Clay Pot Christmas Crafts | Christmas Crafts with Kids

by SimplyHollyJo on January 6, 2020 , No Comments

This last Christmas was the year for clay pot Christmas crafts. It all started when I saw a screenshot on Facebook of a clay pot Christmas tree ornament as a kids craft. I thought that would be fun and easy to do with the boys, so I got to work. My mother-in-law kindly picked me up a couple of different sized clay pots while out and about. I had planned to pick them up one day, but the store I went to didn’t have any. I then decided that I needed pots with holes in the bottom so I purchased […]

Bible Reading Plans for the New Year

by SimplyHollyJo on December 30, 2019 , 1 Comment

I’m loving all the resources for Bible reading plans available online, for free! It’s nice to have a direction each month to kind of guide my Bible engagement. It also feeds my love of lists and checking things off said lists! Below I am sharing a small roundup of Bible reading plans that I found online for the beginning of the new year. I am sure there are TONS more out there to try, but I wanted to share some to help those that need it. Sometimes it’s nice to have some of the research done for you, especially in […]

Kids Christmas Photos | Taking Photos of Your Kids

by SimplyHollyJo on December 23, 2019 , No Comments

It’s ALMOST Christmas Day! Every year I have big dreams about my kids Christmas photos. I have SO many ideas and then the big day sneaks up on me and the moment has passed. Or my kids are in MAJOR photographer’s child mode and refuse photos. I never know what I’m going to get. So I’ve learned to relax more and just go with what I can get. This year my oldest was game. Mainly he wanted to open up everything in the studio setup, so I went with it. Not what I was planning, but it worked! Part of […]

DIY Dollar Tree Gnomes | Holiday Crafts

by SimplyHollyJo on December 19, 2019 , No Comments

The other day I got the sudden desire to make something. I was probably on Pinterest or something. And then I saw someone post this adorable DIY Gnomes. The post was a simple image, no link to an actual tutorial, so I did some simple searching online and found a TON. I ended up seeing this YouTube video, as well as this blog tutorial, and kind of mashing the two together. One used a foam cone and the other used a bag of beans from the dollar store. Once I was actually at the Dollar Tree, I ended up kind […]

Christmas Mini Session | Spring Hill, Kansas

by SimplyHollyJo on December 16, 2019 , No Comments

Another one of my Christmas Mini sessions. Quick, easy, and fun! I love getting to set up adorable little environments for families to explore. The kids adore getting to see all of the stuff, and playing with it as well. The interaction can create some really fun photos and conversations! I’ve been photographing these little guys for a while now and they were so ready for photos this time! The little guy gave me his best work yet! They asked questions, they followed prompts, and they gave me adorable expressions. I love when kiddos really seem to have fun with […]

Gift Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers | Wish List Ideas

by SimplyHollyJo on December 9, 2019 , No Comments

December is already almost half over! Christmas is only weeks away. Are you ready? I’m not sure I am. It’s such a crazy season. If you’re looking for some ideas for gift ideas for toddlers and preschoolers, here are some of our house favorites, as well as items on our own wish list! This post is a round up of individual posts that I have created, so click on the images below to take you to whichever post you would like. Each list then includes links to the items at Amazon or Ikea, but many are also available at places […]

16 Gifts for Winter Toddler Energy | Wish List Ideas

by SimplyHollyJo on December 5, 2019 , No Comments

The colder months often mean less time outdoors. Even in families like ours where we just try to dress for the weather and play anyway (hello many benefits of being outdoors, even in the cold or when sick!), it’s nice to have things to do with all that child energy. So here is a no-so-extensive list of 16 gifts for Winter toddler energy . 1. Mini Trampoline Jumping is a great way to expend energy. There are so man ways to jump, and it’s great exercise for bodies big and small. I actually had an adult one with a handle […]

Christmas Minis | Spring Hill, Kansas

by SimplyHollyJo on December 2, 2019 , No Comments

I did a few Christmas minis this year, kind of last minute. It was fun, and I’m already thinking about ideas for next year. So keep an eye out for some fun opportunities! The day was chilly, and the kids were not thrilled about the cold. Enter Dad for the win with hot cider in a thermos! Smart man! I mean it’s December, you kind of expect it to be chilly, but it does make most people huddle inside under blankets. This family of six did great in spite of the weather. The kids were cold, but curious. They wanted […]

7 Games for Gifting Kids | Wish List Ideas

by SimplyHollyJo on November 29, 2019 , No Comments

I love games. I’m SO excited that my boys are getting more into the phase where they can actually PLAY games, instead of just liter the floor with the pieces. I’m slowly introducing them to more and more games and hoping to win them over to our side. I have dreams of family game night! So here are 7 games for gifting kids that I plan to introduce my kids to this Christmas. Guess Who? I love Guess Who? I remember playing it a lot as a kid. I am excited to see if my boys will keep the cards […]

Big Ticket Gift Ideas for Kids | Wish List Ideas

by SimplyHollyJo on November 27, 2019 , No Comments

Sometimes my husband and I like to get one big gift for the boys, sometimes a family member wants to go big on a gift, and sometimes I just like to dream about fun things to have. Here is a short list of some Big Ticket gift ideas for kids (some are just big, not all that pricey) that I think are awesome. Also, if these are on your list, maybe they are the things to watch out for this coming Black Friday/Cyber Monday? Gymnastics Kip Bar ($208) If you’ve been reading all these wish list idea post you might […]

Ernie Miller Park Family Session | Olathe, Kansas

by SimplyHollyJo on November 25, 2019 , No Comments

What a beautiful evening at Ernie Miller Park! The light was gorgeous and we had to work around no less than three other photographers. I guess we all saw the beauty in the fields and paths of Ernie Miller Park! This lovely family was the winner of a giveaway that I did for Moms Together, a local moms group that I attend. It was so fun to the their photos and interact with their girls. One of the girls is my future assistant. She was all about setting up her own poses and choosing locations. She was instantly hired. It […]

Gift Ideas for Preschoolers | Wish List Ideas

by SimplyHollyJo on November 21, 2019 , No Comments

It’s sometimes difficult to think of things to give as gift ideas to family and friends for my boys. I have to navigate what things will be turned into weapons, and what things my toddler will only destroy or scatter across the house. So here are my current gift ideas for preschoolers. Everything listed is either owned and well loved by my preschooler, or is something on his wish list. Many are things he has asked for or played with a loved outside of the home as well. Snow Fort Molds I saw our neighbors with these last Winter and […]