Raising Kids
Christmas is a magical time for families, especially when you have small kids. Carefully choosing a few toddler stocking stuffers and placing them in our kids' stockings is one thing I'm looking forward to most this year. Stocking stuffers for toddlers are tiny treasures and sometimes they garner more attention than presents under [...]
Military Resources11 Totally Epic Military Retirement Gift Ideas for Service Members
Inside: Ultimate guide to military retirement gift ideas that'll have service members feeling appreciated, honored. Funny, unique, personal gifts to forever cherish. Retirement! What a time to celebrate. Over the past twenty years (at least!) the honored service member has devoted their life to service. Now it’s time to party! But when [...]
Mom LifeMy Favorite Things Family Gift Guide for 2019
I used to be a bit grinchy during past Christmastimes. It's hard to admit, but it's true: I didn’t love Christmas music, gift giving or holiday parties. I claimed “it just wasn’t my thing.” I realized that one of the big reasons I put up a lot of walls during the holidays was because I worried about feeling disappointed. [...]
7 Unforgettable Ways to Create a Memorable Courthouse Wedding
Courthouse weddings are common among military couples. The reasons for getting married by a Justice of the Peace have less to do with eloping and a lot more to do with unpredictable military schedules. Many couples get married in a courthouse before a deployment or right after Basic training because that’s the only time they know for [...]
30 Inspirational Mom Quotes That Every Mama Needs to Hear
All moms need encouragement and inspiration, and inspirational quotes for moms are a great way to boost mood and increase happiness. Because you are doing a great job even when you don't feel like it. You are doing a great job even when no one else tells you so. Hang in there mama! We are all in this together! (And psst...don't forget to [...]
47 Encouraging Phrases for Kids You Have to Try
Inside: When kids are feeling down, try one of these encouraging phrases for kids to connect your child to their inner greatness. My three year old has boundless amounts of energy some days. Some days I look at him and wish I could bottle up whatever special energy he has and sell it on eBay. I would post it on Facebook, and it [...]
One BIG Myth About Stopping Toddler Tantrums – Experts Fail to Mention
It happened again today as I was driving my daughter to preschool - another toddler tantrum. It was a beautiful chorus of wails and screaming in the back of the minivan about leaving her Huggie and Stuffy at home. We didn't even need music, as she was providing it free of charge. And if you saw me a couple of years ago when [...]
How to Stop Your Child From Whining – Immediately
I sat at the kitchen table, looking across the room as he struggled with the button on his pants. Using both hands to firmly grasp the button and hole, he attempted several times to secure his pants around his waist. I wanted him to stop whining and saying that he "couldn't do it." No luck. It’s hard to sit back and watch your child [...]
MilSpouse LifeThe Blind Spots of Military Life You Didn’t See Coming
Five years ago, while stationed in North Carolina, we had orders to Iwakuni, Japan. Spoiler alert: We never went. Mentally, we prepared for months. When I was pregnant with our first child, I anxiously explored options for how we would handle the Iwakuni move with a newborn. Would I stay back and meet my husband later? [...]
Schedule / Routine5 Sample Daily Toddler Schedules From Real Moms
Updated 10/18/19 I regularly get questions from readers about how to create a good sample daily toddler schedule. While not every toddler is the same, I do think it’s very helpful to see what other moms are doing in their homes. Five stay-at-home moms were asked to share their schedules. So I use the word "real" intentionally [...]
