannon Griffith, owner of Green Diaper Babies, cloth diaper delivery service of Chicagoland. I’m sure you’ve heard it come up in your group of friends: CLOTH DIAPERS.  You know your “hippie” friends who have tried it and loved it; but there are also your friends who are clearly not interested.  Perhaps you find yourself …

When my husband said “that wasn’t bad” after we had just passed through security for the 10th flight flying with kids as a family of 5 in less then one year, I knew I had finally got down pat flying with my 3 boys – 5, 3 and nearly 1 year old. I had always …

Dear Teenage Girl, I know you, young lady. I can hear your heart beating, sometimes in that irregular way, when that boy walks by. I know that you don’t make eye contact with him, at least not often, and if you do it’s by accident. I know how those braces make you feel, maybe some …

Let me be the first to publicly declare this -I have used the same diaper cream on my son since day one. (That’ll be at the top of the list, that you’ll read below.) We’ve been extremely lucky that it’s worked well for him and haven’t needed to try a bunch of others. That said, …