As a parent, I watched eagerly from the start of my two children’s lives, to see what it is my kids would be passionate about. Would I have skateboarders on my hands? Future thespians? Maybe a lacrosse or baseball player? What about a budding artist or writer? With both children I came out swinging: for my daughter I bought baby books, and started reading to hear the day the pregnancy test came back positive. I signed her up for toddler…
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Last week I went to the gym for a couple hours {stop the presses!} and came home to a contented, totally decked out Charming. Precocious had a friend over, and between the two of them they glittered, pony tailed, gelled, and hair sprayed Charming to within an inch of his life. He loved it, obviously. I found him on the driveway, bubbles in hand, enjoying a pretty summer night like only a small child can. Even though I had a…
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You guys, it’s been the longest week in the history of weeks. The whole family got strep throat over the weekend last week, went to our various doctors for a diagnosis, and started on antibiotics on Monday. Strep throat + Lupus = bad news. Taking care of 2 sick kids with strep throat while I had strep throat = double awesome. Wednesday we had the State Science Fair for Precocious at B.Y.U. We all trooped in, up to our necks…
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Summertime around my house means a lot of things: BBQ, pool time, swimming lessons, naps, a relaxed summer schedule, and jobs. Yes, jobs. My kids think I’m the meanest mom on the block for making them do jobs in the summer {mo-h-mmmm!} but there’s no avoiding it, jobs have to get done before playtime happens at my house. I’ve tried {and failed} at finding the right job chart for my kids, and obviously jobs and kids change constantly so it’s…
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We went to California last week on a family vacation, and naturally we took a lot of family photos while we were there. The only problem? The kids were a nightmare for all the photos. They’re over the fact that mama has a nice Canon camera and don’t want to sit still for even one nice family photo. You want to see? I want to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from parenthood. The end.
I’ve looked for ways to volunteer with my kids in our community for years. It’s a really difficult prospect logistically because kids are a liability frankly, you can’t take them with you if you’re building a house for Habitat For Humanity. It’s something that has really bothered me, this dearth of volunteering opportunities with children, because I’m anxious to teach my kids about service, selflessness, give them a chance to look outside their own luxurious lives for a minute and…
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Once upon a time diaper was a diaper was a diaper, all pretty much about the same. Anymore, it seems, the competition is fierce, and the latest innovation is calld Dry Max, by Pampers. You know them because they also make those great swaddling diapers for newborns to ease all that umbilical cord drama. So these new Dry Max dipes are thinner than other diapers and made with less materials and less packaging. Nice. Also nice, the pricing is the…
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Back when I was a good mom, I used to get gifts for my kids on Valentine’s Day. I’m a mean mom these days and I usually only spring for chocolates and a card for my kiddos come V-Day. I have some great ideas for gifts that will make your kids go wild on Valentine’s Day. Seriously, they’ll love you forever. Unlike mine who will be in therapy for lack of toys when they get older. Zebra Shooter$26.95via Marshmallowville I…
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Our three year old is something of strong-willed child: opinionated. determined. assertive. impossible. A pistol to be sure, now don’t get me wrong, I’m happy he’s not a bump-on-a-log, but sometimes the defiance willfulness is out of control. We are not the kind of parents that don’t believe in limits or discipline, but I find myself scolding more than I like, telling him “NO!” more than I like, feeling frustrated more than I like. All of this definitely more than…
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