Three Common Breastfeeding Myths Explained

Part of getting yourself ready for the day when you welcome your new baby into the world involves thinking about how you plan to feed your baby. As is the case with many of the decisions that you will make regarding your baby, the best way to prepare yourself is with information. The more you know about infant feeding and nutrition in advance, the better prepared you will be to navigate the ins and outs of feeding your baby once he or she is born. One helpful type of information to have at the ready if you plan to breastfeed … Continue reading

Capital One Buys ING

Years ago when ING Bank was still fairly new it was a frequent topic of conversation on some online message boards that I frequented. I was ready to have my meager savings earn a better interest rate so I opened an account using a referral code a forum buddy supplied. The referral code gave me $20 and my forum friend $10. I have had no complaints about my savings account with ING. I do wish I could open another saving account and get another $20. ING started offering checking accounts and I jumped to open one. I wanted the convenience … Continue reading

How To Hide a Bump

Usually when we’re talking about maternity clothes on this blog, we’re talking about ways to dress around the bump, but sometimes it’s necessary to hide it. The most common reason for hiding a pregnancy is if you are an actress playing a role that does not involve a pregnancy. You might also hide a pregnancy if you feel your job is at stake, such as during an interview. Even though it is unethical, women do sometimes get turned down for positions because they are pregnant. I’m sure there are other reasons a woman might want to hide a pregnancy, at … Continue reading

Tips for Starting Conversations

The two situations I wrote about yesterday started me thinking and I suspect I’ve also been guilty in the past of shutting people down with my answers. So, here are a couple of guidelines for initiating conversations 1. Don’t ask people – ‘What do you do?’ Even though experts say this is a good question, I disagree. It sounds to me too much like pigeonholing and tacking a label on. This question was one that used to make me run for cover when I was a stay-at-home Mom. It made me feel in the eyes of professional men and women … Continue reading

I’m Still Sort Of Really Qualified to Homeschool a Gifted Child

A big thanks to Andrea for letting me share our adventures with Alex over the past year or so. In case you’re just joining us. . .Alex is our son and he is a little bit smart. This is part 2 of a series about choosing curriculum for him. I hope you find it helpful if you’re just starting to navigate the road of homeschooling a gifted child. Mom Panics I left our story last by describing the first leg of our journey–where I panicked. Last year, Alex flew through three whole grade levels of curriculum. But it was the … Continue reading

Tristi’s Favorite Musicals

I grew up watching musicals. I love Doris Day, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire – in fact, there are very few movie stars from Hollywood’s golden era that I don’t like. There’s just nothing like a man and woman gazing into each other’s eyes and then breaking into song. Some of my all-time favorite musicals are, in no particular order: “Oklahoma!” Who could forget Shirley Jones in her first role as shy and idealistic Laurie, caught up in her feelings for that rascally cowboy, Curly? “Show Boat” took on a tough topic – that of race discrimination – and brought us … Continue reading

Frugal Living Week in Review: November 26th Through December 2nd

It is finally December. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by. It has been a year now, since I first started blogging here at Families.com in the Frugal Living Blog. A lot has happened in the world and in my own life. I continue to be in awe of anyone who practices a frugal lifestyle, and I have learned many different ways to save money. I can’t wait to learn even more. I hope that we can help each other in our efforts to save money and provide for our family. And now, here is the Frugal … Continue reading

Meeting Someone New

Starting a conversation or trying to get know a person you are attracted to can be difficult. Just being around the person can make you nervous and anxious. You begin to have thoughts of rejection. What if he or she does not feel the same way about you? Some marriage results from lifelong friendships. However, some marriages result form people that just met. Do not be afraid to meet new people. If you are single and looking for a relationship, you want others to find you approachable. Initiating a potential relationship with another person can be easier than it seems. … Continue reading