My kids love "nerd stuff", and absolutely love hands-on opportunities to explore the world and see how things work. We have a Membership to the Great Lakes Science Center in beautiful Downtown Cleveland, which definitely comes in handy for all things Science. 
But what about when heading to Cleveland isn't practical? Well, we have plenty of fun, educational options right here at home, too! One of our favorite ways to explore science is through magnet play. (Always make sure there's adult supervision, as accidentally ingesting magnets can be a serious incident.)  Magnets can be tons of fun, and can definitely keep learning on the forefront, even during the summer months. 
The Geomag Supercolor 78 Piece Set $39.99 is a great eco-friendly brand who make their products from 100% recycled plastic. The toys encourage creative learning and allows children to learn STEM in a fun and innovative way.

My kiddos love to draw and doodle. My 11 year old daughter loves anime, and my 10 year old son loves doodling everything under the sun. His specialty is eyeballs. Weird, I know. He's a stickler for detail, though, so his mission is to perfect drawing the human eye. I'm no artist, so I wish him the best of luck.  Even more impressive, my 21 year old son has been shown in multiple local art shows, and has even won awards for his work. 

Drawing, and art in general, is a big deal in my home. 

We also tend to go on a lot of outings, so our summer has a lot of fun time, and a lot of time in the car. Thanks to myFirst Sketch Book, the kids can draw on the road to their heart's content, without wasting any paper or making a mess. This fully digital "sketch book" comes complete with everything your child needs to create beautiful art pieces, in a fun, modern, and sustainable way.

Happy PRIDE, Everyone! 

Here in my home, we definitely celebrate Equality. As many of you know, this is personal for me, as my 21 year old son is fabulously and relentlessly gay. We have always supported him 100%, so he never really needed a closet to hide in, so to speak. He's always just been allowed to be himself, without shame. 

Sadly, that's not the case for a lot of our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. For too many, shame is attached to their very existence, and that needs to change. There are loads of great organizations out there that help support the LGBTQ+ community, and fight to improve the challenges they face every single day of their lives. 

Summer is in full swing, and a lot of parents are on the lookout for ways to prevent that "Summer Slide" when it comes to their kids' reading and academics. There are tons of awesome ways to promote continued learning during the summer months, like going on trips to museums and monuments, hands on STEM activities, and of course, READING!

Reading isn't a chore at all when kids have books they actually want to read. Recently, I got to check out 4 awesome titles from the folks at Prestel Junior. These books are globally inspired, and help introduce kids to different cultures from around the world. These books are well written, engaging, and are absolutely beautifully illustrated as well. 

And one of you will receive a copy of ALL FOUR of these books, just in time for summer reading fun! Keep reading to learn more about these titles and for your chance to win! 

Yesterday was a big day for me. Yesterday, I became officially ANCIENT, according to my 10 year old son. Why ancient? Well, because yesterday was my 40th birthday. (Yikes!) 

I get told pretty often that I look young for my age, and I attribute this to a few things. For one, I try my best to have a healthy lifestyle. I don't drink, ever. I don't smoke, and gave up cigarettes cold turkey years ago, and I've never looked back. I actually gag when I smell them now. I drink lots of water. I eat healthy, well balanced meals. I try, and sometimes fail, to get enough sleep....The effort is there!

And of course, I am a believer that, in addition to a healthy lifestyle, a good skincare routine can make a world of difference in the appearance of the skin. Recently, I've been loving the organically sourced, scientifically proven skincare from Visage Pure. 

One of the things I love most about the summer is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. We try and eat healthily in our home, and produce plays a huge part in our daily diets. We have a garden of our own where we're growing several different varieties of Tomatoes, Peppers, and herbs. We also visit local Farmer's Markets a lot, and of course, stay on top of what offerings are available at our local grocery stores. A lot of the time even they carry locally grown, Ohio produce! 

Still, even the freshest looking produce can come with something you DON'T necessarily see: A coating of wax, dirt, or even pesticides. It's always a great idea to wash your fruits and veggies before using them, so these unseen nasties aren't ingested. Clean produce is better produce, in my opinion, and it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to what we eat. 

The world is returning to "normal", whatever that means, and we've got a jam-packed schedule this summer. We will be headed all over, enjoying hiking, concerts, and lots of trips to America's Roller Coast, Cedar Point. (Gotta use these Gold Passes!) It's so refreshing to be able to do things again, of course while maintaining personal space and following safety guidelines. It's our job to be responsible, courteous citizens, and that's exactly how we roll here in my family. 

As we return to normal activities, it's time to make sure we're prepared for whatever life throws at us.....Or in my case, spills on us. Yep. White hoodies and coffee don't mix well. More about that in a minute. 

​I always try and stay prepared for anything, so I carry an arsenal of "must haves" any time we head out adventuring. You never know when you might need a bandaid, some cutlery, a baby wipe, or some immediate stain removal, courtesy of the OxiClean On the Go Stain Remover Pen!

​In fact, I had quite a mishap at Cedar Point while wearing my brand new, bright white Machine Gun Kelly hoodie. Anything white makes me automatically nervous, to be honest. Thankfully, I had the answer packed away in my backpack. Like I said, I try to always come prepared for anything. 

Over the past year, things have definitely been interesting. We've gone through a Pandemic that has changed many of our lives forever, in ways that perhaps we didn't exactly plan for. For some, like my husband, it means a new job in an entirely different field of work, due to being laid off early on. For others, including a huge chunk of my Facebook friends list, this means a new addition is on the way. Yep, there seems to be a Quarantine Baby Boom, and I know literally dozens of women who are now expanding their family. 

One good friend, who is already the amazing mama of 2 beautiful daughters, is expecting her first son! This is such an exciting time for her family, and I absolutely love seeing her happiness. With this child, her little family will be complete....At least for now! I'm not sure what her future plans are. 

My friend's Baby Shower isn't until later this summer, but I wanted to show you all what I found for her from one of my favorite retailers, PatPat! They offer a TON of apparel for babies and kids, and even some great, matching family outfits, too! There's a style for every taste, too, so you're sure to find something for everyone! 

Check out the adorable baby outfits I found for my friend's new baby, exclusively from PatPat! They're VERY excited about finally adding a son to the mix, so my choices for her reflect that, with cute sayings like "Mini Boss", "Mama's Boy", and more! 

Aren't these all absolutely precious?! I had so much fun picking out the perfect pieces for her special little guy! I especially love the fashion forward, whimsical styles sure to make my friend's new little boy the talk of the town! These garments are not only adorable, they're also well made, super affordable, and they're unique to the brand, meaning you won't see these styles in all of your local stores. Whether it's a French Fry jumper or Popcorn onesie, you're sure to find fun styles that are perfect for Baby Shower gifts! 

Like I said, my friend's Baby Shower isn't for a bit, but I will be sure to update this post with pics of her opening these great apparel gifts when the time comes. I know she's going to be thrilled with this selection of duds for her little man! 

Stay tuned for loads of smiles! 

In the meantime, be sure to check out all the awesomeness that PatPat has to offer on their website. They're actually having a MASSIVE 50% off sale right now, so this is a great time to do some shopping! 

You can also be social with PatPat on Facebook, on twitter, and on Instagram to stay on top of their latest styles and promotions!