Support a Mom-Trepreneur at a Snapology Franchise this Summer

      I don't know about you but by the time August rolls around our ideas of summer fun become pretty lean.  Throw in the fact that my youngest celebrates her birthday that month and everyone is so over the idea of a pool party or pretty much anything else I had in mind.  No one wants to be outside.  They all just want the cool indoors and a different sort of fun. Enter the idea of a Snapology birthday party or Snapology summer camp session from a Snapology franchise. What is Snapology? It is a mobile service for STEM learning located throughout the country that offers kids fun birthday parties, awesome afterschool programs and more. Snapology works for kids of all ages from babies to 18 years old so you can find something for everyone in your household.  … [Read more...]

Help Your Kids Find The Right Balance Between Sports and School

Photo credit/site https://pixabay.com/en/team-grass-cheer-field-game-sport-2444978/ There is no question about it; we are a society on the go. Parents balance careers, family, and the social lives of every member of their families. Just as parents have to balance their calendars, they must teach their children to balance theirs. Children must learn priorities, teamwork, and responsibility at a very young age. Teaching kids to prioritize This may sound easy, but it is far from it. Ask most parents, and they will say their kids know school is always going to come first. However, when your child has joined a team, and the team is depending on them, a math lesson that they do not understand throws everything off. Sooner or later, you will face this issue. Your child will struggle with … [Read more...]

3 Things Summer Camp Counselors Wish You Knew…

Most kids love going to summer camp. They see it as a time to play, socialize with their friends, and learn new things. Summer camp is a lot of fun for kids and a relief for parents since they don't have to worry about where their child is going to be while they're at work during the summer. But what do the counselors think of camp? The Washington Post broke it down for us. First, some camp counselors believe that preparedness is key. If your child isn't prepared for the day, they're going to have a hard time doing everything they wanted to do. For example, if it's time for your child to go swimming but they don't have their swimsuits, they're not going to be able to participate in that day's activities. It puts a lot of stress on the camp counselor because not only do they have to … [Read more...]

Back to School Organization Tips & Tricks

With back to school just around the corner, here are 9 tips and tricks to get organized as summer comes to an end. 1 Make a list of school supplies needed and shop ahead of time. Whether your private school provides a list of necessary school supplies or you find a generic one online, make sure you bring it with you to the store. Not only is it nice to get everything in one trip, but while at the store your list will keep you focused and on track. Don’t wait until the last minute to ensure having the best selection. 2 Get your kids involved. We all know those weeks between when camp ends and school begins can be lacking activities for the kids. Turn the school supply trip to the store, into an activity - allow them to pick out their notebooks, pencil cases, and lunch box … [Read more...]

The TMC Holiday Gift Guide

I did it again. I created a TMC Holiday Gift Guide.  You've been warned. There are no gift ideas here for the man in your life. Why? Because quite frankly every time I look at one of those guides or show one to H he says, "This is all stuff I would never want and never need. I want a snowblower or running gear, not shaving accessories. I swear to God, Vicky, if I see another toiletry bag as a gift I'm going to shiv someone." #twopeasinapod   Let's start with the kids gift guide, shall we?   Holiday Gift Guide for Kids by victoriamason featuring paper placemats Mega Bloks American Girl Isabelle Ballet Recital/Exploding Kittens: A Card Game About Kittens and Explosions and Sometimes Goats/American Girl Wellie Wisher (Willa shown)/Carter's Pajamas/Seedling Snow … [Read more...]

Support Giving Tuesday with Carter’s

Did you know that Tuesday, November 29 is Giving Tuesday?  It's our chance to give back and Carter's wants to help! My kids cannot get enough of Carter's super comfy and stylish pj's and outfits.  I'm so glad they extended sizes so I can keep the girls in their clothes for a little while longer.  With one kid with Sensory Processing Disorder and the other two really picky about textures it is one place I can shop and not worry about fit, comfort and itchiness. BACK TO GIVING TUESDAY with CARTER'S It works like this. For every Carter’s pajama purchased online at Carter's.com or at one of Carter's 650+ retail stores on November 29, Carter's will donate one of America's favorite pajamas to children in need. It works with the Pajama Program, which provides new pajamas and new books … [Read more...]

My Elementary School Age Kids Eat Baby Food

  My kids may be beyond actual babyhood but that doesn't mean that baby food is no longer in my house. Yes, the rice cereal went with the bottles and rubber nipples but the squeezable fruit and veggie pouches  stayed along with other assorted foods and here's why.  Baby Food is Portable. Whether you have a full day of errands or fun activities (hello, beach trip!) ahead of you and your family or you are on the road; baby food like GoGo Squeez pouches, Peeled dried fruit or Jammy Sammy bars are easy to pack and take with you when you are on the go. I can pack a full days worth of snacks and drinks in a flash in non-leaking, biodegradable packaging, All those flat, squishy square and rectangular shapes fit nicely into my "mom-sized" purse or beach bag. So while I no longer … [Read more...]

The American Girl Gift Guide

Every year my girls and I put together a collection of our favorite items to create the American Girl gift guide. This year is no different. Just like I would get into a flurry of excitement when the big Sears catalog would arrive each Christmas, my girls do the same thing with the holiday American Girl doll catalog.  Each one spends hours, sometimes days, looking over each item and deciding if she should mark it with her initial.  This year, the littlest one circled everything and freaked out when anyone else wanted the same toy. She was convinced only one person could have each gift. Our picks for the 2015 holiday season are a mix of accessories and clothing and broken down by age.  This was the first year I noticed a shift in what my oldest daughter daughter wanted and I had to … [Read more...]

Sparky’s Brain Busters Sparks Conversation

October is Fire Prevention month and this week is National Fire Prevention (NFPA) week and I now realize that since we have moved into this new house we don't have a plan in place. Sure, I clear a path from their bed to their windows each night and then the bed to their door making sure it is free of toys, clothes and whatever else my kids have crammed into their rooms; but that is not enough. We need to educate ourselves as a family on fire safety and now is the perfect time. Meet Sparky What's the best way to get my kids excited about something, especially the one in the 6-11 year-old range?  Use and app, of course.  Sparky's Brain Busters is a free app that uses trivia in math, social studies, science and fire safety to get kids learning.  Check it out. She loved that … [Read more...]

Ready Set Camp!

As the school year wraps up we are in a whirlwind of end-of-the-year activities and with all the picnics, ceremonies, pool parties, recitals I'm having a hard enough time making sure I stay  on top of each day and send each kid off with the proper clothing, sunscreen, bug spray and snacks. For snacks, I usually make them sandwiches using a french baguette loaf, ham, and as much vegetables my kids can tolerate. However, as I dropped them off yesterday I thought, "It's like I'm sending them off to camp and not school." CAMP!   That's right! In two weeks my oldest starts the summer by going to camp.  I'm not sure I'm totally prepared either. It's a good thing I'm working with MinuteClinic to get me in #ReadySetCamp mode!  And I'm not just talking about the camp physicals you can … [Read more...]