Moms gotta get out of the house. The ideal time for that? Lunch. We (Graham and I) eat out more often than I'd like to admit. Let me re-phrase... We eat out for lunch more often than I'd like to admit to my husband. Who works all day at an office. Who eats our leftovers for lunch. Yeah, I definitely feel the guilt.Now, let me defend myself. I need to engage with others. Others besides my ...
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Perhaps It’s Time to Have “The Talk,” by guest blogger Jess Bailey
I hosted a playdate today for two of my friends and their daughters. Ryan spends a lot of time with Maggie and Hannah, so he's pretty excited when they get to play, which incidentally, is quite often.The grown-ups were downstairs in the kitchen with JJ and his contemporary, Brady; and Hannah was oscillating between upstairs and downstairs -- wherever the toys took her. Now, I should preface ...
So, now am I all grown up?
Inevitably, whenever I have a family dinner at my house (and by family I mean my husband, son, mom, sister and brother-in-law), my mom ends up setting the table. Family dinners are common weekly affairs, so they are casual. I don't usually have the table pre-set. It's not a time to break out the "good china." I cook while the family settles in and my mom, who always is there to help, will lay ...
Oh my Oobleck!
Ok, y'all. Don't poop your pants. I'm about to do something crazy. No, I will not be dancing on a bar. I'm pregnant, people. So no drinks. OK, maybe a few. But, definitely no dancing. Although, what I am going to do is about as bizarre as seeing me pregnant and dancing on a bar... I'm going to share a crafty idea. I know. Hell is freezing over.Graham and I have been spending a little bit ...
An Evite Upgrade
'Tis the season for planning parties. Between work functions, neighborhood events, playgroup parties and family gatherings, invites will be flooding your mailbox. Your head and calendar will be spinning. Chances are, you'll end up hosting at least one of these fabulous fall/winter bashes, and you'll be charged with handling invitations, food, decorations and more than you want to think about ...
Shakeology Winner!
Congrats to entry #21, Maria H., the winner of our Shakeology Sample packs, recipe booklet and brochure. Hope this helps you fight the calorie battle this holiday season!Thanks to all who entered the giveaway. We'll be announcing another exciting freebie in a few days!P.S. While you're at it, mind sending a vote my way to Top Mommy Blogs? It's how a lot of our giveaway sponsors find us. ...
Organizing Childrens’ Books
Books have always been the bane of my home's organizational and aesthetic existence. I treasure my books. You put in a little hard work and time, hopefully enjoying the fruits of your reading labor along the way, and then you get to keep a little award at the end - the book on the bookshelf. I don't often read these books more than once, but they are little treasures that remind me of different ...
Shakeology – A “Lose It Before You Gain It” Giveaway
The week of Halloween isn't exactly the best time to start thinking about weight loss. Who's going to eat all of that leftover candy that doesn't get distributed throughout the neighborhood? Who's going to eat all of that candy that your toddler definitely doesn't need? And then, there's Thanksgiving, Holiday Cookie Swaps, Holiday Parties and The Holiday Feast. Yeah, things aren't looking good ...
X is for… xolo?
My son is the quicker-picker-upper. Yes, I'm aware that I just compared my son to a Bounty paper towel. And what I mean by that is he's absorbent as heck. This kid wants to learn. I'd like to think it's because I'm super aware of all of the ways to set my child up to be an academic superstar, but I know better. My kid knows his colors because I overheard a friend going over them with her son, ...
Time for a treat… I’ll skip the trick.
As I've mentioned in the previous blogs, I'm not one for high-end pampering. I'd rather go out for dinner with friends and family or save up for a fun trip than spend high dollars on beauty products that go unnoticed by my busy husband, indifferent toddler and like-minded mom-friends. When I run out of face wash, shampoo, and foundation I hit the drug store and go to the old-standbys that never ...
Healthful, Yet Filling Veggie Chili Recipe
Hands down this is the best Veggie Chili Recipe you'll find. If you make it, be sure to let me know what you think! So we've been talking pumpkins and cool weather. Some may be talking football or how bad the Panthers are. Whatever you're talking about right now, it's making me think one thing - chili. Growing up, chili was a Saturday staple for my family. My dad would start it early in the ...
An introduction to fall… and the horned-sheep
Joy for fall. After all of the moaning and groaning, summer is o-v-e-r. Hurray for brisk mornings, mugs of hot cocoa, and casseroles. I can put on my red fleece pajamas and not melt. And, it's time to hit the farm. My kid is 2 1/2 and since he's been on this Earth, there hasn't been a fall that we've missed a visit to The Hunter Farm. It's the perfect way to kick-off the pumpkin season. ...
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda… The Pre-Pregancy Conversation
One of my best-est friends just confided in me that she's pregnant. Hurray! I'm so excited for her. We'll be pregnant together. Our kids will be months apart. Our friendship will take on more meaning. And all kinds of other cheesy stuff. And then I thought.... uh-oh. It's too late for her. Too late for her to have the important spousal conversations that I forgot to have with my husband ...
When life takes your car… make cookies.
So, my car's been in the shop. Which means I've been stuck at home. For two days. Why don't I use my husband's car? Because he doesn't have one. Um, yes, we're a single-car family. Am I lovin' it? At the moment, not so much. Why? Because I'm going STIR CRAZY! I'm pregnant, I'm not feeling great, it's cloudy, I haven't left the house in 36 hours, I may smell, and I am locked up in a house ...
How to be a Mom-Friend
I started a playgroup when my son was three months old because I had no mom friends. None. I stalked new moms at Babies 'R Us and tried to "pick them up." OK, this may be a bit of an exaggeration. Seriously, I only did that once. I realized quickly, however, that I couldn't survive mom-hood without some baby-toting gal pals. Hence, the creation of the South Charlotte Playgroup, now home to ...
Skipping the Double Stroller: On Waiting to Have a Second, by Guest Blogger Aurora DeLuca
Lately, I have been inundated with baby announcements, conversations about having a second child and the constant question, “when are you going to start trying for a second?” The little secret is, we want to wait before we make that decision. Once I let out that little fact, most reply with simple curiosity, but others are more aggressive. These responses range from “Oh, well, that’s ok ...