December is arguably my most favorite month of the year. Sure, it’s usually cold in Minnesota, but I don’t mind the snow and cold one bit until AFTER the new year. It’s still new and pretty, and I’m 100% ok with a white Christmas! I love everything about the holiday season, from the music and… Read More Ideas of Holiday Traditions Your Family Will Love
This time of year, gratitude and thanksgiving are at the forefront of everyone’s mind. The holiday season seems to inspire us to count our blessings and appreciate what we have to be thankful for. For those of us who are raising children, we likely want to encourage and teach our children to experience gratitude this… Read More How to Cultivate Gratitude in Kids | Help Your Kids Give Thanks
The UpNoPa moms LOVE this community where we live, work and play every day. Heck, that’s how Up North Parent came to be in the first place! We created Up North Parent because we are passionate about supporting thriving families and strong communities and wanted to provide inspiration for both. We also believe that the… Read More Brainerd History Week and the 39th Annual This Old Farm Pioneer Days
“Going for a drive” is a simple and relatively inexpensive way to enjoy summer while also taking in the sights, sounds, and attractions that the Up North/Lakes Area has to offer. And anyone who’s lived here for more than one season knows that gardening is a BIG DEAL in this community. Rightfully so since dirt… Read More The Up North Parent Healing Gardens Tour
My birthday is in the beginning of December, and I live in Minnesota. That means for all of my birthdays, it has been cold and 95% of them have had snow on the ground. My sister, on the other hand, was born in July. Her birthdays have always been just after the midpoint of summer,… Read More Half Birthday Celebrations | Half Birthday Party Ideas for Kids
Guest Post written by Essentia Health; one of Up North Parent’s Sponsors. Fishing and the Lakes Area go hand-in-in had, but the medical team at Essentia Health also knows that the two sometimes get “tangled” together is a not-so-fun-way. The lakes draw many to live and vacation in our beautiful area. However, a common injury for… Read More The String Yank Technique | How to Remove a Fish Hook if You’re Caught in the Fishing Fun
Summer break is always a time deeply anticipated by kids, but sometimes not-so-much by their parents. Three weeks into summer vacation is when the shiny newness of not being in school starts to tarnish and boredom sets in. Whether your kids are 5 or 15, parents know what bored kids do. Bored kids tend to:… Read More Summertime Money Making Ideas for Teens
This post is sponsored by Jack Pine Brewery. Thank you for welcoming us and making this post possible! Some of the best businesses in the Brainerd Lakes Area are the ones who had humble and authentic beginnings. Jack Pine Brewery is one such company. Laura and I (Becky) recently had the pleasure of visiting this… Read More Jack Pine Brewery of Baxter, MN | A Not-So-Typical Local Taproom Experience
Summer is right around the corner and if you’re like me, you’re READY. The winter was LONG in Minnesota, and we are ready to spend our days outside all day, every day. Summer notoriously passes way too quickly, so I always try to be intentional and proactive about squeezing the most out of the precious… Read More Summer Bucket List for Toddlers