Mom Hacks, Tips & Tricks

School is here. For us that means football season is also here. I am married to a high school football coach and my son is playing his first year of high school football … oh and they are at two different schools. #goteam In our house, my husband is our main cook. His mom instilled in him a LOVE for cooking and we can just say that that gene does not exist in my body. Friends of mine will probably be in disbelief that I am the one writing this, HA! This year by the time practice is over, we are getting home around 6:30pm. At this point, we have all been out of the house for 12 hours and...

Since my littlest little’s birth, there’s been a decline in behavior in my older two children. I know the reasoning behind it all but that’s no excuse to let bad behavior slide. I was losing patience quickly and felt like I was losing my sanity. So in looking for ways to stay creative in my parenting, the smiley face behavior chart was created. Creation We spent our morning making the behavior chart to hang on our fridge. For my kids, if they are involved in things then they are much more receptive to it. Ex: helping cook a dish they wouldn’t normally touch but if they stir the pot then they’ll eat it. So I made sure they were super involved...

One of my sweet friends invited a group of us over for a playdate. The kids were having a blast in the playroom while the moms sipped coffee and chatted in the living room. You know how it is - new kids in a different environment, and everyone is happy, at least for a bit. Glorious. We headed to the kitchen to get snacks, and I caught a glimpse of the kitchen sink. There were dishes in it! I couldn't believe it! I was THRILLED! So often, I feel so much pressure to have a perfect home before I have someone over, or post a picture. We had such an easy, enjoyable time, and I left feeling so refreshed. So Mommas,...

Let me tell you a little story about a botched Disney trip. I scheduled it the wrong week. Yep, my husband was not off work. Kids were not out of school. I planned it the completely wrong week. I messaged my Disney planner in a panic. All was resolved with no fuss. It was then that I realized I would never plan another trip without a travel agent. Here's why ... There is no additional cost! I will repeat that again for those in the back seats, NO ADDITIONAL COST. In fact, I would argue my trips cost less because I have the expertise of the planner to get me the best deal, best reservations, best everything with the most bang...

As the new school year is starting, I am shifting from stay-at-home in the summer mom to teacher-mom mode. People ask me what my perspective is about school being a teacher mom a lot, and as my kids get older, I'm noticing the things that I feel like are the most important to help children feel successful at school. Read, read, read at home. I know some children like to read more than others, but the more you can read at home, the better. We read fiction, non-fiction, funny books, silly books, books about whatever animals they are interested. Anything at all! Reading to children early is so critical, because it fosters a love for books, and it builds...