Mom Hacks, Tips & Tricks

According to Webster’s Dictionary, stress is defined as "a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances." Can I get an AMEN? As women, our stress level varies by the day, hour or minute depending on what our surroundings are. We are constantly worried about our spouse, children and the people around us even if we aren’t conscious of it. There are some things I have found to help de-stress me. Self-care is good for the soul and more than the Instagram posts talking about it. We need to take care of ourselves so that we can then take care of others. One of my favorite self-care quotes that I found comes from Eleanor Brown: “Rest...

I share my birthday with my twin three year old girls, and this year it was going to fall on the weekend of the school fair. With the twins’ birthday party scheduled for the next weekend, date night options for my birthday were very limited. So when my husband Matt asked what I wanted for my birthday, I suggested spending a weekday together. Matt had Columbus day off, and I had a personal day burning a hole in my pocket. It made so much sense. We would wake up and start our usual routine of dropping off the kids at school. Then, instead of going to work, we would meet up for breakfast and take it from there. It was...

National Cookie Day is upon us! I just recently found out about this day, and I’m so excited about it. This is almost as great as national donut day! So with all of that excitement, I’ve decided to share the most delicious cookie recipe ever. It’s vegan, but honestly don’t knock it till ya try it. These are obviously best served warm with a glass of milk, but they are just as delicious the day after (if there are any left).  Cookies So Delicious You Won't Know They're Vegan Ingredients 1/2 cup coconut oil, solid 1 and 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I add a little more for fun) 1/4 cup almond milk 1/4 cup unsweetened...

P.S. (and this P.S. totally goes at the beginning) This post is sponsored by Portrait Innovations. All opinions are my own. Unexpected Gems From Family Photos Sometimes life is hard. If you're a parent, you know this by heart. You live it and you try to teach it to your children so that one day, maybe they'll appreciate the fun in life when it happens to them or at the very least be able to point it out when it happens to others. "Look, mom. That seems fun." "Excellent, son. You've finally recognized it." Family photos can NOT be fun... I mean, there's certainly a potential for fighting, crying, insecurity, unflattering comparison, tantrums, more crying and grass stains on an expensive dress. You can really work yourself...

My siblings and I all come from a long and proud line of anal-retentive matriarchs. From a grandmother who would dust-bust under your chair while you're eating in it to a mother who refused to put trash in our bathroom trash cans, we all inherited the trait honestly. In fact, until we had friends over and nearly yelled at them in shock, we didn't realize other people were allowed to sit on beds - this was a cardinal sin akin to not refilling the toilet paper roll or failing to replace the shampoo bottle in its rightful spot. (And in case you're wondering, we sat on the floor. Isn't that where you sat in your bedroom?) I naturally assumed...