Category Archives: Book Love

A Harry Potter Nursery

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There are surprisingly few things my husband and I have in common. I love summer, he loves winter. He is a huge baseball, basketball, soccer and football fan, whereas I love dance and gymnastics. He watches the Food Network and Travel Channel, I watch ABC Family and the CW. He reads fantasy books (and motivates his employees by threatening Game of Thrones spoilers), while my guilty pleasure is teen fiction.

Needless to say, picking out a nursery theme was a challenge, especially once we found out we were having a boy. We agreed early on for a blue and green color scheme, but that was it (we needed pick out colors because my mom was making us a baby quilt). Whenever someone would ask for our nursery theme, I would respond with “blue and green.” Continue reading →

5 Favorite Children’s Books for Halloween

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Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I’m hoping that Baby will soon agree with me. For his first Halloween, we dressed him up as a precious little pumpkin, mostly because we couldn’t find a baby Ewok costume. This year he will be celebrating as Frankenstein, and I foresee an owl costume in his future.

Baby’s big candy splurges will have to wait until next year (at least), but he’s already enjoying lots of {not so spooky} scary stories. I’ve loved building our Halloween picture book collection, and below are of some of my favorites. Continue reading →

Why I Don’t Volunteer for the PTA

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If you’ve been following Reflective Mama, you may already know that I am a HUGE fan of Parents as Teachers. You may have also deduced that I am a joiner. I love organized activities and school. I am always seeking out new things to do around town to get us out of the house, provide some enrichment for Baby, and interact with other parents and kiddos.

I always planned to be involved in Baby’s activities and schooling. I have helicopter tendencies and believed that my active participation would help him excel. As I write this, a list of the 2014-2015 Parents as Teachers PTA events hangs on my refrigerator, and I’ve considered volunteering when Baby’s schedule allows. Unfortunately, these lovely ideas on how to help Baby thrive were completely unfounded. Continue reading →

Just Between Friends Day by Day Shopping Plan

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It’s that time of the year! No, no, back-to-school already happened and Halloween doesn’t begin until October 1st (at least in my book). All of the pumpkin everything can just take a little chill pill. Except for you, Pumpkin Spice Latte. I’m coming for you.

Next week I’ll be shopping the Just Between Friends fall consignment sale (PSL in hand). Just Between Friends is a national children’s and maternity consignment sale with local events throughout the United States and Canada. Most of the sales near me take place in the Overland Park Convention Center, conveniently just down the street. A huge warehouse of a room is jam packed with clothes, toys, books, nursery decor, pack n plays, swings, bouncers, and every other type of necessary (and not so necessary) baby gear you can imagine. Continue reading →

The Promise of a Pencil

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My favorite summer read has been The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change by Adam Braun. It’s the story of how Adam founded Pencils of Promise, a for-purpose organization that has built more than 200 schools around the world. This incredible organization has become a movement with thousands championing the cause, including college students, celebrities, entrepreneurs, and many others who seek to achieve an impossible dream.

Adam is a true changemaker, but he didn’t start out that way. As an upper middle class middle schooler, he was keenly aware of the extreme wealth some of his classmates enjoyed. With a desire to reach that financial status, his entrepreneurial skills emerged through early ventures in investing and finance. When Adam wanted something, he went after it with everything he had, and his strong will and hard work tended to pay off. However, when Adam wasn’t all in, it showed, as he ultimately discovered via his lack of passion for running in the Wall Street rat race. Continue reading →