The first time I learned – really learned – what a sleep regression was, I began to wonder if it wasn’t more well-known as some part of a conspiracy to keep us young parents in the dark. After all, this little sleep had to be a form of torture, right? So surely the older generations weren’t […]
Health
7 Ways to Survive A Sleep Regression at Any Age
Chocolate and sleep. Right now, those are the two things I want most of all. Because right now we’re smack dab in the middle of my youngest child’s 11-month sleep regression. Yay… Thankfully, though, this isn’t our first time experiencing the joys of a sleep regression. Given that baby girl is our 4th child, we’ve […]
How to Survive the 11 Month Old Sleep Regression
With four small kids, I’ve had to ask myself a few very hard questions – multiple times. And one of the hardest was this… what do you do when your kid hits an 11 month old sleep regression? My answer so far? You cry a lot. And then you dive back into parenting and you get […]
Home & Garden
15 DIY Deck Projects: Build, Remodel, Restore, and Decorate
If you love being outside, is there really a “wrong” time to start planning on making your deck, patio, or backyard even more awesome? I’d vote no, y’all. Because being outside is the best, especially when the weather is great. Whether you’re running through the cold sprinklers with the kids, digging in the warm, rich […]
When 4X or 10X Restore Goes Bad – and How to Avoid it!
Who here likes to do the same work over and over again? Nobody? I’m not shocked. Nobody (sane) likes to do and re-do and re-re-do the same thing over and over again. Not when doing it once should have been enough. Anyway, let’s take a look back at how Rustoleum’s Restore 10X (and 4X) that I’d slathered […]
Humor
One Simple Phrase to Brighten Your Day: I love you Mom
Mornings are controlled chaos, as I juggle getting breakfasts made, lunches packed, and kids dressed. And yet as I watch my kids – whether they’re playing, settling down for naps, or begging for another round of “crack the egg” on the trampoline, I realize how much I love this parenting gig. Because even on the […]
A Real Mom’s Top 10 Reasons to Get Takeout Tonight
It isn’t even lunchtime yet, and I’m already fielding the question that itches at the back of every mom’s brain… “what’s for dinner tonight?” And while I’d love to cook a gourmet, 5-course, Mediterranean diet dinner for us all to enjoy, I also know that the baby’s the only other person in the family besides […]
Inspirational
Here’s How We Knew We Were Done Having Kids
Cuddling my youngest as she drifts off to sleep for a nap (or bedtime) is one of the highlights of my day. She’s still small enough that she loves to burrow into my arms – and she can do it without accidentally giving me a bloody nose via unintentional head-butting. Deciding she was our last, […]
The Reality of Parenting and a Story of a Birth Plan Gone Awry
When my OB nursing instructor asked me a question, and I answered “What is a birth plan?”, I knew I’d been multitasking too much again. You see, somebody thought it’d be a fantastic idea to have every lecture in a dark, quiet, and cold computer lab. To fight off afternoon naps, my friends and I […]
Parenting
Guess What? Sometimes a Baby Sleep Regression Just Happens
After a long, sleepless night at the hospital after delivering our oldest son, we thought we’d get more sleep if we went home the next day, to sleep in our own beds. We should have been more suspicious when the nurses started laughing… but we were still new to parenting. Because, sometimes, kids just aren’t […]
Science Says an Early Kids Bedtime is Good for Mom’s Health
Our kids’ first birthday is a big deal at our house, but it’s not because cake-smashing is our favorite activity. While we love getting to bathe a child encased in chocolate, what we’re really excited about is the magic that happens for our kids at age one: they finally start sleeping better at night. Have […]
Good Eats
15 Mother’s Day Brunch Dishes Kids Can Actually Make
My sisters and I recently came to a fantastic new arrangement – we’ve divvied up present-buying responsibilities for our mom. One sister is in charge of Christmas; another is in charge of mother’s day; I’m in charge of her birthday. But since my mom’s birthday is only a few days before Mother’s day, it gives […]
How to Make a Protein Shake Taste Like a Milkshake in 2 Easy Steps
Waking up for an early morning workout is hard. Going through all of the exercises, half awake and wondering if I’m doing them or just dreaming it, is even harder. But the protein shake that tastes like a milkshake at the end? Totally worth it. But here’s the thing… last grocery shopping trip, I forgot […]
Writing
How to Get Better Leads – My OptinMonster Review
I love writing. There’s no one reason why – there are lots of little reasons. And one of those little reasons why is because I have some of the most amazing clients that I write for. I love getting to help them – and I also love getting paid to write! In any case, while […]
The “Complete Workout” Content Marketing Strategy
My husband and I have been working out steadily for about six weeks now: it’s been just long enough that while every morning workout still feels like it’s going to kill us, we’re starting to see some awesome results. Content marketing, and your content marketing strategy, should be just as involved as is your overall […]
