Family Time

Welcome to our Family Time page. Here you'll find all kinds of articles about the family. There's parenting tips, activities for spending time with family, and ideas to share special moments with your loved ones. Check out a few of our most popular posts here, or scroll down for the most recent projects.

Adding More ‘Mom’ to My Kid’s Lives

by Mariel April 24, 2012

Being a busy-body is in my blood. Growing up, my parents put a lot of effort into teaching their children to be hard workers… a lot of effort. When I was 13, my dad had us up every single morning at 5:00 to complete our paper route before school started. We ran the streets of [...]

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10 Tips for Hiking with Kids

by Marie April 23, 2012

Our family loves a good hike. Whether it’s in the woods, desert, beach, or canyons, there’s so much to explore on a hike. In Seattle, there are plenty of great hikes and many are just the right fit for kids. I’ve got a few tips for you to make your hike with children more enjoyable, [...]

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Sustainable You – Year in Review

by Sabrena April 19, 2012

The title of the Grateful Dead’s greatest hits album seems appropriate at the moment: “What a Long Strange Trip it’s been.” For me, it’s hard to believe an entire year has passed since I started this official journey of sustainable living with Make & Takes. But then I look outside – delighting in daffodils and [...]

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Staying Connected Through Technology

by Marie April 5, 2012

I am amazed at the technological advances we have today. Yes, sometimes they can be a total time suck (did someone say “scramble with friends”?), but ultimately they are tools that can help us stay in touch with those we love. Especially since my family recently moved to Seattle, we’re no longer a quick car ride to [...]

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A Quick Fix to Help Us Get to School On Time

by Marie March 30, 2012

Our mornings tend to be slow going, I’m not much of a morning person :) The kids are usually waking me up, coming in for a snuggle. We talk about our day and then it’s up and at’em to get ready for school. We are usually up in plenty of time to head out the [...]

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10 April Fool’s Day Pranks for the Whole Family!

by Mariel March 29, 2012

My little boys are shaking in their boots. Come April Fool’s Day, mom is getting some serious revenge. I literally cannot tell you HOW many times I have drenched my clothes, because they put a rubber band around the kitchen sink sprayer. Those little terds are constantly scouring the internet for prank ideas to do [...]

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A Greener Cleaner

by Sabrena March 15, 2012

“We are an awesome team,” Holden my three year exclaimed. “Like ninjas!” He told me proudly. I had just thanked him for his help with mopping our hard wood floors. And yes, he really does help. He squirts the Method wood floor cleaner, and I wipe it down. It’s a really great system. And I [...]

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Green Living with a Newborn Baby

by Sabrena February 28, 2012

The 14th has come and gone, but it’s still the Month of Love. Unfortunately for my husband, I’ve got Baby on the mind. (Our little Zoë was born December 7th). So it seemed fitting to explore a few keys areas on being green with baby. Not surprising, we’ll focus on what occupies a newborn’s time: namely [...]

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Contributor Spotlight: Sabrena of Suite Spots

by Marie February 24, 2012

I’m taking the next few weeks to spotlight my amazing contributors. Next up on the list is Sabrena of The Suite Spots who contributes once a month to our Family Time page. Sabrena is one of my oldest and dearest friends. I’ve known her since our trampoline slumber party days when we were 11, living only 2 houses [...]

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St. Patrick’s Day Family Traditions

by Mariel February 23, 2012

“What’s the next holiday coming up??” is the question I’m asked, without fail, the day after EVERY holiday. My kids super-love holidays. And, you’ve probably figured out by now, that I love traditions…SO, why not delve right into the next holiday, St. Patrick’s Day? Do y’all know who St. Patrick is? A while back, I [...]

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