15 tricks for picky eaters

15 Tricks for Picky Eaters (she: Mariah)

ByMariah

Hello again! I’m glad to be back today with some great posts that I’ve rounded up that just may make living with your picky eater a little bit easier. To be honest, I don’t have much experience with picky eaters. My baby hasn’t quite figured out how to refuse what I choose to spoon into his mouth yet, so for now, life is good! However, you better believe I’m pinning these posts in case I need them for future reference. I hope you find some of these tricks for picky eaters helpful!

Craftsy Review ~ FREE Professional Family Portraits Class

Craftsy Review ~ FREE Professional Family Portraits Class

ByRebecca

I grew up going with my family to a department store portrait studio every year throughout my childhood. My memories of this annual event include sitting in the waiting room while my five brothers fought, the photographer’s awed expression as he tried to figure out how to fit ALL nine of us in the shot, my baby sister crying while the photographer begged my other siblings to look at him, not the baby … I could go on! While I love looking back at our family portraits through the years, it’s not a tradition I’ve continued with my family. I prefer more relaxed family portraits taken anywhere but in a studio. It never occurred to me to have our next family portrait session in our home, but I love the idea! And after watching all the lessons including in Craftsy’s FREE Professional Family Portraits Class, I feel confident enough to try it!

Utah's Haunted Hotels | Or So She Says...
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Haunted Hotels of Utah, Good for a Getaway (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

Hotels of a certain age nearly always have a ghost story, and this is the time of year when staying in a “haunted” hotel is especially fun. I have stayed in a few “haunted” hotels because I love their historic character. However, I don’t like to be scared, so I am relieved to report that I have never had a paranormal experience in a haunted hotel.

Here are three haunted hotels of Utah that would be great choices for a romantic getaway during the Halloween season – or any time of year!

Halloween Treats with TruMoo Orange Scream

Halloween Treats with TruMoo Orange Scream

ByMariel

It’s Halloween time! And, with six kiddos, there is NO forgetting it. It may be their most favorite time of the year! They already have their trick-or-treating route completely mapped and they’re adding to it daily. I mean, REALLY… a large map (several pieces of paper taped together) of drawn houses, with stars by the ones they think will give the biggest treats. I may be driving around for hours! Ha, but it’s awesome to see them so excited. I’m a Halloween fan too.

Keep reading to check out our Halloween shopping adventures, and find some fun Halloween recipes!

Hiring a Family Photographer; Tips From a Pro (she: Amy)

Hiring a Family Photographer; Tips From a Pro (she: Amy)

ByAmy Lee

Hello, OSSS readers, it’s Amy here once again!

Family photos is something very high on my list of priorities, probably because growing up I don’t have a lot of pictures of my family. Now that I have a family of my own, we save up money every year to hire a photographer (or 2) to document our life.

Speaking from experience, here are some tips to help with hiring a family photographer that is a right fit for you.

Pumpkin Carving Party Ideas {With 3 FREE Printables} (she: Brooke)
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Pumpkin Carving Party Ideas {With 3 FREE Printables} (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Happy October to you all! It’s Brooke from Blissful Roots. This is easily my favorite time of year! And while baby boy number four will be here in a matter of weeks, I’m still trying to squeeze in any Halloween crafting, baking, and partying that I can. We have our other three boys’ birthdays this week, so we’re in full party-mode around our house. I’m just hoping this little guy waits until after the big party to make his arrival. My four-year-old was very cordial five years ago, and waited until the day after my twins’ birthday to make his entrance into the world, so I’m crossing my fingers that will happen again (at LEAST the day after all the birthdays, even a few days later would be better!).
Today I have some fun pumpkin carving party ideas, and FREE printables to share with you. My dad’s side of the family has a fun pumpkin carving party every year, and we’ve only been able to make it a few times. I wish we could make it more often because we have the best time! Since we don’t make it to the family carving parties very often, I’ve decided it’s high time to start our own little jack-o-lantern making party. Here are a few of the ideas I’ve come up with for our party:

Tips for Parenting a Shy Child

Tips for Parenting a Shy Child (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Heather here from FamilyVolley.com. We shouldn’t be surprised when we have kids, to find that each of our children are different. They like different activities, are scared of different things, and some are more outgoing than others. Today we are talking about those kids of ours who are not quite as outgoing as their siblings and peers. You know, the ones we label “shy.” Here are 9 tips for parenting a shy child and growing to love them more and more along the way.
All kids are different. Instead of labeling our children as shy, work with them a little and you will not only see huge differences in their actions but your relationship will be strengthened along the way as you are patient, understanding, and show love.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies ~ Scrumptious!!
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies ~ Scrumptious!!

ByMariel

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies! I’m a big fan of pumpkin desserts… pumpkin cookies, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin breads, you name it. For today’s post, I wanted to combine the best of all of them (the cookies, the cream cheese frosting, and the chocolate!) Who wants some?!? The cookie recipe is from my favorite pumpkin cookies (with buttercream frosting) that I’ve shared before… so, it’s fun to have two different things that you can do with the same recipe.

There’s something else pretty special about this post. It’s the 10th of the month and 10 of us bloggers ALL decided to share a new ‘pumpkin’ idea. So, besides my cookies, be sure to check out the other great pumpkin ideas!

Meet THIS Mormon and ‘Meet The Mormons’

Meet THIS Mormon and ‘Meet The Mormons’

ByMariel

So, it’s kind of a fun day for us Mormon-folk. We have an opportunity to introduce ourselves on the BIG SCREEN. Oh, ya. It’s a movie called… what else, BUT… Meet the Mormons. Here’s the scoop: “Meet the Mormons examines the very diverse lives of six devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Filmed on location and across the globe, Meet the Mormons takes viewers on a journey into the day-to-day realities of individuals living in the U.S., Costa Rica, Nepal and beyond. From their individual passions to their daily struggles, each story paints a picture as rich and unique as the next while challenging the stereotypes that surround the Mormon faith.”

Read more about it and find out how you can get a free packet written by your favorite Mormon bloggers, mailed to you for free!

homemade slime
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Homemade Slime… A Great DIY Kids’ Craft (she: Carmella)

ByCarmella

Hello there! It’s Creative Carmella here with you again to share homemade slime with you, which is a simple and fun kids’ craft!

October is here already, and that mean making lots of creepy crafts at our house. This quick kids craft is sure to get lots of oooohhhhs and ahhhhhs!

You will only need a few ingredients to make this super slippery, slime too! To make it even more interactive, I got out a bag of creepy, crawly bugs for the kids to use once the slime was done. Liam has a big fear of bugs of any kind, so I was happy to see him having fun with these. Fingers crossed he realizes that bugs are kind of fun…. well, at least we can hope that he won’t scream whenever he sees one!

When to Go to Disneyland: A Month By Month Guide (she: Kim)
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When to Go to Disneyland: A Month By Month Guide (she: Kim)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

Hey Everyone, it’s Kimberly from Packed With Fun, the official blog for Get Away Today. Right now we are in the midst of my favorite time of year to visit the Disneyland Resort: Halloween Time. Which is actually kind of funny, because Halloween is totally not my favorite holiday. But, Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort is so festive and such a celebration of fall that I can’t resist. One of the questions all of our employees at Get Away Today are regularly asked is when is the “best” time to go to Disneyland. The answer is it completely depends on what you want out of your Disneyland vacation. So, to make things a little bit easier, I put together When to Go to Disneyland: A Month by Month Guide. I hope it helps with your Disneyland vacation planning!

Apple Party Favor Pocket… A Free Printable (she: Anne)
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Apple Party Favor Pocket… A Free Printable (she: Anne)

ByAnne

Hi everyone–it’s Anne from Circus Berry, back again with another fun printable for you. This one comes to you in celebration of Apple Day, which is on October 21. Once October comes and everything turns all Halloween, pumpkins, turkey, or even Christmas (yee gads!), the almighty Apple sort of gets left behind. So, in honor of the Apple (I mean, lets face it, it is one of the most fabulous fruits out there), I am sharing this Apple Party Favor Pocket Printable project with you today! Here you go–