It's definitely not too early to start thinking of holiday gift ideas. I try to avoid the rush of the Christmas season by buying gifts over the course of several months. When I see something that is perfect for a recipient on my list, I buy it, making sure I save the receipt, and keep a record of the purchase. If there's a travel lover on your gift list this year, here are some of my favorite gifts for a travel lover. These gifts are great for the holidays but are also perfect for other occasions as well. Gifts for a Travel Lover Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. A purchase through one of these links may result in a commission that helps run our site. In addition, I received the blanket and scarf at no cost for purposes of review. My Heart Belongs to the ... View Post
Fall Organizational Tips for Moms
My kids went back to school last week, although the holiday this week kept our schedule a bit in flux. It's seems weird to go to school for three days and then have three days off, but that's how the schedule has always been. Although I always love having my kids home with me, I think they were craving a bit of structure in their days. After weeks of camp, we had two weeks of vacation, and then no set schedule at all. Things start to go off the rails a bit once that happens! Now that my kids are in school regularly, I'm embracing my schedule and starting to work on fall organization. If you are going through the same process, here are my fall organizational tips for moms. Fall Organizational Tips for Moms Pull Out Your Planner If you, like me, need to need to plan doctor's ... View Post
Fun Lawn Games for Families
It's almost the end of the summer, but hopefully there are still plenty of nice days on the horizon until winter arrives. I try to get my kids outside as much as possible when the weather cooperates. It's great for a few reasons - they get some fresh air, and aren't on electronics while they are outside. Since my kids are tweens, they aren't as interesting in regular outdoor play - they prefer to be playing a specific game or sport. Lawn games are lots of fun because they appeal to a huge variety of ages and are also great for different locations - between games at a softball tournament, or at the beach, or instance. Here are three fun lawn games for kids. Disclosure: We received two of these games at no cost for review. All opinions are my own. These links are affiliate links. A ... View Post
Shopping at TJX’s New HomeSense Store
TJX, the parent company of popular off-price stores TJMaxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, recently opened a brand-new concept. HomeSense, which isn't the same as the HomeSense concept in Europe and Canada, is complement to HomeGoods, not a replacement. The first store, located in Framingham, MA, opened earlier this month. Since it's located near my home, I decided to check it out. Shopping at TJX's New HomeSense Store Upon walking into the new HomeSense store, I immediately saw the differences from HomeGoods. The front of the store features an extensive lighting and furniture section, filled with beautiful lamps (from brands such as Kate Spade), hanging lighting, sofas, tables, and novelty furniture (for a man cave, for instance). Although I am not currently in the market for new ... View Post
8 Ways to Personally Reboot
If you are a regular reader here, you may have noticed that I haven't posted much over the past few months. This summer, I decided to take a few weeks off on this site to reboot. We had a long vacation to Greece planned in the beginning of the month, and I spent time getting ready for the trip, and didn't work at all during the trip. Rebooting can be so essential, especially if you've been doing something for a while. I have been running this site for 11 years, and needed a small break. Are you looking to reboot? Here are 8 ways to personally reboot - from quick things that just take a little bit of time, to a full vacation. How do you reboot? 8 Ways to Personally Reboot Spend Time in Nature Put away the electronics and spend some time in nature. Decide what gives you energy - for ... View Post
Giveaway: Back to School Shopping Ideas
Disclosure: I received a back to school kit from Hanes, and they are providing this prize. All opinions are my own. It's almost time for back to school here in the Boston suburbs. My kids go back to school next Wednesday, and it feels like they just got out of school for the summer. We've had a full summer, with weeks of camp, weekends of softball, days at the pool, and an epic vacation to Greece. But I'm still sad that our summer is over. To prepare for the kids' return back to school, we've done lots of shopping - here are some of the things to add to your list. Back to School Shopping Ideas School supplies Many school districts supply families with school supply lists, so you'll just need to take your list to the store and shop. If you don't have a list, you may just want to get ... View Post
