If someone suggests you go as a pumpkin because you still look pregnant because bodies are bodies and not spring-right-back-into-place elastic, you have permission to never speak to that person again. You, as bearer of children, have first dibs on the good stuff. If you wish to sit in the car to nap during Trunk or Treat, you absolutely get

Sometimes, I wish I had the body I had before I had kids. The body that wasn’t tired, the body that wasn’t so full, the body that was happy to do so much more.  “You need to exercise more!” I have heard time and time again, but the truth is, I can’t figure out when to do it.  The gym’s

Dear Abby, Help! We had a date night that involved the kids going to sleep over at their grandma’s house, and now we’re here lying in bed at a LUXURIOUS 8AM on a Saturday with nothing but the tinkling mews of the cats to gently awaken us from our reverie. You see, normally, our eldest (5) will bounce into our

We all have those names nestled deep in our souls — the names we thought we’d use, but for whatever reason, didn’t, or won’t. This is a place to share them, if you want, or honor them as little names that, while never used by you, are nonetheless loved. Use them if you want, share your own for others to

The big kids are at school.  The little ones are napping. You have…omg…a moment to breathe??? If you’re like me, you sat down today and realized there was this whole swath of time during which I could get SO. MUCH. DONE!!  And yet, I found myself wanting to savor the moment just to myself, a reward for a summer of

A playdate you didn’t really want to go to gets cancelled. The PTA meeting gets cancelled. Honestly anything gets cancelled. When you find a box of Cheerios in your car that isn’t stale. Finding a parking space right next to the cart return. Already-broken toys at the playground so you don’t have to worry about your kids breaking them. Your

Blessed be ye, o Mothers during these last days of summer, may ye not lose your minds over cranky toddlers, clingy sweaty babes in arms, and the knowledge of our own fleeting mortality intertwined with back to school shopping. May your schools all post supply lists early and completely, and never re-posting with a cheerful “oops forgot to add these

The children are sweating, you are sweating, even the houseplants are sweating.  Sweat less with these easy breezy dinner component ideas for a sweltering, volcanic family dinner night!   Frozen peas.  Have you eaten a frozen pea lately?  It’s a little frozen bite of heaven when it’s hot out.  My kids eat these by the truckload, and they’re peas!! Vegetables!!  Truly

Work, Sleep, Family, Fitness, or Friends.  Pick 3. That’s what they say. I’m here to offer an even tidier method to focusing on getting sh*t done with kids, and that method is what I like to call the One and a Half method.  Because to heckin heck with three! Three is two too many. So. Work, Sleep, Family, Fitness, or