Parenting often reminds me of the old game Perfection. The timer is set and we struggle, rushing to get all the pieces in the right place. We frantically try to accomplish it all: homework done without a fuss, a clean home, delicious meals (in my dreams), papers signed, play dates set, kids tidy, respectful and […]
The Mom Bus
This is a flashback to what my summers looked like a couple of years ago, before I decided to simplify… That’s what my kids are calling my mini-van these days. They’ve noticed that all I do is drive around, delivering them to different activities. This week’s schedule demands an 8:30 a.m. departure, with stops at […]
Balancing Life as a Homeschool Mom
I finally saw the light, bright and shining, staring me in the face like a toddler looking for a cookie fix. Balancing life as a homeschool mom (or a working mom, work at home mom, mom of 3 etc..)is not, in reality, entirely possible. It could be possible for other women. Maybe there are a […]
Eat the Cupcake. Drink the Wine. Dance.
I caught his eye as the music blared and the people around us headed to the dance floor. He smiled. It wasn’t his wide, happy smile. It was his I understand and it’s okay smile. I walked over, giving him my shy look, holding tight to my wine glass. He knows this look. “You don’t […]
How To Make Your Husband Cry
There are a few things in this world that can break a man. Let me tell you about one I discovered last week, just in case you’re looking to get revenge on your husband by causing him cry in public so you can plaster the pictures all over Facebook. I’m helpful like that. I want […]
The Good, the Bad and the Beastly Mother
I fear I may have misled you into thinking that I’m a sweet, loving mama all the time. Maybe that’s because I long to be that mama every hour of every day. I want to be calm, peaceful, zen-like, leading my children through this wild world with patience and love like Mother Teresa. She never […]
Mother’s Day Treat – Wahl Massager Giveaway
This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. I received a Wahl Hot/Cold Massager for the purpose of this review. If you could have one thing for mother’s day, what would it be? A good night’s sleep? Breakfast in bed? A day with out the kids fighting? Like every mom, […]
Looking at Life Through Giant Rose Colored Sunglasses
It was the same thing year after year. My grandmother would ask ” What do you think of my new glasses?” And I would say, “Nan, they’re HUGE! Why do you buy them so big?” She would put on her red lipstick and reply (with a tiny attitude), “Well, I like them.” I always wondered […]
I’m Trading in My Coffee for Green Tea
Coffee has been there for me every morning to lift me up and send me out to face the day. It’s been there for me every afternoon to kick me in the ass when I start to fade away, slump over and wish for a nap. I never thought the day would come. I may […]
The Night Lyme Disease Broke Me
My teen is on the couch, computer on her lap, researching Lyme Disease. She’s making a list of alternative therapies, supplements and herbal treatments that might help my recovery. She’s trying to understand the nasty little spirochete, how it invades the body, hides from antibiotics and lays dormant in the nervous system until the coast […]
Desperately Seeking Spring
It doesn’t feel like spring here. The sun came out for 30 seconds yesterday. I was shocked to see the rays of light flowing into my kitchen, but by the time I convinced myself that they were not my imagination, they were gone. Today, there was sunlight for about 20 minutes. Yeah, Spring! I searched […]
Spa at Home Recipes for the Tired Mom
Keep Stress in Check with Natural Recipes for Relaxation When was the last time you felt truly relaxed? Has it been a while? Managing your stress level is essential for maintaining good health long term. Stress symptoms can affect your body, thoughts, feelings and behavior. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Stress that’s left unchecked can […]
7 Reasons to Stop Eating Dairy
I know what you’re thinking. Why, oh why, would a person live without cheese? First, let me say that it has not been easy for me. I considered breaking my addiction by locking myself in the bedroom and barricading the door for three days like Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting. Second, there’s a damn good reason […]
A Moment for Mom
I typically write in the kitchen, with my family around me. Right now I’m hiding in the bedroom. Okay, I’m not really hiding. They know where I am and they will come for me soon. Although I don’t give my kids time-outs, I’m giving myself one. I need it. I feel like a toddler who […]
Mama Needs a New Pair of Shoes
Spring is almost here. Summer will soon follow. I’ve nearly survived another winter in Connecticut. We’re almost there. I keep telling myself all this, but it’s not making me feel any better. In an attempt to pull myself out of my mid-winter blues, I’ve been looking at open-toed, colorful, summer loving shoes. Don’t judge. […]
A Farewell to Meat – The Week in Chaos
It’s that time of month again – no, not that time – it’s time to evaluate my progress in my war against the nasty little Lyme spirochetes. There was no clear winner in this month’s battle. If there was, I’m pretty certain that it wasn’t me. I need to take drastic measures if I want […]
Valentine’s Day Wisdom from the Countess of Grantham
So it’s Valentine’s Day. Everyone is running around confessing their undying love to one another. Men are dropping engagement rings into champagne glasses, buying overpriced roses and otherwise participating in cliched rituals to make the women in their lives happy. Or they are not. And that may be worse, if someone is expecting and hoping […]
I’m Not Getting Along with Connecticut
I just scraped two inches of ice off my car while being pelted with freezing rain and standing in four inches of snow and slush. It’s only been two days since the last mess. I think I want a divorce – from Connecticut. I don’t think I’m strong enough to endure this abuse and become […]
Today is Monday.
The weather is cloudy and cold. Did you have to write the “morning news” every day in first grade? Simple sentences like the ones above? I did. I hated it. Yet, I still use this skill, apparently. It’s lifeless robotic writing. That’s how I felt today. I struggled to get everyone out of the house […]
Truth, Art and Animals -The Week in Chaos
“Mom, do you know you have a big butt?” This is how my week started. The Princess made this observation with such sweet innocence. We all know that 6 year-old girls rarely lie. I was thrilled, as I’m sure you can imagine. “Do I? I didn’t know that. Thanks for letting me know.” I was […]
