Holiday

It’s a new year, and the word “resolution” has resurfaced everywhere – in the news, on your Facebook feed, from your friends, even on your family goal list. We associate the word with a fresh start or new beginning, typically made at the start of the new year. Some resolutions can be brand new, but I prefer to categorize many of them as continued improvements. Some of you may know I’m a little bit of a control freak. It has become even more glaring as my kids grow. So much of being a parent is not having control of much, especially since it involves raising tiny people who are growing into their own personalities and having their own thoughts. I started...

We all know that these are controversial times in America. There are so many things to disagree over that sometimes it seems there is nothing to agree on. We see it everywhere we turn. On social media there is constant expression of people’s opinions. Around the water cooler co-workers are going at it over the election result. It can be depressing and quite overwhelming. Oh how I long for the days where our heated discussions were the Kardashians' latest scandal or our disbelief at the Jolie-Pitt split. I believe that we are all long overdue for some fun lighthearted discussions. So, to keep your family gathering merry and bright, here are a few topics you may want to stay...

This time of year can be very emotional, and we all often fall victim to a little Stress Eating. Well, to help us out, I thought I'd go over a few Holiday Snacking Guidelines. That's right -- these are the regulations that apply during this magical time of year, which help us navigate from October clear until Mardi Gras. Here is a list to help clarify what factors determine whether your food is a meal or not. If you meet the following criteria, your food is NOT a meal. I repeat, your food is NOT. A. MEAL. 1. If you're standing We will inevitably be attending several parties and other social events sure to bring on stress. It's imperative that you remember, then,...

“Wake Up! Wake UP! WAKE UP!!!!” How can I wake up if I never went to sleep? Wait get it together Beven … Momma can’t be tired … It’s the happiest day of the year for every boy and girl in the world and I get to share it with my two boys, Cooper and Carter, and my two girls, Caylee and Carleigh … That’s right, IT’S CHRISTMAS MORNING! The boys lined up like racers in a marathon waiting for Daddy to set up the video camera. When he hit record, the boys sprinted from the room for their designated couch as Caylee Adair skipped just behind with lady like grace. There were laughs and smiles, excitement and cheers, and pure joy -...

Editor's note: this post was a collaboration between two of our contributors, Sarah Joy Hays and Kodi Wilson.  Our South Louisiana communities saw the worst natural disaster in 100 years, the Great Flood of 2016. Five months later, the current status is a sobering one. As you decorate your homes with trees, ornaments and lights, and dive head first into Christmas lists, please take a moment to think of these families and consider their needs this time of year. Many families are finding out they will still be in temporary housing until the spring, while others are finding out they won't even get a FEMA trailer until the first of the year so they can keep rebuilding. Yet others are finding...