Wow. About a year ago (almost exactly) I stopped blogging here regularly. I was in personal chaos. Everything was ripped out from under our feet – or at least that’s what it felt like. I thought, I’m going to blog about this. But I couldn’t. Somehow, as we got hit – again and again and a … More New Me, New Blog, New Project
The learning fun continues this summer with another round of fun activities! My 5-year-old, J, is so excited to get everything done. Each week this summer – I’m whipping up eight projects a week for our nanny to do with the kids. If you’re just picking this up now – check out week 1. … More Keep Your Kids Busy this Summer: Week 2 of 11
This summer is the last one before Kindergarten. Deep breath. I can’t even talk about that yet. But – what I can talk about is the fun 11 weeks of learning I’m planning for the boys! Each day our nanny comes over she’ll be taking care of not only my boys, but her girls. So … More Keep Your Kids Busy this Summer: Week 1/11
There’s something even more impressive in the person who falls, the person who fails – and gets back up to start again. … More 5 Lessons I Hope My Son Learns From T-ball
It’s so easy to get so lost in perfection, we can lose the benefits of imperfection. … More Is It Too Late to Buy Easter Outfits? Why My Kids Wore Transformers and Paw Patrol Instead
I thought my DSLR camera would be all roses and dandelions and perfect pictures. While I can get a lot more than I could with my little point-and-shoot – I’m not doing everything I can. That’s why I’m challenging myself to use manual mode and become someone who knows how to use the camera I’m holding. As I explained … More Manual Mode: Day 4; No Clouds on a Cloudy Day
This was the hardest day on manual. My kids. Are. Fast. For a beginning photographer – I threw in the towel on ALL-MANUAL. But guess what – there’s a little mode for people like us and it’s not auto. Check out that Tv mode. This is basically shutter speed preference. In my last post, I … More Manual Mode: Day 3; My Kids are Fast
I decided to put my big girl pants on – and turn the dial to manual. … More A Week on Manual Mode, Day 1: Auto is Holding Us Back
Poison – or peanut butter. I know, it’s dramatic. Hear me out. My entire time as a mother, peanuts have been something that can take the life of my child. Forgive me when peanut butter becomes a poison. But still – this weekend, I handed my younger son a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. In my other … More Feeding My Son Poison
Did I seriously just type out “A Birthday Party with 5 Themes?” Did I seriously just throw a birthday party with five themes? Yes. And yes. Now for the justification. Everyday my almost 5-year-old would have another idea for a birthday party, “We can make donuts for a Zootopia party!” “Everyone can build their own … More A Birthday Party with 5 Themes
A few months ago I was walking down the candy aisle mourning the old candies I used to be able to eat. Sigh. As I got to the end of the aisle I noticed some bright packages I hadn’t seen before. Are. You. Kidding. Me? Sun Cups. I picked up the package and sure enough … More Gooey Sun Cup Bars
Seven years ago I married my handsome husband on the Lake Tahoe beach. It was the perfect day. The sun was shining. Not a cloud in sight. No wind at all. 70s. We couldn’t ask for anything better. We had each other and nothing but big dreams in front of us. Fast-forward to this year. We happened … More When I Took My Kids to the Place I Got Married
Our real estate agent sat us down and asked us what was most important to us in a new home. After this and that – my husband and I said at the same time, “playroom.” Right now, our living room is truly the living room. Toys. Toys. Toys. Literally, right now I’m looking at train tracks, a … More Playroom Inspiration
When I had my first son – I was ready to teach him everything. I think he had his own personalized ABC book when he was less than a year old. I would read to him, “A is for apple, B is for ball, C is for cooking” with correlating pictures of him eating an … More Top Toys to Teach ABCs
I partnered with Tessemae’s and Bloggin’ Mamas to bring you this sponsored collaboration. Before my peanut-allergic son was born, my husband and I used to eat these sandwiches at least once a week. They were my go-to for events, dinners, etc. Then my son was diagnosed with a peanut allergy and had a reaction to the … More Honey Balsamic Chicken Melt
When my husband and I started dating in high school he told me he was Spiderman. Now he has two little boys he think they’re superheroes too. That’s why for Father’s Day last year – I knew I had to do something superhero related. Have you seen this going around, “Dad you are as brave … More SuperDad Father’s Day Gift
“Mom, try really hard to get the Emmy.” Those were the words of encouragement from my sweet 4-year-old, J.C. before I headed off to the Emmy award ceremony for my region over the weekend. I didn’t tell him I already tried hard to get the nomination – and a winner had already been chosen. I … More A Lesson in Losing
Can I tell you something? I made fun of food allergies. I know. I know. I was young, in high school. In my defense, if I can have one, I’d never actually met anyone with food allergies. My jokes were typical – the same stuff we saw in the movies of the time – the nerdy … More When Your Child’s the Butt of Everyone’s Jokes
I just signed my 4-year-old up for preschool… and I’m freaking out. Normal human emotion, I know. As I drove him to the preschool to drop of his registration papers I started singing a song about how he wasn’t old enough and how I need to shrink him back down. I looked in the rearview … More Did I Teach, Love and Enjoy Them Enough?
I’m sure you’ve heard preschoolers ask hundreds of questions a day. I’m sure you’ve heard (and responded) to hundreds of questions a day. You know, it wouldn’t be so bad if the questions weren’t so off the wall. Last week, as my son, J.C., rattled off unrelated questions in a single drive home I realized I needed … More Questions My Preschooler Asked Me Today
As Mother’s Day gets closer and closer, I can’t help but think of my dear grandma. A mom of eight. At one point, she had three kids under the age of two. She was a mom of kids in the home for forty years. That’s what happens when you have your last child when your first turns … More 3 Lessons in Motherhood from Grandma
Am I the only food allergy mom who watches Grey’s Anatomy and panics over the moments a mom is wheeled away on a gurney and the kids are bussed away to who knows where. In my head, the kids are being taken to the cafeteria or handed snacks. Well anyway, I let my thoughts get away … More Adding a Medical ID on iPhone
We have been on a getaway nearly all week long. It’s been absolutely amazing. But (yep, there’s a but – even on vacation) food allergies have made it somewhat difficult. There’s nothing like going to a new restaurant when you’re a food allergy parent. You really only have the option to trust the chefs, say … More How to Eat Out with Food Allergies
When my son J.C. was first diagnosed with a peanut allergy, we started talking about it as if it were Voldemort. The food-that-should-not-be-named. In books, when the characters were eating “peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” I bleeped out the “peanut butter” part to to just read “sandwiches.” When Disney Jr. promoted its “Peanut Butter and Jelly … More Defeating Nut Allergies with SunButter & Jelly Popcorn Balls
I absolutely love the age my son’s at – 4 years old! He’s starting to have his own ideas about how things should go, ideas for what he wants to do – and maybe most importantly for this party-obsessed momma – his original ideas for party snacks. That includes this one for the Planes fan. … More Plane Propeller Pretzels
Cross contamination has been a HUGE learning experience for us. When J.C. was first diagnosed with peanut allergies, we had no idea what it would mean for our reality. When you hear peanut allergy, you can pretty easily figure out we shouldn’t have peanuts in our home. Easy enough. We threw out the peanut butter and … More How to Teach Cross Contamination to a Food Allergic Child
My boy is four. It’s unreal. My baby is four. We had to celebrate with his all-time favorite movie, Planes: Fire & Rescue. First step – cake. This was just about the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It took me about 5 hours. I’m serious. Five. Hours. I’m hesitant to link my inspiration, but I have to. … More Planes: Fire & Rescue Party
I still remember sitting in j-school (journalism school) listening to the professors drone on and on about lighting this, lighting that. Welp. As I’ve played around with taking pictures on manual mode – I’ve realized they were totally right. The key to taking good pictures is 100% lighting. As I mentioned in my first post … More Manual Mode: Day 2; LIGHTS, Camera, Action
Live From The Playroom 