Ask Anna

Kids’ Halloween Activity Jar

Hey, it’s Krista again. I can’t believe it’s October already! Has Halloween invaded your house? Growing up, we didn’t do much Halloween at all. My mom hates it. I like the cutesy, fun part of Halloween and, luckily, my kids are still into that. The blood, guts and gore aspect is not my thing. If I wanted that on a daily basis (because I get a little of it with three rambunctious boys), I would have been an Emergency Room nurse or an Emergency Response Technician… or a zombie. With the weather turning colder, the weekends sometimes seem longer, and… Read More

Columbus Day Crafts and more!

Can you believe we are already into October!? Where has the year gone? Next Monday is Columbus Day which means your kids will be home from school for the day. Today I’m sharing 15 Columbus Day crafts that are sure to make for a fun day off from school! I love these colorful paper and popsicle stick Columbus Day sailboats from Reel Mama. These “New World” maps that Shenanigans in Second made with her class are so fun! It’s a great way to teach kids what the known world used to look like. If you’re going to sale… Read More

How to Decorate for Fall on a Budget

I’m so happy that Fall is here, it’s my favorite time of year because it’s so beautiful and somehow everything about it smells amazing! But every year I get overwhelmed looking around on Pinterest and feeling like I need to have tons of decorations for Fall. There are so many fabulous tablescapes and mantle decorations all over Pinterest but what do you do if you can’t afford to go out and buy lots of Fall decorations? Today I’m going to give some tips and ideas for how to decorate for Fall on a budget, and when we’re done your home… Read More

Burlap Wrapped Fall Pillows

Hey, everyone! It’s Lauren from Mom Home Guide. I live in the Northeast, which means that we get beautiful fall weather! I love fall leaves, autumn hikes, apple and pumpkin picking and … fall decorating! I was excited this past spring when my husband and I purchased a sofa for our living room! Now that our kids are tweens, we have finally converted our living room from an open play space to more of an adult room. When I first got the sofa, I made super easy placemat and napkin pillows for the new sofa. Most of the pillows are in pretty spring… Read More

10 Spook-tacular Pumpkin Crafts for Kids

Kids love Halloween. My daughter loves to craft and she also loves to help me decorate. As soon as I started bringing out the Halloween and Fall decorations she wanted to know what she could do to help. So today I’ve put together a collection of 10 super fun pumpkin crafts for kids so they can help you get the house ready for Fall! Pumpkin Seed Art Tissue Paper Polka Dot Pumpkins Popsicle Stick Jack-O-Lanterns Halloween Wreath Button Pumpkins Erupting Glow in the Dark Pumpkin Mummy Pumpkins Pumpkin Spice Play Dough Paper Pumpkins… Read More

How to Wash Pillows in a Front Loading Washing Machine

Did you know you can wash pillows? Here’s an easy tutorial for how to wash pillows in a front loading washing machine and extend their life! I was having a conversation with a mom friend of mine a little while back. You know, talking shop while the little ones ran wild. The topic of pillow washing came up and I was surprised to find out that she didn’t know you could wash pillows. She said she just throws them out when they get past their prime. I was really and truly surprised! Did you know your pillows are machine-washable, or… Read More

Holiday Table Setting Ideas

One of my favorite things about Fall and Winter are all the dinner parties we host. During the summer we host a lot of outdoor parties but there’s just something about gathering everyone around a beautiful table, with delicious food, that makes my heart pitter patter. When we moved into our house last year I bought an extra large dining room table so that I could gather as many people as possible around it. Last year for Thanksgiving there were 12 of us sitting around, eating amazing food and laughing at my father-in-law for starting with dessert instead of turkey…. Read More

DIY Xylophone made with Paint Sticks – sneak peek

Today I’m over at Somewhat Simple sharing this fun and easy project for how to build a DIY xylophone out of paint sticks! The best part about this project is that you probably have everything you need lying around your garage/workshop. This project was totally free for me, the only thing I had to pick up were a few extra paint stir sticks. So grab your supplies and head over to follow along with my tutorial! Here’s what you’ll need: 10- paint stir sticks 2- 1″x1″ boards about 21″ long 8- paint colors 16- Finish nails 4- wood screws 4-… Read More