I went shopping by myself for 2 whole hours the other night and didn’t spend a dime! Although, I was supposed to be Christmas shopping, so it turned out to be a big fat fail instead of an accomplishment. That moment when you turn around and realize that your kid is licking his fingers after sticking them…
Before I Was a Mom: I Fell in Love with NYC
Our first visit to New York City was right around this time of year, way back in 2008. Yeah, I already had a blog back then. And yeah, I already wrote about the trip. But what I didn’t anticipate back in 2008 was what a lasting impact the city would have on me after just…
Taking Stock in the Rain
It’s the perfect day for it… Making: sure to fill in my eyebrows every day. Cooking: more like microwaving. Drinking: hot chocolate in almond milk. Reading: help-us-with-this-child books. Wanting: this black leather-strap watch. Looking: for those perfect gifts. Playing: a lot of Shake It Off. It’s for Stevie, I swear. Deciding: on the next nail…
Thanksgiving Home Away From Home
Too much food. The first words that came to mind thinking about our trip to Utah. Seriously, though. Still full. But also: laughter, beauty, nostalgia, happiness, frustration and a little bit of heartache all rolled into one big group hug. We stayed up too late. Woke up too early. Made too many dirty jokes. Enjoyed…
5 Friday Confessions on a Thursday
I guess I really am all about that bass. Who would’ve guessed. I highly debated pulling my “Thanksgiving pants” out of storage for the weekend. If you watch Friends, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. If you don’t… well, you’re a weirdo. I love leaving Panera Bread covered in Autumn Squash soup. LOVE IT. Stevie…
Easy Steps to Teach Your Child Independence
Teaching your child independence is so important. Even something small like putting on their own shoes can help them develop important motor skills and take responsibility for bigger tasks in life. This particular task of putting on their own shoes can be broken down into 100 simple steps. Steps 1-99: Ask your child repeatedly to…
Stevie Fan Club {Everyone Needs an Uncle Mika}
My brother rocks. He came all the way from Missouri, accent and all, to help us out with Stevie for the weekend – just because he wanted to. Well, it was his wife’s idea, let’s give credit where credit is due! And it was the greatest. Where he gets his energy, I will never know. He kept up…
Cousin Day at Disneyland: The Photos
I know I keep referring to it as the worst day ever. The truth is it was just like every other day. Tantrums every five minutes. Incessant nagging. Screaming and frustration. But it felt so much worse because we were at freakin DISNEYLAND. I mean, there were time-outs next to Pirates of the Caribbean, begging…
Doomed Disney Day
We planned for months in advance. We somehow settled on a date that worked for 18 people. We convinced the non-believers to just come anyway and try to have fun. But I didn’t realize our cousin day at Disneyland was doomed from the start – until it was actually over. I can’t help but think about all the…
5 More Friday Confessions
It’s been so long since it rained, I apparently forgot how to use windshield wipers and kept turning on my blinkers instead. When I’m alone and the Frozen soundtrack starts playing, I don’t change it as quickly as I probably should. One of my favorite Stevie moments this week was in the middle of lunch, when…