General

My husband and I woke up one morning with no plans for the day.  We (correction, I) was giddy with the anticipation of doing something new and adventurous.  After throwing out a number of ideas, we decided we'd drive...

"What are we going to do today?" It's one of the first questions to come out of my daughter's mouth in the morning. She very much likes a routine and I think it makes her feel safe and content when...

Summer is Coming! May is the month that starts the summer fun around here! Just before Memorial Day most of the schools close their doors for summer! Yippee! As we approach the end of another school year we (yes, you and I) need to...

Looking for some new ideas for holiday gifts this season? Here are 6 of our best holiday gifts--food edition! Some of these items are from local companies (score!) and they are all fabulous. I would be THRILLED to receive any of these as...

Many families will travel out of town during summer break. We had a chance to travel to Hawaii earlier this year and I made mental notes on this trip to help prepare for our next vacation. When we spent time on...

Don’t get us wrong, Summertime: It’s not that you’re an unwelcome guest. You SO VERY overstay your welcome. Anyone who comes on Memorial Day and leaves on Halloween without offering to help offset the increase in utilities is just plain rude.

Have your little ones been naughty or nice this year? Santa is making his list and your kids are going to want to be first in line! Two Arizona valley malls are featuring a HGTV Santa HQ that you are not going...

Sometimes it isn't an option to fly during Spring Break. That doesn't mean you can't have a great time with the local venues in town. From hiking to movies, there are plenty of options to have some fun! Take...

When it's too hot for the park or the backyard, and the kids are going crazy at home, take them to Playtime Oasis to keep them busy. It's a wonderful play area for kids to have fun and, of...

I climb out of my car, grab my book and head toward my friend’s door. A knock later, I am embracing my book club buddies, exchanging stories and catching up on life. We’ve had this ritual for several years....

It's that time of year again, candy corn, cooler temps, pumpkin spiced everything and (gulp) hunting down a Halloween costume for my kid. I feel an irrational amount of pressure picking the perfect Halloween costume. I don't know where it...

Getting out of the House Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics Rock'N'Roll in the New Year Kid's Night Out, have fun playing, pizza and juice.  AZ Airtime NYE Sleepover  Kids can sleep over at AZ Airtime so parents can go out too! Lots of jumping, food...

You’ve heard the saying, “What comes up must come down.” That pretty much summed up our situation. Everything WAS wonderful. Smooth sailing. Cloud 9. Picture perfect. Then the ball dropped. The company my husband worked for got a new CEO...

This is an exciting time! You and your baby have arrived at a monumental milestone and you all may want to celebrate. Even take a minute to do a happy dance! If you choose to have a first birthday...

Hi there! As we get settled into the start of a new school year, our kiddos meet new classmates and find new friends. Let’s be honest here, some kids we would love for our children to play with. Others,...

We’re into the thick of December now, and if you are like me, at this point you’re overwhelmed by the (self-imposed) pressure to create a magical holiday season for your family. By nature I am low-key and a bit...

I wrote this “letter” to my breast pump the week after I officially retired from pumping last summer. It’s been a while since then, but I recently revisited the draft and wondered if others felt the same way about...

It's Mother's Day week! (Can we get a whole week instead of just a day?) As always, there is so much to do around the valley when it comes to special holidays and Mother's Day is no exception. If...

These tips come with love and no B.S. from a fellow mom who has gone from fit to fat to fit again with a child in between and all the wonderful craziness that comes with motherhood. I’ve been there. I’ve...

November is upon us and the weather should be cooling down this month. There’s lots of fun to be had for all, so grab a scarf, a hot cup of coffee and get out there! Our jam packed monthly guide for...

The details of the college admissions cheating scandal have been trickling out in the news for more than a few weeks. Parents with kids who have applied to college in the last several years, or who will be applying...

Our children have settled into their new school year (yay for making it through the long, hot summer), but now we have to worry about all sorts of germs and the possibility of our kids being exposed to head...

Take the stress out of party planning this year and use some of these local birthday experts! We have everything you need to plan the perfect party - venues, treats, and entertainment! No more nights spent making a DIY...

The heat this summer was incredible. Record breaking, absolutely numbing heat. Our family has lived in Arizona for twelve years, and after this heat we desperately needed a get away. I called The Pines Motel, our favorite family friendly...

Just one year ago, I was a busy working mom with a live-in au pair. My weekends were filled with taking my son on activities during the day, and dinner dates with friends in the evening. My calendar was...

America, I think it’s safe to say we have jumped the shark – or the pumpkin spice deodorant – with our national pumpkin spice obsession. Yes, the deodorant is a real product. Go check it out if you want...

Spring is officially here and that means wonderful weather but also horrible allergies, extra pollen and dust covering everything. It is the right time of year to clean all the hard to reach spots in your house that collect...

When we’re in the trenches of parenting our kids, it’s often easy to find ourselves “losing it.” I know you know what I mean when I say that. On many days we feel like we lose our patience, or...

Praise action over natural gifts to optimize performance!  By all means, continue to compliment your child’s talents and intellect to help them form a strong foundation, but in addition, over-emphasize praise of their efforts and actions. They’ll be far...

Over the weekend, I took my five-year-old son to the children's theater performance at Hale Theatre in Gilbert, AZ today.  The play was (loosely) based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid".  This was my son's first exposure to the...