The idea of the kids being home all summer is...a bit scary!  

But, as we live at the Jersey Shore, there are SO MANY things to do for the next 3+ months, that you're sure to pack your family calendar and have fun with your family.

In case you've noticed from various posts of mine, I try to pack my weekends with activities for the kids, my husband and I. (I sorta loathe being home with them ALL DAY, for more than 2 days in a row. We all, inevitably, get stir-crazy, and the two…

I was a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) for several years, but I have been back in the workforce for almost 3 years now, and it was evident from the start that balancing work and kids is never easy.

Initially, I started working part-time, about 20 hours a week, which was perfect because my kids were in preschool only until 3pm every day. I still had time to make dentist appointments, and go to the grocery store during my day. Then, a…

It can be tough to find reliable, affordable babysitters these days. I’m often jealous of my mommy friends who have live-in relatives, or a mother-in-law who lives down the street, or a sibling who loves to watch their nieces and nephews on the weekends!

The problem is that my family doesn’t really have those options, because we have a location-situation with any family-related childcare. One set of grandparents lives in…

We got a flier home from school this week from the PTA asking families if they'd like to 'adopt' an anonymous child for a holiday gift program. I saw, "9 Year Old Boy" and instantly thought, "I have no idea what a nine-year-old wants for Christmas -- my kiddos are much younger!," (and almost tossed it without thinking). Since I was reading this flier in my son's room, I thought, 'Let's see if my kids would help out...'

It…

Growing up a middle child, I think I sometimes had major feelings of getting shafted (probably unwarranted!) by my parents…things like “Well, Tanya (my sister) got to do THIS and THAT, and I DIDN’T!”  Bratty things, sure. 

My parents were pretty awesome about hardly denying us opportunities, and for that I am forever grateful, but on those rare chances that…

Not having to make a trip to the ER until your kid is practically 6 years old is pretty good, huh?

Hubby and I count ourselves lucky that we have never had to rush our kids to the local Emergency Room (which, in our case, is JSUMC) at any time in their lives: no broken bones, no car or bike crashes -- knock on wood -- no asthma or allergy attacks...Nothing has ever seemed that urgent enough to us or a pediatrician, until a couple weeks ago, when THIS happened.…

I have never purchased a new or leased car without either my parents (#judgemegoahead!) or my husband's advice and help with the money crunching and negotiating. And, agree with me or not, I feel like car salesmen often have different attitudes towards women, or mothers, walking into their shops solo.

So, when I went car shopping recently, and a sales man offered to have someone watch my two kids so I could actually take a test drive, AND accepted my low-yet-researched offer -- I…

There are so many Easter events happening this month! Besides the usual Pinterest craft ideas to do at home with my kids (which I have noticed I do a little less this month, since everything coming home from preschool seems to have a bunny or an egg on it!), there are a multitude of resources for local parents to see what activities are going on throughout the next few weeks.

At…

I will be honest: we don't do many date nights. But we SHOULD.

I am definitely one of those wives that likes to do things besides plain-old-dinner-and-a-movie for when we get to go out sans kids. My husband playfully makes fun of me when I counter his "Where do you want to go out to dinner next Friday?" with, "Hey, how about paintball or mini-golf?"

I loathe boring date nights. I like to do fun, creative, interesting, out-of-the-box things...probably because…

Very recently I attended the sleep symposium -- The Power of an Hour , hosted by Meridian Health and The Asbury Park Press -- and and as I walked out the door of my house that morning, my husband said, "You realize you probably know everything they're gonna tell you.  You just never APPLY those things in your real life."

Well, he was kind of right.  I KNOW I don't get enough sleep.  I KNOW I watch TV late-night when I probably should be winding down or reading.  I KNOW I have a decent…

I just came home from a work trip to Connecticut, and I was amazed at how the trees have changed colors so much earlier, just two hours north of our home in the Garden State! It got me thinking–where can I take the kids and my husband for some weekend or day trips during this fabulous Fall season?

Here are some suggestions I hope you FALL for (get it?):

--Cape May: I actually have only driven through here on my way to the Lewes Ferry, so I plan to bring my family this season to…

I love my two toddlers to pieces, but they're driving me crazy!

They are constantly fighting (often times play-fighting, but still!), stealing one another's toys, whining, wresting, throwing small, mid-size and SUV-sized tantrums, grabbing at the dog, tearing up when they can't find their missing action figure-doll-Hotwheels-stuffed animal, or screaming that I picked out the incorrect school attire, snack/juice, or…

OK, I can't figure out if I love some of these, or if they're insane and way-over-the-top.  

My brother sent me a photo of this iPad compatible potty-seat (with caption, "bizarre,…

Instead of New Year's Resolutions, I've been hoping to make some "Parenting Resolutions" for 2014.

I feel like our household can get too chaotic with two kids under 3.5 lately, so I think I need to have a "stop-and-smell-the-roses" attitude more.  When my toddlers get on my nerves, refuse to listen to me, constantly leave toys on the floor, occasionally hit each other when fighting…

Between grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends, we've heard "So what do the kids want from Santa this year?" quite a few times.  Worrying that we will have 26 more Matchbox cars to trip over, 17 DVDs and books (well, actually there's no limit on the number of books that can come into this house!), 6 long-haired dolls, another Disney stuffed animal or three, or 4 more massive firetrucks to add to our growing collection of toddler-emergency-vehicles, I have politely…

Between grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends, we've heard "So what do the kids want from Santa this year?" quite a few times.  Worrying that we will have 26 more Matchbox cars to trip over, 17 DVDs and books (well, actually there's no limit on the number of books that can come into this house!), 6 long-haired dolls, another Disney stuffed animal or three, or 4 more massive firetrucks to add to our growing collection of toddler-emergency-vehicles, I have politely…

Finding time for yourself is hard as a mom.  Finding time for you AND your husband to reconnect and have a nice conversation, perhaps a yummy dinner…now that can be close to impossible!

At my house, since we have two toddlers who go to bed around 8-9p, it's become the monthly challenge to find a sitter, find a night my husband can guarantee to be home in time, and then find a restaurant that's open late.  (Which may explain why this week we…