We all have those moments when our child says something hilarious, profound, or even filled with love. As they get older it is great to look back on those moments to transport us back to those times. When I am having a tough day, even now, I like to read some of the memories that I have recorded; it is always sure to bring a smile to my face!

How do you record these memories? Here’s a few ideas to help you make a great list.

Baby book – I have a paper in each of the boys baby books where I record memories and especially sayings that the boys used. Two of my favorites are when my oldest used to tell me a plane was going to “land down” (we live near a small airport) or when either of my boys wanted some Root-be-beer.

Facebook – I have recorded many a saying on Facebook. I like to download a copy of my Facebook data every 6 months or so to preserve these items.

Journal – Along the same lines as a baby book, have a special journal to record items as they occur.

Technology- With the invention of smart phones, there are so many different ways to keep track – email yourself, have an Evernote notebook, or even use a special app made just for this purpose. I like to blog them too!

What’s your favorite “saying” from your kids?

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.

This week, per my calendar of wacky holidays, is Bike to Work Week.  While I live a little bit too far away from my job to pedal there and back, I do love to ride my bike in my spare time.  Not only do I get great exercise from it, it also gives me that “me” time that everybody needs now and then.  I’ll always remember when my dad was trying to teach me to balance on just two wheels instead of four.  There was this huge sense of accomplishment when I could finally balance on my own – and not just for me.  When the time comes for your child to lose the training wheels, I highly recommend Jim’s method of teaching them to ride a bicycle:

• Safety first!  Make sure your child wears a helmet at ALL times while riding a bike.  This is non-negotiable.  Elbow and knee pads are optional, but recommended.  Make sure clothing does not hang so that it can become entangled in the bike.

• Hold on tight!  The first time getting on a two-wheeler is scary, so help your child get onto the bike safely and make sure their feet can touch the ground while they are seated.  As he or she pedals the bike, push gently on the seat behind them.  Go slowly at first, then gradually increase speed until the bike could stay upright on its own.  But keep holding on until your child has gotten lots of practice.

• Eventually, you have to let go.  These are words that most parents don’t want to hear, but in this case, it’s necessary!  Once you feel your child is ready, let go of the bike, but just for a moment or two.  When you take hold of the bike again, let them know that you let go for just a little bit.  This will boost their confidence.  Keep letting go for longer periods of time until they can finally ride on their own.

• Be encouraging.  Your child will fall, and it may happen once or one hundred times before they can stay balanced.  But it’s your job to encourage them to stick with it when they get frustrated.  This is not just because riding a bike is “good” for them or that it’s fun, but because it’s important not to give up when things get tough.

As it is said, once they learn how to ride a bike, they will never forget.  And when they’re all grown up, they may never forget the day they finally learned how.  Happy Riding!

Photo Credit: Today.com

It’s the perfect time to get out your craft supplies and create some beautiful flower masterpieces! One of the nicest things about flower crafts is that there are so many great materials you can use….fresh flowers, fake flowers, felt, tissue paper, etc. the possibilities are endless! It’s also a great way to bring pops of bright color to your home. Flowers make great home décor, and instead of buying or cutting fresh flowers that will die in a matter of days, using other lasting materials will ensure you can enjoy your floral décor for years to come. We even found these adorable DIY flower invitations (see picture below), which are perfect for any type of spring or summer party. While you’re working on your creations, we also included a few ideas for kids to do alongside you. Let the crafting begin!

• Spring Flower Wreath
• Flower Barrettes
• Flower Pomander
• Flower Topiaries
• Flower Magnets

For the kids:

• Flower Cards
• Fingerprint Flowers
• Tye-Dye Flowers
• Pop Out Flowers
• Handprint Flower 

Speaking of flowers, what’s your favorite?

For Mother’s Day I got a poem from my oldest and one of the lines read, “I love to hear mom listen to me when I read.” Children love to read to you and listen to you read. Nothing is better than snuggling together and reading a good book.  Sometimes it feels like you are reading the same books over and over and want some fun new books to be a part of reading time. A great way to try new books is to visit your local library or do a book swap with friends!

Here are some fresh book  ideas for you:

Pinkaliscous by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann

Any Dr. Suess Books

Ducks Don’t Wear Socks by John Nedwidek

Pete the Cat by James Dean

Leo the Lightening Bug by Eric Drachman

The Ugly Pumpkin by David Horowitz

Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny by Jan Thomas

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas

The Dog House by Jan Thomas

The Pigeon Books by Mo Willems

Llama llama Books by Anna Dewdney

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

These are just some of the favorites I have to share. Another key is to listen to the audio version if it is available. While visiting preschool the other day, my son’s teacher was reading Pete the Cat, Rocking in my School Shoes and had the CD playing along. There was great music that went along with it that the kids danced too.

What are some fun books that you like to read with your child?

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.

Mother’s Day is this weekend; are you ready? Here are some creative last minute gifts that Mom will love!

A Clean House  – Hire a cleaning lady to come next week and clean the house from floor to ceiling. Nothing is better than a week without cleaning the bathrooms or dusting the living room. Another option is to do it yourself or enlist the troops… just make sure they really clean and don’t cause a bigger mess!

Breakfast in Bed – Make Mom some breakfast, but make sure you do the dishes! If she is a big fan of coffee, bagels, or donuts go to her favorite place to pick up some.

Let Mom Sleep In –  A lot of husbands think they are doing this, but fall short. Here is the deal… when the kids get up, take them outside! Mom doesn’t want to listen to screaming kids down the hall or on the floor below. Truly let her sleep in, or treat her to a night away!

Shopping – A gift as simple as some cash and an afternoon of guilt free shopping can be heaven. Even window shopping is fun!!

and lastly…

Let Her Do What She Wants! – Take this to heart… if she wants to just stay in her jammies all day and hang around the house let her! Don’t feel like you have to force her into a big show of fancy food, and excursion and more… just let her do what she wants!

Happy Mother’s Day to all my fellow Mommies!!!!

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.

It’s almost time to get our BBQ on! Hamburgers are the all-time best food to throw on the grill. Something about them screams summer to me. Here are some great burger recipes to try:

Chili Sauce and Horseradish Burger

These are really easy to make and are so full of flavor. Definitely for nights when you want some beef with a bite to it.

Mozzarella-Stuffed Burger

Sometimes instead of slicing the cheese, I’ll simply mix in shredded mozzarella so it’s sprinkled throughout the whole burger. Bonus Ingredient: mix black beans into the meat. I do this all the time and it’s one of my all-time favorite meals.

Skinny Hamburger

At just under 162 calories a burger, you can have a pretty guiltless meal. But just because it’s a “skinny” burger doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing great taste!

Meatball Sliders

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for a mini-burger and I’ll throw these together. While the recipe does call for frozen meatballs, I do much prefer to make my own.

Remember that you can also substitute turkey meat in any of these recipes (I actually strongly prefer turkey meat over beef) and top them with whatever you’d like – bacon, condiments, lettuce and tomato, or whatever your creativity tells you to do. Enjoy!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner…a day completely dedicated to celebrating amazing moms (like you)! It’s a day to feel appreciated for the hard work you put in day in and day out. Let’s not forget that moms have moms too! Whether you’re looking for a nice DIY gift for your mother, or you’re helping your kids make something to show you how much they love you, here are some great gift ideas.

• M.O.M. Herb Garden
• Handprint Flower Apron   
• Rice Krispy Treat Bouquet
• Spa Tin
• Fragrant Bath Salts 
• Recipe Holder

I’m a big fan of gift baskets because they can fit any budget and can be personalized. Here are some gift basket ideas for different types of moms:

Green Thumb Basket

Seed packets or bulb bags, a small bag of potting soil, plant food, a garden trowel, gardening gloves, etc. placed in either a large watering can or a basket that can double as a gardening tool holder or planter.

Spa Mama Basket

Scented candles, bath balls or salts, shower gel, lotion, eye mask, spa pillow, scrub brush or loofa, soft socks, and a CD of soothing songs in a nice wicker basket that can be used for holding bath items.

Movie Critic Basket

DVDs or Blu-rays, different types of candy, and a gift certificate for 2 tickets to the local movie theater packed into a microwavable bucket of popcorn.

Sweet Tooth Basket

A variety of candy, cookies, and other sweets. You can buy them yourself or you can make delicious items such as chocolate covered pretzels, yogurt-dipped raisins, chocolate chip cookies, etc.

Yoga Basket

A yoga mat, yoga DVDs, and a water bottle. You can add extras such as a hand towel, a gift certificate for local yoga classes or yoga attire, etc.

Culinary Creations Basket

Cookbook, set of wooden cooking utensils, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a bag of special pasta, and a jar of pasta sauce. You can personalize this to a baker by changing out the pasta and sauce for a bag of chocolate chips and a cookie mix, and including baking spatulas instead of the wooden utensils.

What are you giving YOUR mom this year?

I’m always amazed at how many apps and websites come along that bring so much technology right into our hands. Keeping up with all this innovation is nearly impossible. Here’s a few cool ones that I think are worth sharing.

How important is the weather in your day? Some days, watching the forecast on the morning news is enough to inform you of how to dress or whether to grab the umbrella. Other times, you need to know with a little more precision whether that scattered shower will affect your afternoon activities. Try Nooly and get the forecast down to the 5 minute increment and know when the rain will start and when it will end. Cool!

Ever wonder how to do the One Hand Clap? Check out Snapguide for quick videos and instructions on how to do that and all sorts of things like how to brush your dog’s teeth, take someone’s blood pressure, or take a proper nap in the car. Good things to know!

Have a few gift cards lying around? Find yourself in the store and realize your card is at home? Try Gyft, a new app that lets you upload and store gift card info on your phone so they’re handy when you need them, without having to carry them around. You can also buy, send and receive them with this app. That’s pretty handy.

Hope these help make you spring more organized. Enjoy!

Do you get appliances every year for Mothers Day? Even though a new toaster is nice, it isn’t exactly what we were wishing for year after year. You may hope for a beautiful piece of jewelry, handmade picture from your little ones, or even a certain plant for your outdoor landscape. How do you “hint” around, especially when your kids are too little to drop some hints?

Gone are the days of magazine pictures conveniently stuffed for your partner to see or even things circled in the weekly store ads, there are some great tools that you can keep a “Wish List” throughout the year!

Pinterest – Make a Pinterest board. So easy and visual for anyone you share it with. You can see mine here!

Evernote or Springpad – Collect ideas or even write a list and save as a note. Write down stores you find items at, take pictures, and even put the aisle number. It can’t get easier!

Store Wish Lists – Many stores have ways to register and create your own wish list.

Web Sites or Smart Phone Apps – The lists you make at the end of the year for your children can be used just as easily for you!

All of these options will make that blender a thing of the past… you just have to remember to send a link or message to remind them to check it!!

By the way… to my husband, if you are reading this… be sure to check out my Evernote Notebook labeled Kim’s Wish List or my Pinterest Board. HINT HINT!

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.

Did you know that Teacher Appreciation week is May 6-10? Even if you have little ones who aren’t in school yet, take some time out to acknowledge the teachers in their lives. That could be a daycare teacher, swim teacher, or sunday school teacher. They do so much for our children and it is nice to say thank you every now and then.

I am going to share some amazing ideas I’ve been seeing on Pinterest, but first I want to show off one of the teacher appreciation ideas I put together for our teachers at my sons school last year. This can be adapted in so many ways. We made one of these wordles for each of our teachers using words and sayings that the children in their class used to describe them. The one pictured was for our principal. I used the site Tagxedo because it was so customizable. It was easy to make, print and inexpensive to frame. The teachers went wild about these and proudly hang them in their classrooms.

Some other ways to show your Teacher love is through Flowers, Cookies, or who doesn’t love a gift card? Two years ago, I shared this great soap dispenser that I made too!

Be sure to peruse the Garanimals Pinterest Board for ideas and you can check my Teacher Appreciation Pinterest Board too for even MORE great ideas!

Use next week to show your teachers some love!

Kim Ross also writes at  A Little Bit of This and That ~ The Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom.