Failing Isn’t Always a Step Backward

I have led a far from perfect life. There are many choices that I would like to take back. Given the chance I would have done things a little differently, but through the struggles I’ve become more refined. I’ve become the woman I wanted to be. Without those mistakes I would not be who I am today. I found strength I never knew I had and I found it because of a failure, a failure that would become my saving grace. I am a young single mother. I fought long and hard to save my marriage, but ultimately it failed … Continue reading

Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself

As a mother it is natural to put our children’s needs above our own. While there is nothing wrong with this, it is important to remember to take care of your needs as well. Your kids need a healthy mommy to take care of them, which means like it or not, you can’t push your needs aside anymore. You have to take care of yourself, so you are still around to take care of them in the future. As a woman yearly exams are crucial. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how healthy you think you may be, there’s … Continue reading

Meeting the Neighbor Dogs: Part 2

A month or two ago I wrote about how the neighbor’s dog began visiting our yard during the day.  I thought maybe interacting with him could help Chihiro calm down about other dogs.  Unfortunately, I think the opposite has happened. I really should have known better.  Chihiro has been wary of other dogs ever since getting attacked by one (even though she won the fight, because the dog that started it was a little Puggle), so when teaching her to feel comfortable again around other dogs, I should take her to neutral territory with dogs I know and trust. For … Continue reading

They Broke My Stroller!

I learned a valuable lesson this week. Never take your nice stroller on an airplane. My family and I had to take an unexpected trip to California for a funeral. Flying with a baby always presents challenges, but when you are traveling with a baby, you need as many hands free as possible. So, it is always a good idea to take a stroller with you. My husband and I purchased a stroller when our third was born that was a very expensive brand. We bought it used to save on costs. It has been a great stroller and a … Continue reading

Golden Globes: Did Jodie Foster Come Out?

Last night’s Golden Globes was a great night of pretty dresses, good jokes, lots of drinks, and a few odd moments.  I have to lump Jodie Foster’s speech under the odd category. The actress (who I think is absolutely incredible at her craft) received the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award.  She walked on stage looking stunning – the blue dress was beautiful and matched her eye color perfectly.  She looked gorgeous and young, but reminded the crowd she was 50. The speech itself was rather scattered to me.  She seemed to ramble about her age … Continue reading

My Blessing in Disguise

Tomorrow would have marked my 4th anniversary with my ex-husband. It’s hard to remember what life was even like back then, it seems a lifetime ago. I remember feeling in the pit of my stomach that I was making the biggest mistake of my life as I walked down the aisle. My head knew things weren’t going to work, but my heart was too stubborn to listen and convinced me to go through with it. I so desperately wanted a “happily ever after family.” I wanted my son to grow up with both of his parents living under the same … Continue reading

What To Do about Neighbor Cats

I keep going back and forth on whether or not to let my cats outside.  Cole doesn’t have much interest, but Chrestomanci certainly does.  I know he’d be happiest as an indoor-outdoor cat, but I don’t know that I’d be happiest with him as one, and I don’t know that it’s worth the stress.  One day in the summer when we let him out with us, he wandered off.  He came back a few hours later, just as my husband said he would, but by then it was dark and I was very upset until he showed up again. Another … Continue reading

Do You Need Inspiration for a Family History Adventure?

If you are looking for a fun genealogy read online, check out the Ancestry.com blog. Mixed in amongst their other blog posts (which are also good), there are posts from a family of seven who are traveling the United States in search of family history information. The Great, Great, Great Grand Adventure began back in July, when the Brown family decided that they would spend some time together as a family, traveling the United States and learning about their family history. At the time that the monumental decision to make the trip was made, the Browns did not know that … Continue reading

Destination Weddings: Do or Don’t?

Writing about Disney Cruise Weddings/Vow Ceremonies made me think about destination weddings.  Given that I wanted my wedding to be as small and simple as possible, it’s difficult for me to relate to those interested in having a destination wedding. For me, the concept only seems to make sense if the bride or the groom actually hails from the area in which they’re getting married.  Maybe he or she was born abroad, or on the other side of the country.  It’s one thing to ask your guests to spend a lot on travel expenses just because you want to get … Continue reading

Parenting When You Just Don’t Feel Well

I got very little sleep last night, and the sleep that I did get was less than restful. My little Logan had a rough night. He was restless and woke up in tears. I’m still not sure exactly what was bothering him, but he clearly wasn’t feeling very well. I tended to him throughout the night, but his restlessness in turn became my restlessness which made for a bit of a long night in the Mommy department. I woke up exhausted with the beginnings of a migraine and knew that it was going to be a very long day. I … Continue reading