Kayla Tornello
Kayla grew up in southeastern Ohio and met her Vermonter husband while in college. They now live in Essex Junction with their two children. Kayla is a stay-at-home mom to her son (born 2010) and her daughter (born 2011). She is also a church pianist/organist. Her hobbies include singing, reading, acting, and coming up with tasty ways to feed her family vegetables. She enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible.
Halloween Spiderweb Cake with Spooky Candy Spiders
Let’s celebrate Halloween with a fun treat!
This cute Halloween spiderweb cake is easy to make and delicious to eat! My kids absolutely love celebrating...
Technology for Children: Educational or Dangerous?
Recently, I read a book that really made me question my parenting choices.
Glow Kids is written by Dr. Nicholas Kardaras and describes how...
How to Raise Independent Children in Today’s Society
I think we all want to raise independent children, but we are often scared to let our children out of our sight for even...
Mediocrity – Being Average is Perfectly Okay!
Mediocrity gets such a bad reputation.
As an overly ambitious teenager, I viewed mediocrity as a disappointment. It meant that I didn't stand out from...
Kindergarten Advice from a First Grade Mom
Last fall, my oldest child started kindergarten.
He had so many questions and I had very few answers. Things have changed drastically since the...
A Weekend Away From My Children: An Anniversary Trip
My son is now six years old and my daughter is four years old. I have only left them overnight for one weekend last...
Be A Good Sport: Introducing Children to Team Sports
My son is a very active little boy. I thought that sports would be a great way for him to burn off some of...
Happy Campers! Camping at Branbury State Park
My kids have been begging me to go camping for a few years now.
I haven't gone camping since I was a kid, so...
Children Make Terrible Roommates
While at the library the other day, I read a really cute book called Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown. When I returned home later...
Get Out! How to Get Outside More Often in Vermont!
As the weather gets warmer, we all start to think about spending more time outside.
Studies have shown that outdoor time is crucial for...
Birthday Party Dread
Each year, I feel a sense of dread creeping up on me as the middle of April approaches.
It's time for my son's birthday...
Shape Up with Shapewear!
I was really looking forward to a chance to dress up for the Sip & Savor Soiree event at Shelburne Museum.
I used this event as...
Stop F@#$ing Swearing!
I have never been very good at either making or keeping New Years resolutions. I am never ready with my resolutions after a busy holiday...
Exercise At Home!
We all know that exercise is an important part of staying healthy.
However, it often gets pushed to the bottom of the list of priorities...