Do you ever get frustrated that one area of your life seems to be out of whack, only to realize that other areas are actually out of whack too, and one is affecting the other? That was happening to me, and because I’ve been so busy, it took a while for everything to finally click. I spent months feeling exhausted and stressed, wondering when something would give so I can … [Read more...]
5 Things You Probably Didn’t Understand until You Became a Mom
I honestly can’t imagine my life without my babies. I remember years ago (probably when I was still in high school) a good friend of mine asked me what would be three wishes I would want to happen if I was only given a year left to live. And although it sounds selfish, I knew back then just how deep my desire was to be a mother, and having a child was at the top of my list. And … [Read more...]
5 Secrets of Moms Who Hustle Hard While Keeping it Together
Recently, a close friend of mine told me, “girl, I don’t know how you do it?” I told her that some days I don’t know how I do it either. The truth is, there are so many moms out there who are just like me—focused on raising happy, well-rounded kids while juggling multiple responsibilities and trying to make your dreams a reality. Doing it all really is no joke. Maybe you … [Read more...]
23 Questions Every Mother Should Ask Herself Today! Especially 1, 7 & 12
There is one thing that I believe all good moms have in common—we all want to do the best thing for our kids. Mothers everywhere are full of good intentions. We love our children and we want them to have the best life possible—often a better life than what we had. We aren’t perfect, so we get things wrong (whether we choose to admit it or not). Then we feel guilty when, … [Read more...]
A Real Father Isn’t a Babysitter
I heard someone say in passing that a child’s father was going to babysit so the mother could run errands. Babysit . . . really? When did the actual parent of a child turn into a babysitter? Not only is this flat-out wrong, but it’s also demeaning. Dads do so much more than babysit. In my home, babysitters are a necessity. I appreciate the care and attention they give my … [Read more...]
Attention All Mothers: 4 Tips on Taking Care of Yourself
This past weekend I had an opportunity to attend a retreat just for moms. The purpose of the retreat was to force moms to do something most of us rarely ever do: take time out for ourselves and make ourselves a priority. Some people may think they make themselves a priority, but they really don't. Can you think of ten things you love to do -- without the kids or spouse? When … [Read more...]
On The Rise: Creating Memories With Breast Milk Jewelry
To add to the newest trends of ultrasound parties and breastfeeding dolls for little girls, several moms have come up with the idea of creating and selling jewelry encompassed with breast milk. The jewelry, which can be found on several sites on the online marketplace, Etsy, is derived from milk covered with a glaze or clear resin after being plasticized or … [Read more...]
9 Things I Learned While My Husband Was Away
The day before Hurricane Sandy was scheduled to hit the East Coast, my husband left for what was supposed to be a two day business trip. But, ended up being...well...9 days. It was bad enough that he had to leave! But what made it even worse was that it coincided with what was rumored to be the worst storm to hit the East Coast in quite some time. Call me a wimp.... but I … [Read more...]
Finding My “No”: Teaching Kids Responsibility For Themselves
Sunday night around 9 p.m. I went to put my son to bed (late) and my 12-year-old daughter said, "By the way, I have some clothes that need to be washed. I'm going to put them downstairs in the laundry room." Let's step back a little bit. I work in PR for a school that had its reunion weekend that same weekend. Classes celebrating reunions from the Class … [Read more...]
Happy Mother’s Day From The Neely’s
Wondering what to make for Mom for Mother's Day breakfast (or lunch or dinner)? Gina and Pat Neely have you covered. Check out some of their signature recipes below and pick one to give Mom an unforgettable meal for her special day. Breakfast/Brunch Start Mom's day off right with this simple yet fancy-looking breakfast trifle. Lunch/Dinner Everyone … [Read more...]
When Your Kids Don’t Speak Like You
by Tricia Clarke I've heard lots of parents say they don't believe what comes out of their kid's mouth, but sometimes I literally don't. You see, my children have a completely different accent to me and every now and again I have to remind myself that they're mine. I'm British and I moved to America 7 years ago. My kids are 5 and 3 and are just starting to drive … [Read more...]
Look At Her Now! Quite Possibly The Greatest Mom Rapper Of All Time
Kelley Owens writes a jaw-dropping rhyme, inspired by the "Look At Me Now" cover by Karmin. With the help of her husband Jon, she kicks a rhyme on motherhood that will not only have you nodding your head to the beat but also in agreement. She truly represented for the moms with this one. Now we can all sit back and watch this video's views rocket in to the millions. If this … [Read more...]
What I REALLY Want For Mother’s Day
My husband keeps hounding me about what I want for Mother's Day (a good problem to have, I think). And I honestly don't know. Yeah, I'd like breakfast in bed or a new pair of shoes or maybe, just maybe a new purse. But I guess I've gotten to the point where Mother's Day doesn't mean as much to me as it used to. Perhaps I feel like I'm more aware of my own power as … [Read more...]
Six Steps To Battle “Mommy Guilt”
I've come a long way in terms of handling my mommy guilt, to the point where it creeps up only rarely, and once I realize it's presence, it doesn't stay nearly as long as it used to. Here's six questions I had to start asking myself to assess whether it was even worth giving myself a guilt trip: Are my expectations realistic? It's unrealistic to think I could be at two … [Read more...]
Letter To A New Mom – You Will Find Your Way
This past weekend, I took a quick trip with my family to a nearby city to help me get some quality time with my kids away from the pressures of my "office" aka my house. Hard to relax on the couch when you work on the couch too. So we quickly packed a bag and hit the road. For the drive down, I had four Capri Suns (only to give them during the last 10 minutes or so; I did … [Read more...]