Oh, Cesar Millan. You are adorable and share great advice with the canine community. After watching my screaming children run naked through the house on what was the longest journey to the bath tub, I decided to try something new! I was not going to yell at the top of my lungs for the fiftieth time tonight as my head spun in circles like a scene from a bad psycho movie. Nope. Not this crazy mama. I was going to be a “calm, assertive pack leader.” Yes, indeedy! If it worked on pooches, it just might work on my kids! Continue reading →

grocery shopping? Sure! Why not. I mean seriously, Mother Nature gives me a few months out of the year to flaunt knee-high footwear and my family duties give me even less. So, rather than look longingly at these gorgeous creatures perched on their pedestal in my closet as they wait for just the right girls’ night out or date-night, I put those babies on and tackled the produce aisle. Spring will be here shortly and I’ll be retiring these beauties in favor of my comfy, ol’ flip-flops in twenty different colors. Continue reading →

Girls’ Weekend! Yes- say those words out loud and I guarantee they’ll bring a smile to your face. Why? Because they’re code for freedom and fun.

As a mother, you probably don’t ever turn off your brain. Your head barely hits the pillow and you’re already strategizing about the morning fire drill and how efficiently you can get everyone out the door, how quickly you can complete homework with the kids before you run off to an evening activity, or perhaps you have a day of doctor’s appointments and play dates ahead of you. No matter what it is, it’s a lot to keep track of and requires energy to manage on a consistent basis.

So, when a girlfriend calls to suggest a girls’ weekend away, you should immediately compartmentalize that mommy guilt and start packing. Having done this myself on many occassions, I thought I’d throw out my favorite ground rules for how to make the most of a sassy mama getaway and return to your daily life a stronger, refreshed you. Continue reading →

Hmm.. too self-serving? Can I say that? More importantly, is it true? (Pause for dramatic reflection….)

A mother’s love knows no bounds until it comes to herself. Of course you love your kids, your husband/boyfriend/partner, and your dog, but when was the last time you loved the sassy sister in the mirror? Or perhaps you love her, but just don’t “like” her right now. I think I fall into that later category a lot of the time.

When life gets going and you are juggling many hats, it is so easy to tell yourself that you will do this, that or the other thing when you have free time (what is that??) or your kids are a little bigger or life has settled down a bit. News flash — life doesn’t settle down a bit. For those of us who believe we can have it all and do it all, the word “settle” does not exist in the English language. This theory also assumes that there are no curve balls in life and I, for one, have seen more curve balls than an MLB season! Through it all, I am learning the importance of loving myself and finding ways to confidently put myself first without apologizing. Continue reading →

First Day of Kindergarten

After 5 years, 10 months and 3 weeks, my precious little boy was finally headed to Kindergarten and the most exciting moment he could fathom was upon us: riding that big, yellow school bus…without mom. As I stood by the curb with my pride spewing from every pore and my camera rolling, I watched as my son confidently flagged down the bus as if he were hailing a cab. He bounded up the steps, gave “knuckles” to the driver and jumped into his seat. Only upon reminder from the driver did he turn and wave goodbye with a grin that melted my heart. As I watched the bus drive away, I realized that all of the worry, frustration, sadness, anxiety, and guilt I’d experienced nearly every day of motherhood to that date had been completely worth it. I know it is easy to look back and think that I might have yelled too much or not enough, or wasn’t as consistent as I should have been about potty-training or discipline, or was too soft when it came to sleep training, or too worried about his allergies and other ailments. However, I am choosing to believe that all of those choices, along with my son’s readiness and confidence, led to that beautiful moment when he could ride away to the “big school” and not look back. Continue reading →