Post by Jessica R.

Grown-up table centerpieces are fancy and beautiful, but the kid’s table deserves some attention beyond holiday paper plates and napkins. You can even make their decorations pull double duty: make the place festive and keep the kids entertained.

1) Start by covering the kids’ table with white butcher paper. You can draw the outlines of place mats directly onto the paper, or trace plates, cups, knives, forks, and spoons to help little kids know how to set their table. Or you can leave the paper blank and let the kids’ creativity soar.

2) Supply crayons, markers, glitter glue, stampers, anything to give the kids something to play with before, during, and after dinner!

3) Get creative and fancy beforehand and make this adorable turkey centerpiece! Since it’s made with half of a Styrofoam ball, you can make two—one for markers and one for crayons.

4) Worried that your little diners will need more to distract them? Check out all the fun Thanksgiving coloring pages and activities supplied by Crayola or fill a centerpiece basket with tiny Playdoh tins, Silly Putty, stickers, or other fun treats.

With all that keeping the kids entertained grown-ups will have plenty of time to enjoy their meal, their wine, and the great company!

Post by Jessica R.

Here’s a little parenting humor to remind us that sometimes it’s better to laugh than to cry when we realize that our lives no longer resemble anything we ever imagined.

You know you’re a parent when…

1. You refer to “using the restroom” as “going potty.” For yourself. In public. Around other adults.
2. You need a hair tie to put your hair in a ponytail and ask if anyone has seen a “pretty” for you to use. For yourself.
3. You cut up your husband’s steak into teeny, tiny pieces for him.
4. You’re not just a “parent” to your kids, but to everyone—asking if they’ve eaten enough, if they feel alright, if they need help (and not in a host-type way).
5. You’re always prepared—if someone needs a bandage, you have one. If someone needs crayons or a pen, you’ve got one. If someone needs a snack or juice, you’ve got one—mainly because you never leave the house without your “bag o’ tricks.”
6. Click here to visit Crazyadventuresinparenting.com to see the rest of this fantastic list. It just gets better and better.

When did you know you were really a parent?

Post by Jessica R.

Once you’ve decided if you’re going to go with candid or posed pictures,  gone through the arduous fun task of taking the photos and picked out the perfect holiday Cards, you still have to address the envelopes and get them all mailed out.

Now, if you are super smart you will embrace and love the new Tiny Prints mailing service. You upload your mailing list and we send out the cards. We’ll even email your old college roommate and ask her for her mailing address first. Really.

But if you want to write cute little notes and hand address the cards, you might need more motivation than endless reruns of Ace of Cakes and Bridezilla.

That’s what the Holiday Card Party is for.

Gather up your best girl friends. Hire a sitter to entertain everyone’’s kids. Bake a couple dozen cookies and whip up some festive eggnog, a fancy frostini or some fun margaritas. Put out lots of bright colorful pens, glue sticks and anything else you might need to get those cards signed and sealed. Then see how many cards everyone can get through in a two or three hour stretch!

There’s no better motivation than fun drinks, great friends and a few child-free hours.