This post contains affiliate links. My seven-year-old recently discovered the Food Network show, Chopped. He loves to choose his favorite contestant and watches each round of competition with growing anticipation. Who will be chopped and who will be crowned the victor? Will his favorite contestant win or be forced to leave after creating a sub-par […]
Please Stop Telling Me Not to Praise My Husband
Recently I’ve seen a rash of people talking about the double standard of praise aimed at parents. Fathers get praised for everyday tasks, while moms either get ignored for those same tasks or worse, reprimanded. While a dad is a hero for taking his kids out for dinner, a mom might be given the evil […]
The Unthinkable
This post was originally published in November 2012 Recently a Facebook friend has been sharing links that I refuse to click on. It’s not because they are inappropriate or violate some belief I have. It’s because they are links to a blog that a mom is writing about her son; her two-year-old son who has an […]
Five Reasons You Should NOT Sell at a Consignment Store
I’m excited to partner with The Growing Place and Polish for this post. You’ve been putting it off. Every time you think of it, you come up with something else that’s just a liiittle more urgent. Although the sun is shining and you’d rather be outside (or truthfully anywhere but here), you know what you need […]
Eight Items You Need When Your Kids Get Sick on Vacation
This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through these links help support the blog at no added cost to you! Before my husband and I had kids, I remember my sister-in-law saying that without fail, her kids would get sick while on vacation. She wasn’t being overly dramatic. It really did seem to happen […]
How to Get Your Kids to Unload the Dishwasher
You know when there’s a power outage? You walk to whatever room you keep your flashlight or candle stash, and even though you know the power is out (because you’re moving with the sole purpose of finding a light source), you still flip several switches on your way from Point A to Point B purely […]
The Lesson My Three Year Old Taught Me That Everyone Needs to Learn
She sat at the counter, crayon in hand, while I stood on the other side of the kitchen, preparing dinner. “Mommy, look!” I glanced up, smiled at her, then went back to my work. “Say, ‘Great job Annelise!’ Mommy! Say, ‘Great job!!’ “ I laughed and moved closer, looked at her monotone scribbles (this time […]
Keeping Screen Time Under Control: A Summer Plan
Summer vacation has arrived! Days, weeks, and months of freedom stretch before us. No homework, no after school activities, fun in the sun, sibling squabbles, cries for ‘just a few more minutes’ on the iPad, clothes and toys and junk all over the house… Hold on a minute! Keeping Screen Time Under Control: A Summer […]
We’re Done Throwing Birthday Parties for Our Kids
I’m excited to partner with Great Wolf Lodge for this post. All opinions are my own. Remember when birthday parties were simple affairs? A handful of friends. Streamers and balloons. A bowl of chips and some juice. A few games. A cake, still in the pan, smeared with frosting. The whole thing probably cost less than […]
#ThisIsMotherhood
It started with a sick kid and a sleepless night. When I got up the next morning, I snapped a picture of myself and posted it with the following caption: THIS IS MOTHERHOOD Up all night with a sick child. Drifting off just to be woken by the cough that springs you into action. In […]