Raising Kids
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Jockey for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. The Jockey #ShowEm campaign celebrates the values that guide our journeys and help us overcome the obstacles that life can sometimes place in our way. When Jockey encouraged me to share my own story and #ShowEm what’s underneath, I knew that [...]
MilSpouse LifeHow to Overcome the Intense Challenges of Military Marriage
I had just found out that another fellow military wife left our OCONUS duty station—and she wasn’t returning. The pit in my stomach immediately turned queasy. This wasn’t the first military wife who moved her life half-way around the world only to move back to the U.S. without her husband. In fact, she was one of many wives that I knew [...]
Deployment50+ Amazing Things Military Spouses Can Do During Deployment
If you talk to enough military spouses in the middle of a deployment, you'll discover a common theme: everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. It's as if kids wait to get sick, washing machines wait to break down, and all minor emergencies are reserved for the days, weeks and months your service member is gone on a training mission [...]
The Uncomfortable Truth About Positive Parenting
There was blood everywhere: my shirt, his shirt, the floor. It was pouring so fast from my son’s mouth, all I could do was reach for the towel hanging on the oven door handle, prop it gently against his mouth and attempt to catch as much as I could. It had been a day. Well…more like a week. Using positive parenting strategies with my [...]
Mom LifeYoga Pants Rut? How to Find Stylish Mom Clothes
Lately it seems like stereotypical mom clothes have taken over my wardrobe. First there's the yoga pants. If it doesn't have an elastic waistband, forget about it. Then there is the same t-shirt you have in 3 different colors on rotation. And lastly, there's the mom bun. When I looked in the mirror last week, I wondered what happened [...]
Schedule / RoutineTop 7 Challenges and Solutions for Parenting a Toddler and Newborn
In a way, I felt like I was dying a slow death. This was supposed to be a joyful and harmonious time in our lives. Yet, caring for a toddler and newborn challenged me in ways I never expected. I used to get my toddler fixed up with an activity and then sit down to nurse the baby. I’d finally have her settled and drifting off to [...]
The Sleep Hack Every Tired Mom Needs to Try
It’s 10:30 pm and I’m exhausted from the day. My feet are tired, my eyelids heavy and I cannot stay awake another minute. I head to bed, change into yoga pants and a t-shirt and wrap my hair into a stereotypical "mom bun." As I stood at the bathroom sink, preparing to wash my face, I took a glance in the mirror. For a [...]
How to Get Kids to Listen at the Dinner Table Without Bribery
If you came to our house during dinner time a few years ago, you’d see me reminding my kids to "sit down in the chair" several times. You’d also see some food on the floor. Maybe some chair rocking. Slow eating. Getting kids to listen at the dinner table is a HUGE challenge point for families. And it turns [...]
Military ResourcesHow to Find Stunning Military Ball Dresses Under $100
This is embarrassing, but I am going to tell you anyway. Because you can do military ball dresses under 100 dollars the right way or you can do it the wrong way. Last Spring--and a several times before it--I absolutely did military ball dresses the wrong way. My husband called me from work and announced that there was a military ball in [...]
The Big Problem With Over-Praising Kids – And What to Do Instead
“Mom, mom, MOOMMMMMMM!!!” This is how every other minute of my day went. Kids live completely in the present moment, and it’s elegantly beautiful, but it can also feel very emotionally draining to a parent. Before I knew It, I fell impatient with stopping the whining and started using a lot of empty praise. I wanted to raise a [...]
