Oh, hey. Nothing weird here. Just a grown woman dressed as a fortune teller making weird faces while having her eight year old take pictures of her. Totally normal.

And you know what? I did it for you.

If you’re anything at all like me, you do everything at the last minute. Especially if it’s something for yourself. I’m 90% sure that if I had a Halloween party to go to this weekend I still wouldn’t have a costume in my possession.

I mean, I would definitely have a completely elaborate idea in mind with Martha Stewart-level creativity going on. But my tendency to do things at the last possible second would force me to scrap my lofty idea. I would pace my house all wild eyed and irritable, trying to figure out what to do as if it was the most important decision of my life.

I’m here to save you the trauma.

The other day I was flipping through my (endless) Instagram feed and a picture of one of my friends and her kids at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter tugged at my momma heart strings. I really want to take the girls there—especially now that Samantha is devouring the books—and they desperately want to go. Disney is on that same list. Unfortunately, our budget and these places are just not on the same level.

Then Amazon Prime Instant Video asked us to check out new episodes of their show, Creative Galaxy. I didn’t think these two things could relate to one another, but they did.

Last week’s post on handmade graphic t-shirts that talk to you sent me down a rabbit hole. A deep, dark hole of really important thinking. I became obsessed with trying to decide what I would print on a t-shirt if I was making one myself. As Queen of the realm of Indecisiveness and Over Thinking, this took up quite a bit of my time.

Then Ellie and I were in the car running errands when a familiar beat started pumping on the radio. Ellie immediately sat up a little taller before squealing “Momma, it’s our song!” As she sang the chorus (the only part she recognizes or pays any attention to), the deal was immediately sealed. Iggy Azalea #forthewin.

We stopped at Michaels on the way home and bought some iron-on letters in a collegiate font because it made me laugh. Hard.

I know the title of this post probably has about half of you turning your noses up and doing a little shudder. I get it. The idea of ditching what is widely considered a personal hygiene staple might seem totally bizarre. I mean, I’m sure I thought it was crazy the first time I heard about the whole “No Poo” thing (that term is so gross).

But, as with most things, I was slowly pulled towards it until I finally decided to brave it. And you know what? I haven’t washed my hair with shampoo in nine months—and not once has anyone questioned my hair routine (and believe me, there are people in my life who would have no problem asking why I’m such a greaseball).

After being cooped up indoors after a long winter, the endless possibilities of outdoor fun sound amazing… and maybe the tiniest bit intimidating. If you need a little help coming up with fresh ideas to keep your kids busy through the summer, this list of 50+ outdoor activities for kids is for you. And for them. In fact, it’s guaranteed to make the whole family happy!

Spring has finally sprung and I can already feel summer vacation breathing down my neck (especially when my youngest keeps me up-to-date with a daily how many days are left of school countdown). My feelings about the situation can be described as a mixture of excitement and pure panic. While there are a bunch of fun things on our to-do list, my girls are so used to having all of their days totally planned out—back-to-back activities and friends and learning. Being home with none of the above spells trouble.

I think there’s a lot to be said for boredom and having to figure out how to entertain yourself, but there’s even more to be said about saving momma’s sanity. And being able to work. And maybe vacuum once or twice. Or at least being able to think about vacuuming without having my thoughts interrupted by the incessant drone of how bored everyone is.

So I looked to some fellow bloggers and compiled a list of things kids can do—outside. You’re welcome.