Holiday

Disclosure :: we appreciate our wonderful sponsors for making our SPOOKtacular event possible! A huge thank you goes to Lil Bambinos Playtorium for hosting this event and to Bliss Cupcakes for bringing their talented cupcake decorating skills to share with the kids! Pediatric Dental Specialists of Baton Rouge will be on hand with healthy "trick or treating" in the form of t-shirts {first 25 kids} and balloons. Thank you to Leave Dinner to June for providing their signature Caprese Chicken Pasta and sweets and to California Pizza Kitchen-Perkins Rowe  for providing an assortment of sandwiches, Thai Chicken Salad, BBQ Chicken Salad, Quinoa Arugula Salad and their homemade Peach and Raspberry Lemonade for everyone. Thank you to Sherman and Balhoff-Specialists in Orthodontics for bringing beautiful smiles to join us!...

Let me preface this post with a few important points. I absolutely know that there are more "important" issues in the world, and I am so deeply aware that many children struggle to have their basic needs met. I have spent 5+ years of my own career working in inner city schools in Louisiana, so I have seen firsthand the tangible effects of hunger, poverty, abuse and more. I also know that having living and involved grandparents at all is a HUGE blessing, and it's not one we take for granted. That said, after conversing with many friends, I also know that I am not alone in these feelings. While well-meaning, all of the plastic tchotchkes that enter our home...

I am sure you've heard the saying, "oh that's just a Hallmark holiday," yes? My husband is a huge fan of this phrase, and it's not just because he happens to be really challenged (he hates shopping) in my love language (gift giving). I genuinely understand that some people aren't celebratory by nature; these are likely the same people who don't love birthday parties. I also understand that some people don't see a need to dedicate a day of the year to moms, dads or our relationships. I am going to agree to disagree. And here's why. We live in such a fast paced culture. The vast majority of us, especially those of us in the trenches with small children and...

Last year, I threw my first ever "Galentine's Day" party.  "What's Galentine's Day??," you ask. Source Don't worry, I didn't know anything about it until I binge-watched Parks and Rec while I was pregnant with my second son last year. Once I saw it, I knew I had to do it. An excuse to host some of my favorite gals? Yes please! Here is what I did. First, a couple weeks before the party, I emailed all the husbands, fiances, or boyfriends of the women who were coming with these questions and strict instructions NOT to tell their partners: What is your favorite sport? Where did you go on your first date? What is your favorite dinner that she makes? What is her favorite pastime or...

The holidays for our family, like most families, are a little manic. From the time we carve the turkey on Thanksgiving day until we cut the King Cake on 12th night, we are filled to the brim with family events, eating, running from here to there, more eating, staying off schedule, not keeping up with laundry, opening presents, still more food, and lack of sleep. By the time mid-January rolls around (I'm a resolution procrastinator), I'm ready to get my life in order by de-cluttering, refocusing, and de-stressing. This is usually when I detox. I don't mean the celebrity detox where you drink cayenne water for 3 days. I'm speaking of a life cleanse. To cleanse means to rid yourself of things that...