Articles
Call it a blog, call it an article, call it a story. Enjoy the rants and raves from other moms and dads on life, work, play and what it means to be a parent.
Culinary trickery. Top 5 ways to bamboozle your young kids into eating healthy Things.
When my kids were around 2-3 years old, they were happily subsisting on a strict diet of macaroni and cheese and goldfish crackers. Trying new foods was a joke. Despite all my efforts to trick them into taking just a …
10 ways to improve your mood and ‘tude. Peace is closer than you think.
Life, kids, relationships, groceries, bills, cleaning, carpools, homework, regular work—it can all get pretty overwhelming! Often times we don’t feel like it’s possible to give ourselves a break so we continue on, resulting in more fatigue and more stress. Yuck. …
Procrastination busters. Start your day by eating a frog.
Everybody wakes in the morning with a list of things to do. If you’re like me, some of those tasks persistently show up day after day. Why? Because that particular task makes my upper lip curl with disgust, so I …
10 Things to Do Before You Have Kids – Pshaw. Do them AFTER kids!
Even though I have kids, I decided to click on this article I stumbled upon the other day—just to see what I was missing and/or didn’t do before I decided to, supposedly, abruptly end every fun and freedom left in …
Get rid of it! 10 Items you can toss now for a clutter-free existence.
For most of us, we tend to bog ourselves, and our home, down with too much useless junk. Here are some sure-fire ways to clean up your cabinets, drawers and mental state of mind. A clean home is a happy …
Staying in for New Year’s Eve? Ideas for family fun!
If heading out for New Year’s Eve isn’t your thing, or maybe all your party invites were lost in the mail (*looks inside echoing mailbox*), join the club! Staying in with the family can be fun if you just get …
9 Best “Mom” apps. Being this smart/organized/fashionable is natural, dontcha know.
I’ve had an iPhone for some time now, but have never invested too much time finding apps–come to find out, I was missing out on quite a bit– and not junk, useful stuff! Check out these recommendations for our favorite …
Looking for Some Family Fun? Try Geocaching!
Looking for something to do with the kids at home or on vacation? Try geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing), a scavenger hunt with a high-tech twist. What’s Geocaching?Geocaching is an outdoor game that uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. It’s an …
Holiday houseguests? An easy and stress-free “How-To” prep for your merry visitors.
Ding dong! The guests have arrived! Being a great host is a big job, but it doesn’t mean you have to expend a super human effort to make your guests feel comfortable. Check out our tips for creating a cozy …
6 Easy tips on cleaning (and keeping clean) your house for holiday guests.
Is your house becoming the local Motel 6 for the holidays? Sounds like it’s time to bust out the cleaning supplies. Here are some simple tips on keeping up appearances without turning yourself into a Merry Maid for the next …
Teacher gift ideas for the holidays. Well deserved!
If anyone’s ever popped in unexpectedly at school to see one teacher handling a room of 12+ little ones, you know how hard they work! The holidays are our opportunity to tell those special people who care, teach, love and …
Planning a holiday roadtrip? Keep the peace in the car with these travel tips.
Traveling for the holidays? Time to pack up the family, presents and packages into the car for one helluva ride! Take a deep breath and don’t panic…you will make it, and everyone will still have their heads and limbs firmly …
Thanksgiving family traditions: Creating your own Turkey Day routines.
It’s easy for Thanksgiving Day to turn into just another meal that buries you in planning, preparing, cooking, cleaning and an experiment in how much food you can eat before causing internal organ damage. Holidays should be fun and the …
8 Discipline mistakes parents make– and solutions to fix them!
Guilty as charged! I’m not going to admit to how many of these parenting no-no’s I’ve committed, but let’s just say a fair share is squarely in my corner. This Parenting.com article is a great reminder of how to keep …
Soup’s On! Try this four-ingredient recipe that warms our heart.
This little number was adapted from an old college favorite and spruced up slightly for a delicious family lunch or dinner. It’s super easy, pretty inexpensive and darn tasty. And the recipe is so flexible! Mix up the ingredients using …
Car Seat Saftey: 11 mistakes parents make
I wouldn’t be lying if I told you that the last time I had my car seat properly checked out was by the valet at Brigham & Women’s the day we left with my newborn daughter. Physically having a car seat …
Five awesome Halloween family traditions. It’s just like being a kid again.
I love traditions. That being said, I practice very few, but I love the idea of traditions. Since my kids have recently exited the toddler stage and are developing an appreciation for repeat activities, we’ve started some really cool ones …
Kids and drugs. Have you had the talk yet? When and how to start.
Maybe it’s because I’m an incessant watcher of the television show Intervention, but lately I’ve been obsessed making sure my kids never walk down the path of substance abuse. My children are 4 and 5 ½, so while I feel …
6 Ways to simplify the Morning Routine *and* be on time. No kidding.
The lazy days of summer are coming to an end and the morning routine of school is right around the corner. It’s time to strategize your morning battle plan so the transition doesn’t turn your household upsidedown! Truth be told, …
Tips For Stress-Free Back To School Shopping. Ya, That Just Happened.
Truth? I haven’t even begun my back to school shopping yet. I’m putting it off to the last minute, similarly to how I handle Christmas shopping because the task seems equally as daunting. Either that, or maybe it’s because summer …
Get active! Outdoor family games that are just plain f.u.n.
If you’re the person who gets up at 5:30am and goes for a jog before the kids get up, this article is not aimed at you. Let it be known that you people who are able to muster the motivation …
Pool Safety is no joke. Learn how to keep your kids safe.
It’s hot (yay!) and everyone is seeking out the closest watering hole or pool. Break out the beach chairs, grab a magazine and relax by the water…what could go wrong? It is horrific to even consider the possibility, but kids …
Babysitters 101: How and Where to find the good ones.
It’s summer and the kids are ready to get out of the house—and so are the adults! But finding a great babysitter can be as easy as finding a four leaf clover, especially if you have just moved or don’t …
What to do when it’s not a beach day on Cape Cod?
So you are vacationing on Cape Cod. You have a cottage, house, or even worse, a hotel room full of kids, and it is NOT a beach day! You hadn’t planned for that. What now? What do you do when …
Eating out? Best and worst Kids’ Menus.
Between tricky restaurant choices, finicky eaters, and the desire to provide healthy, nourishing food, taking the kids out to eat can drive any parent crazy! Here’s the inside scoop on better choices and some easy steps on how to lighten …
Found! 30 healthy snacks under 100 calories. Now you can eat more.
I don’t know about you, but I need some new snack ideas– but ones that are still healthy (hello, summer is coming!). Here are some delish snacks for you OR the kids. Craving salty? 5 olives (any kind) (45 …
Creating the easiest (online) family scrapbook ever. How cool!
How are you doing with those scrapbooks? You know, the ones you have a thousand clippings for, but just can’t find the time to assemble into something that resembles a readable documentation of your child’s milestones? Check out this super …
Ridiculous Green Tips. I Just Won’t Go That Far.
I’m always on the hunt for green living tips to share with you, and I try to keep the recommendations realistic and simple enough where you might be subjected to a short period of uncomfortable change, but nothing that will …
Happy Trails! Get Outside and Enjoy The Seacoast’s Beautiful Outdoor Walks
Looking to enjoy the great outdoors this weekend? Check out our recommendations for a family outing along some of the seacoast’s most beautiful walking trails and nature centers. It’s a great way to walk off all that extra pie, too! …
When to Toss it? Average Lifespan of Household Products.
Many of us are guilty of trying to eke out the last breath of common household items—it’s expensive and time consuming to keep up with it all! But to keep your home and body running efficiently, check out our recommendations …
Meet Your New Grocery Store. Farmer CSA’s Are All The Rage.
Everybody loves a Farmers’ Market because nothing tastes better than when it’s “right out of the garden”. But if you’re like me, I always forget to go! If only there was a way I could get that head of lettuce …
Recycle, Reuse and Repurpose. Check out These New Uses for Old Things.
I love recycling. I get such a thrill from using “this” item for “that” when it’s supposed to be used for “that other thing”. More clearly, finding alternative uses for everyday items makes me feel resourceful and, ok, clever. Before I …
We Freaking Love the Dollar Tree. Look What We Found!
If you have a question, the Dollar Tree is the answer. I know this post won’t agree with everyone, but as the primary budget keeper in my household, those dollar stores offer deals that are just too good to pass …
Enough Already! Five Things You can Do to Beat the Cold.
To reiterate how cold it is outside is becoming a tired cliché. Short of jumping on the first flight to a palm tree studded locale, here are some ways you can trick yourself, albeit temporarily, into feeling hot, hot, hot. …
Technology Free Weekend? We DARE You!
There have been many, many times over the past year when I’ve gathered up my resolve and decided to cut down on my non-work Internet time. It’s not like there aren’t a million other, more productive things I could be …
Best Local Thrift Shops That Are Doing Good. PS: Thanks For Cleaning Out My Closet.
Ready to do something with that bag of clothes or box of old toys in your basement that’s tagged for donation? Avoid the parking lot drop-off bin to Who-Knows-What-Charity and check out our list of local thrift shops that are …
This Too Shall Pass. Five Parenting Phases That You WILL Get Through. Promise.
Tonight at dinner, my five year old daughter said to me, “Thanks for the green beans, mom!” After wiping the smug I’m-such-a-great-mother smirk off my face, I remembered how offering healthy foodstuffs wasn’t so easy. I used to stay up …
Store-Bought Pancake Mix Taste Test. Pass The Syrup!
I just received a coupon for Krusteaz, and it got me thinking…pancakes. Delicious, light and fluffy homemade (and by that I mean, made-at-home-out-of-the-box) flap jacks. My first thought was, “How can I use this article as an opportunity to eat …
Errands Be Gone! Checking Off Your To-Do List Without Actually To-Do’ing Anything.
Ding dong. Who’s there? Oh, it’s my groceries! Ding dong…excellent, the dry cleaning is here! What’s that, Mr. Mailman? Oh, my drug store items have arrived. Niiice. The delivery industry has finally listened to our cat calls and is starting …
The Right Way And The Wrong Way To Use Consumer Loyalty Cards.
Following up on our Loyalty Cards: A Good Deal Or Scary Big Brother, here’s a great article we found on the best ways to work the loyalty/membership card system. There are definitely some good tips here… ______________________________ If you’re like …
Loyalty Cards. A Good Deal Or A Scary Big Brother?
Remember when you used to be able to walk into a store because they were having a sale on (insert favorite product here), paid the cashier and were on your way? Not anymore. Most stores, particularly the grocery or pharmacies, …
“Do Kids Belong In Restaurants?” Article In The Herald. Our 2¢ On The Subject.
Upon cracking open the newspaper this morning, my eye immediately caught the article written by Portsmouth Herald food critic, Rachel Forrest, titled “Do Kids Belong In Restaurants?” (read the article here). My mama bear hackles are already on alert. Because …
An Open Letter to Big Top Cupcake: We Like You
Big Top Cupcake. Well, this looks kinda fun. And my kids have seen the television ad at least 25 times over the last week while watching Calliou on PBS Sprout and rationalized its entertainment vs. functionality ratio to me in …
Career Hiatus? How To Stay In The Game While You’re Taking A Break.
I happened to catch Good Morning America one day last week where they were running another story about unemployed mothers and were giving tips on how to stay involved, professionally speaking, while out of work. I assumed it was going …
Finding New Friends In A New Town. This Ain’t As Easy As It Used To Be.
A few weeks ago I wrote on my personal blog about the difficult time I was having finding friends locally. My husband, I, and three dogs moved to Portsmouth from Boston almost four years ago. I hadn’t wanted to leave …
Guilt Be Gone! Let’s Give Ourselves A Break, Because We’re Pretty Great.
I’ve been following a weight loss program for the past 17 weeks, 2 days and 3.5 hours — that’s just a rough estimate. I’m doing really well, but still, when I slip up it’s all, “Shut your pie-hole, chubby” and, …
Best And Worst Restaurant Salads. Just When You Thought You Were Doing Good.
It’s summer, it’s hot. Doesn’t a nice cool salad sound delicious, light and healthy? And then, WHAMO, you’ve consumed an entire day’s worth (or two) of fat and calories in one sitting. This isn’t fair! Normally, ignorance is bliss, but …
Is McDonald’s To Blame For Making Our Kids Fat? Here’s Your Chance To Weigh In (No Scale Required).
Everyone knows that fast food chain restaurants aren’t winning any awards for being nutritionally responsible. But one public interest group is taking it a step further and claiming that McDonald’s is guilty of “predatory marketing” using their Happy Meal toys …
Tips On Creating Active Families For The Lazy Person.
Everyone in my family, particularly in their youth, has always been thin. We were able to eat a lot, exercise rarely and diet never. But did that mean we were “healthy”? Not really. My family never hiked and I’ve never …
Get Ready for Your Closeup. Tips For Nailing The Family Portrait.
The long, golden days of summer are firmly in place on the Seacoast, with picturesque sunsets that may have you considering an outdoor portrait session with the family. Before your photographer knocks at the door, camera in hand, here are …
This Book Got My Kids To Eat Tomatoes. Great Books For Life Lessons.
Do you remember that book Little Red Hen? It was one of those Golden Book stories that we all had and it was about this hen who asked the other farm animals to help her plant grain, but no one …
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone Challenge: Stop Procrastinating!
I’m great at procrastinating. If one could make a living out of this, I would be a very wealthy woman. I didn’t used to be this way, not at all. But then life happened. Kids, work, house, school. Remember when …
OMG, Texting Behind The Wheel Is So Not Worth It.
I always thought those Baby On Board signs that people hang in their car were super obnoxious. That is, until I had a baby on board. I’d be driving somewhere with my little bundle of joy and see people swerving …
Baby Powder Removes Sand. Best Kid Tip EVER.
It seems that my kids always want to take one last dip in the ocean before we head home, which means they are a tremendous sandy mess by the time we hit the car. A few years ago, I spied …
Elusive Restaurant Manners. Teaching Kids To Mind Their P’s & Q’s.
Teaching your kids restaurant manners can be a frustrating and seemingly futile task. It wasn’t until almost a year ago that I felt comfortable bringing my now 4 and 5 year olds out to eat—and even now, all the stars …
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone: A Week Without Television.
Recently it was National Turn Off Your Television Week and I decided to subject my family to this challenge. No television and no movies. Oh boy, what have I done? Save us from ourselves! Day One: I have to literally unplug …
What to Expect When You’re Expecting…a Teenager
I am not at all certain how, now just shy of forty, that I find myself staring across the dinner table at my seventeen year old son. It happened, just like they said it would. Time passed in a blink …
Coupon Clipping. It’s Not As Hard As You Think.
I’ll admit it, I’m a coupon clipper. I’m the woman in the grocery store that you see frazzled and gripping a fistful of coupons in one hand and a child (or two) in the other. My constant goal? To save more and spend …
Wake Up And Smell The Decaf: GOYCZ Challenge “A Week Without Caffeine”
This week’s Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone Challenge (GOYCZ): No Caffeine! I was always one of those people who said, “Caffeine doesn’t affect me.” When friends would decline a caffeinated beverage after 4pm, I would boast, “I could drink …
Eliminate Your Stress. Eliminate The Options.
Choices, choices. As parents, we’ve been hammered with the child rearing philosophy to “give your child choices so that he or she can learn to make the right decisions.” But what if having all those choices makes everyone crazy? Case …
Fast Food. What To Order When You’re On-The-Go.
Sometimes you have to. You just do. You’re out doing errands, it’s past lunchtime and the kids are starting to whine—something needs to be done immediately before the wheels really start to come off. My friend recently told me that …
Five Things I Can’t Live Without. Just One Gal’s Opinion.
This is not groundbreaking stuff. These seemingly insignificant items that I adore and hold in such high regard. And if I were writing this article for my church newsletter, I would include on this list, of course, my children, my family …
Giddy Up Ya’ll, It’s Chow Time!
Years ago, way before my kids were old enough for me to implement it, I read a great article in one of those parenting magazines about a dinnertime idea. I, like a lot of mothers, have always struggled with a …
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone Challenge: No Baggies, Water Bottles or Paper Towels, Oh My!
I’m not a professional environmentalist, nor do I play one on TV. But I do like to think of myself as (semi) eco-conscious. So when I simultaneously ran out of paper towels and bottled water this week, I knew which …
Designer Kids’ Clothing (Or Almost) On The Cheap.
Having kids has given me a whole new attitude when I go shopping. I no longer focus on my fashion but instead, my children’s. Of course, the fact that they are always growing (funny, how that happens) makes an average …
Dollar Store Deals…Oh Yeah!
When I was a kid, dollar stores were retailers full of miscellaneous junk. Often stuffy and full of no-named items, we rarely hit “those stores” but in 2010, they are much different. Dollar Stores offer value and deals and many …
Cheap Recipe Alert. Eggs…Not Just For Breakfast.
Always in the mood to save a little moula, I’m thinking this week is a great one for some money saving recipes. What better way to think Spring than to whip up some protein rich, healthy and budget friendly recipes? …
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone Challenge: Budgeting With Cash. A Week Without Cards.
I’d been thinking about making one of my upcoming challenges about money and weekly budgeting by using cash only (no debit or credit cards allowed), but I was concerned that I wasn’t quite *ready* for that particular feat. Almost immediately …
$3 Crock Pot Recipes: Super Cheap And Super Good
Back in 1999, I received a shiny chrome crock pot from my Aunt Helen that has since remained in the back of my dusty kitchen cabinet. That is until a couple of months ago when I decided to try to …
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone (GOYCZ) Challenge: No Meat, Please. I’m A Vegetarian.
I come from a long lineage of non-vegetarians. No one in my family is a vegetarian, nor are any of my friends. I don’t think I’d even met a vegetarian until college. But with all the recent in-your-face documentaries about …
Photography 101. Finally Learn What All Those Buttons Mean.
It used to be, back when I photographed weddings, that I carried the largest camera in the room by at least several pounds. As I shot more and more, I started to notice guests toting a delicate clutch in one …
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone Challenge: Exercise For 7 Straight Days!
I’ve always wanted to be one of those people who say, “I feel horrible when I don’t go to the gym,” but I’m just not. Physical activity was not a big part of my upbringing. Bonding for my family was …
So you want back in. Tips for women on re-entering the workforce.
For a lot of women who chose to go the stay-at-home route, re-entering the workforce is, at best, a lesson in overcoming insecurity, and at worst, a strategic nightmare. How do I explain the gap? The technology is way ahead …
Penny Pinchin’ Mama Gets Creative with Saving
My goal for 2010, like so many other families, is to spend less and save more. I’ve read a zillion articles to make me richer quicker, pay off my debt faster and have my kids’ college paid off by the time …
Hey Kid, I Got Your Back.
I’ve only been sequestered to detention once in my life. I was 16 and in high school. I was driving my fancy little RX7 that I bought for $2000 from working an entire summer at Water Country. One day, I …
