I took some clothes to a local clothing consignment shop to see what would come of it, and I was pleasantly surprised. Four or five of my tops sold and I made almost $13. This place is called Cozy Closet, and I’m going to take some more stuff to her this week. I’ve tried Plato’s … Read more
Isn’t bath time supposed to be fun? It used to be. Around the time that Joel turned 1 he started to hate bath time. I couldn’t figure it out! He never really did like to get his hair washed, but being in the water didn’t bother him until one day he screamed and cried through … Read more
Last weekend we went rock hunting (or hounding) with my husband’s family. I had never heard of rock hunting either, so you’re not alone in your wonderment. Rock hunting is…well, hunting for rocks – every kid’s dream! We trekked over to the west side of Utah lake to find shell fossils first. The 14 cousins … Read more
My original focus for this blog was on families and parenting – I’m realizing that I’ve gotten a little distracted. And I think I know why. As the mother of a 14 month old energetic boy, I haven’t yet had to venture out into the realm of real parenting. Sure, we’ve had some struggles and … Read more
Several friends are having babies, so I’ve been thinking about baby gifts. I think it’s nice to give a new mother a little something, even if it’s not her first baby! Here’s what I’ve come up with. 1. Trumpette Baby Sock and Tights Trumpette has some fabulous products for babies and toddlers – my favorites … Read more
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli is an inspiring story about being yourself. Stargirl Caraway is so different from her peers – she wears old fashioned and bright clothing, adorns her school desk with a flower and table cloth, and sings Happy Birthday to people at lunch while playing her ukelele. Stargirl experiences a moment of popularity … Read more
Hello everyone. This is Boyd, Kelsey’s husband and this is my 2nd attempt at writing a post on Vanillajoy.com. Just thought you should know it was me and not Kelsey. Every parent should learn how to do one thing—kids face painting. Why? Because it is the only activity that every single kid enjoys (if truth … Read more
For the last several weeks we’ve tried something new – Dad makes dinner on Saturday nights!!! This is the best idea I’ve ever had. He gets to decide what we’re having and make it, so I don’t have to think about dinner one night a week. He helps with dinner most nights, but it’s nice … Read more
Trick Number 1 Did you know that you can use white board markers on mirrors? Maybe I’m the last person to catch on, but I discovered this useful fact not too long ago. Now I write my most urgent list items on the mirror in the bathroom where I’m sure to see them several times … Read more
At the beginning of this year I did a series of posts about my favorite things from Christmas. One of those things was an Olympus digital camera, which I thought was pretty great until I got pictures printed out. The colors were dull and fuzzy, the focus was not sharp, the prints were grainy, and … Read more