As many of you know I have an older daughter who started college last year. It seemed like just yesterday that she started kindergarten. Where did my little one go? I remember packing the trunk of our minivan with all her dorm room supplies and we got on our way. This is her second year and boy were we shocked when we started her first year and saw how much money we would be spending. Luckily for us we had prepared but not soon enough as I would have liked to. I still have three other children who will be starting college soon themselves and while I have a bit of knowledge of how this all works, I wish I had known it sooner. If you have a child on their way to college yourself here are just a few tips that we would love to share with you.

We're back from vacation and it's back into the kitchen for us. I've recently discovered that having a weekly menu works so much better than just winging it. For the past two weeks we have been doing a menu planning as an experiment and it has been working out great. Each child gets to choose one special meal that they would like and while it means more time in the kitchen, it also means that we get to spend more time together as a family. They get to help out with their dish and I've found that when kids help in the kitchen, they actually eat more. I have very picky eaters and it's always a struggle getting them to eat, not any more. You can give it a try and see if it helps you as well. One of the things that we like in our family is Oven Roasted Balsamic Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs and today I want to share the recipe with you. If you're a lover of mushrooms then you'll love this.


This is what you'll need:

I can remember it like yesterday when my little Madison was born. It really does seem like yesterday. She was the smallest of all my kids and I'd had 3 of them before. She came in at a measly 6 pounds while all the others were 8 pounders. What I had to realize though was that she was big for being born early. She came in at 35 weeks in an emergency c-section and I didn't get to see her for almost 12 hours later. I did happen to hear her first cry but after that it was a blank to me. When I did finally see her I made a #MothersPromise to myself. I was going to take care of this little girl with everything I had and give her all the love and attention she needs. So far I have kept that promise. One of the ways I have shown her that love was by buying Pampers even before she was born.

In just two weeks schools here in Colorado will be back in full swing. It seems like just yesterday the kids got out on vacation. This summer we decided as a family that we were going to do a lot more than usual and that we did. There were no rules, no regulations, no bedtime, no schedules, it was just straight up fun. Now with school about to reopen very soon it's time to wind down. It's also time to start shopping for our back to school needs. When it comes to shopping I usually prefer to shop online to be honest, but when it comes to buying clothing, I prefer to try them on see how they fit, I like to feel the quality and I also like to see them in person. I've had so many experiences where the clothing does not fit or even look like the photos when you get them in your home. Luckily for me I've never had a problem with OshKosh B'gosh clothing and I have been shopping OshKosh B'gosh for almost 19 years. My only regret with OshKosh B'gosh is that their clothing only goes up to age 12 but luckily for me I have a pre-schooler who still has 9 years to go.

Do your kids want to invite their friends over for a sleepover? As a parent, it can be difficult knowing if it’s a good idea to have a sleepover. When deciding what’s right for your family, you’ll want to take into consideration how old your kids are, as well as if they’re ready for a night with friends.

One of the things I loved when growing up was movie time with my dad. Some of his favorite films happened to be the James Bond franchise and to this day I can't get enough of 007. I remember wishing that I had all his cool gadgets and oh how fun it would be to actually use them. His cars were amazing and he was oh so super cool. No matter which actor plays the role of James Bond, there's just something about being a great spy and he's one of the best. Today we share some summer fun for your secret agent.


Has your child expressed interest in becoming a special agent, a spy, or a detective? Perhaps you’ve noticed that your child has a gift for observation, or maybe your child has natural curiosity

that seems to run wild. While these interests and abilities can lead to many challenges in parenting, you can use your child’s natural inclinations to help them learn, explore, and enjoy the world around them this summer.

Here are just a few fun examples of simple activities that will catch the eye of any junior spy:


Complete a Top Secret Mission

Every secret agent needs a challenging top secret mission to complete! Here are some examples of top secret missions that you can issue to your child:

• Make your sister’s bed without getting caught.

• Build and then complete an obstacle course in the backyard as quickly as possible.

• Watch family members for a week and make a secret list of all the nice things you catch them doing throughout the week.

• Help someone find an item that is lost.

• Leave cookies on the neighbor’s doorstep without getting caught.

• Do another family member’s chore in secret.

• Deliver a secret message to a family member or friend.

• Solve a nature mystery. (For example, what animal makes a certain set of tracks in the yard?)

• Make up code words or create your own secret language.

• Watch for someone who needs help and ask mom or dad to help you help them.

Note: As you may have noticed, many of these secret mission suggestions involve observing good things that are going on in the world, as well as offering help to others. Through these types of secret missions, you can help your child use their natural curiosity to make their world a better place.


Read a Book


Take your child on a special mission to the local library to find and then check out some of these recommended books:

• Spy Guy: The Not-So-Secret Agent by Jessica Young (recommended age: 4-8)

• Nate the Great Series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat (recommended age: 6-9)

• Secret Agent Jack Stalwart Series by Elizabeth Singer Hunt (recommended age: 6-9)

• Geronimo Stilton, Secret Agent Series by Geronimo Stilton (recommended age: 7-10)

• Encyclopedia Brown Series by Donald Sobol (recommended age: 8-12)

• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein (recommended age: 8-12)

• From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (rec. age: 8-12)

• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (recommended age: 8-12)

• Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene (recommended age: 8-12)

• The Hardy Boys Series by Franklin Dixon (recommended age: 8-12)

• Theodore Boone Series by John Grisham (recommended age: 8-12)

• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (recommended age: 8-12)

Watch a Movie


After spending an active day in the sun, let your child enjoy one of these movies. All of these titles are currently available for purchase in a DVD format from Amazon:

• Agent Cody Banks

• Harriet the Spy

• Nancy Drew

• National Treasure 1 & 2

• Scooby Doo

• Spy Kids

• The Great Mouse Detective

• The Junior Spy Agency

Research Cool Gadgets

Every spy, agent, and detective relies on cool gadgets to get the job done. While many gadgets in books and movies don’t exist in real life, there are a lot of really amazing tools that do exist in real life! You can spend an afternoon researching these incredible gadgets online together.


After researching cool gadgets online, ask your junior secret agent what gadgets they would like to invent to help them with their secret missions, or to help them solve a mystery. You can also challenge your child to make a new gadget using household items.

Play it Safe

While pretending to be a secret agent, a spy, or a detective can be a lot of fun, make sure that you discuss safe spying with your child. Discuss situations where it is ok for your child to spy and other situations where spying is not appropriate. For example, spying on a family member so that you can do something nice for them when they aren’t looking is appropriate. Standing outside a neighbor’s house and spying on them through the window is not appropriate. Keep a close eye on your child’s behavior and openly discuss any situation that causes you concern.

Let's discuss: What other ideas can you think of for your very own secret agent? 

As most of you know I just recently came back from visiting Orlando Florida. Mommy decided that we were doing a road trip and what a road trip it was. From my state of Colorado to Florida, it took us 28 hours just to get there but what fun it was. One of the highlights of my trip was visiting Universal Studios. It was my brothers choice of vacation highlight since they're older and they've never experienced Universal before. At first I wasn't sure how much fun I would have there because Universal isn't generally known for it's toddler/pre-schooler activities but boy was I surprised. You better believe that if I'm definitely doing Universal again. Now today I want to share with you the Universal Studios Orlando Superstar Parade. If you're ever in Orlando, it's one of the things you don't want to miss if you're ever at Universal Studios. Guess what? My big brothers and sister did miss it though, while they were enjoying the Transformers ride, I got to see the parade with mommy and today I want to share it with you.

When you think of summertime, you might think of swimming, sprinklers, popsicles, shorts, and sandals, all enjoyed in the warm rays of the sun. However, as you have grown older you have spent more time indoors as jobs, errands, and other responsibilities have kept you busy. While there are limits to the amount of time you should be spending in the sunlight, there are many benefits derived from being outside.

Here are some reasons you should catch some rays this summer and how to do so safely:

Planning a road trip this summer? As you know we just recently came back from our very own road trip. 28 hours of driving from our home to our final destination. With a car of kids ranging in ages nineteen to three, it turned out to be a great adventure. Would we do it again, you bet we will! Taking a road trip with the family can be a fun way to get to your destination, but only if you’re prepared. When planning your road trip, you need to be prepared for frequent stops, hungry kids, whining kids, crying kids and even small arguments between them. These tips for taking a road trip with your kids can help eliminate stress so that everyone in the family can have a good time.


Bring Snacks

I think this speaks for itself and is quite possibly the number 1 rule. Snacks are definitely vital to a successful road trip with kids. Even if you’re on the road for only a few hours, kids tend to get grumpy without food. By bringing snacks, you can give your kids a quick fix for their hunger without pulling over to a greasy fast food restaurant every 5 minutes. This can also help eliminate petty arguments caused by hungry kids! At most rest stops you can stock up when your supplies run low. You want to keep them happy. Happy kids mean a happy trip.

Be Prepared for Bickering

Whether they’re hungry or not, being in an enclosed space with siblings can lead to some bickering. As a parent, this is the last thing you want to hear while trying to drive to your destination. Instead of responding to an argument after it’s started, try to diffuse a tense situation before it becomes arguing and bickering. Bring something along that can give your kids the “space” they need, such as an iPod with earphones.

Don’t Forget Entertainment

Having the right entertainment for your kids can make or break a road trip. In addition to an iPod, don’t forget to bring along some of your kids’ favorite things, such as a tablet or even a portable DVD player with favorite movies. If your kids start to get antsy while sitting in the car, you can give them a game or movie to help occupy their minds. In our case, we even brought along coloring books and markers for Madison so she can occupy herself. You can think of road trip games such as how many different out of state license plates can you spot. It's amazing how much fewer you see your own state plates the further out you go.

Map Your Route

No matter how old or young your kids are, you will undoubtedly have to stop for multiple breaks along the way. At least one of your kids will need to use the bathroom, eat some food, or simply stretch their legs at any given point in time and so will you. Unfortunately, the remaining miles until the next rest stop can stretch into an eternity when one of your kids is complaining about needing a break. Because of this, map your route for your road trip so that you have frequent rest stops along the way. This will save you and your kids a lot of frustration.

Planning a road trip, no matter how long it is doesn't have to boring or even exhausting, using our tried and true tips you can have a blast.

What tips do you have for taking a road trip with kids?

This is just a quick update to let you know that we're back. We had an amazing time in Orlando Florida and we all came back tanned and glowing. It's amazing what a little vacation can do and some time spent in a jacuzzi. Starting tomorrow we'll be back officially with our blog posts and we have a few recipes in the mix for you. The month is nearly over but we are super excited to share our tips and reviews. Right now we're suffering from car-lag since we drove for 28 hours. Would we do it again? You sure bet we will. I'll also share a few of our photos of our vacation but if you followed along on Instagram, we shared a bit there as well. So until tomorrow!

Yes we're on vacation! Sometimes you need time to rejuvenate but sometimes you also need time to come together as a family. Our family is currently in Florida with plans for Disney World and Universal Studios and we're going to have fun! We'll see you when we get back in 3 weeks. Enjoy the summer with your family, from my family to yours. If you noticed that you can't comment it's because we turned commenting off for this post.