Homemaking - Page 34 of 36 - Hampers and Hiccups

Easy & Inexpensive Valentine’s Day Ideas for Kids

At the risk of having my woman card stripped, I'm being completely honest when I say that I never have been a fan of Valentine's Day. Yes, it's nice to get flowers + chocolate, etc., but I really believe that every day should be used to show those around us that we love them. Right?

That being said, V-Day grew in meaning for me in 2017. My daughter's first Valentine's Day.

Growing up, my mom would always have a little something for us, and there would be cards and goodies to pass out at our school party. We even had a coinciding week dedicated to a “secret friend” exchange. It was exciting and all, but, was it really necessary?

Valentine's day can be challenging. Shortly after Christmas, who wants to spend more money! Find some inexpensive ways to entertain your kids this year. Cute and easy ideas to make it a memorable Valentine's Day with the kids. #vday #valentinesday #kids #frugal #inexpensive #fun #momblog Now that I'm a mama, I appreciate all the effort my own mother, the teachers, and my classmates' mothers put in to making our Valentine's Days memorable and fun, even if I didn't back then.

So, in the spirit of the season, I've been thinking of ways to make Sweet Girl's second and Pip's first Valentine's Day a good one. While Pip will be a bit small (4 months) to really enjoy anything, I still feel the desire to make an effort for him.

Since it isn't really a true holiday, and since my husband is in school (final term, yay!), I'm brainstorming for inexpensive or free ways to celebrate the day of love. Who knows, maybe you'll create a lasting tradition.

The Most Important Reason to Wear an Apron

by Hampers and Hiccups

Why I wear an apron. vintage lifestyle choice. 4 more vintage lifestyle choices to my homemaking. what I do as a homemaker to make my days meaningful. find what is important to you and your family and run with it. #homemaking #parenting #homemaker #kids #cleaning #reusable

Humor me a moment. Take a second to think of your grandma, or the ladies of the past. What comes to mind? For me, it's fresh-baked cookies, a tidy home, clothes hanging out to dry, and wearing an apron.

While we think of these things as a vintage lifestyle choice today, not so long ago they were just the norm.

Women stayed home and tended the children, house, garden and, if applicable, animals. The way they lived and operated was through hard work, perseverance, and dignity.

And be damned if they were going to ask their husbands to lend a hand. No, supper was on the table when hubby walked in from his hard day's work. He was greeted at the door with a smile and kiss.

Oh, and to top it off, these mystical women were dressed for the day with their hair done and even wore high heels!

I love a beautiful shoe as much as the next girl, but you won't catch me chasing a toddler or vacuuming in such impractical footwear.

As much as I am thankful for feminists who have paved the way for us in terms of work/home balance, voting, and general equality, it's hard not to appreciate and admire the hardworking housewives of the past. I mean, heck, I am one now!

Wait, what?

Yep, you read that right, I am a hardworking housewife today. While I take advantage of modern conveniences (and my husband's obligation to help around the house), there are a few vintage lifestyle choices that I have adopted as my own.

9 Deliciously Simple Cheesy Holiday Appetizers

by Hampers and Hiccups

The holidays can get hectic. Ease some of your stress during Thanksgiving and Christmas by creating these simple holiday appetizers. You’ll have everyone begging for the recipe when you bring these cheesy holiday appetizers to your next party. Go ahead and try all of them. I know you want to. Give your friends and family an extra special treat with the free treat recipe included!

For most of us, the holidays can get pretty stressful. With all the parties and events to attend, shopping there is to do, and planning to coordinate, we end up feeling anxious and run down. Not at all joyous and relaxed as the word holiday is meant to imply. A huge part of the festive season is eating. Everywhere we turn there's food to be tasted. You probably have obligations to bring a dish or two to a certain event. Let me ease some of your stress by suggesting some Deliciously Simple Cheesy Holiday Appetizers.

All of these ideas are so simple you'll be left wondering why you've been spending your time making boring cheese balls and basic bruschetta as your go-to Holiday Appetizers.

How To Potty Train a Baby

by Hampers and Hiccups

Early potty training, because potty training is a marathon. it's a long learning experience. Learn how to potty train your toddler or baby. It's easy and fun. Lots of bonding time. Easy to do. Great for the family. you will be shocked at how well your child responds and how proud you all are!

Even before I became pregnant for the first time I knew I didn't want to be the family that had the 3 year old in diapers. Early potty training, to me, was just going to be potty training. I didn't consider it a “fad” or a “thing”. It was just the way we were going to do it.

Fast forward to the delivery room, take 1. I distinctly recall, with a slimy newborn on my chest, talking to the nurse about how we'll start training Sweet Girl at 9 months old. Her reply was along the lines of “oh, you're one of those.”

Excuse me?

I didn't realize there were “those” to be categorized. But, as I soon found out, with any parenting decision there will be distinct divisions and “sides”. And yes, a lot of the time we are “those” parents.

How to Turn a Onesie Into a T-Shirt

by Hampers and Hiccups

Can we dedicate today's post to one of the most adorable things on the planet? No, I'm not talking about all the cute trick-or-treaters you had your way last night. I'm talkin' about baby clothes! All those teensy-weensy little garments that really have no reason for being so adorable other than they're, well, teensy-weensy. Specifically, shirts. We're going to talk about turning a onesie into a T-shirt!

7 Ways Pregnancy 2 Differed from Pregnancy 1

by Hampers and Hiccups

Pregnancy differences between my first and second pregnancies. 7 elements that were different between baby 1 and baby 2 and what it meant for the sex of the babies. See what the different symptoms meant for me and my experience for being pregnant twice. Plus a FREE hospital bag checklist. If you’re expecting or hoping to become pregnant, this post is for you.

If you're new to hampersandhiccups.com, let me catch you up. I have a 17 month old Sweet Girl, and we just welcomed our new bundle of joy – Pipsqueak. You probably don't want to do the math, so I'll tell ya – that equates to me being pregnant for roughly 18 months out of the last 26. 69%! While both pregnancies were relatively uneventful and, dare I say, easy, they were still pregnancies! As I'm sure you've heard, no two pregnancies, births or babies are the same. I can agree with this and I'm going to share with you 7 of my pregnancy differences.

How to Survive the Final Month of Pregnancy

by Hampers and Hiccups

FREE Hospital Bag Checklist! What my final month of pregnancy looks like. What I’m doing, how I’m coping. Preparing for baby, getting the house ready. Awaiting baby’s arrival. It’s the end of pregnancy and I’m full of energy. Find inspiration for your own final month of pregnancy here.

Hey all! This is an exciting post for me! I'm writing it at 36+1 which means I'm about 4 weeks from the estimated due date of our second baby, and officially in the final month of pregnancy! To say the time has flown by would be an understatement. There was so much I wanted to have done before #2 comes along, and it doesn't seem like the To-Do list has gotten any shorter, even though I've been running around like a crazy person for the last 6 weeks. In my final month of pregnancy I'm dedicated to tackling the list and getting everything ready for our sweet new arrival.

The final month of pregnancy is fraught with apprehension, curiosity, excitement, and an overwhelming need to get shit done! Each day I'm hyper-aware of every little movement and feeling, wondering if it's time. This excitement is immediately followed by slight panic when I realize I have virtually nothing ready for going to the hospital!

So, instead of actually getting this stuff done, I'm writing about it – haha. I'm bringing you into my home for a glimpse at what my final month of pregnancy is looking like in hopes that you can find some motivation and comfort in your own final month of pregnancy.