I rounded up some super cute gardening tools for moms and kids that will make you majorly heart-eyed. From hand tools and watering cans to cute gloves and stuff to keep the kids busy, gardening with kids has never been more fun—or less stressful!

The buds have just started to pop out on the tree in our front yard and I have been straight up giddy with excitement. After a long, cold, ugly winter, the first signs of spring make me bounce around like a kid on Christmas morning. My tween thinks it’s incredibly uncool and embarrassing. But I can’t help it. Everything seems new in spring and new is exciting.

Once we have a warm week or two (which we’ve finally had here in New York) I get itching to have flowers everywhere. Inside, outside, everywhere I look. Ellie, my 7-year-old, does too. “When are we gardening? Can we garden yet? Is it still so cold at night that it will kill all of our flowers? Flowers! Flowers! Flowers!” Ease up off me, kid!

My problem is not that I don’t love flowers. Obviously, I do. My problem is that I have not achieved my dream of plant lady status just yet.

Whether it’s too cold or not, my plants will die. I never remember to water the things! Plus, I always forget that the spot on our deck where I really want to put them is incredibly sunny. When I forget to water them, they bake and a lot of tender loving care is required to revive them. I realize this and am diligent and try really hard… until I forget again.

I’m a work in progress, alright? 😉

But I’m a sucker and I have a soft spot for flowers and for my daughter’s excitement over them and for seriously cute gardening tools.

Maybe, just maybe, if my daughter and I both have gardening tools that we adore, we’ll remember to use them all summer long.

I love an excuse to put together a gift guide. And you know I love mommas. I combined these two loves to put together a pretty, relaxing, springtastic collection of pieces that would be perfect for just about any woman in your life.

From things to prettify herself to things that help prettify her world, these gifts encourage busy mommas to take a step back, relax and enjoy the little things a bit more–and I think we could all use a healthy dose of that.

Kitchen Garden Cookbook :: Wen Healthy Hair kit :: Gap scarf :: L.A.R.K. Spark clutch :: atiliay succulent block print :: Williams-Sonoma Meyer Lemon Caldrea Gift Set :: Anthropologie trowel :: The Merriweather Council embroidered necklace :: Kate Spade scallop thin bangle :: Kate Spade mom idiom bangle

I’ll take all of them, if that works… although I’d probably hand off the cookbook to my husband with all of the recipes I want to taste bookmarked for future consideration. 😉

Alright, mommas. I want to know: what’s at the top of your wishlist for this Mother’s Day?

As soon as you let the word out that you’re pregnant you suddenly find out that you’re living in a world full of experts. Who knew? From the cashier at Dunkin Donuts to a random shopper in the mall to a fellow commuter, everyone around you suddenly sheds their Clark Kent suit and tie for a cape and some spandex.

They will be your hero, baby (sorry I can’t resist an obscure Enrique Iglesias reference). They will bestow upon you the golden nuggets of parenting advice that you are lacking. And more than half of the time it will be bullshit.

If I ask for your advice or tips for dealing with a particular subject, that’s one thing. But people who walk up to strangers to let them know exactly what they’re doing wrong in their child rearing drive me insane.

Since becoming a momma, spring break looks a little different than it used to. Gone are the days of bikinis, beaches, and day drinking. With a tightened budget and a tummy that could use some tightening of its own (not to mention two little people underfoot), I’ve slowly learned to master the art of the staycation.

I’ve put together a list for you of my top 5 tips for surviving a staycation like a mother.

*Note: This post is part of a new series I’m starting called Like a Mother, which focuses on conquering the seemingly impossible like only a mother can. 😉 If you can think of anything you’d like to see featured in this new series, shoot me an email.

Sometimes motherhood will surprise you. Sometimes you’ll be going about your business like normal and your kids will teach you something about yourself. Sometimes it comes in the form of a temper tantrum in the middle of the mall on your birthday.

Yeah.

I turned thirty on Monday. It was a long and at times really annoying day, like any day. To try and turn our grumpies upside down, I decided to take the girls to the mall and get a big fat, sugary cookie (look below and you’ll see I’m not kidding).

We stuffed our faces with sugar, window shopped a little (including a stop for momma to try on bathing suits–uh, never a good idea on your birthday), Sam tried on shoes, and we headed up to Sam’s favorite store, Claire’s.

I let Sam wander around for awhile before I gave her a warning that it was almost time to go. She obviously wasn’t seeing anything she was really in love with. I asked her if she wanted to pop into Forever21 on the way out to see if there were any little accessories she liked in there. That was my first mistake.