I was recently at my friend’s house for a BBQ and she has twin two year olds who had the coolest shoes on. I’m not sure if these are new, or just new to me, but Natives are cute and comfy, and my kids just love them. I got ours at Zappos, just in time for summer. The color choices are hip, and I’m very thankful for a shoe more fashionable Crocs, but with the same slip-on-and-off factor.

I saw the above graphic on Pintrest and after pinning it (are you as hooked as I am?), I clicked to read the list. Organized into action items such as “Tell them,” “Play,” “Pretend,” “Try” and “Take Time,” the list is a reminder that we can do more than just read them a story at bedtime. As a mom with a full time job and hardly enough time to make a home cooked meal, sometimes simple reminders like “Listen to your child in the car” are the ones we need most.

Tell to your child:
1. I love you.
2. love you no matter what.
3. I love you even when you are angry at me.
4. I love you even when I am angry with you.
5. I love you when you are far way.  My love for you can reach you wherever you are.
6. If I could pick any 4 year old (5 year old, 6 year old…) in the whole wide world, I’d pick you.
7. I love you to the moon and then around the stars and back again.
8. Thank you.
9. I enjoyed playing with you today.
10. My favorite part of the day was when I was with you and we were _______.

Tell them:
11. The story of their birth or adoption.
12. About how you cuddled them when they were a baby.
13. The story of how you chose their name.
14. A story about yourself when you were their age.
15. A story about how their grandparents met.
16. What your favorite color is.
17. That sometimes you struggle too.
18. That when you’re holding hands and you give three squeezes, it’s a secret code that means, “I love you”.
19. What the plan is.
20. What you’re doing right now.

For the full list, click here.

Graphic and article from the very cool blog creativewithkids.com. 

Shop: Wallfry

Specializes in: Baby Nursery Decor and Playroom Decor

Feedback: 100% Positive

Ships from: Melbourne, Australia

I’m always on the lookout for poppy colors and graphic style prints for my boys’ bedrooms. Add some clever typography and personalization, and I’m all in. That’s why I really like Wallfry, another Etsy shop that has tons of cool stuff for your kids. Shop owner Kylie Jackson designs and prints everything herself, and a lot of the decor can usually be personalized for no extra charge. Although they are in Australia, they do ship to the US in about two weeks time.

Can you guess which crib costs more? One costs $379 and the other costs $940.

If you said the one on the right, you’re correct. That’s the Oeuf Crib Classic Walnut from Modern Nursery. The one on the left is Babyletto Modo 3 in 1 Crib from Target.

Shop: Imagination Kids

Specializes in: Hand made eco-friendly toys

Feedback: 100% Positive

Ships from: Indiana

Anything that’s handmade from wood grabs my attention. It’s probably because my dad’s a carpenter and I have a special connection to wood shops and the smell of saw dust (along with the loud roar of the table saw that woke me out of bed most mornings). That’s why when I saw these adorable toys from Imagination Kids I knew I wanted to post about them. I love toys that can sit up on a shelf and be part of the nursery decor, like that sweet sunshine above. I’m also always looking for cool toys to give new dads, besides the typical stacking blocks. The owner of the shop, Erin, is a mama to two little kids, a teacher, toy maker, author, gardener, and a crafter and she just published a book on how to make these little creations.

This is probably one of the coolest videos I’ve seen in a while. Frans Hofmeester filmed his adorable daughter Lotte  every week from birth to 12 and edited it all down to a time-lapse 2 min 45 sec video. It’s pretty amazing, and a real reminder of how time really does fly.

I’m in the market for a new IPhone case since the one I bought in Japan busted… well, “Japan” at Epcot Center in Disney World (that is extremely dorky I know, but as a mom, it’s pretty much the only “foreign” locale I go these days). The best selection has to be at Society6 with hundreds of cases to choose from. The site itself is pretty cool — sourcing designs from artists all over the world to grace their cases, as well as canvases, t-shirts, hoodies and more. Check out some of the designs above. It’s going to be tough to pick just one!

Vintage Camera / Scales / The Invincible Summer / Boardwalk / Audrey Hepburn / Home

Invite · Balloons · Tattoos · Bracelets · Mints · Confetti · Lei · Potato Sack

Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s almost time for parents everywhere to throw outdoor-themed parties like luau parties for their kids. If your child’s birthday is coming up, you may be considering throwing him or her a luau party. Luau parties can be a lot of fun, but planning them definitely requires some effort on your part. Here are a few ideas to help you get ready for a super fun luau party that’s sure to delight your kid:

Get the Perfect Invitations
Get some attractive and vibrant party invitations that provide some basic information about the upcoming party. The most enticing invitations will be colorful and include luau-related images like Hawaiian tropical flowers and leis. The invitation pictured in this post is a good example of an attractive and appealing invitation. You can find many more similar invitations on Tiny Prints.

If you’d like the party guests to dress up for the party, be sure to indicate that on the invitation. Additionally, you should provide some information about how the party guests can RSVP. Make sure to send your invitations out a few weeks before the party, so the guests have plenty of time to clear their schedules in order to attend.

Plan the Activities and Games
One of the most fun parts of planning a luau party is planning the activities and games the kids will play. You can plan to do things like play limbo, have a hula-hoop competition, hula dance, and play volleyball with a beach ball. There are a variety of activities you can plan for a luau party, and they’re all pretty easy and inexpensive to set up. For instance, many party supply stores will have limbo sticks and hula-hoops.

Get the Right Supplies, Food, and Decorations
You’ll need plenty of leis, luau-themed decorations, and Hawaiian-themed food to make the party seem authentic. You can find a wide selection of super cute things like luau bracelets, colorful leis, and luau-themed balloons online. If you decide to order party supplies and decorations online, be sure to order them a few weeks before the party to ensure that they’ll arrive on time and be ready for the party. Make sure you have plenty of ham and pineapple-centered dishes and snacks for the kids to munch on as well!

Proper planning before a luau party will help ensure that the party is a hit. So, spend some time picking out the perfect invitations, planning activities, and getting the necessary supplies.

Author’s Bio: Melissa is a mom and guest post writer who writes for a variety of blogs about subjects such as party planning, raising kids, and how to plan themed birthday parties like a Mario birthday party.

Shop: Kimem

Specializes in: Hand Dyed Quilts

Feedback: 100% Positive

Ships from: Kansas City, KS

I love the feel and weight of homemade quilts, but I’m not a big fan of the country colors and traditional patterns that usually accompany them. Enter Kim Eichler-Messmer, a maker of hip and modern hand-dyed quilts that cover both the cool and comfort criteria. I first saw her work in the Spring 2012 West Elm catalog and found her shop online to check out the goods. I’ll be the first to say they are not cheap, but think of it for artwork for your bed. She also makes smaller versions at a more affordable price that you can use as wall hangings. As with any custom piece, you are paying for the handiwork of the artist. Kim dyes the 100% cotton fabric based on her own dye recipes, pieces the tops, does all the quilting, and hand sews the binding. If you’re a quilter yourself and are looking for some cool new swatches of material, Kim also sells hand-dyed fabric squares so you can create a modern masterpiece of your own.

School vacation week is coming up and if you’re going to DisneyWorld with half the population of the United States (the other half was there during February vacation as was I), here are some tips we used that made our trip a lot more enjoyable.

Get a Disney App on your phone
By all means download one of these apps –  they provide valuable info: wait times for rides (so important when the parks are crowded), character sighting places, dining advice, extra hours and daily entertainment. I used it about ten times a day.

Bring some rain ponchos
Just in case it rains: rain poncho – two to a pack for $1.00, easy to pack, beats the expensive park price. You can get them here.

Get groceries delivered to your hotel room
We used Goodings who delivers groceries, baby items, and personal care items to Walt Disney World Resorts. Order online or by phone. Tip: We ordered breakfast items and made our own breakfast every morning in our room. It saved so much time, money as well and we made it to the parks much earlier than having to go to a restaurant in the morning. We also ordered snacks that our children could have when we returned late from the parks, it seems they always were hungry when we returned after a long day.

Food Allergies
Disney World does a great job catering to anyone who has a food allergy. We know this first hand and found Disney World to be very accommodating. When visiting any Disney World food establishments – from the finer restaurants (Cinderella’s Castle, Fultons in Downtown Disney, The Turf Club Grill at Saratoga Springs Resort, the Cafe at the Grand Floridian Resort, Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary – we ate at each one of these) to the quick meal cafes (La Cantina de San Angel in Mexico Epcot, the Artist’s Palette at Saratoga Springs Resort, the Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom – again , we ate here also) just inform the wait staff that someone in your party has a food allergy. In the finer places, the chef will come to your table and talk with you and let you know what he can do for you.  We found the chefs at each restaurant very, very accommodating, as they to listened to our concerns and always came up with an allergen free meal. Here’s a great site where you can plug in your allergy and ratings for all the restaurants come up.

Birthday Cakes!
Again, our trip included two family birthdays and we had to make sure the cake served had no dairy or peanuts. Before our trip we ordered a delicious chocolate birthday cake from Baby Cakes in Downtown Disney. Baby Cakes “offers all-natural, organic and delicious alternatives free from the common allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs.” Best of all, they deliver! You can order a cake and have it delivered to a Disney World Resort or Restaurant – we did at Cinderella Castle for a family birthday dinner celebration. You can visit their store in Downtown Disney. Be sure to try their chocolate chip cookies – delicious and mostly allergen free.

Swimming
Pools at resorts are 3 to 3 1/2 feet deep. Perfect for most children, but a little deep for toddlers, so check at each pool to rent a swim vest for your child – free – just have to show room ID. Also, don’t forget to check the resort’s pool activities. They often have BBQs, pool activities and games, and nightly movies – great fun and sometimes a great rest from the hustle of the parks.

Kids Activities
Pin collecting & trading:  Disney Pin Trading is a fun and interactive activity that my six year old niece LOVED. You can trade Disney pins with Disney Cast Members (i.e. employees) and even other visitors to the parks. Choose a lanyard and a few pins, then each time you visit a park, you can approach any cast member who is wearing a lanyard and trade one of your pins for one of theirs. Many cast members will tell you stories of how they acquired their pins.

Epcot: Kidcot: Okay, we know the children will love the Magic Kingdom, so the folks at Epcot have initiated Kidcot, a free crafting station, at each country in Epcot for the little ones. One activity that was a hit for us was getting a free Duffy the Disney Bear, a cardboard bear, that your child colors in, attached to a stick. Then as you visit each Kidcot station around Epcot, your child can add more to Duffy with stamps, markers, and stickers representing the different countries.

Bellhop Service
This may be the greatest tip you’ll thank me for: after a long day at the park, getting back to your room in one of Disney’s larger resorts (we stayed at Saratoga Springs which is gigantic), can be long and arduous – especially with younger children. After you get off your bus, go directly to Hotel Bell Services, ask for a ride to your room – they will usually accommodate you, especially if it is a quiet night- don’t forget to tip the bellhop – we did this many nights, and it was worth every cent of that tip!

Make a Photo Book Right Away
This is really an after the trip tip, but making a photo book as soon as you get home is the best way to get it done, and relive your trip for years to come. We chose the Project Life design at Shutterfly.