I had the chance to see Disney’s Moana last week, and now I can’t wait to take the kids. Moana is not your typical Disney princess. Well, except for the part where she wears a dress, sings, and hangs out with animals.

Moana is the very first Disney movie that …read more    

The post Moana: Princess of Travel first appeared on Heather Sokol.

Travel is so important for kids. It’s how they learn about the wider world around them. It gives them the opportunity to see beyond their backyard and meet people from all walks of life. It helps reinforce the geography, history, and cultural lessons they’re learning in school.

I truly believe travel …read more    

The post Why Just Day Trips? first appeared on Heather Sokol.

    

The post The Hidden Cost of Disorganization first appeared on Heather Sokol.

My middle daughter and I have been volunteering at an exotic animal rescue for several months. We have scooped a lot of litter boxes, snuggled many bunnies, discovered the softest animal in the universe, researched animal sounds and meanings, and learned so much about animals, breeds, …read more    

The post 5 Pet Care Tips from an Animal Rescue first appeared on Heather Sokol.

Today is our 6th anniversary. Sort of. It’s our fake anniversary. Our renewal anniversary.

Spencer and I have been married for 18 years. 18 really long, terribly emotional, overly erratic years. But we made it. There was a time when we almost didn’t. Many …read more    

The post We Take Our Vows Seriously first appeared on Heather Sokol.

Indy Geek Girls were invited to the Junior League of Indianapolis Holiday Mart Shopper’s Eve preview. We mingled. We sampled. We shopped. A lot.

We’re not going to talk about how much I spent, but I am thrilled to say it was all within budget. I was even able to …read more    

The post 6 Reasons to Shop the Junior League Holiday Mart first appeared on Heather Sokol.

Whether you’re hosting the big meal at home or preparing just a few dishes to pitch in with others, Thanksgiving dinner can get a little pricey. There are hostess gifts, decorations, dinnerware and, of course, turkey with all the trimmings.

I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving dinner for several …read more    

The post Budgeting Your Thanksgiving Dinner first appeared on Heather Sokol.

Last night, I had the immense terror (pleasure?) of taking 5 teenagers to the Children’s Museum Pirate’s Revenge haunted house. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has always offered two levels for their haunted house to serve kids of all ages. Last year, they added a third level for …read more    

The post Children’s Museum Haunted House for Teens: Xtreme Scream Nights first appeared on Heather Sokol.

Today is my dad’s 60th birthday. I’m feeling a little guilty because we threw our mom an epic 60th birthday bash last month. All I’ve got for Dad is the annual phone call and “my dad is awesome” Facebook post.

But, he really is awesome, and I wanted …read more    

The post 60 Reasons My Dad Is the Best first appeared on Heather Sokol.

With the teen’s permission, I am finally able and ready to share the very long story of my silent struggle in parenting our firstborn. I haven’t been able to share this part of my life because most of it is not my story to tell, but in her newfound efforts …read more    

The post It’s Not My Story to Tell first appeared on Heather Sokol.