Mom Life
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 [...]
MilSpouse Life7 Survival Tips to Help Your Military Child Adjust to a New School
We moved from Oklahoma to Texas because my husband was selected to be a MTI. As a military family, we were ready to move: we had been at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma for 5 years. But I worried about my daughter--a military child. She had gone to school in Oklahoma from Kindergarten to Third Grade. It was the only school she knew. My son [...]
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 [...]
Raising KidsHow 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 [...]
7 Surprisingly Simple PCS Tips That Will Decrease Your Stress
My bag bulged with ALL of the things: iPad, iPhone, child headphones, over a dozen small wrapped toddler toys, and just a few snacks. "Where is your passport?" asked the nice man behind the counter. Oh, just with my husband that took the toddler to the bathroom fifteen minutes ago, while I waited in this long (but deceptively fast [...]
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 [...]
How to Overcome Military Spouse Career Challenges
After 3 years in a long-distance relationship, my military boyfriend and I made a big decision: I would move to the East Coast to join him at his current duty station. This decision carried a lot of weight for us. Obviously, it took us 3 years to pull the trigger. I was optimistic about the move and the transition to life as a military [...]
DeploymentWhat Really Goes Down on FaceTime During Deployment
My husband has deployed multiple times. He's gone to Korea for a year. He's been away on countless TDYs. So we've depended on programs like FaceTime and Skype to cope with deployment separations. It allows the kids to see their Daddy. It allows me to see my husband. But the conversations don't always go smoothly. This is, after all, [...]
