2023
  

Easy Christmas Holly Wreath Treats

This Corn Flakes version of Rice Krispies Wreaths is my go-to treat to add to a Christmas cookie plate for neighbours or for a holiday party food display. 

Corn Flake "Rice Krispies" Wreaths



These Holly Wreaths are one of my favourite holiday treats to make because they remind me of when I was little. :) They're only slightly more work than Rice Krispie Squares which is a great bonus- and they're fun for kids to help with, too!

100 Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

My girls & I put together this list of 100 Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids.

It can be tricky to come up with some stocking stuffer ideas for kids that are new and exciting. We like for our stocking stuffers to have good reason to stick around past the new year whenever possible, and to actually bring some fun and joy to the receiver.

100 Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids


This year I did some brainstorming with my kids and we came up with the ultimate list of 100 kid-approved stocking stuffer ideas... let's get to the list!


The Ultimate List of 100 Non-Toy Gift Ideas

Stop filling your home with too many toys! End toy overwhelm today with this huge list of specific, FUN non-toy gift ideas! 

The Ultimate List of 100 Non-Toy Gift Ideas by www.RaisingMemories.com
Is this how you feel when you survey the growing collection of toys in your home?

I was recently interviewed on several radio shows across Canada about the idea of a Toyless Christmas, so I thought I would share a list on the blog of Non-Toy Gift Ideas that can serve as a reference for birthdays and Christmas when you're feeling overwhelmed with toys!

How to Make a Pumpkin Roll Video

It's Fall and it's time for my How to Make a Pumpkin Roll Video!  I recently had a friend ask for this recipe, and I thought it was about time I shared this recipe on the blog again.  With Canadian Thanksgiving just a few days away, it's a great time for Pumpkin Roll!

Years ago, I posted at HowDoesShe about the Pumpkin Roll recipe that I use that seems to be a hit everywhere I've taken it.

Since then I've had several people say that even with all of the photos in the tutorial, they're hesitant to try it. A friend of mine mentioned that a video tutorial might be helpful, so last time I made the pumpkin roll I had Ken video tape the process for me and I squished it into a 5 minute video.

How to Make a Pumpkin Roll Video


7 Different Types of Self-Care - How to Figure Out What YOU Need

We all know "you can't pour from an empty cup" but we often forget to prioritize ourselves. This can be especially difficult while parenting young kids, but I encourage you not to wait for any particular stage of life, and to look for self-care techniques that work for you in your current life circumstances. 

When we think of self-care, too often we stop at ideas for pampering ourselves, like bubble baths and naps. I want to encourage you to look beyond those to see many different types of self-care! 

7 Different Types of Self Care

I created a video series of 7 different types of self-care that can empower you to nurture your physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, financial, and occupational well-being. I hope you'll use the videos and a free downloadable workbook (at the end of the post) to help organize your ideas & plans after watching the videos!

7 Different Types of Self-Care (Video Series)


Disney's Epcot in One Day - Our Top 10

After our last Disney trip, I promised that I would write a post about each of the parks at Disney World in Florida, and our favourite things to do at each. Today it's Epcot's turn, so here's what we'd recommend if you're going to do Epcot in one day.

Epcot Top 10 Disney World with Kids

Epcot is like a mini trip around the world, under the sea, and into outer space. While it includes many attractions and experiences tailored to children, I often think of it as the park I'd be most interested in attending as a couple or with just a group of adults. That being said, we visited as a family, so these top 10 will be keeping a family trip in mind.


Lessons on Quitting From Sara Beth Liebe, American Idol Contestant

Is quitting always a bad thing? It's common to think of quitting as a sign of weakness, that it's giving up before the finish line. But what if quitting could actually be a wise decision, one that leads us to a better path in life?

That's what my latest YouTube video is all about.



In a world that values perseverance, hustling, and "never give up" mantras, it can be difficult to see quitting as anything other than a failure. However, the truth is that sometimes we need to quit in order to move forward. If we're on a path that isn't leading us where we want to go, sticking to it just because we're afraid of quitting won't do us any favours!

10 Things We Don't Buy or Pay For - We Save Money Instead!

Living frugally and saving money now can make things easier in the future. In a recent video I shared 10 things we don't buy or pay for, and an alternative way that we either get the item or service or fulfill the need.


Read on for some helpful money saving suggestions in these 10 categories:

My Meditation Experience & How You Can Get Started Too

Meditation can seem strange or unfamiliar at first- that was definitely my meditation experience in the beginning! I've found that it can be both weird and transformative! In this post, I'll share my meditation experience and the benefits of meditation that I've discovered along the way. Continue to the end of the post to see two videos on the subject!

my meditation experience - how to get started


Meditation can feel weird at first. Initially, it may seem like you're not doing anything, and you might question the point of sitting there in silence. But if you're able to let go of those thoughts and just focus on your breath and being present in the moment, you may start to experience a level of peace that comes with being mindful and aware.

7 Easy Nightstand Organization Ideas for a Clutter-Free Bedroom

If you're tired of waking up to a cluttered and chaotic bedroom, your nightstand may be to blame. It's amazing how much of a difference a little organization can make in your space. Don't worry if the thought of decluttering your nightstand feels overwhelming. I have seven easy nightstand organization ideas that will make tidying up a breeze!

I also have a video with a simple step-by-step process for night stand decluttering and cleaning motivation here:


Continue reading for some additional organization ideas!

Rainbow Cookies

This rainbow cookies post became very popular so I created a recipe tutorial with pictures of how to make these cookies if you would like to check it out and try making them yourself!
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In honour of St. Patrick's Day one year, we made some fabulous rainbow cookies! :)


Rainbow Cookies
Rainbow Cookies


A Valentines Day Countdown for Kids

Check out this Valentines Day Countdown for kids! I've included instructions to make your own Valentines Countdown and a couple of lists of Kid Friendly Valentine's Day Activities and FREE Valentine printables for kids!

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For Valentine's Day this year, I wanted to do some fun things with my kids so we put together this Valentine Countdown for Kids! There is a little envelope for each day and inside is a little note, with a valentine activity for the kids or the family to do together that day, in preparation for Valentine's Day!  I'm excited about the things on our list (which I will share in this post)!

Valentine's Day Countdown Activities for Kids

Rock Climbing Accident - Ankle Injury

Before we were a week into 2023, I had an ankle injury from a rock climbing accident! 

We got a family rock climbing membership in the summer and it turned out to be an excellent family activity- both for exercise and for building camaraderie!  We decided to pause our membership & reactivate it in the new year to use rock climbing as an indoor activity during the part of the year when weather is not so nice for spending time outside.

So we reactivated the first week of January, and that week during one of our visits, the accident occurred. Here's what happened:


If you want the whole detailed story, watch the video above. For a summary, read on:

Family Goal Setting (with Worksheets)

For several years, we've been holding a little family meeting where we all sit down and do a couple of worksheets to help us to figure out some goals for the year (and beyond).  This post includes family goal setting worksheets and approaches. 

We've tried several different goal-setting approaches throughout the years and there are a few goal setting worksheets we've found to be most helpful for brainstorming what you want your goals to be.

Free Printable Family Goal Setting Worksheets

This year, we broke these steps up into more than one family meeting, to make them more tackle-able and to give us some extra time to think about the next step.

If you're more of a video person, I've explained much of what I've written in this post in this video:


I hope sharing these ideas will give you some ideas & inspiration for how you'd like to approach goal setting in your family!


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