HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! Oh, I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to say it (FINALLY) because it’s almost December or what I like to call “The One Time of Year I Kill at Being a Mom.” Listen, I’m bad at lots of parts of parenting – I have no idea what we eat most of the time (waffles!), […]

Looking to get going on an Activity Advent Calendar? Go here for a full description! Want to download the list for your fridge? Click here and get the fun going! MAKE: Make an ornament to hang on the tree or give as a gift. Make a gingerbread house. Make and mail Christmas cards. Make a cranberry […]

Here’s the thing about this costume – 95% of the folks will not have a clue who you are, but the 5% that do? YOU WILL ROCK THEIR WORLD. If you’ve been around me for a hot second, you know that I am obsessed with Ban.do and their fearlessly vulnerable leader Jen Gotch. Yes, it’s […]

Follow my blog with Bloglovin You guys know, I’m nuts about Halloween. All year long, I look forward to this one socially appropriate day where the world is my stage. I have certain criteria I want to hit (I like to be a character, preferably with an accent, and the more dramatic, the better). And, […]

I don’t know if you guys have this in your house, but my kids are really into the word Yes. Like I’ll ask them to set the table and they’re all, “YES! Can we, Mom?” Or I’ll ask if they’d rather have a peanut butter and jelly or ham sandwich in their lunch and they’re […]

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY CUTIES AND THEIR #100DAYSOFSUNSHINE A couple of years ago, I was behind a soldier in line at Chipotle and he was having some trouble getting his credit cards to work. One after another, they were handed back to him and I could sense his rising panic, but I couldn’t figure out if […]

One of my Life Goals has been to visit the Madonna Inn, one man’s ode to pink deliciousness with a hearty side of kitsch. I’d obsessively stalked the photos online, heard tales of the men’s bathroom, and whittled my list down to the rooms I most wanted to stay in. So, when Chris and I decided to go […]

You know, it’s hardly fair. We get all of these parties during November and December – chances to dress up and pretend we’re regular people again who spend their weekends in places other than the indent in our couch – and then, come January, it’s ripped away from us. We’re back to living vicariously through Pablo […]

I’ve gotta tell you guys, this year’s family Halloween costume was a bit of a challenge. Last year, when Alice said she wanted to be Annie my head and heart exploded because it was a lifelong dream to be Ms. Hannigan and I knew Bennett would be an adorable, baby Daddy Warbucks; the year before, Alice […]

I don’t know about you guys but life around here is suddenly heading into warp speed and I’m realizing my favorite holiday – Halloween, obviously – is fast-approaching and I have barely even given it a nod outside of eating a crap ton of Count Chocula (why must you be so delicious, you marshmallow diva!?!?!). Just […]

I hate to break this to you guys but there are only so many years where you can dress your kid up for Halloween in whatever YOU want. By the time they hit four, your chance to dress them up as mini Elvis or a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man goes out the door in favor of whichever superhero […]

Did you guys know this weekend is National Sibling’s Day? Now, I think this whole “days” thing has gotten a bit out-of-control and outside of Donut Day, Coffee Day, Pie Day, Mother’s Day, Cream Puff Day, Ice Cream Sandwich Day, and I Want You to Be Happy Day, my roster is full. But, Sibling’s Day? A […]

Oh, you guys, I love this project. It is so not Pinterest-worthy and looks a little insane, but the kids had the best time and it totally cracks me up. You know all those extra Peeps you have lying around, mocking you with their sugary deliciousness? It’s time to put them to good use and buy yourself an hour of […]

When my sisters and I were little we used to do blindfold taste tests where we’d dare each other to eat or drink whatever concoction we’d created, usually some disgusting mixture of ketchup, hot sauce, applesauce, and whatever was closest to rotting in the fridge. This activity is exactly like that. HAHA! Just kidding, you guys. […]

I’ve always had a tendency to make things harder than they need to be (it’s the perfectionist in me that secretly thinks I’m still being graded on life). My very wise life coach once pointed out that not everything has to be done to the level of 10 – lots of things (folding towels or even answering […]

We are still in the parenting mode where we’re watching a lot of TV. Erp. It’s getting better (we’ve been reading a lot more and seeing friends and getting out of the house in the evening), but when we are home it’s nice to hunker down on the couch and have a quick laugh and […]

You know how sometimes you put in all this work into having fun with your kids – you go to Michael’s 1700 times, and do a ton of prep work so they can have the perfect crafting experience, and then the day of you pretty much create the entire DIY while they complain that they can’t have […]

Listen, I love getting your Christmas cards – we read each one multiple times, hang them on the wall, enjoy them again sometime in summer when I find the full stack jammed under a pile of bills. For myself, though, I have given up on the idea I will actually get them out –  the holidays are just too […]

Merry Christmas, you guys! And a very Happy New Year Year! We’re closing in on the big day and the excitement around here is off the charts (the kids have taken to spontaneous screaming, which is hilarious and heart attack inducing every single time). We have big plans to relax with family and eat ridiculous […]

Today’s post is less 5 Minute Fun and more an All Day, Make the World a Better Place post. Do you know how many of the world’s problems would be solved if everyone was required to wear holiday headbands and glasses for the month of December? Every single one of them. With the exception of spotty […]

This weekend I made an executive decision and decided we’re holding off on holiday cards until Valentine’s Day (it’s technically a holiday, right?) and I’m not even feeling guilty about it. Okay, that’s a lie, but I’m not feeling very guilty about it because I feel so hugely relieved. I could feel myself starting to slip […]

If you have a Star Wars fan in your life, you’re pretty much golden when it comes to present buying. Just moved into a new house? Here’s a lovely rug for the front of your fireplace where you can host all your bikini clad friends. Enjoy hosting brunch? Here’s a Darth Vader toaster for waffles that just can’t miss. Love camping? Here’s a […]

YOU GUYS. OMG. If you’ve known me for a hot second you’ll know that our family is obsessed with Halloween (we just moved and literally moved twice as many Halloween costume boxes as Christmas decorations because you never know when the need for a Crazed Dentist costume might come up). So it breaks my heart that I have […]

You guys, I totally missed National Coffee Day! I had it on my editorial calendar as October 1 (yes, I have an ed calendar even though I hardly ever manage to stick to it) and then with all my packing and running around I haven’t been on Instagram and it passed me by completely. I was devastated for […]

I have been such a stress case lately, you guys. We’ve been the kind of busy where I’m writing down to dos in 10 minute increments so, heaven forbid, there is not a minute wasted. It’s okay long-term because I know it’s not going to last forever, and we have really amazing things happening in our lives […]

You guys, I totally missed the first day of school! OMG. Bring me my Mother of the Year Award, right? In my defense, I will say it’s preschool and they didn’t have much of a summer break so I didn’t even think about it until I walked in today and all the kids were wearing their […]

Oh, I have a doozy for you today! This is hard to believe, but today we’re making sandwiches even more delicious. I know what you’re thinking – is it even possible to improve on perfection? Turns out it is. These s’mores sandwiches take your favorite summertime treat and put it between carbs (OMG, YES!). They also will keep little […]

I feel like things have been so busy around here lately. I’ve been working like a mad woman trying to get some cool things ready to launch around here (ack!), on top of the usual summer madness of traveling, visitors, the pool (OMG, woe is me, right?). Our days have been jam-packed and the kids have been great about […]

You know how going to the hairdresser is like a mini-spa appointment? You head into the salon and they get you all set up with wine and magazines so you can relax while they gently massage your head and make you even more gorgeous, all the time chit-chatting and laughing like the grown-up you knew was still in there? Yeah, today’s […]

Growing up, we had epic birthday parties. Not epic in the Pinterest sense – there weren’t dessert tables or crazy goodie bags – but rather that kids would talk about them for weeks afterwards because my mom made them so much fun. There was always a theme that everyone committed to fully: If we were going to be dogs, you […]

You guys, there are so many things I’m bad at: cooking (why does it take so long, yet last for such a short time?!?), putting together Ikea furniture, Physics (ohmygawd, I hate Physics and, based on the number of things that fall on my head in a week, it hates me), dancing (although not for lack of trying), keeping my car […]

Listen, ladies, of course we’re all going to be happy with whatever gifts come our way on Mother’s Day (homemade cards, Elsa stickers, a pair of reasonably priced gold glitter boots), but what if your husband is at a total loss? What if he knows he wants to get you a little something to thank you […]

It’s amazing the effect our blue couch has had on our life. It was like I needed something to jump start settling into our place (which we’ve only been in for four years so, you know, it might be time?), and now that I’ve started I am a MACHINE. I’m up late moving furniture (sorry, downstairs neighbor!), the […]

Happy New Year! Am I still allowed to say that? Did everyone have an excellent holiday season? Ours was alternately totally magical (yeah for kids!) and totally sick (which, I won’t bore you with the details, but know there was a time I morosely hobbled over to gaze out a window and thought “I will never be well […]

My mom always told me to count my blessings and, this year, I don’t know if I can count that high. I am grateful for so many things; all the usual suspects – my family and friends, living in a gorgeous city, our new couch (every day I am so grateful for that damn couch), the fact we […]

Listen, it’s almost Thanksgiving and, people, it is time to get down to business. No, I’m not talking about roasting the turkey and creating your damn centerpieces, I’m talking, obviously, about getting your Turkey Hunt together. What? You think food just shows up on your perfectly landscaped table? What is this the future? You people […]

You guys know I’m all about choosing the path of least resistance (ie. work). At the same time, I’m also a big fan of accolades and require a certain amount of daily recognition to keep my brain in working order (I’ve trained my kids to say things like, “Mom, would you mind not singing? It’s just you’re too good at […]

I’ve mentioned my daughter is more than a little princess-obsessed and while I’ve made my peace with it and now am along for the (carriage) ride, it doesn’t stop me from trying to infiltrate her brain with non-princess-related ideas and attempt to make our playtime a little less royal. She, obviously, does tons of things that are […]

When I was a life coach… (Oh, you didn’t know I’ve had just about every job out there? Some time I will list them all out for you and you will shake your head in disbelief; for now, know pedi-cabber, postal worker, and yearbook salesperson are just the beginning.) Anyway, when I was a life coach, we […]

Here’s why I love my family. Alice decided she wanted to be Wendy from Peter Pan for Halloween (not Elsa, thank goodness) and everybody was immediately on board. My sister, Jill, hunted down a green fairy dress and didn’t complain once she was freezing, even though it was raining while we were taking photos and she […]

It is a testament to how exhausted I’ve been these past few years that our Halloween costumes have been LAME. Normally, Chris and I are nuts for Halloween; one of the reasons I fell in love with the man is because I suggested throwing a Halloween party where we had to dress up as something that […]

When I was putting together Alice’s nursery I was A FREAK. Totally obsessed. I was a crafting, searching, inspiration board maniac. Don’t believe me? My team at work bought me this Anthropologie shower curtain months before my shower, in what I can only imagine was a bid to shut me up because it was all I talked about in […]

I am a terrible cook, and take full responsibility for this fact; I haven’t taken the time to learn, nor do I care that much. My problem is I feel like I put in all this work and then it’s gone in five minutes flat and all I’m left with are a sink full of […]

Wasn’t yesterday’s post so fun with all the little baby boy clothes and that cowboy hat which was just to die for, right? I just love a baby boy in…BLAH. BLAH. BLAH. Give me the good stuff. You know what I’m talking about – BABY GIRL CLOTHES! I need me some ruffles and bloomers and I […]

You guys, it just hit me, I only have a baby for another month. Then Bennett’s going to be a full-on toddler, who will soon be walking, talking (which has to be better than the current, ear-blowing shrieking), and terrorizing the cat with all sorts of high-jinks (our poor, poor cat). I have so many […]

You know how you don’t know how badly you need a vacation until you’re actually on one? That is totally what happened to us. I thought we were doing really well and truckin’ along like normal people, but turns out that not sleeping for the past ten months has taken a bit of a toll. […]

Over a month ago something happened to my iPhone case (I dropped it for the millionth time, threw it in the trash, let my baby suck on it – pick three) and since then it’s been sporting this plastic dagger on one corner that gets caught on sweaters and stabs me at least fifteen times […]

It’s sunny, feels like Spring, and it’s Friday. I’m thinking impromptu ice cream sundae party – anyone else in? Happy weekend! Sometimes I write other places too.  These gifts were for Valentine’s Day, but I bet they’d work just fine right now too. Um, I love the Internet: -I should probably wear this necklace for Alice until […]

Every year I say this and every year I mean it, but how the hell is it December already? It feels like just yesterday I was complaining about the summer fog and now, suddenly, you can’t go two feet on the internet without running into a gift guide. Last year I was pregnant during the […]

Day 1: Visit Santa. Which was very exciting up until the moment we actually came face-to-face with the man himself and then it turns out he is one scary dude. Day 2: Hang wreath on our front door to let the world know how festive we are. Day 3: Take Alice for her first hot […]

The thing about living in San Francisco is that hipsterness is pretty much ubiquitous with living here. So much so that, after a while, you stop even noticing the carnival gear, oversized glasses, and rat tails. And while some of it can be annoying (I don’t care how delicious your hand-poured coffee is, I want […]

I’ve started like 17 different posts this week, which is pretty much how my life feels right now. A little here, a little there, and not much actually accomplished. We’ve all been sick around here for what feels like my entire life, but, knowing I can be a tad dramatic, is probably more like a […]

Dude, this has been a weird day. Here in San Francisco it’s been raining and I don’t know if that’s making everyone crazy-pants or what, but two things occur to me: 1. If you want to watch porn on your phone, maybe invest in some headphones? 2. Screaming matches with the barista and involving the […]

I can be a bit of a junk show about a lot of things, but the one place I do not mess around is with my New Year’s resolutions. I don’t vow to finally lose those last ten (fine, fifteen) pounds or suddenly keep my house spotless or buy less shoes because, honestly, it always […]

As always happens when you’re pregnant, it seems like everyone I talk to is also pregnant. And invariably talk turns to registering because, dude, how are you supposed to know what to put on the all important list? Do you really need a wipe warmer? How many onesies are enough? Where can I find a […]

First off, Happy New Year! I know it’s the 7th (holy hell, how did that happen?), but my new mantra is “better late than never” + “ah well” so here’s to a year brimming with big laughs, lazy days in bed, hugs and kisses, and banishing Mom Guilt to the corner. Secondly, I know that […]

You know how when you watch someone do something they’re really good at, because they make it look so easy, you think, “I could so do that.” Like when I was watching the Olympic sprinters and they were barely breaking a sweat, I honestly thought to myself I could probably keep up. Even though my […]

I can’t believe I’m about to do this but, because I love you all so much, I’m going to give you my Secret Weapon Gift for Moms. Wait, you’re saying you don’t have SWGs? OMG, you must get yourself some. SWGs are your go-tos for when your brain is fried and you can’t think of […]

When we first moved to San Francisco, we knew almost no one. Chris had one very kind friend who would take the two of us out and show us around, but otherwise it was just the two of us hanging out. And I was lonely. I had a lot of very interesting things to say […]

I pride myself on being a pretty down-to-earth gal. I buy most things on sale, reuse plastic bags until they’re falling apart, and love a good hand-me-down. And I know that having a certain brand of sofa or chair or whatever will not in any way make me happier or more fulfilled. It will only… […]

My week with my sisters was pretty much one, non-stop Fun Project, which means last week was one, non-stop catch-up on work/sleep/emails/laundry and the other million things that seem to pile up while you’re off having fun. Seeing as how I was mired in bills, cleaning products and catching up on all the very important […]

You all know how I’ve been staying in the mountains with my sisters, right? Well, while we were up there I had a chance to visit one of my dear friends who lives in Steamboat. I went over to her house to pick her up for coffee and while we were walking down her front […]

Mornings are not typically my best time. Sure, I look like a million bucks with my gently tousled bedhead and seriously sexy (and only slightly worn-out), Old Navy pajamas, but sometimes I feel a touch, well, grumpy (although I’m sure Chris would describe my morning personality as similar to my morning breath – very sweet). […]

I’m headed home to Colorado today for a sister getaway that is bound to include lots of loud talking, a few heated arguments over whether action movies or foreign films are lamer (is it really even a debate?), and, hopefully, lots of catching up and laying around. Alice will be staying with my parents so […]

The other day we were on our way to Target (for the millionth time this week) when I made a split-second decision. There’s a little seaside town about ten miles from my house called Pacifica where everyone goes to surf – I’ve never been but always wondered about it and guess what I did? Yep, […]

You know how sometimes when you make a recommendation you hear a little voice in the back of your head wondering if it is actually cool? Hoping this isn’t like, heaven forbid, when I told my mom I would NEVER not tight-roll my jeans because ohmahgod that would be totally humiliating, only to later discover […]

One thing I’ve discovered as a parent is that people, in general, are a bossy bunch. I’ve been told (by strangers) to cover Alice up with a blanket only to be chided several minutes later for making her too hot; to stop holding her on my shoulder because babies should always lie vertically; to stop […]

The first post on any blog is like going on a blind date. You want to show you are interesting but not a know-it-all, vivacious and fun, pretty but not high-maintenance… Oh hell, I just remembered why I got married. Anyway, you want to show the best version of yourself to prove to the world […]