Gorgeous flowers!

When we were in Tahoe a few weeks ago, Mike and I took the kids for a walk near Incline Village.

We saw the most gorgeous flowers; I just had to share these with you...

Aren't they beautiful? It was the perfect time of year to go for a walk; everything was in bloom!

For more "Wordful" / Wordless Wednesday, stop by Angie's Seven Clown Circus or 5MinutesforMom.

Sandwiched! Parenting Your Parents Too

Many parents are not only juggling the role of mom or dad to their own kids, they are also caring for their aging parents.

Today for Mom-Monday, I'm sharing an article I wrote for Sacramento Parent Magazine to hopefully provide resources and tips to those of you who are in this situation...

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Sandwiched! Parenting Your Parents Too

Jennifer Tlustosch is a Rocklin mom of three young girls. In addition to juggling her roles as mom and wife, on top of her own pursuits, she spent a year helping to care for her 94-year-old grandmother. During that time, Jennifer traveled to Citrus Heights about four hours a day during the week to look after her grandmother. “The biggest challenge was finding time for my own family and for me,” she says. Fitting all these demands into her schedule was difficult. Even exhausting.

Yet Jennifer is not alone. She is a member of “the sandwich generation,” just one of millions of moms and dads caring for aging family members while raising their own children. As more people start families later in life, and as Americans continue to live longer (the number of Americans age 65 or older will double by the year 2030, according to the U.S. Census Bureau), even more people are expected to find themselves sandwiched between two generations.

Their challenges are daunting, to be sure, but those who have learned to cope with the situation find it can also bring unexpected rewards.

The Time Crunch
Finding time in an already busy schedule to visit or care for an aging family member can be hard, as Jennifer knows. Even simple things like grocery shopping and getting to soccer practice can become difficult when your to-do list suddenly includes taking Dad to the doctor or picking up your Mom’s prescription. Additional paperwork, meal preparation, health care appointments, and other errands add to the crunch.

The Stress Factor
Caring for an aging relative can be emotionally challenging. “It’s hard to see someone get to the point where they have to rely on the care of someone else, when you know how much they want to be independent,” Jennifer shares.

Barbara Virga, who lives in Roseville with her husband and teenagers, had her mother living with her for many years. While the experience was positive for the whole family, Barbara felt some concerns as well. “When I was at work during the day,” she says, “I sometimes worried about my mom, hoping she wouldn't answer the door to strangers or answer random calls and provide vital information. I also hoped she was getting the right nutrition and taking her medicine.”

Barbara says that the benefits of having her mother there far outweighed any concerns, but she acknowledges that wasn't always easy, and that the roles and responsibilities within the family were a little different than they would be otherwise. While she was grateful for all that her mother did to help out, and her mother enjoyed being able to contribute by doing laundry or helping with light housework, Barbara sometimes felt guilty when she thought she should be the one spending more time doing those things. In addition, Barbara says it was sometimes hard expressing her concerns to her mother, feeling as if she was parenting her parent.

The Financial Pinch
Caregivers who find themselves helping with the cost of their loved ones’ care while covering other expenses (such as tuition for their children), often find themselves making significant sacrifices, from holding off on discretionary spending to delaying retirement. In other cases, individuals may leave their jobs, take unpaid leave, or retire early in order to care for an aging relative, impacting their own financial futures.

Sarah Litchney, an attorney at the Litchney Law Firm in Folsom, California, educates clients on how to avoid posing these financial hardships for their families, “through proper planning ahead of time.” This might include establishing a living trust and advising them on how much life insurance and long-term health care insurance they should buy. “Our clients who have purchased long-term health care insurance tend to do it in their late 40s and early 50s, before the premiums get too expensive,” says Litchney.

Mark Hyjek is an Attorney at Law who specializes in Elder Law. He says caretakers have two primary financial considerations: The first is whether or not the parent or relative has adequate resources, and the second is determining how to access those resources, i.e. who has the authority. Hyjek points out that assistance is available, whether it is for tax planning, financial planning or legal work. He recommends getting professional help in these areas and says that it is important to involve the entire family in the planning and decision-making process.

The Value of Family
Although Jennifer no longer oversees her grandmother’s care, she’s grateful for the experience. “As hard as it was, I will treasure the time I had with her,” she says. “I didn’t know her as well as I wanted to growing up because I didn’t see her very much, and being with her—doing things like watching TV and sharing recipes—was great. The experience was hard, but it was a blessing at the same time.”

Barbara grew up seeing her mother and aunt care for her grandma, so having her own mother move in seemed natural. “I didn’t think twice,” she says. Barbara is happy that she has been able to pass the same example on to her kids. Having her mother there also provided her teens with another person they could talk to and confide in, and they often did. Barbara frequently found her kids hanging out in her mother’s room upstairs. “My mom was always involved in the kids’ lives,” she says. “It’s all they’ve known.”

Coping
While each family situation is different and there’s no magic solution, these suggestions can help make the “sandwiched” experience a more positive one:

• Know when to ask for help
Share care giving responsibilities when possible. Barbara’s sister helped by taking their mother out on weekends and on vacations; she also oversaw their mom’s finances. Sharing responsibilities like this can go a long way in helping to prevent exhaustion and minimize stress.

• Plan and prepare
Vince Maffeo is Director of Operations for Comfort Keepers, a family-owned business that provides in-home services and care for the elderly. Maffeo recommends that people make sure their parents’ legal, financial and medical affairs are in order. He also suggests taking a look at things like long-term care insurance and other ways to cover costs, and he stresses the importance of knowing the different care options available, from in-home services to adult day care to long-term care facilities.

• Make time for yourself and your family
If you have a tradition of taking your kids to the lake on Saturdays, keep that tradition. “Even if it means asking a friend or a neighbor to watch your kids for a little while, make time to go out with your husband,” Jennifer urges, “…make time for yourself, too!” Professional care giving services can provide respite when family members are not available.

• Encourage your loved one to stay active
Jocelyn Ives is Manager of Community Relations at Comfort Keepers. Ives says seniors benefit tremendously from staying connected with others their age, especially those who share common interests. Many community centers offer senior programs that help elderly individuals have fun together while staying active.

• Seek support
Just like sharing with your mom-friends can help you with parenting decisions, connecting with others who are “sandwiched” can make care giving easier too. Besides relieving emotional stress, you can pick up valuable tips and discover new information and resources through formal or informal support groups.

Juggling the priorities of parenthood is never easy, especially within the sandwich generation. But planning ahead and knowing the different resources available can make the experience easier and more rewarding.

Help Is Here!
If you’re balancing caring for your children with caring for your parents or another family member, and live in the Sacramento / Northern California area, these local resources can help:

The Senior Connection
Eskaton’s community service offers free information and assistance in accessing resources to help with seniors’ needs. They also have information about local support groups.
5105 Manzanita Avenue, Carmichael
(888) 334-3490

Loving Companions Senior Services
A member of The Senior’s Choice network, Loving Companions specializes in providing one-on-one, in-home care, assistance and companionship.
(916) 509-7125, www.loving-companions.com

Comfort Keepers
Providing non-medical, in-home care and assistance, Comfort Keepers helps elderly individuals maintain the highest level of independence possible. Offices are located throughout Greater Sacramento.
(916) 933-8383, www.comfortkeepers.com

The Alzheimer’s Aid Society of Northern California
This non-profit provides free information regarding caregiver resources, as well as classes and support groups.
2641 Cottage Way #4, Sacramento
(800) 540-3340, www.alzheimersaidsociety.org

Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center
This private, non-profit program offers a variety of information and referral services, respite for caregivers, and information about support groups.
5723-A Marconi Avenue, Carmichael
(916) 971-0893, www.deloro.org

Rebuilding Together
This volunteer home repair organization installs grab bars, railings, ramps, and other senior assistance devices at no cost to qualifying low-income households. Households that don’t qualify can still benefit from RT’s fee service program.
(916) 455-1880, www.rebuildingtogethersacramento.org

Dial-A-Ride
City or county offices and Web sites can provide information about transit services like Dial-A-Ride, a low-cost transportation option that can relieve you from chauffeur duties.
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Beautiful Jewelry Giveaway - Kristen's Custom Creations

Remember the necklace I told you about that I absolutely love?

It was made by my blogging friend Kristen, who also happens to be an incredibly talented jewelry artist.

Her pieces are beautifully made, hand-stamped, and they all include a message or a touch of personalization that makes them unique. I love the way Kristen adds details too, like small pearls or charms and other custom goodies.

In fact, I love her jewelry so much that I ordered necklaces for my mom and both my sisters this past year (and they love them too).

No matter what your jewelry tastes are, whether you like small pieces:

or bigger ones,

whether you want something that inspires,

or something fun,

Kristen has something you'll like. She makes earrings and bracelets too. And for those of you who are moms, she has several mommy necklaces to choose from (they are all so cute!). She's even got a few daddy pieces for the dads in your life.

And here's the great news:

She's giving away a $40.00 gift certificate for her shop here!

All you have to do to enter this giveaway is:

-Leave a comment on this post. I'll keep comments open through next Thursday (9/2) and will draw / announce the winner after that.

-You do not have to have a blog to enter.

-Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

To get bonus entries:
-Stop by Kristen's Facebook Page and become a fan, then come back and comment again letting me know that you did.
-Stop by Kristen's etsy site, Kristen's Custom Creations, browse around, then come back here and comment, telling me which piece you like the most.
-Follow MyCup2Yours (my Google friend connect button is on my right sidebar, or you can click on the subscribe button to subscribe to updates), then leave a comment letting me know!
(no more than a total of four entries/comments per person)

This will be fun; I can't wait to see who wins! :)

Our weekend in Napa...

Mike and I celebrated our 15th anniversary in Napa a few weekends ago. (We used to go there a lot before we had the kids, but hadn't been in a while.) It was so much fun.

The grapevines were lush and green,

the countryside was gorgeous,

and we had a lot of fun visiting different wineries like the historic Frank Family Vineyards (the best one there, in our opinion, and the cutest too)...

We also went to race car driver Mario Andretti's winery.

The architecture was beautiful,

and the people were really friendly. When we went inside and saw a photo of Mario Andretti standing next to a yellow Lamborghini, we told one of the staff how much our son would love seeing it (he loves cars, especially yellow ones). The man turned around, went in the back room, and came out with the exact same photo for us to take home. It was really nice.

The whole trip was full of fun surprises like that...  

It turned out that the Raiders football team was staying at the same hotel we were, so we got to see some of the players coming and going and we walked by Al Davis in the hallway one night (not that I'm a football fan or anything--because I'm not--but Mike thought it was fun).

For dinner, we were lucky enough to get reservations at Chef Morimoto's (the Iron Chef) new restaurant in Napa:

The food was amazing, the atmosphere was modern and fun, and we had an incredible time.

The whole trip was great. We are already talking about when we can go again! :)

What about you? Have you ever been to Napa, California?

For more "Wordful" / Wordless Wednesday, stop by Angie's Seven Clown Circus or 5MinutesforMom.

I'm at Seven Clown Circus today...

Just a quick note to let you know I'm over at Angie's Seven Clown Circus today, so stop by and say hi!

She's the fabulous hostess of "Wordful" Wednesdays, a really great writer, a mom to five beautiful children, and just an overall, very-cool gal. You'll always find a good read over at her blog. I hope to see you there! :)

The gift of an ordinary day

My neighbor Barbara forwarded me this video and I just had to share it.

I watched it for about a minute before the tears started falling.

It's poignant,

and beautiful,

and so, so true.

And it gave me a new appreciation of what a gift an ordinary day with my kids is.

What a gift.




What about you? What does this video make you think of? What ordinary day have you enjoyed with your kids lately?

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A fun hike at Lake Tahoe

We went to Tahoe with some friends last week and took the kids hiking up Mt. Judah / Donner Peak. It was an awesome hike!

The wildflowers were in full bloom,

the terrain was beautiful,

the kids had a blast (this is a picture of them heading off the trail to check out a patch of snow on the ground),

and the view from the top of Mt. Judah was GORGEOUS!

It ended up being about a six mile hike; we were impressed with how well the kids did (they are all eleven years old or younger). If you ever go to Donner / Tahoe and are looking for a fun hike, I highly recommend this one. :)

For more "Wordful" / Wordless Wednesday, stop by Angie's Seven Clown Circus or 5MinutesforMom.

It's Follow Me Back Tuesday

I'm joining in on Follow-Me-Back-Tuesdays today, hosted by Cindi,  Stacy,  Jen,  J, and this week's guest host. It's a great way to discover new blogs; I hope you'll join in!

Here's how it works:

-Follow all five hosts, 1-5 on the link list, (and leave a comment so they can follow back)

-Post about FMBT and add the link in your post

-Follow as many blogs on the link list as you would like (again, leave a comment so they can follow you back)

-When you receive a comment from a new follower, return the favor and follow them back

(Check back on the hosts' blogs on Tuesdays at 12:00am EST to link up.)

Have fun! :)

This beautiful end of summer with my little girl...

As I write this, my daughter is playing Monopoly with a friend, and my son is in his room driving a remote control car around.

I just finished doing some writing for C2BU and was wrapping up a few things on my computer when I looked at my calendar and saw that I have a school check-in day with my daughter at her middle school this week.

Middle school.

I know I’ve mentioned the fact that I can hardly believe she’s in sixth grade, but it seems like as the date gets closer, I can’t even think about it without getting choked up.

I’m not emotional about it because I’m sad.

I’m not sad.

I’m just… emotional.

It’s the same way I felt when I walked her into preschool, her tiny hand holding tightly onto mine, her thumb in her mouth because she was a little unsure.

I felt like this her first day of kindergarten too, as I hurried away after dropping her off, hiding my tears under my sunglasses, hoping nobody would notice that I was crying.

It’s not that I want her to stay young, and it’s not that I don’t want her to be away from home.

That’s not it.

It’s just that I’m amazed

and overwhelmed

and sentimental

about the fact that she used to be a tiny baby in my arms,

mostly sleeping or crying,

and now she’s on the brink of becoming a teenager,

then a woman.

In seven years, I’ll have raised a woman.

See? Here come the tears again.

“Mommy, we’re going outside,” she just called.

They must be done with Monopoly.

“Okay,” I say, masking the emotion in my voice.

I remember when she was younger and I used to have to go outside with her.

I remember when I’d bring a blanket out on the grass and let her crawl around and play.

I remember the time when she was two and ate a flower and I called poison control in a panic.

And the time she was four and finger-painted hand prints all over our white Labrador when I had gone inside to get the phone.

The memories…

they make me laugh and cry.

There are so many of them.

And I know there are more to come.

I know that.

It’s not like her going into middle school means my journey as a mom is over.

Really, in so many ways, it’s just beginning.

Maybe that’s what my emotion is about…

the changing season,

the new phase.

Endings and beginnings.

It's just that I love her so much.

And with the school year starting in a week, and the fact that I know by now how fast the days, months, and years fly by,

I’m acutely aware of this time,

this moment,

this beautiful end of summer 

with my little girl.


Are you entering a new season too? How old are your kids and what's changing for them... and for you?


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Great links and websites for writers

Just sharing some writing links and websites today...

Because of our sports schedule this summer with swim team and soccer, I wasn't able to go to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago. (It's a great conference; I had such a fun time last year and all the other years I've gone.) If you write for children and didn't go to the conference either, you can still stop by the official SCBWI Conference Blog and read all about it. The team of bloggers did an awesome job capturing everything! You can also read PW's recap of the conference here.

Some other good reads for writers (in the children and adult genre)...

Literary Agent Chip MacGregor has written several posts lately that I wanted to share:

Finding Your Writing Voice

Do I need an agent?

Basic Information About Agents

Also, over at Storyfix.com: The Most Important Question(s) in Storytelling and the Ensuing Two Questions That Allow You to Answer. 

At Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner's blog: What is Writer's Voice?  and How do Agents and Publishers Make Decisions?

Children's Author Verla Kay has an awesome message board for children's writers and illustrators.

And last, if you haven't subscribed to Literary Agent Nathan Bransford's blog, I recommend doing so. There's a wealth of writing and industry information over there.

What about you? What kind of writing do you do (blog? books? freelance?), and what writing websites or blogs do you find helpful? Take a minute and share!


Happy reading! :)

A great week with friends

My friend Jen and her kids were here this week, visiting from the East Coast.

We had the best time. (I just took them to the airport today and I'm still feeling sad; it was hard to say goodbye.)

We hadn't seen each other in three years so we packed as much in as we could while she was here.

The day after she got here, we had some of our friends from college over. All of our kids are actually old enough now so they could play while we enjoyed lunch by the pool...

(Kel, Jen, Christie, Jen, me, Beth)

It was great to relax and catch up. It was almost like no time had passed, except for the fact that there were a bunch of kids running around (15 of them)! lol

The next day, we went to the lake with more of our friends from college (and all our kids) and had a great time talking, enjoying the weather, and swimming.

 (me, Jen, Kelli, Shannon)

Saturday, we had a girls night out...

 (top: Michelle, Jen, Kelli, Shannon; bottom: me, Jen, Ayiia)

and spent the night reminiscing and laughing so hard our stomachs hurt! 

Then on Sunday after church, we went over to my mother-in-law's house for a delicious brunch.

She had friends visiting too (from France) and it was really nice to meet them.

It was a week filled with great times, great memories, and great friends!

Thanks for coming out, Jen. We miss you already! :)

What about you? Have you seen friends from high school or college lately? 

For more "Wordful" / Wordless Wednesday, stop by Angie's Seven Clown Circus or 5MinutesforMom.

Room service, anyone?

Thanks for all the sweet anniversary wishes; I really appreciate it. Mike and I got away for a couple of days this week to Napa for a belated celebration, so I'll be posting those photos soon. It was gorgeous!

My friend Jen and her kids flew in from New Jersey last night, so I'm putting up a post from the archives. (This one still makes me laugh when I think about it. And my daughter still sometimes intercoms me at bedtime... :)

And one more thing: I won't be hosting Mom-Monday on August 9th, but will start back up the following week.

Room Service, Anyone?

Not long ago, Mike got a new phone system in our house that makes working from home easier for him. One of the features of the system is that the phones intercom each other--a convenient thing when you need to ask a question from upstairs or downstairs and you don’t want to yell.

Our daughter thinks it’s a great feature too and has a lot of fun calling from room to room.

Especially at bedtime.

The other night, literally one minute after Mike and I put the kids to bed, we heard the intercom…

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I picked up the phone.

“Mommy?” My daughter said. “Can I have some warm milk?”

“No. It’s late. You haven’t even tried to sleep yet.”

“But, Mommy?”

“What?”

“I’m starving.”

“You already had dinner and brushed your teeth. It’s time for bed.” I went to hang up the phone...

“Wait, Mommy. If I have crackers, do I have to brush my teeth again?”

“You can’t have crackers.”

“But I’m starving.”

I knew I should stand firm. I knew it. But against my better judgment, I started to waver.

Maybe she’s going through a growth spurt, I thought. Maybe she should have a little snack…

“All right,” I said reluctantly, guiltily aware of the fact that I was teaching her if she bugged me long enough, I’d give in. “You can have an apple.”

“Mommy?”

“What?”

“What about quesadillas?”

“No!” I’d just caved and offered her a snack, and now she was getting picky? “No quesadillas. It’s bed-time. I’m hanging up the phone and I’m bringing you some apples.”

“Okay. But, Mommy?” she said in her sweetest voice possible.

“WHAT?”

“Can you please cook me some bacon?”

BACON?!? “NO! I’m not making bacon. It’s nine o’clock. What do you think this is? Room service?”

Cute little laugh. “Yeah.”

I know I should’ve stopped the conversation right there. Or given her a consequence. Or done something to discourage her. But, blame it on being at that delirious parental breaking point where, like it or not, you’re either going to laugh or cry, I started cracking up.

I laughed, then she laughed, until we both laughed so hard we couldn’t stop.

“Well, it’s not,” I finally managed, catching my breath.

“Okay,” she said, still giggling.

“Listen.” I tried to sound firm. “I’ll cut you some strawberries if you don’t want apples. Then you need to go to sleep.”

“Okay. I’ll have strawberries.”

“Okay.” Sigh.

“And Mommy?” she said.

“What?!?!”

“While you’re at it, can you make me some warm milk?”…

(I don't think these intercoms are such a great feature after all.)

Wedding memories (and puffy hair)...

Mike and I celebrated our 15th anniversary on the 22nd (it's hard to believe how fast time flies).

We watched our wedding video and reminisced about our wedding day...

(and had a good laugh at our puffy hair...!)

It was fun taking time to go back and remember how it all began.

Even our nine-year-old, who watched the video too, said, "I want to have a wedding like you guys did. It looks like it was good."

And it was. :) 

For more "Wordful" / Wordless Wednesday, stop by Angie's Seven Clown Circus or 5MinutesforMom.

A bridal shoot you absolutely don't want to miss

Remember when I shared the story about my friend Carole's daughter and what happened in the bridal shop in Las Vegas?

Since then, Carole told her neighbor Debbie about it.

Debbie happens to be a talented photographer,

who also happens to have a friend named Jennifer who owns a local bridal shop.

Knowing that Heidi's fiancé Michael wasn’t there to see Heidi in the wedding dress in Las Vegas, and that Carole hadn't been able to take pictures that day, Debbie and Jennifer got together to create another magical day for Heidi.

This time, Michael was there.

And Debbie took plenty of (beautiful!) photos...

(Heidi, looking like a princess)

(Heidi and her fiance Michael)

(Heidi and her mom, Carole)

Click over to Debbie's site and read the full story of Heidi's even-more-special bridal shop day. Your heart will be touched by Heidi and Michael's love for each other and how Debbie and her friend Jennifer helped to make the day so special for them.

Then get the Kleenex ready and watch the beautiful slideshow below. (Heidi loves Disney, so Debbie even chose a Disney song for the slideshow.)

I feel the same way that Debbie expressed:  knowing that this day with Heidi and Michael was probably one of the most meaningful days for Carole as a mom, I am honored to be able to tell a little more of the story and share their experience with others.

After you watch their slideshow, take a minute to leave Heidi and Michael a comment here. I'm sure it would mean a lot to them!



*Another wonderful thing that happened as a result of Heidi's story being shared was that my friend Carole was contacted by Down Syndrome News, who then contacted me to ask if they could publish the story from my blog in an upcoming issue of their magazine. I am so excited that more families will get to share in the beauty of Heidi's special day!


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Good inspiring more good, Courage to be You, and other miscellaneous updates...

Happy 7 Quick Takes Friday! It seems like I have a bunch of miscellaneous updates to share, so here we go...


1. First, do you remember the story I told you about my friend Carole’s daughter and what happened in the bridal shop in Las Vegas? If you think that was a tear-jerker, wait until you hear what's happened since I shared the story. I hope to tell you about it next week (I'm waiting for photos to go with my post). It’s one of those awesome examples of how doing good inspires others to do more good and it will touch your heart for sure. Stay tuned!

2. Speaking of inspiring stories, if you’ve come across any encouraging links or good reads lately, or if you’ve written something you think might inspire others, email me. I'd love to know about it and possibly share it in a "Feel Good Friday" post. (I'll link to you in the post, of course.)


3. And even more on being inspired: Remember how I told you about the article I wrote on Jenny Williamson and her international, non-profit organization Courage to be You, Inc (C2BU)?

After writing the article, I felt compelled to get involved and somehow help with C2BU's Courage Houses--homes for children rescued out of trafficking.

I've since joined Jenny's amazing volunteer staff and we recently published a newsletter about all the things that are happening through C2BU here in the U.S. as well as in Africa and India to make a difference in the lives of children. (SO much more to come about this in the future--my heart is on fire for this--but for now, peek at C2BU's website and catch the fire along with me!) 


4. On a completely different note: I don't have a garden anymore (I totally lack the green thumb gene), but I do have a couple of basil plants that I am loving...

We've had pesto, lasagna, and fresh basil salads lately... so delicious. (What about you? What are you growing in your garden--or if you're like me, in your pots on the back patio?)


5. I heard something on my favorite radio station yesterday that really got me thinking: Mandy, one of the morning DJs said, "Are you one of those people who tries to go above and beyond in everything you do, or are you one of those people who is fine getting by with doing the minimum?" It was a great reminder to look at everything in my day—little and big—and shoot for excellence. Thanks, Mandy!


6. The weather in California! Wow. High 80's is my kind of end-of-summer-weather, especially because we've been spending so much time outside at swim meets and soccer tournaments with the kids. It's been gorgeous! How's the weather where you're at? 


7. Last, am I the only person in the world who just heard about Charlie Bit My Finger? Apparently, it’s one of the most-watched YouTube videos ever. I'm glad I finally caught up and watched it because it is too cute! Have you seen it? If not, take a minute:




Have a great weekend everyone! See you back here for Mom-Monday!

That guilty face

We try not to give Bailey any table scraps when we eat.

But somehow, she manages to find things to chew on anyway...

(That would be her with paper towel in her mouth--and all over the floor--looking just a tad guilty.)

No wonder she was so quiet while we ate dinner! :)

For more "Wordful" / Wordless Wednesday, stop by Angie's Seven Clown Circus or 5MinutesforMom.

It's Follow Me Back Tuesday

I'm joining in on Follow-Me-Back-Tuesdays today, hosted by Cindi,  Stacy,  Jen,  J, and this week's guest host. It's a great way to discover new blogs; I hope you'll join in!

Here's how it works:

-Follow all five hosts, 1-5 on the link list, (and leave a comment so they can follow back)

-Post about FMBT and add the link in your post

-Follow as many blogs on the link list as you would like (again, leave a comment so they can follow you back)

-When you receive a comment from a new follower, return the favor and follow them back

(Check back on the hosts' blogs on Tuesdays at 12:00am EST to link up.)

Have fun! :)

The best one-sentence parenting advice

The road of parenting wasn't meant to be walked alone.




It's so helpful to be able to get together with other moms and talk about what's working and what's not or share our successes, frustrations, and what we've learned. 

Which is why I love the answers some of you shared when I asked:

"What parenting advice would you give in one sentence?" (It's one of the questions on my Introduce Yourself post in my sidebar).

I've loved reading your nuggets of wisdom and decided to put some of my favorites up today so others could read them too...

Karen said: When you want to put your baby down, hold him for three more minutes and enjoy him instead.

M.Z. said: My advice to parents is to let their kids eat cake; they will only be children for a short period of time.

Sandy said: Be the parent and set the rules; the kid isn't supposed to run the house!

edj said: Teach them to cook early on; it will simplify your life.

Tami said: Have dinner together every night; you learn so much from your kids during that 30 minutes. 

Golden Grasses said: Sympathize with the hearts of your children.

Kathy C said: Write down memories as they happen and take a lot of pictures.

and possibly my favorite...

Michele said: Drink lots of coffee and don't take the tantrums personally. :)


What about you? Leave a comment with YOUR one-sentence parenting advice (even if you don't have a blog...every person has something to offer here; don't leave without sharing!)

Ivy's Ever After Winner!

Thanks to all of you who entered the Ivy's Ever After book giveaway!

I used a random number generator to select the winner and am happy to congratulate Discovering The Me In Mommy! (I'll get in touch with you and will pass your information on to Dawn, who will be sending you a signed copy of her book!)

Congratulations, and thanks to everyone else who joined in!

Happy reading!