Real Mom Talk: Spending Christmas at Home vs Traveling

Every year, one of the struggles most people face is whether to spend Christmas at home or to travel. It’s something that we discuss or that gets brought up almost every year for us too.

When I was a kid, we usually spent Christmas at home. I loved all the special memories and traditions I had during those times.

When I moved across the country, sometimes I’d travel home to spend Christmas with my family, and sometimes I’d stay where I was and just work or spend Christmas with friends.

When we were dating, and before having kids, we used to travel every holiday to visit either my family or my husband’s family. And I honestly enjoyed it. But after having kids, something changed.

Since having my own kids, I much prefer to stay home at Christmas time now. I don’t mind traveling for other holidays (Thanksgiving, New Year's, etc.), but I am just not a fan of traveling during Christmas anymore.

There is no place like home. And just like all of my special memories of Christmas as a kid, I want to create my own special Christmas memories now with my kids and our little family. I like creating our own Christmas traditions.

Another big reason I prefer to stay home is that now that my kids are getting older, they actually understand Christmas and presents and what day is what, etc.

Traveling at Christmas time can be so stressful. If we flew or even drove anywhere, it would be too much to bring all presents with us. So that adds another layer of stress when it comes to traveling. It could cause issues with the kids on Christmas Day too.

Ultimately, whether you travel or stay home, Christmas is what you make it. And if you’re with your loved ones, that’s all that really matters. For me personally, I prefer to stay home at least on Christmas Day now. We can do all our Christmas fun at home, our little family. And if we see any extended family after that, it’s just an added bonus!

Do you prefer to stay home or travel during Christmas? Let me know in the comments below! Merry Christmas!

Best Keepsakes for Baby’s 1st Christmas

Baby’s first Christmas is so special! There is nothing like experiencing Christmas through a child’s eyes. And the year they experience it for the first time is just so magical.

I always try to do all the Christmas things, make the memories, and create fun keepsakes. I have certain keepsakes I try to do for each child’s first Christmas. These are some of the special keepsakes I like to have to look back on as the kids grow.

Baby’s Handprint Mold Ornament 

I started this tradition when my 2nd child was born (and my oldest was celebrating her 2nd Christmas). You make a handprint mold ornament. I buy mine at the store (Walmart, Target, etc.), but you can also make your own salt dough for the ornament.

Stocking

Everyone needs a Christmas stocking, and baby is no different! Make sure to grab one. I not only get myself a stocking to add to our mantle, but I also get a special “Baby’s 1st Christmas” themed stocking for their memory box.

Baby’s First Christmas Doll

There are so many cute Christmas-themed toys and dolls you can get at any store. They usually have “Baby’s 1st Christmas” specific ones too. I always grab one for my babies. A couple of years it was a reindeer, and one year it was Baby’s first Elf (on a shelf).

Christmas Outfit

Check out your local baby clothes section at Walmart, etc. I always make sure to get a special outfit, dress, or onesie for Baby’s first Christmas.

Christmas Photoshoot 

There are so many cute photo ideas for babies at Christmas. I always do a couple of mini photoshoots for my kids' first Christmas to capture these special moments. 

Christmas Hand/Foot Print Crafts

Another of my favorites for babies is making Christmas crafts using their hand and/or foot prints. I’ve done a mistletoe foot one and a handprint Christmas wreath before. I’ve also done some different Christmas characters (Grinch, penguin, snowman, etc.). Check out Pinterest for some creative ideas!

I hope these ideas help inspire you to create special keepsakes for your little one(s). Are there any other special Baby’s First Christmas keepsakes you’ve done that I didn’t mention? Let me know in the comments! I’m always looking for more ideas.

DIY The Big One Birthday Party

I  knew since I was pregnant with my second son that I wanted to do an ocean/beach theme for him. He wore an ocean outfit for all of his monthly photos during his first year. When the time came to start planning his first birthday, I knew it would be an ocean “The Big One” wave theme. This is ultimately what I did to make the theme come to life.

Photo Backdrop

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Balloon arch
• White & different blue shade balloons
• Blue paper
• Letter stencils
• Blue marker
• Scissors 
• Hole puncher
• String
• Tape

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Blow up white and 3 different shades of blue balloons.
2. Attach the balloons to the balloon arch.
3. Secure the balloon arch into place in the shape of a big wave on the wall, using tape and/or string. I used string to tie it around the corners of the wall.
4. Using the letter stencils, spell out/color the words “The Big One” with a blue marker onto the blue construction paper.
5. Cut all the letters out individually. I cut the pieces into circle shapes.
6. Using a hole puncher (a pen or scissors also work if you don’t have a hole puncher), punch a small hole at the top of each letter shape.
7. Cut your string into three pieces. Make sure each is long enough for the letters you’ll use on them. I put “The” on the first string, “Big” on the second, and “One” on the third. I used twine for the string.
8. String each letter onto their respective string through the punched hole.
9. Hang and tape each string to the wall under the balloon wave.

High Chair Decoration

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Streamer string
• Tape

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Attach the streamer string to the front of the high chair. I taped it in place. I got mine at Walmart super cheap, and it matched the colors of our Birthday sign. It’s lightweight, like plastic tablecloths.

Birthday Outfit

Supplies You’ll Need:

• White onesie
• Blue, teal/green, and white fabric paint 
• Paint brush

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Paint a blue ocean wave in place of the O. Let it dry.
2. Paint a blue letter N and E after the ocean wave O. Let it dry.
3. Paint some teal/green splotches randomly on the ocean wave. Let it dry.
4. Paint some white splotches randomly on the ocean wave. Let it dry.
5. Do any paint touch-ups to darken the colors and let it dry.

Cake

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Cake mix
• Colored icing
• Candle

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. For my son’s cake, we bought one at a local grocery store, but you can easily make your own.
2. Mix the cake mix.
3. Bake the cake.
4. Cover the cake with white icing.
5. Use blue icing to draw an ocean wave on the top of the cake.
6. Use blue icing on the sides to create an ombre look like the ocean water.
7. Optional: You can add a birthday message for your child if you wish on the cake or platter.
8. Add a birthday candle on top.

Plates & Napkins

To add to our ocean theme, I included blue paper plates with a wave along the edges and some napkins that looked like they had ocean waves on them.

I hope that these ideas help inspire you to throw your own ocean-themed birthday party and have fun with it. Happy celebrating and creating!

DIY Turtle Birthday Party

For my son’s 5th birthday, he wanted to go with his favorite animal and do a turtle theme. He has a special doll of Squirt from “Finding Nemo” but wanted it to be generic and not specific to that turtle. I opted for some simple items and went with a blue and green color scheme. This is ultimately what I did to make the theme come to life.

Photo Backdrop

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Happy Birthday sign
• Streamer string
• Tape

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Attach the Happy Birthday sign to the wall. I used tape to hold it since it was lightweight and made of plastic, like a plastic table cover. I got it at Walmart super cheap and the colors I wanted (blue+green).
2. Attach the streamer string to the wall. I used tape to hold it since it was lightweight and made of plastic, like a plastic table cover. I got mine at Walmart super cheap, and it matched the colors of our Birthday sign.

Birthday Outfit

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Plain t-shirt
• Fabric paint
• Paintbrush

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Paint a black outline of the Turtle on the shirt. I looked at a photo on Pinterest of Squirt from Finding Nemo to use for our design.
2. Paint a brown shell of the turtle.
3. Paint the teal/green body of the turtle.
4. Paint the brown spots on the turtle.
5. Paint the eyes of the turtle brown, black & white.
6. Paint the florally pattern on the shell red and yellow.
7. Paint the age of the Birthday kid on the shell in blue.
8. Do any touch-ups needed.

Cupcakes

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Cake mix
• Icing
• Cupcake sleeves
• Gummy worms
• Peach rings
• Candle

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Make the cake mix. We made brownies and cooked them in a cupcake tray.
2. Put icing or something similar in texture on top of cupcakes. Ours came with a chocolate filling we used.
3. Stick a peach ring in the center of the cupcake for the turtle shell.
4. Break the green gummy worms into pieces and use them as legs and a head for the turtle body.
5. Break the pink gummy worms and put them in the center of the peach ring for the turtle shell.
6. Add a candle.

Balloons

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Green balloons
• Sharpie marker

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Blow up the green balloons.
2. Using the Sharpie marker, draw the body, legs, and head of a turtle onto the balloon.

I hope these ideas help inspire you to create your own turtle-themed party and have a great time with it. Happy creating!

5 Tips to Get Kids to Eat Veggies

If you’re a parent, I’m sure you know the struggle of getting kids to eat veggies. Maybe you’re blessed with a good eater, or maybe you have at least one picky eater. I know I do. I’m sure you’ve tried it all to get them to eat healthy, and that means more veggies.

If you are struggling to get your kid(s) to eat veggies – like I do with one of mine – or if you don’t even know where to start, I have a couple of ideas. Here are some of the ways I try to sneak more veggies into my kids' meals.

1. Mix Veggies in Food

This can be one of the simplest ways to sneak more veggies into your kids' food. They are more likely to try it if they don’t know it’s in there. Try mixing veggies into smoothies, casseroles, etc. Anything to help hide that veggies are included.

2. Substitute Veggie Items for Others

Try swapping some regular food options out for vegetarian ones. Cauliflower wings instead of chicken wings, veggie pasta instead of regular pasta, veggie nuggets instead of chicken nuggets, etc. These are some of my favorite meal options, and most of my kids love them too!

3. Offer Veggies as Snacks

Start offering veggies as daily snacks. Once your kids get used to eating them, they’ll like them more. Think raw veggie trays or even raw/fresh green beans, sugar snap peas, etc.

4. Cover Veggies in Sauce

If your child has a favorite condiment or sauce, try covering veggies in that. When I was a kid, the only way I would eat meat (which I wasn’t a big fan of) was to drench it in BBQ sauce. My son is big on mayo, so we try to cover some veggies in that for him.

5. Add Something to the Veggies

Try jazzing up your veggies by adding something to them. Try eating it with cheese or a dip, or adding peanut butter, etc. 

Every child is different. My son still fights eating veggies even with these tricks, but I’m able to sneak some in other times. Hope these tips help make your feeding veggies to kids tasks easier!

2nd Birthday Party Theme Ideas

When it comes to 2nd birthday parties, the themes are endless! You only turn two once, and every parent wants it to be a special day for their baby. Whether you have a big party with family and friends or just a little celebration, you want a cute theme with photo ops.

You can really do any theme you want. If there is something your child loves, why not do that theme? With my two older kids, I started letting them have a say in their theme when they turned two. I tried to tailor their 2nd birthdays to things that they loved at the time.

There are so many cute and fun 2nd birthday ideas out there! Here are some of the cutest and most creative themes I discovered in my own search.

Two the Moon & Back

Think starry nights, twinkle lights, and moon beams. Silvers and golds are great colors to pair with this theme.

Baby Shark Two Two

Does your child love Baby Shark or the song? Why not play on that? Try a Baby Shark show-specific theme or even a more generic, just-shark theme.

Two Wild

Safaris, jungles, and crocodiles, oh my! You could take this theme a few different ways, and every one would be super cute.

Two Infinity & Beyond

Who doesn’t love Buzz Lightyear or Toy Story? You’ll have so much fun creating this one!

Two the Rescue

There are multiple directions you could go with this theme. You can’t go wrong with a fireman, police, rescue worker, superhero, or even an animal rescue theme.

Two Sweet

Candy is the name of this theme game. So many options and all sugary sweet!

Twooty Fruity

A general fruit theme can be so cute and creative. Pick your faves or a mix of all kinds.

Two Fast

Who doesn’t love a good race car theme? I know I do! This is just that. If you want a more unique title, try going with “Two Laps Down” or “Two Laps Around the Sun”.

Yabba Dabba Two

Go back in time and enjoy this Flintstones theme 2nd Birthday.

Taco Twosday 

Any day is a good day for tacos. Create your own fiesta with Mexican food and have a blast!

Oh, Twoodles

Do you have a Disney or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fan? This one is just for you! You could do a Mickey, Minnie, or all-character highlight with this one. 

Donut Grow Up 

This isn’t “two” specific, but who doesn’t love donuts? This theme seems to be growing in popularity, and rightfully so…it is so cute!

There are so many great ideas for 2nd birthday party themes. What are your favorite ones? Have any other ideas I left out? Leave a comment below and let me know! Get creative and have fun making wonderful memories for your little one’s big day!