Little man turns two today. A milestone for both him and his momma. I totally believe in celebrating the heck out of his little life. What accomplishments he's made! But, in the to-do that is a two-year-old's birthday, I think it's only appropriate to take a few minutes to contemplate, as his mom, how far I've come in the past few years. Three years ago today: My husband and I had been trying ...
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Composting: A New Life for Old Food
5 Steps to Easy Composting It's my belief that one of the core elements of being a parent is learning how to manage guilt. We feel guilty about so many things - Do I read enough to my child? Do I feed my family the healthiest foods? Am I causing the end of the world by filling up our landfills with garbage bags of dirty diapers? Is a child in Ethiopia starving, while I throw away boat-loads of ...
My version of southern hospitality
People "drop by" our home quite a bit. This isn't necessarily an invitation to you, although if you want to stop in for a visit, you are of course welcome to it. We (and by we, I'm mostly implying me) are the kind of people who always like to have something going on. If there's nothing planned for a given day or evening, it's kind of a bummer. When that happens, I generally go through the cell ...
A Greenway Miracle
I love the South. I most especially love Southern hospitality. I guess what I'm referring to is really just common decency, but sometimes it touches you and makes you grateful for the thoughtfulness of others. So how did that warm fuzzy feeling begin? It all started with a greenway mission. I woke up determined to run/walk more miles than I had ever done before. I loaded up the stroller full ...
Who says I’m high maintenance?
I have been called high maintenance before. I know you're shocked. My husband would probably not accuse me of such a thing, but I'm sure even he'd admit I have my "moments." Don't we all? Since having my son, I think I've done much in the way of downplaying those characteristics that lends one to receive high maintenance accusations. I don't need romantic dates (often), an hour to get ready ...
Are you smarter than a two year old?
They say you learn something new every day. And while I don't always take the time to reflect on what it is that I've learned, some days it's hard to miss. Some days it can be down right humbling. Like when you learn something from a person that has not yet turned two. In front of your friends. Who I'm sure were not judging. It started simply enough. I asked my kid to eat his sandwich. ...
The coolest place to be this summer!
I was scared. Very scared. I'm sure you will be too. Going to your first movie with a toddler can be intimidating. Here's a few concerns that I had, and the result after today's movie adventure, watching Arctic Tale at free-movie day hosted by the Regal Arboretum Stadium Theaters:1. Will my child be able to sit for the duration of a movie? Yes. We did it! Mind you, the movie was shy of 90 ...
Last Chance for Pops!
I have an absolute favorite thing to do in Charlotte. And, I thought about not mentioning it on this blog. Gasp. I have to fight for my space at this event the way it is, and I really don't see myself getting up any earlier to reserve my spot. But.... I thought it only fair to share this with the rest of you. What goes around comes around, and I'm sure you will all let me in on your favorite ...
An ode to dads
Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Isn't that what we always say? Well, I suppose on today of all days, we should focus on the latter. So, here's a shout out to all father's, but most especially to my husband and the most wonderful father of my dear Graham.Thanks for allowing me to find out what it means to be a stay at home mom. It's been the most wonderful job I could have ever ...
She’s in there somewhere…
When I had a baby a part of me seemed gone forever. I'm talking about that high-heel-strutting, makeup-wearing woman that thought a clutch was a perfectly sized purse and didn't think twice about wearing white pants or dangling earrings. Yep, she's gone. And, maybe the jeans and t-shirt girl that's replaced her is more laid-back and fun, but sometimes I find myself reminiscing the "good-ol" ...
Just Dip It
If you are a mom, you know - meal time can be the most frustrating time of day. We do our best to make healthy selections for our little ones, only to deal with temper tantrums until they get cookies, ice cream or cake. Hey, if I lived in a world where I was unaware of calories and fat grams, I'd feel the same way. Although, I think I'd be demanding Champagne or scalloped potatoes, but to each ...
Ants in my pants. And everywhere else.
Whenever I go out of town, I worry about burglars. Peeps breaking into my house and taking my stuff. Not cool. So prior to leaving, I go through the house, turn lights on in various locations, close some blinds (but not all!), ask the neighbors to pick up the mail... you know the drill. And, although all of these steps were thoughtfully arranged and managed well by various family members and ...
Desperate Times
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I consider doctors appointments where my toddler gets a shot, my toddler's hair cuts, and anything that causes my child to scream at inappropriate decibels to be a desperate time. My desperate measure? Allowing my little guy to play with my Droid (Google's version of the iPhone). I've downloaded a variety of educational and entertaining apps that ...
Trader Joe’s – For Adults
When I walk into Trader Joe's, I'm like a kid in a candy store. There's so much to choose from, but the carts are so small! Despite what else may be on your grocery list, make sure to save some space for these items:- Gyoza: These frozen Asian dumplings come in a variety of flavors, but I prefer the veggie and shimp. Serve with their Soyaki sauce. Yum.- Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette: Makes me ...
Trader Joe’s – For Kids
There are a lot of reasons why moms love to shop at Trader Joe's. Besides the great prices, they also have the really important things - stickers, balloons, children's books, and a scavenger hunt to entertain tots while shopping. If you need another excuse to make it to Trader Joe's, how about all of the healthy and convenient meal and snack options that make feeding time for your little one a ...
All but the kitchen sink….
It's no mystery that I love to cook. I also love finding new recipes, gardening, farmers markets and even grocery shopping. What I don't love is leftovers. Who wants to eat re-heated food that will inevitably pale in comparison to last night's dinner? I applaud my husband's effort to save money by taking said leftovers to work with him for lunch, on his bicycle and all, but lately the Harvest ...