By Heather from Domestic Extraordinaire

I’m not sure when I hit my first thrift store, I think it was probably when my oldest was a toddler.  I was amazed at all of the stuff and the prices!  I love shopping and finding a good deal and in my mind I had hit the jackpot!

90% of my wardrobe has come from thrift stores and resale shops.  The other 10% has come from clearance racks.  I hardly ever pay full price for an outfit and truth be told, I have a hard time paying full price at the thrift stores.  My teenage girls mock me unmercifully about this fact.

Many people compliment me on my outfits and are very surprised when I tell them either where I got it or how much the outfit cost.  They always proclaim that they never find anything worth while anytime they decided to pop into a thrift store or resale shop.  So today, I will share my thrifty secrets with you, so you too can have a killer wardrobe at a fraction of the cost.

Read the rest of this entry

By Rebecca Keenan from Playground Confidential

There are many reasons to cloth diaper a baby. There’s the environmental impact and the feeling of soft cotton against your baby’s skin. Cloth diapers will make it easier for your baby to feel wet and might facilitate easier toilet training. Or maybe you have a deep, subconscious yearning to fold squares of cloth just so, fostered by years of setting napkins out in fine dining restaurants. Ahem. But I digress.

Read the rest of this entry

By Angella from Dutch Blitz

Back when I was on maternity leave, and then working from home, getting good (and good for you) meals on the table was pretty simple. I was here at some point in the day, if not all day long, so I had time to prepare and cooks meals, and even dash to the grocery store for any last-minute ingredients. Now that I am working outside of the house full-time, as is my husband, we had to overhaul our meal-planning strategy.

Read the rest of this entry

By Annette Kiesow from Catnip and Coffee

So you finally got that big freelance gig you’ve been searching for? The first contract work that gives you a chance to start your business, work for yourself, even quit your day job? You’ve spent weeks, months, maybe years putting all of your effort into finding a paying client. Now, you have to spend that same effort, or more, on keeping that client.

I’ve been doing contract work for almost seven years now, and in that time I’ve learned a few things about making clients happy. Happy clients mean more work coming your way, and we all want that! Not only will they keep giving you new assignments but also, continuously working with them will build your reputation in your field so other clients will notice you and, hopefully, hire you.

Here are a few tips to help you build your business, and stay in business.

Read the rest of this entry

Ashley Stone is the wife of one, mother of two and the voice of Our Family Stone. She’s tried writing her bio 10 times and has discovered 2 things, 1. she talks/writes to much & 2. She should really just stop at “Hi”. So, “Hi”

A friend of mine posted a picture of a quote awhile back that sums it up wonderfully: “A perfect parent is a person with excellent child rearing theories, and no actual children.” True story, right? Whether you have 1, 2 or 25 kids, you know that the perfect parent doesn’t exist. She is the myth that keeps mothers up at night, leaves fathers feeling inadequate and is the thing that sells millions and millions of parenting books each year.

At least, the universal “Perfect Parent” for every kid doesn’t exist. There is however there is a “Perfect Parent” for your kids, and I think you’re going to find (if you don’t already know it), that it’s you!

Read the rest of this entry

By Jennifer Howard from Chasing the Firefly

My two youngest children began going to school long enough this year to require a lunch. These two are the picky eaters of the family. One lives on air and Pixy Stix, the other would be happy drinking milk all day long. I knew I would have to be a little more creative when making their lunches. I decided that making Bento Box lunches would work perfectly.

There are many reasons why I chose to make Bento lunches but the biggest reasons would be:

Read the rest of this entry

Nenette Alejandria Mayor writes about her sweet life with her 2 adorable, silly kids at Life Candy and has been known to send risque yet festive devices to unsuspecting relatives.

You know the saying: “It isn’t all about the presents.” The 6-year-old in me would call that a big fat lie and demand that Santa have my Barbie Camper toy under the tree as previously agreed upon.

My mini-me has a rather extreme opinion, but I must admit that the Holidays just wouldn’t be the same without a box to open on Christmas morning. Especially if that box is international in origin. I have family scattered all over the globe, and getting a box of chocolates from my aunt in Seattle or a carved wooden trinket from my godfather in The Philippines is always such a treat.

Read the rest of this entry

Marilyn Belsham writes about her life with two young kids at A Lot of Loves. She still believes in the magic of Christmas, even if it does arrive accompanied by flashing lights and singing ornaments.

I triple heart Christmas. It really is my favorite time of the year. Because I love it so, I never miss the chance to count down to the Big Day. I’ve had advent calendars for every Christmas that I can remember, and you can bet that I’ve continued the advent calendar tradition for my kids as well. Of course, it’s possible to purchase cheap advent calendars filled with waxy chocolate, or the über expensive name brand toy calendars (I found one that was selling for $40!), but if you prefer to have a bit of a personal touch with your calendars, it’s pretty simple to make your own.

Read the rest of this entry

Crystal is a 30-something freelance writer and stay-home mom to 3. When not chasing after her kids, she can be found blogging about them at Kid Things.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a cause close to my heart. In August of 2010, my then 6 year old son was rushed to the hospital with a blood sugar reading over 800. He was admitted into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where the first few days were the scariest I have ever experienced. His diagnosis was clear: Type 1 diabetes.

Unlike Type 2, Type 1 is an auto-immune disease. He did not acquire diabetes because he ate too many sweets, his immune system simply turned on itself. It is a chronic, incurable, but manageable, disease. He will need to administer a balancing act of insulin for the rest of his life.

Read the rest of this entry

By Loukia from Loulou’s views

I could write a book called “Before I Became A Mom” because life was so much different then. I’ve learned so much since becoming a mom, I sort of feel like an expert in certain areas. Of course, being a mom also means learning from mistakes I’ve made - and trust me, there have been plenty. It’s a learning experience, motherhood. A life-long learning experience. Sometimes, you get it right, sometimes, you get it wrong, but you’ll always have a story to tell.

Today I’m going to share you some tips on traveling with children. Because trust me, gone are the days when vacations meant relaxing.

Back in the day, before I had children, going on vacation to me meant sleeping in, putting on a bikini, finding a perfect spot on the beach or by the pool, and working on my tan, while sipping a Pina Colada. The most work I’d get in a day would be flipping sides so my tan would be completely even, followed by an afternoon of shopping, possibly a nap, and dinner at my own pace.

Read the rest of this entry