Red Stick Mom

As our kids grow up, they seem to accumulate more and more stuff. But I'm not just talking about toys and clothes.  All those little extras that our kids use and need everyday can start to take over! Today, I'm focusing on the kitchen and all those plastic cups and dishes that get piled up. I've got a great tip today that will keep those lids corralled and the plates from spilling over! Angela mentioned the importance of storing kids' cups and dishes within their reach in this post. Everyone's happier when the kids can help get what they need! Mine even helps put his stuff away when I'm unloading the dishwasher. But what I struggled with for a long...

This last year has been huge as far as watching my little girl turn into a little lady. She started kindergarten, rode on the school bus (which means no car seat or seatbelt), took part in actual field trips and was invited to her first sleepover. That last one was a tough one for me. Growing up, I loved going to sleepovers. We watched movies, ate pizza and junk food, and sometimes played Light as a Feather Stiff as a Board. All very innocent stuff. But honestly, the world is a different place nowadays and sleepovers are something that falls into that "I don't trust the world with my children" category. So when my very good friend told me that her daughter was...

Last month, my husband and I took our baby to the beach for the first time. Almost every summer of my life, my family has spent a week on the Gulf Coast, usually in the Orange Beach/Pensacola area. We rent a condo and spend the week relaxing, swimming, reading, cooking, going out for dinner, and shopping at the outlet mall. It is a week that everyone looks forward to, and this year was particularly exciting because we brought along a new addition: our four month old son, William. I was very, very nervous about taking him. He had never slept anywhere but our house and I didn’t know how he would adjust. He had also been going through a bit...

My homebuying series continues today! This series documents my experiences and tips for making the purchase of a new home go as smoothly as possible. In Part 1, I focused on what you can do to get the process started -- everything from finding the house you want to choosing a realtor.  Today, I will be focusing on the money side of things and helping you figure out this crazy process!   Buying a home will likely be the biggest purchase you ever make. If you’re like me, you don’t have enough cash sitting in the bank to buy it outright and will need to find financing. Navigating the lending process can be stressful if you aren’t prepared. Here are a few tips I have found...

Disclaimer: This is a guest post from Dr. Leanne Redman, associate professor of women’s health studies at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. You can get to know her more here and read her first post here. Her facts and opinions are based on her personal research. Red Stick Moms Blog was not paid to promote any specific medical viewpoints or studies. Always consult your physician with any medical questions.   With technology at our fingertips, 21st century moms have evolved to be savvy readers on health and wellness topics important to their own health and the health of their family. Lucky for us that with the development of the internet, many important health and medical organizations developed educational and research materials that are...