With the combination of warmer weather and our kids being a little older, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to let the kids spend more time outside. It’s great for their health, and my sanity! They love to follow Brad around the yard as he waters his fruit trees and flowers, or as he hangs […]
Archive for the ‘Family’ Category
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Missing Men
June 19th, 2012 
Jessica Two doors down from our house is a family that keeps a large kiddie pool filled with water in their driveway. Tonight as we were walking by, they invited us again to come over for a swim. After yet another hot day (it’s been in the triple digits all week), a dip sounded perfect. So […]
May 16, 2012: Home Sweet Home
May 16th, 2012 Jessica When Brad and I chose our home in California, we analyzed every last detail. We looked at dozens of houses. In fact, Brad still boasts (and laughs) at the elaborate spreadsheet that I created detailing all the qualities of each rental home we found on Craigslist or the various realty websites. In the end, Brad […]
Happy Mother’s Day! DIY Handprint Flowers
May 10th, 2012 Jessica For Mother’s Day this year, I decided to try some of the adorable crafts that I’ve been seeing on Pinterest. I put both kids in aprons, covered the table in newspaper, and painted their hands with acrylic paint. I made three prints of each child’s hand, and some were definitely better looking than others! I […]
Free Fun: Turtle Sandbox/Pool and Water Table
April 21st, 2012 Jessica A few days ago, Brad and I noticed that our neighbors had placed a number of outdoor toys along their front sidewalk, with a large sign that said, “FREE.” A few hours later we walked over and picked up some of the toys and brought them over to our house. Among the toys we got […]
Toddler Tuesday: Honoring Daddy
April 16th, 2012 Jessica It’s never too early to begin teaching your children to honor their father and mother. As their Mommy, I am trying to teach my children to honor their Daddy in lots of little ways. Here are five ideas for honoring Daddy: 1. Do something special “for Daddy” when he is out. Draw him a picture, […]
Toddler Tuesday: DIY Finger Paints
April 10th, 2012 Jessica A couple months ago, my friend BeccaG blogged about finger painting with her toddler, and mentioned that you could make your own finger paint. The thought had never occurred to me! Well, since we only have one car, when Brad is out I have to entertain the kids close to home. So I do my […]
Dear Naomi: March 27, 2012
March 27th, 2012 Jessica Dear Naomi, As I sat down to write to you, I checked to see when I had last written to you. I was shocked to see it was 8 months ago! I am sorry for waiting so long to write to you. But you already know what a forgetful Mommy I am. Where would I […]
5 Cheap Date Ideas for You and Your Spouse
March 22nd, 2012 Jessica If you’re anything like Brad and I, you and your spouse are trying to live abundantly on less, without shortchanging your relationship with one another. We all know that dating one’s spouse is healthy for any marriage, but it’s difficult to find the money for dinners, movies, and babysitters on a tight budget. So here […]
Toddler Tuesday: Orange Tree Painting (Thank You Note)
March 20th, 2012 Jessica Recently our next door neighbor, Mr. Parker, showed up at our door with a very large bag full of oranges. The vast amount of fresh fruit (citrus and otherwise) and vegetables is one of our favorite things about living in Northern California. I decided that as a thank you, Naomi and I would revisit the […]
