Quick and Easy Father's Day Gifts

Father's Day is June 21 this year!

Even though my husband and I don't exchange gifts for holidays or birthdays, I still like to do a little something for Father's Day from the kids. In years past, Father's Day has snuck up on me so I have had to obsessively search Pinterest to come up with a cute idea. This year, though, I'm ahead of the game. In case you're not, here are a few simple and cheap if not free ideas.

Pictures!
There are so many cute ideas of pictures for a Father's Day gift.

 I made the letters out of cardboard and painted them black. I used a white sheet as my backdrop. R was not into this photo shoot so it was a bit tricky, but we made it work. I just had to pay for the pictures and frame, which I probably bought with a 40% off coupon at Michael's.

Organizing the Chaos

First stop is the kitchen.
As a stay-at-home mom, the days can blend together so easily. I sometimes have a difficult time keeping track of what day it is and what's going on during the week. Of course, I use my calendar on my iPhone, but I still prefer something concrete to look at. In addition to needing something to keep me on track for the week, I had a lot of clutter hanging around my kitchen that needed homes.

Before I found this command center, we had our calendar and coupons on the side of the refrigerator and any mail that was deemed too important to throw out right away was just stacked on the kitchen counter. I bought the command center to help eliminate the unsightly pile of mail but it does so much more. This organizer has everything: a place for my calendar, two clear PVC packets that I use as "dry erase boards" and lots of storage pockets. I attached it to the back of my pantry door so I can have easy access to it but keep it out of sight when guests come over.

Here's how I modified it to fit my family.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

We took our children to their very first baseball game. Here's how it went.

Now, I will start this off by saying that I am not a big sports fan and you will never catch me watching any type of sport on the television at home unless someone (aka my dad) has changed the channel from the Food Network or Disney Junior to "the game." 

10 Things That Changed After Baby #2

I have always wanted two children. Two and done. One child for each hand. One child for each parent so we're not outnumbered. And here I am with my two wonderful children. As grateful I am, I can't help but think back to how simple life was with only one baby. Here's 10 ways life has totally changed after my second was born.

1. Snuggle time

Back when it was just K and me (and the cat), I spent hours just snuggling with her while she slept. I would just sit there and stare at her, breathing in her wonderful newborn smell. When R was born, there were no snuggle times to be had except for the times after the midnight feeding when everyone was asleep. I had a two year old who was in gymnastics, dance, and swim lessons. On top of that, I had errands to run, a house to keep in order, and mouths that preferred hot meals over cold cereal. Snuggle times with R weren't spent peacefully on the couch; they were spent with him asleep in the Ergobaby carrier strapped to me while I jugged daily life with a toddler.

Packing Lunch vs Buying Lunch at Disneyland

When we visit Disneyland and California Adventure, I usually pack all of our snacks and lunches. Every once in a while, I will just pack snacks and buy lunch there. I have friends who don't pack anything and buy everything in the park. That got me thinking. How much am I saving when I bring our own food and drinks?

I did a little research (and I mean little, so some of my prices are estimates) to find out how much it would cost to buy everything compared to how much it costs to bring it from home. I do the majority of my shopping at Ralph's (Kroger) but I also shop at Target and Costco. When I pack lunches, I usually don't pack a full lunch for myself since my kids don't ever eat all of their lunch so I eat their leftovers.

How to Beat the Heat at Disneyland

Let's face it. There's nothing worse than being at the Happiest Place on Earth with the other 40,000 people in 95 degree heat. Oh wait, there is...being there with two miserably hot toddlers. Here are some attractions that you can check out to help beat the heat.

Disneyland

Catch the Parade

Currently, the parade is Mickey's Soundsational Parade, but there is word that a new parade will make its debut for the 60th Anniversary Celebration. No matter what parade it is, kids love seeing their favorite characters pass by. It may be tough for the little ones to sit patiently for the parade to start so maybe grab a special treat to help distract them. I always try to find a shady spot close to the bathrooms. One thing to keep in mind is that the parade doesn't run every day so check the Entertainment Times Guide.

Watch a show

9 Perks of Having Young Children

1. There's no need to have an alarm clock

My alarm clock...thank goodness he's cute

There's nothing that gets me out of bed quicker than the fear of my four year old being woken up by "MMOOOOOMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY" screeching out of my two year old's mouth at 6 o'clock in the morning. My son is up at 6am, sometimes earlier like this morning, every single day...6:30am if I'm lucky.

2. You'll always have time to work out