These crazy hectic days that seem to blur together for many of us parents right now mean we are in the midst of the best years of our lives.  It may be hard to see between the lack of sleep puffy eyes, Legos all over the floor, children running in and out of rooms haze but many say it really is.  So I want to be in the moment and soak up the joy of cuddles on the couch, “mom, I need help” cries, and night time routines that seem to take longer and longer.  It is nice to be needed

Our day yesterday was a crazy one as I am sure the week leading up to Christmas is for many.  The day started calm enough with lazy kiddos not wanting to get up and ready for school but eventually realizing it is a fun week with class parties and gifts so they scarfed down their Blueberry Eggo Waffles, pulled everything out of their folders leaving a mess for me to go through and clean up, and made it to the bus with seconds to spare.  I do love that they have to have a few hugs from momma before they get on the bus still.

I came home to throw some laundry in to hopefully make a dent in our mountain, straightened the first floor in case any neighbors or family pop by (please just stay on the main floor and don’t look at the mess up stairs!), did dishes from last nights shake and bake pork chops meal that the girls barely touched because all they want right now is Kraft Mac and Cheese and then sat down to work.  These days, I have to question myself often.  How the heck do I have any time to work?!  I am thankful that it is from my home and that I get to be here for emergencies and not have to get out of my comfy clothes if I don’t want to but it is very much a challenge to fit it all in.

Once the kids get home the craziness ensues again and I have to take one to the eye Dr. because of complaints of blurry vision and then yep, she needed glasses so we picked out a pretty rainbow pair because in her mind they match EVERYTHING.  Then that same child had her first Ortho appointment and got braces on the same day as new glasses.  All she needs now is a bad perm and we are good to go for the “awkward” phase   We come home excited to show daddy and sis the new “Abby” and she goes from excitement to sheer devastation as she runs upstairs to say hi to her hamster “Winter”.  Somehow Winter got out of the wire cage for the first time and the dog did what dogs do and protected his home.  As it laid there lifeless and my child is screaming- I tried to cover it up quickly and console her while daddy gently grabbed it and cleaned up the mess as well as removed the cage.  We had a hamster burial that evening as a beautiful sunset surrounded us.

It seems like when one child is acting up, the other is fine or when one child is having the “worst day ever” the other is fine.  Thank goodness for this because I don’t think I could have handled much more in a span of just a couple hours.  We tried to distract my 9 year old and put gifts together for our neighbors in stockings and prepared the teacher/bus driver gifts for the next morning as well as the class gift exchange presents.  She is a tough one and it was a day I am sure she will remember for a while but it is in this blur of craziness that life is happening and again, it is so nice to be needed.

I know that the days leading up to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are crazy for us parents and I hope that you are able to enjoy the little moments (even hard ones) because these really are the days we will best remember.  I am so thankful and filled with Christmas spirit.  I hope you are as well.  Enjoy your littles.

The post These Crazy Hectic Days That Seem to Blur Together appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

It is always nice to see when the dish we bring to a party empties quick.  The most googled recipe for Super Bowl parties is Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip so we wanted to bring it to you.  Buffalo wing sauce combined with two kinds of cheese, cream cheese, and chicken is great comfort food. The dip is plenty cheesy, creamy, and there’s just enough kick from the wing sauce. It’s a fast, easy recipe that’ll be a guaranteed hit with everyone at your next event.

EASY BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

YIELD: one 9-inch pie dish, serves 6 to 12 PREP TIME: 5 mintues COOK TIME: about 30 to 35 minutes TOTAL TIME: about 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups chopped chicken, cooked (you can use shredded chicken as a substitute)
8 ounces brick-style cream cheese, very well-softened (lite okay)
8 ounces buffalo wing sauce (medium heat)
2 cups finely grated cheddar and monterey Jack cheese blend (or similar), divided

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray; set aside.
To a large bowl, add the chicken, cream cheese, wing sauce, 1 cup cheese, and stir to combine.
Turn mixture out into prepared dish, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Tip – For a make-ahead option, at this point cover with plasticwrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Remove plasticwrap before baking.
Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes (start watching at 25 minutes because all ovens, cheese, etc. varies), or until lightly golden browned and bubbly. Serve immediately with chips, crackers, bread, or your favorite dippers. Dip is best warm and fresh but extra will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently before serving.

May the best team win and your appetizer dish be empty!

The post Most Popular Super Bowl Recipe- Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

We may have had a mild November and December but Winter is not even half way over.  With colder temps, delays and snow days- children (and parents!) can get stir crazy quickly.  Here is a Top 10 list of things to do to keep the “Mom, I’m bored!” shouts to a minimum.

1. Break out the playdough, cookie cutters, a rolling pin and a $1 table cloth.  Let the kids go at it and get creative.  Playdough is great for all ages.  To take it to the next level, they can create food and play restaurant with a wait staff, chef, and customer.

2. Make snow ice cream!  Grab a bowl, fill it with snow, add a pinch of sugar and vanilla and then a splash of milk and eat.

3. Have a puzzle day.  Pull as many out as you can and time the kids to see how long it takes them to complete.

4. Pick a theme and let them build with Legos.  Superhero, Princess, School, Shopping, City, etc. and see what they come up with.  They can make a whole town!

5. Have a chef cookoff.  Give each of the kids the same ingredients and see what they can make.  You be the judge.

6. Bring the snow inside!  Fill a tub and let them put their snow suits on and get in.  This way- you get to stay warm and they get their fun.

7. Crafts galore.  Grab yarn, popsicle sticks, googly eyes, paper bags, markers, glue, tape and crayons.  Put them on the kitchen table and let their imagination go wild.  They can make puppets and put on a puppet show.

8. Learn or teach the children how to sew.  Watch youtube videos if you need to and you all can learn.  Maybe start with a pillow or something simple.

9. Organize photos.  Let the kids help you by sorting them out by years and then they can even help you fill up photo books if you actually have them printed and not just all on your phone.  If they are still on your phone- develop them!

10. Have a cleaning contest.  Write down all the things that need to be completed and make them small tasks.  On each slip of paper write out a task and fold them up.  Put them in a hat and let the kids pull their task.  Once completed with all of them you can have a reward.

The long days of winter can be brutal at times here in Ohio but they can also be beautiful.  Enjoy every moment you have with your children and make these snow days fun for the whole family or at least whoever is lucky to be with them on snow days.

The post Top 10 List For Fun in Winter! appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

I am 38 years old and I believe in Santa.  In a world of doubt, skepticism, war and poverty, I choose to believe in Santa Claus as we all need a little hope, love, joy, and belief in our lives.  If I dwelled on the bad, I would miss the wonder of good in my children’s eyes.  My 8 and 6 year old girls believe with all their heart as they should and I do as well.  I see the joy in Santa at the mall as he listens to wishes of each child.  I see the excitement on little one’s faces as they look for Tinker, our Elf, each morning.  I take pride as I watch family graciously open gifts that I spent tireless hours looking for the perfect one and more then anything- I feel the love in the air this time of year- especially- as parents try to show the true meaning of Christmas to their little ones.  Most everyone is in a more giving spirit and I see this as I walk around and notice the toy donation bins full, food pantries filled and charities bubbling with volunteer help.  Yes, there is bad out there.  But there is more good. I wish this feeling lasted all year long.  On a side note, I am pretty sure I saw the real Santa when I was grocery shopping the other day in my small town.  There was a gleam in his eye as he drove out of sight (in his Dodge Ram!) and I thought to ALL a Merry Christmas and to ALL a good night.

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I have found that a very popular topic of discussion is whether or not to work or stay at home for moms of young children. The two things I have concluded are that the grass is almost always greener on the other side and there is no right answer. Each woman is her own unique being and has her own strong opinions on this. I hope that we can all respect others decisions as well since we do not know the circumstances as to which they came to that decision. Some women are single and running the show by themselves so it is not an option. Some women have a husband that was laid off and is going back to school so he may be staying at home while the wife works. Some women may be so driven that they would just go insane without their job. Some women thrive on being at home and managing the kids and household. Some women have always dreamed of being a stay at home mom, some women may have a child with special needs that dictates her decision to stay at home. It amazes me to see the amount of women that will turn down high paying jobs to take a more relaxed position with flexible hours even though they are capable. I was one of these women because for me I love the ability to work out of my home but still make the money that is needed to manage our household. I enjoy working and being needed outside of my house just as much as I enjoy being needed inside my home. Wherever you are in your life right now I know you are doing your very best and I am proud of you. Sometimes I am so jealous that I don’t have a perfectly clean house with dinner on the table every night of the week and my kids on a tightly run schedule. Most times, I love our crazy, hectic life and have to remind myself that I am not perfect. Actually I have two new favorite sayings, “Good enough is my new perfect.” and “Pick 2- clean house, happy kids, job”. Whether you are a mom with a nanny working a high power job or a mom with 2 jobs trying to make ends meet, I know you are doing your best and that you love your kids. That is all that matters.

The post The Grass is Always Greener appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

Throughout the year I am always very appreciative of the small and big things in my life that give me meaning. The month of November however does seem to make an imprint even more on thankfulness as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Many are posting their 30 days of thankfulness on Facebook so I figured I would post

A Mom’s List of Thankful Things…

1. Our beautiful children.

2. Naps (both us and the kids!)

3. Starbucks coffee (its the simple things in life)

4. Experiencing life through the eyes of our little ones.

5. Getting a shower in and actually getting to shave my legs.

6. DVR

7. Me time (far and few between).

8. Good health for my family.

9. Vacation memories!

10. Little toes

11. Their hand in mine.

12. Seeing my best qualities in them.

13. At least one child having a high pain threshold.

14. Giggles

15. Having an air mattress night, watching movie and eating popcorn.

16. An excuse to get to color and watch Disney movies.

17. The dress up box.

18. Seeing a lego before I step on it (crisis averted!)

19. Hearing “I love you to China and Texas and Heaven and Antartica and back!”

20. Watching siblings actually get along.

21. Making mud pies, blowing bubbles and running through the grass barefooted.

22. Giving them experiences they will always remember.

23. A Snow Day when everything is cancelled.

24. Watching their personalities come to fruition.

25. Having a stuffed animal picnic.

26. Seeing their faces on Christmas morning.

27. The magic of the Tooth Fairy, Santa, and the Easter Bunny.

28. The feeling we get when we actually feel like we did something right as a parent (occasionally it does happen!)

29. Having their pictures everywhere to brighten our day.

30. Facebook or Twitter as an adult outlet

The post A Mom’s List of Thankful Things appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

Whether your child is dressing up as Queen Elsa, a Minion, Spiderman, Rapunzel, Minnie Mouse or whichever character excites them the most- it is a fun time of year for the parents to enjoy as well. When they are younger we get to express our opinion in what we would love to have them show off as but as they grow up we get to see their own personalities come out and their creativeness as they strive to narrow it down to the final costume of the year. Here is to a safe evening out, just enough frights to make it fun and enough candy to keep both them (and us!) happy. Here are the dates for most cities in the surrounding area of Dayton, OH that are participating in Trick or Treat/Beggar’s Night this year (to the best of our knowledge). Have a spooky fun night!

Beavercreek Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Bellbrook Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Bethel Township Beggar’s Night 10/30/2014

Brookville Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Centerville Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

City of Dayton Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Englewood Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Fairborn Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Germantown Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Huber Heights Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Kettering Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Miami Township Beggar’s Night 10/31/2014

Miamisburg Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Middletown Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Moraine Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Oakwood Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Piqua Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Riverside Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Springboro Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Sugarcreek Township Beggar’s Night 10/30/2014

Tipp City Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Trotwood Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Troy Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Urbana Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Vandalia Trick or Treat 10/30/2014

Washington Township Beggar’s Night 10/31/2014

Waynesville Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

West Carrollton Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Xenia Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

Yellow Springs Trick or Treat 10/31/2014

The post Frightful Fun- Trick or Treat Dates for Dayton! appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

In the month of July we often think of swimming, ice cream and FIREWORKS! Dayton has no shortage of fantastic places to view fireworks throughout the area. Here are just a few of the spots that your family can venture out to and take in the beautiful red, white and blue lights in the sky…

Englewood Fireworks Celebration

Date: July 4, 2014 at 10:00pm

Where: Centennial Park

321 Union Blvd

in Englewood, Ohio 45322

Star Spangled (Huber) Heights Fireworks Display

Date: June 28, 2014 at Dusk

Where: Cloud Park

4707 Brandt Pike

in Huber Heights, Ohio 45424

Kettering Go Fourth Fireworks

Date: July 3, 2014 at 9:45pm

Where: Delco Park

1700 Delco Park Drive

in Kettering, Ohio 45420

Dayton Independence Day Fireworks

Date: July 3, 2014 at 10:00pm

Where: Riverscape Metro Park

111 E. Monument Ave

in Dayton, Ohio 45402

Vandalia Star Spangled Celebration

Date: July 3, 2014 at 10:00pm

Where: Vandalia Sports Complex

1101 Stonequarry Road

in Vandalia, Ohio 45414

Centerville Americana Festival Fireworks

Date: July 4, 2014 at 10:00pm

Where: Centerville High School football stadium

500 East Franklin Street

in Centerville, Ohio 45459

Moraine Fourth of July Fireworks

Date: July 4, 2014 at 10:00pm

Where: Wax Park

3800 Main Street

in Moraine, Ohio 45439

The post Red, White and Boom! – Dayton Parent Magazine appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

At first when we were young it seemed like the days dragged on and we were always racing to be bigger and older so we could either cross the road or drive a car. And then once we graduated high school we couldn’t wait until we had more experience so we could get a better job. When we met a significant other we couldn’t wait to see if they were “The One.” Once we get married we are looking forward to the next step and beginning our family. When we are pregnant we are often waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel when we finally get to meet our new bundle of joy. And then BAM! The race goes from forward to backwards. Time was not fast enough and now all of a sudden it is going too fast. Yes, there are many moments that we look forward to like seeing who they will turn into and what they will become or maybe even until we are Empty Nesters (on those rough days) but overall we are wishing time would stand still. It would be so nice to be able to always smell their tiny newborn heads and hold their hands. The power of magic kisses and band-aids goes a long way. We are sad when nap times end and when we have to kiss them goodbye on their first day of Kindergarten. However, if we go about it with the mentality that every age is the most exciting then just maybe we will be able to appreciate the moment we are in instead of racing forward or looking back. Savor every age and be thankful.

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