Working Moms

We are back this month with another Heart & Home! I know you will love it!   Today we have the privilege of being welcomed into the home of Madeline Ellis, mother of two and jewelry designer of mimosa by m.e. Madeline is the kind of person who is your instant best friend.  She will graciously invite you in for a cup of coffee, and you'll chat about all things "mom" as you adore her vintage treasures, clean style, and attention to detail.  Her home is more than just kid-freindly: each toy and piece of art seems carefully chosen to create a beautiful, ready-to-play space. As a mom, she is warm, down-to-earth, and dedicated to her passions.  Please enjoy this look...

When did having a "guilty pleasure" become a negative thing? Everyone has a guilty pleasure. Some people enjoy food, coffee, magazines, and/or music. My Guilty Pleasure is the BRAVO channel. Yes, pretty much the whole channel. Drinking game alert…every time you read the word “Bravo,” take a sip of Pinot until you get Ramona Eyes. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t watch every show on BRAVO. That would just be crazy and more of an addiction.  Thanks to my trusty DVR, I can enjoy my guilty pleasure whenever I have an opportunity for me time. Nowadays, my me time frequently includes folding clothes and cleaning the house in conjunction with catching up on my shows.  BRAVO is wonderful about replaying shows incessantly and regularly having marathons,...

You're a busy mom with kids, and you've read it all: use the crockpot, eat frozen pizza, cook in bulk. But, today, I'm sharing some tips and tricks that you may have never thought of that will save you HOURS of kitchen work and get you cooking healthy, at-home meals! Whether you stay home, work, have one child or five, you will LOVE these unique, time-saving ideas that will get healthy meals on the table and keep you sane in the process! 1. Get dinner ready at breakfast (or lunch) This tip is a game-changer once you get into the habit of it! The trick is to prep dinner while your children are eating breakfast and are semi-entertained.  For some of...

6:55 am in red letters on the stove clock. “Kids, let’s go. If we don’t hurry up, we will be late.” Now I see 7:00 am ... keep calm but we gotta get moving. “Bennett, you have enough toys for the 10 min car ride to school. You don’t NEED a bad guy. Buzz, Ninja Turtles, and Jake can all be friends in the car. How about we play nice and don’t bring a bad guy? Oh whatever, just get in the car.” “Avery, I understand you don’t like your shoes. You tell me every morning, but those are part of your uniform. The car is open, go get in your seat and buckle up!!” OK, kids out the door, lights...

In Part 1 of my post, I shared our typical day of being a mom and working full-time.  Now, I wanted to take some time to go into the reasons why I work, my tips for balancing life and work, and my advice for dealing with that "mommy guilt" that we all struggle with one way or another. Top reasons I feel that working full time works best for my family: Money - Life is expensive. Period. No explanation needed. Schooling- I went to college then graduate school to pursue a degree where I could make a difference in this world and I want to use it. Continuing Education and Intellectual Stimulation - I enjoy learning new techniques and procedures that will better...