Red Stick Mom

On January 3, 2018 I delivered the most perfect, squishy, nine-pound baby boy right here in Baton Rouge, LA while my husband - his father - was protecting America’s freedom in Africa. I’ll let that sink in for a second.  So, let’s go back just a little. After dating for 6 years, we got married in 2013, six weeks before he was sent to Afghanistan for his first deployment. We were kid-less at this time. I thought this deployment would be the most challenging thing to ever happen to us. When he got home in May 2014, it didn’t take long for us to become pregnant with our first son. He was born on March 29, 2015. Beyond ridiculous morning,...

DEFINITION: a Nonprofit organization is a business that has been granted tax-exempt status by the IRS because it furthers a social cause and provides a public benefit. Baton Rouge is a hub of activity and awareness, and this great city is full of organizations helping find cures, feeding the hungry, and lifting up people from all walks of life. Donating to a cause that has meaning to you or your family may not just be heartwarming, or a tax write off, it can also help fund a project that is important to you. I am going to highlight a few 501C3 organizations below. I have chosen 5 very different nonprofits that are focused here in Baton Rouge and range from rehabilitation...

I recently read this quote talking about living in the moment and how we all need to embrace life and live. Typical feel good quote to look at and scroll on past. But for some reason, this one stuck out and hit me in a different way. I lay in bed that night thinking about how I was (or really wasn't) living my life. Blame it on COVID and spending day in and day out doing the same things. With nowhere to go and having everything around me being canceled, I had been feeling sad for myself. Sad that when there was something to look forward to this year, it wasn't happening. But that night it clicked with me that...

One of my favorite hobbies and ways to relax is reading. I love sitting down and getting lost in a good book. From mysteries and romance to chick-lit and biographies, there isn’t much I don’t enjoy. In the summer, I tend to gravitate to more lighthearted beach reads, and like many of you, I’ve had extra time at home the past few months to devote to reading. Today, I’m sharing the top five books I’ve read recently. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler This is the first book I’ve read by Kelly Harms, and it did not disappoint. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler was funny, lighthearted and the perfect read to kick off summer. It’s about a single mom and...

When quarantine first began, my family was desperate to get outside in an area that wasn’t our backyard but still follow social distancing rules. This desperation led us to our downtown adventure. We learned that there is so much to explore, so many cool things to see and learn about near the River Center area and LSU campus in Baton Rouge. Since then, we've been a hand full more times and always can't wait to go back. Each time we go, it isn't crowded and it is all free! I highly recommend this as a family outing. PREPPING THE ADVENTURE What to bring? I have young children and a baby. So, I pack up our bikes, helmets, and a stroller. I also...