As most of you know, I have been on a mission for sharing free printables as well as online resources for kids to continue their learning from home during this crazy time. My printables have really been geared more towards the toddler years, because I AM NO TEACHER, ha! I honestly struggle with teaching Jack, our first grader, so I know I can not be alone on this. I have been asked about math websites for kids a few times, so wanted to share about Revolution Math.
As a bonus because I don’t want you to miss this later in the blog post – they are giving me a code for you all to try Revolution Math for $1 if you use the code ARIN1. This is actually how we first tried it out, because I wanted t be sure Jack loved it before we tried it.
this post may contain affiliate links
Math Websites for Kids
Math websites for kids have been kind of hard for me to come by for older aged kids. We use ABC mouse and such with my kids and have been amping that up while they are out of school, but the math is not at a high enough level for Jack at this point, so we knew we needed something more.
Teaching school aged kids at home is kind of stressful for a couple of reasons in our house. For one – I barely remember some of the rules of lower aged math (IE things like order of operations), and 2 I haven’t been trained on how to teach it. When my oldest son, Jack, gets frustrated it honestly just causes arguments, which for me has been such a difficult time of being stuck at home. I don’t like having yet another reason to get mad at him!
For my husband and I, math and reading are the two things we aren’t willing to see go by the way side while the kids miss school, so this has been a great way to get Jack learning, as well as interacting with other kids.
“Revolution Math is an innovative program designed to help 2nd-5th graders develop their math skills and an overall love of learning. The live, online interface integrates an interactive learning experience with a story-based curriculum and Common Core aligned math games. Students enjoy a small class size of only 4 students, allowing them to build confidence under the instruction of a dedicated teacher.”
When we first started it with Jack he loved it. So much so he didn’t really understand that it was a class time and was asking to do it daily. He is only in first grade, so the math was maybe a tiny bit above his head at times, but he worked through it and I love that it is helping him get ahead. In no way did I feel like he was crazy amounts behind.
Interaction with Peers
Your kids will be in a class for this – so although it isn’t in person the way the classes work there is turn taking, the feeling of being in a game, and a team like commrodery. So although the math is really important, I personally loved it for Jack in that way as well.
How do the classes work?
You will sign up for a class time just like you would for say, dance. At your class time you log in and there are a few students and a teacher. The kids work though the game scenario where they need to solve math problems. For the classes jack was in him and the other kids all loved it and loved getting to be a character, read, and solve problems.
One thing I will note is that when we did this we put it on my computer, which was fine, but I wish I had used my sons iPad because he is more comfortable with it. There is some ‘writing’ on the screen and he couldn’t figure out the mousepad for writing very well so I wish I had gone the route of iPad, and will be doing this next set of classes on his iPad for better user friendliness for him!
The classes utilize Zoom, which I know many of our kids are currently using in so many other learning situations right now, so hopefully they are all growing more comfortable with it! (we are raising a generation who will be kick butt at conference calls and video calls!).
Pricing (and a promo code for your first month free!)
Right now as I noted at the start of this post they are offering my readers a nearly free first month. You simply pay $1 and they ship you all your materials and you get to do 1 month (4 classes) for that 1 dollar. It is honestly a great way to get your feet wet and see if it’s a good fit for your child before committing.
To get that first month for $1 use code: ARIN1
Once that first month is over you have the option to continue your classes – You can either sign up for an annual membership at $99 a month or monthly for $149 monthly.
Overall we have been so impressed by these classes, and Jack truly looks forward to them every week. They have opened up times during the day for kids now that school is out, so that allows for more kids and something to keep them busy during the day. If you have any questions I on Revolution math let me know in the comments below, or DM me on Instagram. I truly think this is one of the best math websites for kids and will keep your kids learning and thriving in their time outside the classroom.
If you are looking for other great resources I have free printable learning activities for younger kids here that have been really helpful for keeping my kids busy!
Amazon finds are one of my favorite things. I also know from this little space that you all love them too. I rounded up my favorite Baby and Toddler Girl Clothes from Amazon today in a fun blog and Instagram post. My friend Val does these Amazon round ups weekly and always has the greatest finds, so this was so fun for me to join in on this week.
this post may contain affiliate links to learn more check it out here!
Baby and Toddler Clothes from Amazon
I have personally done a lot of shopping for our baby due next week on Amazon so it was super natural for me to put all my favorite finds in one space. I will be sharing and highlighting (in my style picks highlight) on Instagram all of the items I personally already own so you can see them in person too, which I think can be super helpful.
I will be sure to update this post with photos of items I buy as time goes on, because I am sure I will order more of these cute items once baby girl is here and I know what size she is!
I didn’t include any shoes in this graphic, but I actually buy most of my kids shoes on Amazon (because HELLO, they don’t tell you until you can’t shove their feet in anymore). I am going to do a clickable section of my favorite shoes THAT WE OWN at the end that are from Amazon as well!
And to make things even more fun – this post has been so popular that I am adding a second post with more items I have purchased over the past year!!
Swing Dress – comes in several colors. Avé has this and it is darling on!
Ice Cream Dress– Avé owns this (shown below) and it is so cute. I won’t lie – it’s not amazing quality but great for a themed for maybe a birthday party or something.
Pajamas – Avé has these and they are hands down some of my favorite pajamas we own!
Glitter Natives – I was hesitant on these last year, but got them, and we are now on owning 3 pairs. the glitter doesn’t shed and they are the cutest darn natives!
Tulle dress– I love that this is ribbed at the top. I always love this style of dress for Avé – she can run around in it casually but it can be dressed up.
Little Sister Pajamas – these say little sister on them, but I linked them on the image in another print as well, and there were about 3 other prints to die for. This pair tho is so cute!!!!
Leather hair clips – I love casual clips like this in Avé’s hair right now.
Pink Gingham romper – if you follow me on social then you probably know I love pink gingham.
Ribbed shorts romper – this is so cute, I just ordered in a couple of colors for Goldie.
Rainbow pajamas – I grabbed these for my new little niece. They are so stinking cute
My Favorite Shoes WE OWN from Amazon for Little Girls
Other Amazon Finds
Be sure – if you love this post check out these other Amazon round ups, as well as this post with lots of other great fashion picks! If you have any questions on these baby and toddler girl clothes from Amazon let me know in the comments below, and I would love to hear if you try anything!
Who is ready for a Veer Wagon review? It seems as though if there is anything other moms are researching currently, it is probably great strollers seeing that that is about the only mode of getting out of the house right now. I wanted to share my Veer Wagon review, and give you my honest thoughts on our newest member to our stroller fleet (my poor husband ha!).
This post may contain affiliate links
I want to make sure it is clear that this post is NOT sponsored in anyway, so my opinions and time in this review is simply to help you in your stroller shopping experience!
This past fall right after we welcomed our 4th baby I couldn’t stop thinking about trying out the Veer cruiser. It was a newer stroller/wagon on the market and I had to know if it was as good as expected.
Just as the Veer wagon stroller has reinvented the concept of family outings to accommodate the needs and comfort of children, the world of online gaming has similarly transformed to provide entertainment tailored to diverse audiences. For parents in Singapore who seek a bit of leisure while watching over their kids, online slots present a perfect solution. These games, accessible through online slots Singapore, offer a convenient escape that doesn’t require leaving the house or investing large amounts of time. Much like finding the right stroller, discovering the ideal online slot game can be a game-changer for parents needing a moment of relaxation in their busy schedules.
The way a wagon-style stroller brings joy to a child who dislikes the confines of a traditional stroller, the variety and engagement of online slots can bring a refreshing burst of excitement to a routine day. With children safely playing or tucked away for a nap, parents can easily enjoy a variety of online slots that cater to their preference for adventure, fun, or even a dash of nostalgia. These digital platforms, much like the versatile Veer wagon, are designed for accessibility – with options to play on multiple devices and a wide range of themes to suit any taste. Whether at the zoo, in the mall, or waiting at the airport, engaging in online slots can be as convenient as folding up your trusty wagon stroller and heading on to the next activity.
Before I get into this review – we have owned SO many other strollers, but a couple of favorites are linked with reviews below.
Uppa Baby Vista (double) | Uppa Baby Cruz | Britax B-ready (double) | Joovy jogger | Double Bob Jogger | Orbit Baby Stroller | Keenz Wagon | Thule Jogger | Several umbrella type strollers.
I list those (MOST WE NO LONGER OWN) to give you a good idea of how many I have tried, so I feel I have a great idea of what constitutes a great stroller/wagon at this point.
One thing I will also be doing in the next week or two is sharing a comparison post on the Veer Wagon vs. Keenz; if that is another one you’re considering and are torn between the two!
Those are just two of the MANY strollers I have owned over the years – and I also recently sold our Keenz stroller wagon which I VERY much favor the Veer over!
Why The Veer Cruiser?
Like I said – I was dying to try the Veer wagon stroller, but it was for more reasons than just curiosity. We have a 2.5 year old boy who is HUGE. He’s very tall for his age, and hates the stroller, but when I venture out with all 4 kids, I HAVE to have a way to strap him in when needed.
We had originally planned to use the Uppa Baby Vista for this, and although I love the stroller, it wasn’t great for Walker and his hatred for being in the stroller.
I was hopeful that moving to a wagon style seat would appease him a bit more, and I loved that the Veer (as opposed to our Keenz) would allow for a newborn with carseat attachments. My husband had a lot of pushback, but ultimately he did give in on it, and he has been eating his words ever since.
I knew that we had strollers on hand to work in other capacities like the mall and such ( I will touch on that) but really wanted something to make the longer outings like the zoo and such more pleasant with 4 kids.
At this point we have owned the Veer Cruiser for roughly 6 months. I have used it in several different ways with the baby, as well as with all my other kids. We have taken it via car, and used the Veer Wagon Cruiser on plane trips, so I feel like I can finally give you a good review of the wagon in case it is something you are considering for your kids!
About the Veer Wagon Cruiser
Before I get into my review – what I love and don’t love, I want to give you a bit of an overview. You can also read more about it on their website. I will also walk you through buying options and places, and talk to you about where I purchased mine and why.
The Veer Cruiser is an all terrain stroller/wagon. You can push it like a stroller, or pull it like a wagon. Suitable for newborn (with proper Veer wagon accessories) to 55 lbs per each seat. (for reference, my 7.5 year old is very average in size for a 7 year old and 50 lbs even).
What we LOVE about the Veer Wagon Stroller
Okay so as a bit of a spoiler, we LOVE this wagon, but I am going to walk you through why and I will also talk to you about why we maybe wouldn’t have loved it as much in different stages of our lives with kids.
Versatility with Age
We are currently on baby number 4, so for the most part if we are doing family outings we are traveling or going somewhere like the zoo or something. I am not frequently doing things like going to the mall and such with multiple kids, so we have not used this wagon in that capacity.
Again the biggest reason we love this is because for toddlers is they don’t fight it as much. Toddlers tend to see a wagon as fun, verses a stroller as a way to contain them. I don’t know why. I also don’t know why toddlers eat their own boogers, but there are things we may never know, haha.
I also love that when we originally got it we had a new 2 year old and almost 5 year old who could share one seat when needed! (I will say that this is not marketed in that way, and they couldn’t both be belted in, but it did help on the occasional longer walk when our 5 year old pooped out.
Does the Veer Wagon Fit Easily in Trunk Space?
I own a Chevy Traverse which has very similar trunk space to a mini van. The Veer fits in out trunk very easily, which has not been the case for many of our other double strollers and another wagon. I don’t like to have to fully disassemble something and play Tetris on the daily, so that was a huge selling point for me!
Veer Wagon Age
The biggest selling point on this stroller wagon for me was that I could use carseat adapters with Goldie as a newborn, add a toddler seat for her young toddler years, then use it without that seat as she got older.
I love the versatility of it! (I will say that to make it that versatile there are added accessories and costs, which I will talk about below!).
I love that the seats that are built in do have 3 point harnesses which for my 2 year old doesn’t seem to make him angry like a 5 point harness would, but keeps him safe and secure.
Comfort of Use
I love the push of this. We almost exclusively push it like a stroller, and it is really great. I do not find it any more difficult than any other double stroller, other than certain turns you have to do more of a 3 point turn. I love that it comes with a snack tray with cup holders for kids on it, and 2 adult cup holders for my husband and I as well.
Travel
We flew with the Veer Wagon last month and it was amazing for flying!! We purchased the travel bag that is an optional accessory for it, and it was worth every penny. We personally folded it and had it packed in the travel bag when we left the house.
We then left it that way until we got through security. It was able to fit on the belt in the bag so it didn’t have to be fumbled with. (many strollers are too wide for the belt so have to be taken to the side which can be a time hold up!)
One we got through security we then put it together and had the little two get in while we got coffee and food and such then waited at the gate.
We then folded it back down before we lined up. With the travel bag the way it folds down you can roll it on two wheels – see here, so it is SO MUCH EASIER for gate checking. Like night and day.
One thing worth noting – we did all of this with the toddler seat, but I wasn’t able to figure out how to bring the added attachment for our diaper bag with the travel bag. I need to do more research on that.
Things I don’t Love
Like I said above – we are using this primarily in an outdoor capacity, but I do think this could be tricky if you are a frequent mall shopper needing to turn in tight spaces all day long. Target, and such you would be fine, but places like say GAP might be tricky.
The added Veer wagon accessories – this wagon is an investment. And the investments do sort of keep coming pending your kids ages.
I think it’s worth noting that this is often times the case for many nicer stroller brands. We have an Uppa Baby Vista and have also had to buy several accessories to make it suitable for our bigger family. If you are simply buying this for 1 year olds and up you could get by with no accessories, however I do think that the added basket for a diaper bag and such is sort of a ‘need’ in my book. Essentially this gives you the under side of the stroller space.
Adding the Veer wagon canopies is also an added expense; so that is something to be aware of. When you buy the wagon you are getting the wagon, the snack try for the kids, and 2 cup holders for you.
The other thing I so far don’t love, is like I said above, I didn’t seem to be able to find a way to add all the accessories in the travel bag. I do think that if you are paying that for the travel bag it should be able to fit the wagon in its entirety, but I am going to check with the company on this and report back if I am wrong.
Buying the Veer Cruiser
I want to talk to you about where I purchased my Veer cruiser, and why, but also give you a couple of links for places to purchase. I will also share what accessories we have, as well as other options for accessories.
If you choose to purchase the wagon after my Veer wagon review, I would be beyond grateful for you if you purchased it through one of these links. I earn a small commission when you do so!
I personally purchased mine at Nordstrom – let me explain why. It is hard to try this in store, so there aren’t really any ways to try it out. Nordstrom has an amazing return policy, and you can return in store, so personally I went that route, because I knew if I didn’t like it I could swing by the store for an easy, no questions return! Below are links to other places to purchase that may better suite you. You can also purchase directly from their website.
Like I said above – we own the travel bag, the toddler seat, carseat adaptor, and foldable storage basket. Below I will talk about those as well as other options, and give links to purchase.
Carseat adaptor – Veer has added many new carseat adaptor options – check their website to see if your infant seat is compatible with any they have. When using the infant car seat adaptor you can still use one other seat. You can only use 1 infant carseat adaptor on the wagon at one time. Buy Uppa Baby, Maxi Cost, Nuna, Cybex on Pottery Barn Kids
Folding Storage Basket – The Folding storage basket adds needed storage in my opinion to the wagon. I love that it can be folded up for storage! Buy on Nordstrom
Toddler Seat – The traditional bench seat has a 3 point harness, but for younger toddlers you can add a more traditional stroller seat with a 5 point harness. We personally have this on one side for Goldie and the traditional on the other side for Walker. The toddler seat can be left on for folding, and still fit in the travel bag! Buy on Pottery Barn Kids
Travel bag – As stated above a perfectly designed travel bag. If you plan to fly very often with the wagon I highly recommend it. Buy on Nordstrom | Buy From Pottery Barn Kids
Nap System – This essentially turns the wagon into a large bassinet. We didn’t purchase this due to having too many kids, but I think it would be a great item to have! Buy on Nordstrom | Buy from Pottery Barn Kids
Retractible Canopy – This is something we will likely add this summer. The wagon doesn’t come with any traditional sun coverage, so this will likely be a must in the bright sunny days. – buy on Amazon
There are other items such as extra cup holders, blankets, visors, bug shields, rain shields, and sidewall color kits all on their site as well. I chose to only highlight the items that I personally would see myself purchasing.
Overall – like I said the Veer Wagon is Truly OUR FAVORITE stroller/wagon we have owned and I would buy it again over and over. It has made outings as a family of 6 so much more fun, and the kids all seem to love it.
The Veer Wagon is an investment, but I personally have always invested in a great stroller, and this still comes in as less expensive than many of the higher end double strollers. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments below, and I will do my best to answer them!
Pin the Photo Below for Info on the Veer Cruiser Wagon Later
Best items for a 7 Month Old Baby – Goldie Mae Update
Goldie Mae is 7 months old! I honestly feel as though these updates are coming right on top of each other, and it is breaking my heart to know her baby year is more than half over. As always I am sharing what we have loved this month with the best items for a 7 month old baby, as well as all my updates on her and I!
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7 Month Old – Goldie Mae
Sweet Goldie remains the sweetest little thing I have ever met. She is 15 lbs of perfection, and her big blue eyes literally melt us. This month we traveled for the first time so she did her first plane ride, her first road trip, her first time on the beach, and the first time swimming!
She LOVED the pool and the beach, and was such a little love on the whole trip. Although I will tell you – she didn’t sleep on the trip. Girlfriend definitely wants a better mattress than the pack n play.
This month was also not all sunshine and rainbows. Our girl also had an allergic reaction to egg, which was unfortunately not my first rodeo ( her older brother Jack did also), but due to the current crazy state of the world, getting to an allergist has been all but impossible, and a lot of stress for us.
She is loving us all being home, and although I am ridden with anxiety over it all, I am also feeling lucky to get extra time with our last baby!
7 Month Postpartum Update
There isn’t much to say. I feel pretty much back to myself. My skin still hates me, but my hair is growing back in! I am struggling HARD with losing any weight this time, but am trying to give myself grace as best I can. Overall I finally feel like I have sort of mentally and emotionally bounced back.
I will say – she’s our last baby. And it’s kind of heart breaking knowing it’s going so fast. I try not to think about it, but there are times where I can’t help it!
Best Items for a 7 Month Old Baby
To shop the image below, just click the item on the image you are wanting, or look for it in the description below.
Baby play seat – Goldie loves this and I love that the footprint isn’t horribly big
Slumberkins – OBSESSED WITH THESE, and Goldie is loving hers
This highchair – I linked a different one the past few months. I truly love both, and we owned both, but I ultimately decided to keep this one over the other – I have a comparison review coming
Hopefully you find these helpful, and you will have a better idea of best items for a 7 month old baby, or what you need to think about when buying for your baby! If you have any additional questions on items we may be using that aren’t on this list please always feel free to DM me on Instagram (@arinsolange) or Leave me a comment below!
I am still attempting to give you a couple of free printable activities for your kids each week. I know this time while we are stuck inside is super trying for both parents and kids, so hopefully providing these free printable toddler worksheets with give you something for them to do for free.
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Ice Cream Themed Toddler Worksheets
These activities are geared a lot towards more of the toddler and preschool age, but would still work well for a kindergartener. All of these activities an be done with nothing more than a printer/paper and crayons/markers.
I will have an option at the bottom to download and print all pages at once, but because I know Some of you won’t want every page, I am going to break them off so you can pick and choose.
I have several other free options like this, so be sure to check them all out HERE
Helpful Items for Home Learning Activities
Below I am linking to a few things we love to use with these free printable activities. Some sleeves that you can slip the papers into to make them ‘dry erase’, WASHABLE dry erase markers and crayons, and my favorite laminator – which I LOVE and use all the time!
Count the Cherries
Work on your child’s counting skills by having them count the cherries then write the number in the box on the bowl of ice cream.
Have your child add ‘sprinkles’ by placing candy/cereal or drawing a given number on the bowl of ice-cream. You can either print this several times, or just give them a new number each time if you are using items!
Hopefully these free toddler worksheets help you, and you are able to enjoy doing some free, fun activities with your kids! These are so simple, and I am trying to find fun things you all can do that can be done without many supplies. Be sure to sign up for my emails, or watch for more activities on Instagram (@arinsolange) each week!
Over the next coming weeks I am going to do my best to offer you all 1 or 2 free printable activities you can do with your kids at home. I am hoping that helps with boredom and allows you to fill your time, and their brains for free! Today I am sharing Some free printable preschool worksheets that are car themed. My friend Jen is also sharing some on Dinosaurs today, so be sure you check out her page too!
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Free Printable Preschool Worksheets on Cars
These activities are geared a lot towards more of the toddler and preschool age, but would still work well for a kindergartener. All of these activities an be done with nothing more than a printer/paper and crayons/markers.
I will have an option at the bottom to download and print all pages at once, but because I know Some of you won’t want every page, I am going to break them off so you can pick and choose.
As a reminder, all my other free kids printables are found HERE
Grab Jen’s free Dinosaur and Unicorn activities HERE
Helpful Items With School Activities at Home
Below I am linking to a few things we love to use with these free printable activities. Some sleeves that you can slip the papers into to make them ‘dry erase’, WASHABLE dry erase markers and crayons, and my favorite laminator – which I LOVE and use all the time!
Count the Wheels – Counting Activity
Help your child with counting by having them count the wheels
Using this sheet, write a number in the box below the cars. Then have your child draw X number of items in that box, or put candy or cereal in the matching color. You can utilize this in so many ways!!
Hopefully these car themed free printable preschool worksheets help you, and you are able to enjoy doing some free, fun activities with your kids! These are so simple, and I am trying to find fun things you all can do that can be done without many supplies. Be sure to sign up for my emails, or watch for more activities on Instagram (@arinsolange) each week!
Free Rainbow Coloring Page and Activities for Kids
Who is ready for a free Rainbow coloring page and some rainbow themed activities for kids? My kids are now out of school for even longer, which is a lot to wrap my head around. I have never been a good “teacher mom”, but I need things to keep Avé moving forward towards kindergarten, and to help wear out Walker’s mind so that he doesn’t go nutty! I
teamed up with my friend Jen, and we are going to be offering you some free Printable activities today and tomorrow. Today I have free printable rainbow activities for kids, and she has unicorns!
This post may contain affiliate links
Free Printable Rainbow Coloring Page and Activities
These activities are geared a lot towards more of the toddler and preschool age, but would still work well for a kindergartener. All of these activities an be done with nothing more than a printer/paper and crayons/markers.
I will have an option at the bottom to download and print all pages at once, but because I know Some of you won’t want every page, I am going to break them off so you can pick and choose.
As a reminder all my other kids printables are linked HERE
To get Jen’s free unicorn printables grab them HERE
Helpful Items for At Home Activities
Below I am linking to a few things we love to use with these free printable activities. Some sleeves that you can slip the papers into to make them ‘dry erase’, WASHABLE dry erase markers and crayons, and my favorite laminator – which I LOVE and use all the time!
Help your kids work on patterns and colors – each line is a new pattern! My kids love mastering patterns – so helping them to both recognize then carry out the pattern in the worksheet below is so helpful for them.
Practice Writing Your Letters to spell Rainbow – this is a great activity no matter how old your child is. You can have them work on simple letter recognition or even use it to help better their handwriting
Practice your colors with this free printable. Tell your child the word written and have them color each rainbow with the corresponding color.
Print your rainbow color practice sheet here – Color Practice
Colors and Counting
With this sheet as a parent you can write a number in the box below each line. then have your child draw X number of items on that color, or you can also use candy/cereal/ objects! – This is a great open to put in the reusable sleeves or to laminate to use over and over again.
( I mean I am not the only person who has done way too much printing these past couple of months am I?)
Hopefully These free printable activities and the rainbow coloring page is helpful to you, and you are able to enjoy doing some free, fun activities with your kids! These are so simple, and I am trying to find fun things you all can do that can be done without many supplies. Be sure to sign up for my emails, or watch for more activities on Instagram (@arinsolange) each week!
The March Room Refresh finished this past week and we are SO EXCITED about the results. This challenge was SO MUCH FUN, and such a big learning experience for Jen, Chrissy and myself. I think I speak for all of us when I say we hope to repeat this again down the road with some of the kinks worked out.
The results were WAY too good not to share with all of you, so I wanted to be sure to give you a good look at everyone.
AND incase this all sounds like a bunch of crazy talk – the March Room Refresh was a home decor challenge, and at the end of this weekend, one of the lovely ladies who entered will win $250 for participating. The best part is we are leaving the voting up to you all!
March Room Refresh Results
For starters I want to say these are in NO PARTICULAR ORDER! I just wanted a place for you all to see the amazing before and afters and shine a spotlight on what an amazing job these ladies did.
@Lalachica_creative
The lovely Liliana (find her @lalachica_creative) shows us how just $50 can make a huge impact in a room!
She made such a great little play area for her son!
@Homebykmb
Kristen (find her @homeybykmb) did a great job putting together a playroom that looks amazing for play as well as for adults!
@Cjacksonmama
Well I clearly thought that a powder room was the way to go when it came to this project, and Chelsey (find her @cjacksonmama) did an AMAZING job on hers!
@Alexismaragni
Alexis (find her @alexismaragni) knocked it out of the park with her master bedroom! Alexis is a fellow STL mom and seriously has tackled and DIYed her home in the best way possible, so I was so excited she joined in!
We absolutely love that this fun little challenge encouraged her to tackle a room!
@CallieCarroll_
Callie (find her @calliecarroll_) also did a master bedroom and made this incredible headboard! I definitely want tot move in this room….giving me all the Inspo.
@Morganspencer_home
I talk a lot about how Paint is the easiest and least expensive way to make a huge change in a room. Morgan (find her @morganspencer_home) totally proved that with her transformation.
@McAfeeHomeLiving
Margaret (find her @McAfeeHomeLiving) did a fantastic job completely redoing her master bedroom! She used some major tools like a miter saw, nail gun and even a jigsaw!
She has tons more photos on her IG so be sure to check it out!
@Fullofgraceandchaos
I love this basement refresh that shows a great before and after where the mom (find her at @fullofgraceandchaos) moved things around simply to make it more functional to his kids current stage of life.
@Ourmountainsidehome1
I have big dreams for my laundry room, and Andrea’s (find her @ourmountainsidehome1) turned out amazing giving me lots of inspiration. She used the same bookcase I did as a hack and I love love love how it is functioning in there.
@Heartsdesiresathome
Another mama, April, did a playroom remodel (find her @heartsdesiresathome) and it’s so cute!
She did such a great job transforming the tiny room under their stairs into the perfect little hideaway for their girls!
@Meg.anderson
Meg (find her @meg.anderson) did a beautiful job completely redoing their powder bathroom! She is another STL mama and she is worth following to see all the other amazing things she shares.
@Thatmillennialomma
I’ve always wanted a window seat and Jess, this amazing mama (find her @thatmillennialmomma) made one! She added in some fun sponge accent wall and fun lights and made such a great space!
@Beccamay81
Rebecca (find her @beccamay81) did such a fun playroom refresh! She shared some fun before videos of a salmon colored wall, and she made my DIY wall rainbow to go in it…so you know I Love that!
This weekend you can vote in our Instagram stories (@arinsolange) or here on this blog post to tell me who you want to see win the $250. And if you loved this challenge be sure to continue to follow along to join in the next one!
It seems as tho the whole world is home and stuck inside right now. Although I know this is such an inconvenience for all of us, I have been trying to think of small ways to help, and I know that free resources on daily activities might be helpful. Today I am sharing some free printable toddler worksheets for emotions.
This post may contain affiliate links
I won’t be sharing new items every day here on my blog, but am going to try to share with you at least 5 options per week between my own blog and other blogs. I should also stress that I won’t be focusing solely on this. I think its important to remember if you weren’t doing daily learning and structured days before this craziness, don’t feel like you have to now.
I think adding in a few little things can help, and I definitely think hard times can lead to us better ourselves, and in this case our kids, BUT it’s also a time for kind of ‘surviving not thriving’ and that doesn’t mean you need to be homeschool mom pro at the drop of a dime.
Free Printable Toddler Worksheets for Emotions
The reason I created these worksheets is because I think it is SO important to know our kids, young and old pick up on what we are saying and doing. This means that if the news is on and they are hearing about the current world state, or they hear us talking to our friends, family, or even Instagram stories (you know its the world we live in), they are picking up on it.
Emotional intelligence is so important, and I am a firm believer in giving kids words for their emotions and helping them to understand what they are feeling, and how they can and should act with those emotions.
I created some free printable toddler worksheets for emotions that I am hoping are really helpful for all of you. It is a fun way to sort of check in on them, see how they are doing, and help work on that emotional intelligence all at once.
Some Items that will be helpful
I have shared these few items a couple of times, but if you don’t have them, they may be worth investing in while you’re doing a lot more home activties. One is THESE sleeves. You put your paper in them and it turns it into a dry erase of sorts. Especially helpful in learning type activities. And to pair with that – these dry erase markers or crayons are washable. Most are not so I like to keep these on hand.
Above you can download all 5 sheets and print them for free. The sheets include:
How are you? coloring page: This page allows them to draw a picture of how they are feeling. Kids can tell us a lot through their art. So if they draw that they are scared or something similar it is a great opportunity to talk to them about this.
Draw the Emotions page: This sheet allows them to draw the emotions on 4 faces – a great way to work on emotional intelligence and a fun activity.
What makes me happy? coloring page: A fun page for kids to draw what makes them happy
I am Safe and Happy coloring page: Have them color this and hang it up for a little happiness
Emotions Venn Diagram: This is a bit more complex, and most words will only lead to one area, but a little activity you can do with kids!
If you found these helpful, I also have another post with kids Preschool Printables that I shared via a teacher friend. There are pages and pages of printables and activities on that one post so that is a great place to look if you are needing more activities.
I also plan to add all the activities i’ll be sharing over the coming days and weeks to this category, so check back frequently for that, and you can even bookmark the page if you want to watch for more. I will be sharing these as well as other friends activities weekly on Instagram stories, and remember, just try to enjoy your kids right now, and I would love for you to tag me in any posts or stories showing your kids using their free printable toddler worksheets for emotions.
Pin the Photo Below for Later and to Share with Others
Stokke High Chair – Steps vs Tripp Trapp Highchairs
Buying a highchair for your baby is a big purchase! I knew pretty early on I wanted a Stokke high chair with my younger two, but wanted to share why I made that choice.
This Stokke High chair comparison and review contains affiliate links – all opinions are my own and it is not sponsored!
Stokke High Chairs
Many questions come along with picking out a high chair for your little: what are the best high chairs, what should you check for on high chairs, what age should you start/stop using a high chair, and many more.
Aside from their carseat and crib, you honestly will use their highchair more than basically any other baby gear item.
I have talked a lot about the Stokke Tripp Trapp and the Stokke Steps highchair over the past few months on my Instagram , and that is because we owned both, and I really wanted to give you guys a review on them side by side!
What high chair is best?
I am going to start this off and let you all know that we LOVE both of these highchairs. I purchased the Stokke Steps highchair when my 3rd baby was ready for a highchair roughly 2 years ago, and I have loved it!
Fast forward to a few months ago I was sent the Stokke Tripp Trapp highchair and I was so excited to try that one out. I honestly loved it too. It is worth noting I was sent the Stokke Tripp Trapp for free in exchange for work on Instagram. This blog post is in no way related to that, and my opinions are fully my own.
I was so excited to own both Stokke highchairs, because when I was deciding between the Steps and the Tripp Tripp with Walker it took me SO long to decide.
Which if you knew me, you would know that was noteworthy. They both had rave reviews, and I knew I wanted one, but felt like I was mostly splitting hairs.
My kids in the pictures are: 7, 5, 2.5 and 6 months old
Check out this Video to Get a Better Look at both Stokke Highchairs
Stokke Steps Highchair vs Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair
Below I am going to give you not only some statistical comparisons, but also my opinions, and what I liked better or worse about each highchair. I will also let you know which we kept and why, because lets face it – we didn’t need 2 high chairs so one needed to go.
One thing to know on both of these – they are HIGH END highchairs. They are definitely a splurge, but especially if you are on baby number one, this is an item you will use multiple times a day for the next MANY MANY years, so to me is definitely one of the splurge worthy items.
They are both also grow with me chairs. So both chairs can accommodate a brand new baby (with the attachment) – a grown adult (however I would say a teen because of butt width). So both will stand the test of time in your home!
Stokke Steps Highchair Review
As I stated above, when I was doing my research when buying a highchair for Walker (or third) we went with the Stokke Steps over the Tripp Trapp.
The two big deciding factors for me when I made that decision were: The overall look ( I liked the look of this one better) and I had been told that the Tripp Trapp can be tricky if you have a really chubby baby. Walker was seeming to be just that – a big baby, so I didn’t want to take that risk.
Color Options – comes in SEVERAL options and you can mix and match.
Optional other accessories – bouncer seat (more on that below), cushion
6 months – 187 lbs
Our Thoughts on the Steps
First off – its worth nothing that this was our keeper! So clearly we loved it!! Some things worth noting – you can buy a set, or buy this piece by piece. When we purchased it years ago we had to get the chair, the infant seat, and the tray each.
Goldie – age 6 months
It is really easy to adjust the steps, and I love the size of the tray – it is huge! Overall my only negative at all on the Steps is the the footprint of the chair. The way the back legs stick out they trip us a bit.
I think that it’s less the footprint size, and more the fact that it has the illusion of a normal chair but because its a highchair the legs can’t go straight down for safety.
Walker – 2.5 Years Old (but much above average on size)
The Steps has the option of a bouncer seat that can be added to it, which we didn’t own, because we had another option, BUT we did have that with the Tripp Tripp which I will touch on.
I can not attest to the bouncer seat and its comfort, but I do LOVE that these highchairs have an option for this. Goldie loves being close to us, and it made cooking so much easier having this on the Tripp Tripp.
The bouncer seat on the Steps can go on the floor and be a stand alone bouncer seat, which the Tripp Tripp can not, which might be worth noting!
Avé – age 5 (very far above average height)
The Steps also sits slightly lower, so for us, we are able to use the Steps highchair up to the table, and with the tray on can slide it under the table somewhat like you would with a normal chair, where we couldn’t do that with our Tripp Tripp at our personal table.
As I said before – we got the Tripp Tripp highchair this past fall to try out with sweet Goldie. Let me tell you tho – WE LOVED IT. Like it was seriously love.
I went totally different with the color, getting the black, verses white and natural for the Steps. It was by far our favorite item with Goldie for months due to the infant seat attachment that I will talk about further below!
Again – Like I said above we loved this highchair, but there were a few things we didn’t love as much as the Steps. Overall I think the footprint of this one is much better.
Both still seem to trip us a bit, but I truly think that is because of their safe footprint, so it didn’t bother me. (still worth noting). The tray on this one is smaller than the steps, but still a great size, and could be better for some homes.
The infant seat for the Tripp Trapp is AMAZING. It is the most simple design but seriously so great. Goldie loved being able to sit near us. It clips on SO EASILY, and has two different inclines pending their age. It was honestly the best item we had with Goldie, so I can’t say enough good things!
I will also say that what people said about the leg holes and such for the Tripp Trapp wasn’t wrong. I do think it could be problematic if your baby is huge. But I can’t fully attest to that because Goldie is not huge ha.
Overall I still think it was an amazing highchair, but below I am going to give me big reasons for picking the Steps over the Tripp Trapp
Ultimately our choice was to keep the Steps as I stated before and below are my big reasons!
Adjusting the Steps is much easier – moving the seat back and forth and changing the location of the foot rest and such was much easier on the steps
I much prefer the ease of the harness on the Steps – The harness on the Tripp Tripp was not easy for me. That said – we honestly don’t use the harness much on either, but I didn’t love that.
Lower height – This was the main thing for me – I love that because it sits just a TINY BIT lower it can slide under our table.
Infant seat – This isn’t actually a reason we picked it to keep, but one thing I will say is that if you are paying full price I do think the fact that the infant seat for the Steps can work on the floor and fold flat as well as on the highchair is really nice. We LOVED the infant seat on the Tripp Trapp, but I hated that once we were ready to use the highchair as a highchair we couldn’t still use that piece too. I would have loved to be able to use that on the floor as a bouncer elsewhere in my house.
Overall and Stokke High chair is amazing. I think both the Stokke Steps and the Stokke Tripp Trapp highchairs are SO WELL THOUGHT OUT and so well made. I don’t think you could go wrong in purchasing either, and I don’t think you would regret them at all.
and if you are looking for a great Diaper bag – check out this review of my absolute favorite one here. Freshly Picked Diaper Bag Review
Pin the Photo Below for Later
If you have any further questions on the Stokke Highchairs be sure to leave me a comment, or send me a DM on Instagram (@arinsolange). And be sure to check out the video in this post because it does show these more up close and personal.
I’m trucking right along on our dining room for our March Room Refresh, and because my progress picture is basically a big naked room (which is because of some real progress) I figured I would share some dining room furniture inspieation
This post may contain affiliate links
Dining Room Furniture Inspiration
My goal for our dining room is to feel a bit lighter, and airier that before, however I did love the current look. so I want to share a bit of my inspiration, talk about what is staying and what is going, and give you some furniture options that I am loving.
We are personally keeping our dining room table – when we moved into our home we had it custom built and LOVE it, however the stain was always a bit dark for my style. I tend to decorate bright and airy, and the size of the table coupled with the dark stain sort of went against that.
So for this room refresh our plans are:
Sanding the table and re-staining. I want it lighter like I said above. so we have been sanding it down, which is A HUGE JOB.
Taking out the current little hutch (photo below) and the shelves down to replace with a cane cabinet. That was my post last week, so it is done. I LOVE the end outcome for this DIY. We took down the shelves because they never were quite right. I am learning that thats part of decorating. Sometimes something you think you will love just doesn’t work in your space. We replaced it with a cane cabinet for more storage and a more streamlined look.
Changing the photo wall – I ultimately love the large prints of my kids. I have gone back and forth on what to do about this feature, because IKEA no longer sells those frames, so a change does have to happen. I ultimately think I want to keep the large pictures of the kids, so I plan to change the overall look of the frames and obviously add a 4th for sweet Goldie.
Possibly a rug. I am a bit torn on this. I think rugs can look gorgeous, but I also think they can just be a space to get dirty. I might take it to Instagram for a vote.
And last is NEW CHAIRS. I never loved the chairs that were at the table so decided to go with something new. I have some I love but I haven’t fully decided on white or black until I see what I do as far as stain for the table.
These are some really great, and affordable options, but also some splurge options. I think when you are doing a room you should do a bit of both at whatever level you are able. Because most of us can’t spend a fortune on every aspect of the room!
March Room Refresh
As I said above – this is part of my March Room Refresh, and I wanted to make sure I touched on that. If you have no idea what I am talking about, check out this post. We are running an Instagram challenge helping you refresh a room in 1 month!
My friends Chrissy and Jen are running this challenge with me, and also have posts to share this week!
If you have any questions on this post, or on dining room furniture feel free to leave a comment below, and be sure you check out the posts below before you leave!
Easter is just around the corner, and I have been compiling my favorite ideas for all my kids baskets, but lets face it baby Easter baskets are the most fun!
My kids are getting older, but I am updating things with new, fresh ideas for baby Easter basket fillers that I would love if I had a baby now! Before you leave, be sure to check out the rest of my Easter Basket posts that I will link at the end! And you can shop lots of these items and more in my Amazon Storefront.
This post contains affiliate links and was updated February 2024. Read more here.
Baby Easter Basket
I want to give the disclaimer that I gave on Instagram stories today – these are just fun ideas. Remember you don’t need to get ALL of this, or any of this to be a great parent. I just think sometimes seeing fun ways to put together the baskets can help inspire ideas!
For babies I love adding some useful items instead of candy, and puffs instead of other crackers. Especially if they have siblings it will keep things ‘even’ while also giving you useful items for them.
