kirstendunlap

kirstendunlap
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Kirsten Dunlap has a degree in journalism and before she was promoted to “mommy”, she worked in tv news as a reporter and an anchor. Kirsten's work has been featured nationally on CNN and has appeared locally on various news programs and in Raising Arizona Kids Magazine.

Simple Flashlight Games to help Emerging Readers {Fun Ideas from a Local Expert!}

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October is a Time to Refresh the Page! September has passed.  Kids are back in school and nestled into their routines. Just like a computer, you may need to “refresh” the page of your day-in...

Happy Labor Day!

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While we're tempted to say, "Enjoy your day off!", we know that moms never really get a day off! So instead we just hope you enjoy a day with your family! Have a great Labor Day! We'll see...

5 Reasons it was Easier to Pack School Lunches in the 80’s

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1. No one fed their children healthy food. Once upon a time in the 80's,  moms threw lunch-sized bags of greasy, salty potato chips and an individual chocolate pudding "snack pack" into a bag and called...

Seven reasons why detailing a mom’s car is a complete waste of time and...

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My car used to be clean. Like really clean. All the time. Then I had children. Sometimes I forget I have children and I spend a few hours and a lot of money to have my...

Ten things moms should know about going on a Disney Cruise!

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A  few weeks ago, completely out of nowhere, my 3 year old son burst into tears. It was that part-tantrum/ part-sadness kind of meltdown that are the calling cards of young preschoolers.  “What’s the matter?”...

6 Reasons to love Vacation Bible School {With links to local VBS programs in...

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I Love Vacation Bible School! As a former “camper”, a regular volunteer, and a mom of kiddos who always attend, I just have a soft spot in my heart for VBS! I have great memories of...

How to Have the Perfect Wild West Adventure! {7 tips for a Successful Trip...

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Having grown up in this town, I have vivid memories of going to "Rawhide" for birthday parties, field trips, and family outings with visitng East-Coast relatives looking for a Wild West Adventure! Today's AZ may be...

Meet the NEW Contributors!

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The SMB Team is growing!  We've added six more lovely local moms to our wonderful lineup of writers and we just can't wait for you all to get to know them too... Please welcome the newest...

A Perfect January Fall in Scottsdale!

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Remember back in the Fall, when we were all sweating from the heat and were completely over the 3-digit temperatures? Remember when we were dying to wear riding boots and scarfs and various shades of brown and...

Contributor Corner: What’s YOUR New Year’s Resolution?

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It's a new year. A fresh start. A chance to set some new goals and be the person you meant to be last year! Well, our contributors at Scottsdale Moms Blog are no different!...

5 Resolutions to make New Years Eve fun again!

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I’ve never actually enjoyed New Years Eve. A few years ago, I finally admitted it! Then something amazing happened...I started to like it! Once I gave up the NYE fantasy, I began to create a NYE reality...

Training for a half-marathon {and for motherhood’s challenges}

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For the last few months, a fleet of Suburbans and Minvans has descended upon my home every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:30 in the morning. In the chilly predawn hours, these vehicles, filled...

How to store all the kids’ artwork { while throwing it all away! }

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How to deal with the endless supply of art projects has been an issue for me since the moment my oldest first held a crayola in his chubby toddler fingers.  Last year, contributor Angela Barako...

Pinterest Tried and True I Boredom Busters, Tested for you!

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Scottsdale Moms Blog presents a new series: "Pinterest Tried & True!" Join us this week as our contributors share which great ideas from Pinterest really worked for them. We'll be talking about food, fashion,...

Happy Labor Day…And a little announcement about our latest labor!

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Happy Labor Day! Of course we're not taking the day off  (We are all moms after-all!) Instead, we're taking the opportunity of labor day to share the wonderful news about our latest SMB labor! Introducing contributor Heather...

Happy Birthday 101: A Scottsdale mom’s guide to children’s parties!

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As moms, we all have our different strengths. Some moms plan elaborate, fabulous parties, while other moms (like me) attend them. Some moms know exactly which details deserve full attention, while other moms (like me) can't...

Say hello to three more darling SMB babies!

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Remember earlier this summer when it felt like almost everyone here at SMB was expecting? Remember how we decided to celebrate with a Pregnancy Week Series? Remember all those fun pregnancy posts? Remember all...

Seven unexpected things every mom should consider before buying a car

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Sure, there's safety, resale value, and fuel efficiency to think about, but here are some things that really matter when a mom is about to purchase a car: 1. A built in DVD player is...

How to Make Hair Bows! A DIY Tutorial

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About a year ago, during my 12 week ultrasound, I heard the sentence that I knew would change my life forever: "You're having a girl!"  A few hours later, I was on the phone with...

Could a new car seat be a safer move for your baby?

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Guilty! Yes, I’m guilty. I did it! The day my son turned one, I went ahead and flipped his car-seat to face him forward. Now, before you judge, I had my reasons for doing this....

My New {School} Year’s Resolution: The 15-minute Challenge!

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With Labor Day behind us, we’re full speed ahead into September and can now finally safely assume that all the kiddos are back in school. We’ve been back at it for full two weeks and...

{Pregnancy Week} A Few Pregnancy Differences Between the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd

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It's Pregnancy Week here on Scottsdale Moms Blog! If you are just tuning in, be sure to read the rest of the week's posts here. A Few Pregnancy Differences Between the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Your 1st pregnancy:...

A Dum-Dum Post About My Motherhood Journey (with a big bag of little lollipops!)

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I am about to hit another motherhood milestone! I have finally, almost reached the end of my gigantic supply of Dum Dums. I know this may sound like an unconventional method of marking time...

Six Reasons a Scottsdale Mom Should LOVE Our Local Public Libraries!

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1. STORYTIME! (AKA Children’s Programs) From Toddlertime at the Phoenix Public Libraries to Shake, Rattle & Roll at the Scottsdale library Branches, to a number of interesting sounding programs for older children that my little...

3 Things Never to Say to a Pregnant Woman

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As I revealed here a few weeks ago, I am super-preggers with number 3! This being the case, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on how strangely and differently people seem to treat a...

Archives Week! My Favorite Post of Steph’s

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It's Archives Week here at SMB, and this morning I'm featuring my favorite post of Steph's. You can read all her posts here. Now, I'll be honest and admit that yes, I'm about to enter...

The Wedding Ring and the Fire Station: A Cautionary Tale About Pregnancy Advice

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Now that I’m 22 weeks along, it’s probably time to go ahead and announce it on SMB: Yep, I’m pregnant! We’re so happy to be welcoming our third child in October! I’ve found that...

Hurray for Slow Melt Popsicles!

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My childhood memories of summers in Scottsdale are simple and joyful. I remember wearing my swimsuit so long that it would turn from wet to dry while still on my body. I remember pruny-wrinkled...

Experiencing Scottsdale From an Outsider’s Perspective

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What a busy, adventurous, and just plain old fun week I’ve had with my children! Here’s a little of sampling of some of the things we did: I took them to a children’s museum… AND…went...

For my fellow busy moms: Could time ever be on OUR side?

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Money can’t buy you love. Yes, of course we all know that. But to pose a question that is probably more important to a busy mom of young children: Can I buy a little uninterrupted...