Dear Moms

Dear Moms, Howdy! It's a gloomy, rainy Monday here in Rockford...oh, and it's the FIRST DAY OF HALLOWEEN! (aka October) Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit!! Halloween Heights Herald, D., Sydnee school reporter The history of halloween. 10/17/2017 Retrieved  https://whesjournalism.com/3581/uncategorized/the-history-of-halloween/ Anywho, I am getting ready to play our family's annual fall game of, "How Long Can We Freeze Before We Turn On The Heat" and gearing up for some spooktacular fun and decorating! I know some of you Mamas are celebrating your little one's first Halloween and I began to go through the laundry list of mommy worries about this holiday of scares and candy... Why marketers should stop worrying and start loving big data Retrieved  https://datafloq.com/read/marketers-stop-worrying-start-loving-big-data/33 1 Where should we trick or treat? How do I check their candy? Do people really put razor blades in apples? How m...

Dear Moms, Beware the Ides of March! Lol did I just give you a creepy azz high school literature flashback? Yes? You. Are. Truly. MY people!! No? Well, you are a much better adjusted human being than I. Because, every time I hear that sentence I think (in rapid succession, almost while hyperventilating): Shakespeare, Sophomore World Lit, DID I DO MY HOMEWORK?! 😱👀😲 Then, I snap out of it. Realize I have loooong since graduated high school, and my undergrad years. #WHEW Now that I have exposed yet another layer of my mental instability, let's get down to business! This week ushers in St. Patrick's Day! This is the date celebrating one of the patron saints of Ireland who ministered Christianity to the Emerald Isle in the fifth century, St. Patrick. Here's the download on St. Patrick. First, he wasn't even Irish. It's believed he was Scottish.  Even though the actual birth date and locale aren't certain, he was born around 375AD by way of Roman parents (liv...

Dear Moms, So every other day or so, whilst scrolling through my social media accounts (btw are YOU following me on social media? The links will be below, in case you're not!) I see #HACK videos. You know, an easier way to do something that we've been doing for ages- but some genius (and I DO often sincerely mean "genius" in these instances) has figured out how to either make it easier, cleaner, or faster! There are plenty of hacks that I use regularly, that are tried and true... Making my own Febreeze for instance; or how to make your own fabric softener are a perfect set of examples. (I LOVE THOSE two by the by. So much so that I'm sharing how to do it in those links!👆) There are also some things I'm still waiting on one of the geniuses to hack. Things like, getting rid of my under eye circles (for REALS) and actually getting some sleep as a mommy! Hold the phone! *gasp* I have found a couple of hacks to actually help you get some good sleep ...

DE-Clutter for (and DURING) the Summer! Dear Moms,  So, I may or may not have already conveyed that I have developed OCD in the years I have been a mommy...lol but, it has turned out to be something that's been more favorable in my life than not. I say that to say this: when school lets out, I begin to get into Organization Mode. That means, I remove all the winter clothes and pack and label them to be put away, and I rotate out the summer clothes. I also start purchasing school uniforms, backpacks, etc in JULY- that way, by the time school gets started again, I have missed the rush, and I am already done. We buy the last minute items, and the things the kids WANT- versus what they NEED. In the same vein, I take the summer vacation to get the house, the activities, etc all organized as well. I have the types of children that if they are not given stimulation throughout the day, they will self destruct and go off the rails! I have a very stringent schedule for their down...

Making Mondays Less MANIC!! Dear Moms, Let's all say it: Sundays are simply the worst!! Sunday is the last day of the weekend and the eve of the madness the new week! We have to somehow manage to cling to the vibe of the weekend, attending church; and the occasional cookout all while bracing for the work schedule of Monday. I have been doing some experimentation in my own home and I have found a few ways to make Sunday less stressful and Monday much more manageable. Below I list some of my favorite ways to seize some control over the chaos! 1. Prepare for Sunday on Friday. Yes, this may sound a bit odd- it's Friday and we are ready to get out of the office, and get INTO the weekend! However, if we simply put on a bit of a mindset that Sunday is coming and bringing on it's heels Monday on Friday...subconsciously we are already halfway there! 2. Set Your "Monday Alarm" on Sunday Morning. Again, you are probably reading this with a, "Whaaaaa?" f...

MEMORIAL DAY!! Dear Moms,  So busy these days! I'm looking around for part time gig for the summer, gotta keep the kids in camp money- and ice cream truck stops! Lol anyway, I have been doing the interview shuffle this week and the application cha cha! This time of year makes me really glad I have my own business for the other 3/4 of the year; job hunting is a JOB in itself! I haven't had to spend so much time on Linkedin in a LOOONG time! Regardless, the Memorial Day holiday is this weekend- Woohoo! Some of us are celebrating the long weekend with no work on Monday and a cookout- and i have a few tips for that! Some foodie fun and some cocktails too! Keep reading to find out how you might be able to add something new to your hoilday soiree! Burgers are a staple at any backyard barbecue. Be it a veggie burger, or beef; a flame broiled patty is quintessentially SUMMER. Below is a recipe courtesy of Tasting Table . Give it a try this weekend and see what YOU think. (I hav...