Education

Years ago, I felt called to become a teacher.  I was working full-time in the private-sector and was feeling like I needed more time at home with my son, who was not quite one yet.  In my head, this was a perfect fit, I would go into work at 8AM, be home by 3PM, and have the entire summer, as well as holidays to spend more time with my son.  What occupation could be a better balance of work and family, right? Fast-forward through six weeks of Alternative Certification Training, as well as a few weeks in Summer School as a Student Teacher, and BAM!  I’m a Teacher!  A real one, with a classroom all my own and 125+ students...

  With Little Pnuts we hope to get children back into imagination, creativity, and play. We want children to get up off the couch, step from behind a computer, turn off the television, and find accomplishment in playtime. What is Little PNuts? Little Pnuts is a unique subscription toy company that sends special deliveries of eco-friendly, sustainable, natural & organic toys, to arrive on your doorstep! You choose the age range of your child, give a little information about his/her gender and birthdate, choose a subscription service, and then enjoy for years to come! (We also love that this company is based right in New Orleans!) You will receive 4 quarterly special deliveries each containing 3-5 toys.  The toys that your child receives in each...

While taking my boys out to a local park for some bike riding practice, I found myself walking around the area and noticed a good bit of litter on the ground.  With nothing else to do, I decided to pick up a few pieces.  Before I knew it and without me even asking them, the boys picked up on what I was doing and starting following behind me to see who could pick up the most! Everything is a contest in their minds.  Within 10 minutes, we’d gathered up an entire milk crate of garbage and I felt immediate gratification from being able to leave the park better than we found it.  I also felt a sense of pride in...

When I was pregnant, one of the best pieces of advice I received went something like: Come to terms with the fact that every parenting decision you ever make will be the wrong one. I have come back to that idea over and over again in my six months as a mom.  There is not one right way to do anything, much less how to raise a child.  And I remind myself that people have been birthing kids and raising kids, since, say, the beginning of time.  Since before we knew about SIDS.  Before formula.  Before car seats. Here are two ways that I am trying to combat fear (and fear of failure): 1. Stop surrounding myself with information and advice that is not...

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...