Each night without a bedtime routine chart would go something like this... I'd say put your pajamas on and my son would get distracted and start playing with toys. A second time I'd say put your pajamas on and my son would run in the other direction. The 15th time I said put your pajamas on things started to escalate. At this [...]
2 Year-Old Sleep Schedule That Works Every Single Time
Let's face it, the right 2 year-old sleep schedule can take each family member's sleep and daily routine from completely off tilt to pleasant and enjoyable. That's because when 2 year-olds aren't happy, it tends to spill over into everyone else's emotional space. I remember when my daughter went through her 2 year old sleep [...]
2 Year Old Sleep Regression Explained: Why It Happens and How to Fix It
2 year old sleep regression is basically like a mean trick. You seem to finally get your toddler sleeping (at least a little bit, right?!) and then they regress like they are a newborn baby who won't sleep. Each night you pray your toddler will fall asleep fast. You try all the all the different things -- co-sleeping, cry it out, [...]
50+ Best Outdoor Toys for Kids That’ll Bring Endless Hours of Fun
Inside: A unique round-up of outdoor toys for kids that are recommended by MOMS and DADS. Wide range of backyard toys that get the kids outside and off tech! Affiliate links included for your convenience. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's getting harder and harder to motivate kids to [...]
How to Have Fun at a Military Ball… When You Don’t Know Anyone!
There I was, walking into a hotel ballroom for another military ball. As usual, my husband was in his dress blue uniform, looking sharp. I was in a formal dress with hair styled and nails done. The kids had been dropped off at childcare, and we were ready for a fun evening! There was just one problem… as we looked around the room, we [...]
How Plan a Military Wedding Date When the Date Keeps Changing?
So you’re getting ready plan a military wedding and marry your service member. Congratulations! If your military dating relationship has been challenging because of long distance, deployments, and training schools, then you probably can’t wait until you can both settle down and actually live together every day. But wait… if you are [...]
When Your Military Kid Isn’t Feeling All That Resilient
Inside: We love to taut the resilience of military kids, but the truth is, it's hard. What do you do when your military kid isn't feeling all that resilient? I watched everything in my room get wrapped in layers of brown packing paper and put into boxes labeled "Boy Room." My trophies and favorite legos were stuffed down deep into [...]
Your Strong-Willed Toddler: 3 Shifts to Turn Defiance Into Cooperation
I stood in the elevator looking down at my strong-willed toddler on the floor. He sat up, swung his head backwards and let out another ginormous “WAAAAAAAA.” When the elevator stopped on the third floor my heart skipped 3 beats before sinking into the abyss of anxiety in my stomach. The doors opened to another family needing to ride the [...]
10 Baby Sleep Tips That’ll Help Baby Sleep Longer Stretches
Sitting on the couch with my swollen legs propped up on pillows, I looked over at the stack of newborn baby sleep books on the coffee table. Over the course of several hours, I devoured each book, skimming through the pages. I was determined to learn how to make a newborn sleep. Then...my son was born. And....he didn't sleep. Imagine [...]
Why We Quit Drinking the Tap Water at Military Bases and What We Do Instead
I never used to think about the water we drank. In fact, I thought most people who worried about whether their water was filtered were a little high maintenance. I was a self-proclaimed “tap water girl.” It was only once we were preparing to leave Okinawa a few years ago that I started to take a second look. A friend of mine [...]