“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Time to put together those Christmas shopping lists! Tween girls (ages 8-12) can be so much fun to shop for, but sometimes it’s a challenge to find the perfect gift. They are not yet teenagers, but they’re also...
When I had my babies, my plan was to make them use their manners. Say please and thank you. Share. Don’t eat with your mouth full. You know, the basic stuff. That led to a discipline plan. I read tons of books about time-outs, counting to...
It was cloudy here in North Florida on Monday afternoon August 21st, but that didn’t stop my family from enjoying a humbling moment: the Solar Eclipse. We headed to the beach to sit on the sand and look up at history in the making. (Our exact...
My two kids went back to school this week (insert sad face emoji) so we are working on a new routine. Gone are the lazy summer mornings, trips to the beach, Chick-fil-A for lunch twice a week, and ice cream in front of the TV almost...
Happy Birthday, Harry Potter! And Happy Birthday to my son Daniel who turns 11 next month. (He’s ready to receive his invite to Hogwarts!) To celebrate, we surprised him and his sister with a trip to Universal Studios Orlando to visit The Wizarding World of Harry...
My daughter celebrated her 9th birthday with an Emoji-themed slumber party. We had a blast putting together all the details and decorations. The Emoji Movie is opening later this month, so I thought it was the perfect time to write about some of our favorite emoji...
Back in January, I was motivated. I love a new year! It’s filled with hope and renewal and promise. I made a list of things I wanted to do and accomplish. Some of the goals were lofty (lose 15 pounds!) and some were even loftier (organize...
Then: My mom told me to go outside and find someone to play with. Now: I text other moms to orchestrate weekly playdates which include detailed lunch plans and an activity or craft. Then: I learned to swim with 20 other kids and one instructor at...
It has been raining for weeks here in Florida! WEEKS! We miss the sun. So I thought this was the perfect time to write about movies since I’m spending a bunch of time indoors with my kiddos. I sat down with my son and daughter (ages...
A couple of my friends had babies recently and that always takes me back to when I had a baby. To that newborn stage. That glorious, overwhelming, heart-outside-of-your-chest time when everything was about sleep and poop and boobies. Did I mention SLEEP? It also made me...
Every summer we pick a television show to watch as a family. It has be a TV show we all agree on. It can’t be inappropriate. (Some of the sitcoms can be a little on the risque side.) America’s Got Talent is the show that we...
We always go to Disney World in Orlando on the last day of school as a way to treat the kiddos and kick off the summer. I’m so blessed to live only two hours away from “the happiest place on earth.” I’ve been to Disney World...
My son and I have similar personalities. He’s a lot like me while my daughter is a lot like my husband. My husband and Annabel are extroverted and carefree, while Daniel and I are more introverted and cautious. We’re thoughtful. We don’t want to be the...
Can we all agree that as much as our children are over school at this point, we moms are over it MORE? We are more tired, more frustrated, and more complacent than you, kid! The entire month of May is tough because we can see that...
One of my greatest challenges as a parent is trying to find a meal that everyone will eat. After ten years, we’ve managed to get the eating vs. non-eating ratio up to 3 out of 4 on most weekdays. Turkey chili? Everyone, but Annabel. Homemade pizzas?...
As my daughter was climbing out of the car during morning drop-off yesterday, she turned back to me and said, “Mama, I can’t believe third grade is almost over. It went so fast! It feels like it just started!” And off she ran into the school...
Can I first say that I’m freaking out that both my kids are TWEENS? What is happening right now? My son is 10 and my daughter just turned 9. I wanted to blog about this milestone and I was unsure what age to call them: are...
My gender reveal party had three people in attendance. And it wasn’t actually a party. It was me, my husband, and the sonogram tech. “Congrats, it’s a boy!” I had the same party a year later. “Congrats, it’s a girl!” That was it. Don’t get me...
Happy Monday! And guess what? It’s MELANOMA MONDAY! Woot! Okay. I know this is not a fun way to start your Monday. (Where’s my coffee? I need coffee.) But it’s important. Melanoma awareness is important. Skin cancer awareness is important. I feel this way because.. I...
Annabel had her very first sleepover party last weekend and we all survived to tell about it! But seriously, all the girls were super adorable and well-mannered and you know I LOVE a good THEME PARTY! (See here, here, here, and here!) Our sleepover theme was American...
It’s been a big year for my girl. She got glasses and lost teeth. She joined Brownies and church choir. She saw her first concert and her first orthodontist. She learned to make sandwiches, sew, and multiply. She still loves fashion, art, and music and spends...
It’s been three years since the Newtown tragedy and I still think about it every December. It feels like something from a movie, like something that would never happen in real life. But it did happen. And it’s still happening. When my husband told me about...
It’s no secret I’m a HUGE fan of T-Swift. Love her! She’s my spirit animal. I know I’m a forty-something mother of two but she inspires me. Her style, her love of home decorating, her kindness, her loyalty, her business-saavy, I could go on and on....
So I learned that my brand new 9-year-old is an excellent driver. Daniel drove a dune buggy and I got to ride shotgun at his 9th birthday party at Jacksonville’s Baja Buggyz Adventure Park. Okay, maybe I screamed a little from his lead foot and all the...
Happy 9th birthday to my baby boy, Daniel Thaddeus. Even though you think it’s pretty cool to be called “Dan” or “Dan the Man” by your friends, you will always be my Daniel. And my baby boy, for that matter. I’m so impressed that you can...
This summer went so fast. When I walked the kids into school today it was like we had never left. The hallways, the smiling teachers, the wall signs, the stairwells, all too familiar. (Well, except for the parking lot construction. We are getting a brand new...
On Saturday we spent the morning at Jacksonville’s Museum of Contemporary Art or MOCA. I’m trying to fit in fun moments with my family every chance I get as our summer slowly winds to a halt. We were blessed to have the place practically to ourselves....
I love to explore new places with my family and we have the advantage of living in Florida where weekend adventures are easy and fun. We were excited to finally check out Tampa Bay in March and we had the best time. My daughter even declared...
I don’t know which I was more excited to see last week: Disney’s live-action Cinderella or the new Frozen Fever short which was playing right in front of it. Frozen is officially my daughter Annabel’s favorite Disney animated movie (mine too!), so we were both excited to...
We finally had the chance to check out Disney’s live-action Cinderella movie this weekend and it was SO worth the wait! Annabel and I bought matching Cinderella sweatshirts from the Disney Store to wear to the theatre. They were sparkly and cute and kept us cozy...
I noticed a trend last night after I starting posting my favorite dresses from the Oscars red carpet on social media. The ladies were gorgeous in WHITE! Wow. I loved them all. But my top favs were definitely Reece Witherspoon’s Tom Ford column gown and...
Love is in the air! My kids always get excited to pick out their Valentine’s Day cards for their schoolmates. This year Annabel decided to go with a “Paris” theme. (The same theme she’s using for her 7th birthday this weekend. Stay tuned for all the...
You know I have to start with my girl, Taylor, looking absolutely gorgeous in her Elie Saab turquoise dress with pink shoes and pink clutch. Perfection! One of Tay’s besties, Ed Sheeran, played a beautiful version of his song, “Thinking Out Loud” with John Mayer, Tay’s...
Yesterday was my birthday! There was also this little game on TV between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. The game was crazy! An interception by the Patriots in the last 20 seconds basically changed the whole thing. The Patriots won! Yay! I just...
Last night’s series finale of Parenthood had me snotting into my tissues for six minutes straight as I watched those flash forward scenes unfold. It was a glimpse into a future that I will never see play out. I felt the loss. I was angry these...
My hubby turned the big “4-0” this past October and I wanted to mark the milestone in a big way. He’s a morning radio host here in Jax and I thought it was about time we gave back to our community. Jacksonville is our adopted home....
It’s been a tough month. I’ve been participating in this thing called “Sober January.” I first heard about it from Andy Cohen from Bravo TV. (He’s the guy who created all those “Real Housewives.”) He wrote about “Sober January” in his Andy Cohen Diaries book. (You should pick...
I started a really cool tradition with Annabel that began because our two “boys” went to a Monster Jam Truck show. (Annabel went once and decided to hang up her pink ear plugs and stay home with me.) We took advantage of the boy-free zone to...
Michael Scott is going to the Oscars. Who would have thought? I have not seen Foxcatcher yet, but it’s on my list. I hear it’s good. The only nominated movie I HAVE seen is Boyhood. I thought it was…okay. I went in with high expectations. I was...
This was the first year my son LOOKED different when he woke up on his birthday. It was Saturday morning. Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me, or the lack of sleep from having seven crazy boys spend the night, but Daniel was eight....
The MTV Video Music Awards were last night in Cali and my girl Taylor rocked the red carpet in this ’80s-inspired sparkly blue jumpsuit. Work it, girlfriend. Some liked it. Some didn’t. But the “haters gonna hate” and she’s just gonna “Shake It Off!” Katy Perry...
Man, I wish Taylor Swift was around when I was going through all my teen angst and insecurities in 1989. I would have rocked my side pony while I sang “Haters Gonna Hate!” into my hairbrush and danced around my tiny bedroom filled with oversized sweatshirts,...
And then just like that, (BOOM!), summer is over. I didn’t sleep well last night knowing I was waiting for that 5:30am alarm. Today was the first day of school! I have a first grader and a second grader. I have “number grade” kids now. That...
had me a blast! Hi, there! I’ve been taking a blogging break this summer to spend time with my family and just chill. I needed it. Life gets crazy and I didn’t want to feel the pressure of anything, including writing. I love to document my...
This school year went so FAST! (Do I say that EVERY YEAR?) Annabel graduated from Kindergarten and Daniel finished First Grade. They spent the last few weeks wrapping up after-school activities. Annabel had a Daddy/Daughter dance and a big dance recital. Daniel ended his flag football...
One of the Disney experiences we were most excited about this year was Beast’s castle in the Magic Kingdom and eating at the popular Be Our Guest Restaurant. It would be our first time there since it opened last year. I tried to make dinner reservations,...
I grew up in Gaithersburg, MD, which is a suburb of our Nation’s Capital. I always tell my kids how lucky I was to take school field trips to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Gallery of Art. At the time, I definitely took it all...
I wrote this tweet on Sunday evening after watching the Oprah Prime interview with Pharrell on OWN. Pharrell blew me away with his honesty and sincerity when he talked about his journey from a young boy in the projects of Virginia Beach to his launch into...
Do you remember when we would ride our bikes in bare feet and come home when the street lights came on? I do and there was never any fear. It was pure freedom and independence. I loved it. I would run out the door and head...
Wow. I found this little gem on Facebook yesterday and I’ve already watched it TWICE. It’s over an hour long, so give yourself some extra time to cozy up on the couch with your laptop and a glass of wine. “Someday I’ll Fly” is a fan-made...
My sister told me about the Chip ‘N Dale Campfire Sing-A-Long when I was planning our first family trip to Walt Disney World. It’s now a “MUST-DO” destination every time we go back. You see, my kids have a special bond with Dale. (To clear up any...
I love when I find easy and healthy dinner recipes! I found this Slow Cooker Chicken Taco recipe on HappyHourProjects.com and decided to give it a try last night. It was delish! And so super easy. Here’s how I made our Mexican feast! 1. Place 1...
When we booked our March Disney trip back in November, we were excited to find out we’d be receiving the new Disney MagicBands! These are the all-in-one bracelets that allow you to enter the parks, manage your FastPasses, organize your dining plan, buy Disney merch, and...
Hi! We’re back from the “happiest place on earth” and it’s only understandable that we’re all a bit sad. Not only is Disney World so much fun, but it brings my family close together. We are LITERALLY close together in a small hotel room every night,...
You gotta love the Oscars! They started at 8:30 PM ET and I knew I’d be up past Midnight. And I hung in until the end! I thought it was a fun show with cool moments, but there were no real surprises. (Well, besides this horrible...
Here are my Oscar predictions for Sunday night! But please note: these are based solely on the movies I have actually SEEN. So there’s that. Best Picture: GRAVITY Gravity mesmerized me from start to finish. The advanced film making, the attention to deal, and those heart...
My kids have been asking me to pack them Lunchables for school for awhile now. After looking at the ingredients (high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, preservatives, sodium nitrates, and more), I thought I could put together a healthier alternative. I decided to start with the...
I wanted to do a quick recap of my favorite moments from this year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi. Surprisingly, everything that came to my head had nothing at all to do with one of our awesome athletes winning a medal. I thought about the perfectly patriotic...
We went to the American Girl store in Atlanta for Annabel’s 6th birthday so she could pick out her very first American Girl doll! We have been looking through the fancy AG catalogs for over a year now, so we were all excited to drive the...
She comes in colors everywhere; She combs her hair She’s like a rainbow Coming colors in the air Oh, everywhere She comes in colors. -The Rolling Stones Annabel is my little rainbow: colorful, bright, unpredictable. She makes everything magical with her bright eyes, sweet smile, and...
Every year I ask the kids what they want on their Valentine’s Day cards and this year Annabel picked “Frozen” (no shocker there) and Daniel picked “something with cars.” I did a quick search on Pinterest and found the cutest options! The two I picked were...
I LOVE my glass hurricane container because it’s so versatile. I bought it at HomeGoods for $12 (yippee!) and I fill it with items to display at special celebrations. It also looks great on my family room mantle or kitchen counter. You can be really creative...
I adore Pinterest because of all the great ideas for parties, home decor, quick family meals, etc. etc click now. It’s also very dangerous because searching for one thing turns into an hour looking at all the gorgeous room designs and organic lunchbox recipes. Organizing and...
Saturday was my birthday and my awesome husband sent me this: That’s Eric Decker from the Denver Broncos and I’m a big fan. Unfortunately, the Broncos lost 43-8 (yikes!) to the Seattle Seahawks. It was a brutal game. By halftime, I was giving up on the...
On the wall next to our kitchen table is a print titled “Lollipop Trees.” I bought it from World Market a few months ago and it adds a bit of fun to that space. Our kitchen table is basically the center of our home because that...
Huffington Post Parents asked on Twitter last week: What’s one Children’s book/TV show/movie you’ll secretly miss when your kids lose interest in them? I answered: I had to “give up” Sesame Street a long time ago. I wrote about it HERE because it was a bit heartbreaking....
Did you watch the Grammys last night? It was a LONG one. There were a lot of confusing winners. Daft Punk for Album of the Year? “Get Lucky” is a cool jam, but I felt Red should have one! See, Taylor agrees. I thought you won too,...
I live in Florida. But it sure doesn’t feel like it. This is how we’ve all been looking over the past few weeks. It’s fun to have a real winter in the Sunshine State, but, gimme a break Mother Nature. I had to go out to...
Sometimes it takes the return of a national holiday and the memory of a great man to remind me what really, truly matters. RIP, Dr. King.
I was assigned snack mom duties this past weekend and I tweeted this: I work hard to keep it healthy and organic in our home. I don’t do EVERYTHING organic, but I always get the organic staples and I try my very best to buy items...
I really, really, REALLY want the Denver Broncos to make it to the Super Bowl on February 2nd. I’m a huge Broncos fan. (NOT.) I’m a huge football fan. (NOPE.) I’m a shallow lover of reality television shows and when E! introduced me to this man...
I love all award shows, but the Golden Globes are always the most fun. There is alcohol on the table. The TV stars mix with the movie stars. We get to watch the winners awkwardly zigzag and weave their way to the podium. There is the...
In 2013… We welcomed him back. She was the touch down. Annabel turned five and had her first tea party. I met some new girls and my boy got what he deserved. I became a soccer (and basketball and baseball) mom again. We added ponies to...
Joy to the world! The Lord has come. I hope your Christmas rocked. Mine sure did. See you soon.
Happy Monday! Did you stay up late last night (like me) to watch the American Music Awards? I love awards shows because of the cool fashions, the crazy performances, and all the social media commentary. Here are a few of my favorite moments from last night:...
OK Magazine is reporting that Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are getting back together. They dated for three years after filming The Notebook back in 2004. The Notebook is one of my FAVORITE movies of all time! “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.” Ryan has...
My girl Taylor Swift is back in the news. Well, she’s ALWAYS in the news. But usually they like to talk about her boyfriends. Or a song she wrote about an ex-boyfriend. Or a song she wrote about the guy she met for five minutes at...
That title sounds a lot more gloomy than I intended. It really has to do with this: Daniel can’t fit his face into that wooden football player’s anymore. They both can’t poke their heads out the window of the cute pumpkin carriage. And this: They are...
Happy Halloween! My little wizard and animal doctor are finally tucked in for the night after walking around the neighborhood in 80 degree weather. You gotta love Florida. They survived a week filled with neighborhood parties, school parties, tons of sugar, and loads of fun. Bring...
Happy Birthday to my one and only. Get ready to rock the last year of your thirties! Let’s send it out with lots of hugs, kisses, fun adventures, yummy meals, and family memories along the way. I love you. We love you.
Aw, man. I love when I can capture a picture like this. That’s one happy kid. That’s JOY. Daniel hates to pose for pictures and I’m getting better about just snapping the moment without staging it. Annabel will ham it up, but the best shots are...
Annabel went to her first professional football game yesterday. And even though the Jacksonville Jaguars lost, she had a blast. (We are having a really, really sad season. But we “Stand United!”) Daniel had been to a few games with Daddy already, so it was time...
The countdown is on! Halloween is only 15 days away. My kiddies have been diligently updating our funky witch calendar since October 1st. I’m always looking for fun craft and game ideas for school parties and I love to find yummy and healthy Halloween treat options....
“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” – Edmund Lee
I love having my kids’ birthday parties at home, but I also love NOT having them at home. As much as I enjoy all the fun and details, it’s A LOT of work. If I had to list one of Daniel’s favorite things this year, it...
Yesterday, pop star Fergie’s hubbie Josh Duhamel posted this photo on Instagram of his gorgeous newborn son, Axl. Josh is laying in a striped shirt and Baby Axl is swaddled right next to him in a red blankie with a blue pacifier in his mouth. Josh...
This is the start of my new series of “Happy Monday!” photos and videos. To kick it off, here’s super cute Prince Harry dancing in Jamaica in 2012 while celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Happy Monday!
I watched the 2013 Emmy Awards last night. All 3 hours and 10 minutes of it. I thought Neil Patrick Harris was a fun host. I kinda figured Breaking Bad was going to win Outstanding Drama Series. It’s the biggest television sensation right now and I’ve...
When we were at our beach condo this summer, the kids started watching Jessie on Disney Channel. They became seriously hooked (or rather, ADDICTED) to the show after just three episodes. For the rest of the week, we all watched Jessie while we ate our dinner in...
We’ve spent the entire day at home as a family having a wonderful, relaxing time. And celebrating this: Happy 12th anniversary, Baby. We’ve spent a dozen years as a married couple and many more years as best friends and partners in crime. Thank you for making...
Daniel turned seven last week and he requested a “milkshake cake” for his birthday. He’s never been a big fan of regular cake. Sure, he’ll eat a piece at a friend’s party, but it’s not his favorite. He’s always asked for a McDonald’s vanilla milkshake as...
Hubbie and I drove three hours to Tampa this past weekend to celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary with Mr. John Mayer. He was playing at Tampa’s gorgeous outdoor amphitheater with Phillip Phillips. We decided to book a room at the because it was right across the...
Katy Perry revealed the cover art for her brand new album, Prism, this morning on Good Morning America. She appeared on the talk show wearing a cute daisy dress which my 5-year-old daughter now wants. Prism will be released Tuesday, October 22nd. Katy told GMA she...
Here are your confirmed judges for Season 13 of American Idol! Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick, Jr. I’m excited. I was starting to fade away from American Idol a little bit last year. I was frustrated and bored. I missed the stories about the kids...
Is it strange that I have to put down my coffee mug and wipe away tears because a commercial for baby clothes comes on during Good Morning America? And then I have to go and rewind it two more times because it’s just so heartwrenchingly gooood....
Reason #178,655 why I love this kid: ¡°Mama, you know how some of my friends like Transformers and Superman and Superheroes and other things like that? Well, I like maps and buildings. I like that . I like that I¡¯m different.¡± They say it¡¯s ¡°Lucky Seven.¡±...
Annabel was a little under the weather on Saturday, the day we planned to head to a cool restaurant at the beach where kids can make their own pizzas for dinner. So Daniel had the awesome idea to do the pizza making at home. So we...
Brooklyn was rockin’ last night as the location for the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. I watched the entire show and here are my Top 5 most memorable moments of the night: 1. *NSYNC Reunites! There were rumors on Twitter all week that the five boys...
One of my favorite things about summer is the casual feeling. Everything moves at a slower pace. The kids are very organized and scheduled throughout the school year, so it’s nice to throw all that out the window for a couple months. It’s relaxing for me...
Warner Brothers just announced that Ben Affleck will play Batman in an upcoming sequel to their summer hit, Man of Steel. Ben will join actor Henry Cavill, who returns as Superman. The movie does not have a title yet, but it is scheduled to be released...
When I look through my iPhone photos, I never know what I’m going to get. As I pass by all the images I snapped that day, I will often find little surprises like this: This will continue on for about 20 to 30 more photos. ...
Prince William and his gorgeous wife Kate released two family photos yesterday. They are casual and adorable and feature one-month-old Prince George (wrapped in the same swaddle blanket from his debut) and even their dog, Lupo. The pics were snapped by Kate’s Dad, Michael Middleton, in...
Myrtle Beach, SC My kids do not get to see their beloved cousins as much as they’d like. They live in Maryland. We live in Florida. So my sister and I have picked South Carolina as a good meeting place. We try to vacay together every...
I remember when I first saw Luke Bryan. It was June 2012 and I had the CMT Music Awards on in the background while I was simultaneously typing on my laptop. I heard this beautiful voice, randomly looked up, and there he was. HI, THERE. He’s...
The anticipation of today was definitely more stressful than the smooth morning we actually had. Both kids woke up and ran downstairs to see their first day of school surprise treats. I made breakfast and then it was a tick-tock rush to fill the lunch boxes,...
Even MORE proof that it’s THE song of the summer. Well done, Robin Thicke. Side note: I can’t wait until Jimmy Fallon takes over The Tonight Show in February.
The royal baby has a name! Drumroll please…… His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. Prince George. I like it. What do you think?
It’s a boy! Prince William and his wife Kate gave birth to a baby boy yesterday afternoon and I’ve been waiting all day for the first sneak peek! I got a little teary-eyed watching the gorgeous couple FINALLY come out of those hospital doors with the...
I’m a big John Mayer fan and this photo from one of John’s summer concert stops completely stole my heart. Here’s John hanging with his Dad on stage at the Red Rocks on July 16th. Right after this moment, JM let his Dad pick the next...
What a horrible way to wake up on a Sunday morning. The news was all over social media. Cory Monteith, who plays Finn on Fox’s hit series Glee, passed away at the young age of 31. He was found dead and alone in a hotel room in...
Happy Independence Day. From our little Pop family to yours. Let freedom ring.
Happy early RED, White, and Blue! Courtesy of Taylor Swift who just wrote “So…” on Twitter and then introduced us to this awesome concert video for her hit song, “Red.” This brought back lots of fun memories. Enjoy!
Remember when Daniel didn’t like his outdoor adventure camp? Well, the best thing I ever did was switch him to a LEGO camp. He spends three hours a day INSIDE A SCHOOL CLASSROOM. BUILDING LEGOS. FOR THREE HOURS. He couldn’t be happier.
The Mad Men season 6 finale was this past Sunday and I still have not recovered. I keep thinking of its awesomeness. It was one of my favorite seasons. It was BIZARRE (the crazy “Grandma Ida” break-in attempt that traumatized Sally and Bobby. The entire ad...
A Sunday evening. The sun going down. A shady seat. A cold beer and a hot dog. The constant sounds of bats cracking and kids laughing. Hanging with my family at a baseball game. It doesn’t get much better. I heart America.
Wow, summer has really thrown me for a loop. That’s what happens when I spend the entire school year organized and scheduled. I mean scheduled to the “every-thirty-minutes” scheduled. I was so happy when my kids’ last day of school finally arrived so I could toss it all...
Daniel’s last days as a Kindergartner were action-packed. Not only did he learn to read this year, but he went to his very first PGA golf tournament and on his very first father/son camping trip. Now back to that reading part. It really is amazing to...
For me, The Office ended two years ago when Michael Scott (Steve Carell) left the show. It did finally, officially, end this month after a great run. But the heart of the show was Steve Carell’s lovable, dysfunctional, hilarious, “World’s Best Boss,” Michael Scott. I’ll admit...
Wasn’t it just YESTERDAY that I was crying on my couch because I had dropped off my little girl at the”big kid” school for the very first time? Man, that was rough. And here we are now. At the end of the road. The very last...
TV by the Numbers is one of my favorite resources for all the breaking TV news, gossip, and ratings info. They are also the first to know if a certain show will be returning next season or if it, unfortunately (or fortunately?), will be canceled. Here’s...
I decided to create a board on Pinterest with cool Mother’s Day gift ideas for trendy, hip moms. You know, Justin Timberlake CD’s and Beats by Dre. So, I sat down at my computer and…TWO HOURS LATER…I was still pinning (and drooling a little.) Click here...
Wow. This month FLEW by. And it was a month filled with lots of cool, new memories including: A return trip to our beloved Charleston, SC; Annabel’s first Father-Daughter Dance; the kids started private swimming lessons; I hung out with Taylor Swift; and then it all...
I am sometimes embarrassed by the amount of blessings in my life. With everything going on in our world, all the latest tragic events and deep heartache, it’s always front and center in my mind. I AM BLESSED. I’m blessed to spend so much time with...
Luuuuke! He did it! Luke Bryan, one of my favorite country cuties, won ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR at last night’s ACM Awards in Las Vegas. I think everyone was surprised. And why have I not seen him live in concert yet? I must remedy that ASAP....
Happy Easter! I love this joyful time of year. It finally feels like Spring around here and we were blessed with beautiful weekend weather. It was perfect for egg hunting and bunny petting. And, of course, every day is perfect for eating chocolate and drinking wine....
I remember when my Saturdays consisted of taking one of the kids to a Gymboree class at our local mall and then we’d have the rest of the day free to shop, go to the park, or be lazy at home. No more, my friends. I have...
Annabel celebrated her 5th birthday with a Hello Kitty Tea Party – girls only! It was the first year she only invited her little girl friends and she was so excited to have her very first tea party. Of course we had to include Hello Kitty...
Let’s be honest. It’s ALWAYS about the dress. The ladies looked amazing last night at the 2013 Oscars. There was so much nude and metallic and then some dramatic pops of color. These were some of my favorite looks of the night. (Including Jen Aniston NOT...
HBO’s hit show Girls… * makes me so uncomfortable that I literally look away from the television set and then I have to rewind to see what I missed and then I look away again. * makes me nostalgic for my early twentysomething days living in...
One, two, three, four, five. It feels like that. So fast. In a flash. Another birthday. Don’t move. Don’t look now. But my BABY GIRL is FIVE. And she will always be my baby. The one who completed our family. The one with the big...
Sometimes milestones are just…funny. Special thanks to our next door neighbor for the two pieces of Trident Tropical Twist chewing gum. Man, I love my kids.
It was Super Bowl XLVII last night and the Baltimore Ravens won! (Or the Baltimore RAISINS, according to my daughter.) I’m from Maryland, and I love the east coast, so it was an easy rooting choice. But my favorite moment was not watching the boys in...
I brainwash tell my kids on a daily basis that they are best friends. I also instill in Daniel that he has big brother duties. He must watch out for his little sister. I make sure he walks her to class in the morning and I...
No matter which side you are on politically, you have to admit: Mrs. Obama looks GOOD in this red hot dress (and brand new bangs!): And these colorful coats on the Obama girls are just beautiful! And I adore the J. Crew belt on the First...
Everyone says, “It’s about the little things.” And if you think about it, it doesn’t make much sense. Shouldn’t IT be about the BIG things? Like wedding days and your kid being born and a new job that made you move across the country? Well, that...
In 2012… Daniel lost these and this. Annabel rode this. I met a pop star. I mourned a pop star. I loved a new one. And a country one. And something red. My men came back. I enjoyed a new series. And some new TV shows....
Merry Christmas from my family to yours! May God bless us all. Enjoy every moment. – Pam
This is the word I am using to describe EVERYTHING now. I’m so blessed. You’re so blessed. We’re so blessed. My kids finished up their short week with Christmas parties and lunches. Today was a half day and all the students gathered to watch my son’s...
I wanted to come back here to post a picture of Daniel’s certificate from his Mind Math class. It was his first ever A+. And post the pictures from Annabel’s Christmas dance recital. She was a beautiful snowflake. But then, everything changed. I’ve been existing in...
These are my 10 (er..11?) favorite songs of 2012. (In no particular order. Really.) 1. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift Taylor came back swinging with this first single off her new album, “Red.” It’s catchy. It’s fun. And you just know...
Oh my goodness. It’s so easy for me to get caught up in all this holiday “hustle and bustle.” I love Christmas. I love the spirit of Christmas. But I tend to stress over the details and that always takes away some of the enjoyment. We...
Old Navy has just premiered their two new Christmas commercials and I can’t stop watching this one. (I have a little thing for the New Kids and one Mr. Jordan Knight. I’m lovin’ the red velvet suit.) I also can’t resist a little Boyz II Men...
I’m happy to report that my baby girl is back in school after yesterday’s sick day. But guess who felt left out? Yep, Daniel is now home with a cough and stuffy nose. He’s resting up for a big class field trip tomorrow. And I’m (not...
I still miss the days when I had my little girl home with me all day long. We would drop her big brother off at preschool in the morning and then spend the rest of our day running errands, going to a Gymboree class, meeting friends...
Thank you to my friend who posted this quote on Facebook yesterday. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more…” I am grateful for my healthy and happy family, my good friends (new and old), and the amazing feast...
These are my top five favorite television shows right now. And not one of them is a reality show. I know! I can’t believe it either! 1. Grey’s Anatomy. I’m a Grey’s loyalist. Hey, I even loved that musical episode. 2. Parenthood. I was a fan...
I’ve written a lot about my love of technology. Hey, I’m Pop Mommy. I love to DVR all my favorite television shows, listen to my iPod when I exercise, and play with my iPhone when I’m waiting in line. I’m always on my laptop. I blog,...
When Hurricane Sandy caused destruction and chaos across the northeast last week, I was left with a feeling of sadness and helplessness. I felt weird writing about my new favorite show, Nashville, or my Halloween candy overindulgence when families, when CHILDREN, were suffering. They didn’t have...
Happy Halloween from our silly family to yours. I hope you’re sitting down with a glass of wine and a Milky Way bar. Just like me. (Okay. Maybe two Milky Way bars. YUM.)
I love traditions! We go to the same pumpkin patch every year. We first found the charming place in 2007 when we just had baby Daniel. Then Annabel was born and we went as a complete family for the first time in 2008. As much as...
Do you love the pink dress? Oh, I LOVE the pink dress. And Justin jumping for joy. How adorable! The rest of their world exclusive wedding photos will be in this week’s PEOPLE Magazine which hits newsstands (and mailboxes) on Friday!
Since I’m a “mommy blogger,” I’m often offered some really cool opportunities to meet new people and participate in fun events. That happened this weekend at the Southern Women’s Show in Jacksonville! I was invited to meet the women behind the new The Balancing Act morning...
Last night’s second presidential debate is getting tons of buzz on Facebook and Twitter, but let’s talk about the REAL issue of the night. Did the First Lady and Ann Romney plan this? The ladies looked gorgeous in hot pink, but the outfits were nearly identical! ...
After all these deep thoughts, my husband thought I needed a mini break. Love him! Charleston, South Carolina holds a special place in my heart. My husband introduced me to the city when we were dating and we were married there in 2001. Now we get...
I’ve been going through a bit of a funk lately. Maybe it’s still the mid-life thing. Maybe it’s the stress of being back in the school rush. Whatever it is, here are some of the things that have been swirling around in my head lately: *...
I can’t stop singing this song! It’s the title song from Taylor’s new album, Red, which will hit stores/on-line/the universe on Monday, October 22nd. Taylor said the song was about “love” (of course) and how she sees emotions as colors. She told GMA this week, “I...
Christmas is the word! I’ve got CHILLS! They’re multiplying! I’m hopelessly devoted to these two! Oh Em Gee! John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are releasing a Christmas album together! How cute are they? (Do you think they’re drinking hot chocolate? cappuccino? coffee with Bailey’s?) It’s Grease‘s...
I love October. I grew up in Maryland, so October always meant cooler weather, leaves changing color, sweatshirts on a Saturday morning, and planning for Halloween. In fact, one of my FAVORITE October memories is hanging outside in my backyard with this boy I liked in...
I need to officially start a category titled “Hot Guys Just Hanging Out and Looking Hot.” You in? Here are some pictures of super hottie Ryan Gosling on the set of his new film in Austin, TX. It’s an “as-yet untitled film” from director Terrence Malick...
I thought my little man was done with the snack bags in PreK. But I was wrong. They are back! (It turns out they DO get snacks in Kindergarten too.) So….The Snack Bag Series returns! Daniel still loves to draw cars and trucks and buildings. But...
One of my favorite TV shows, Mad Men, broke records last night at the 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Why? They had 17 Emmy nominations and won ZERO. Yikes. But I still enjoyed watching all the fabulous fashions. I also learned that I need to invest...
I knew both kids would be in school full-time this year, so I decided to launch my Pop Mommy companion website, Pop Kids Report. It’s a pop culture news source for kids and Moms and I’ve had so much fun working on it. But it’s been...
Daniel loves to bowl, and he has a bit of a competitive spirit, so we decided to have his 6th birthday party at our local bowling alley/family entertainment center. The afternoon included team bowling and some video arcade fun. We also had a pizza buffet lunch...
I will never forget. Please say a special prayer for all the children who lost their Mama or Daddy 11 years ago today. 9/11/2001 I woke up, got ready for the day, and then drove to the Safeway grocery store around the corner from our condo...
Ryan Reynolds, 35, and Blake Lively, 25, got married over the weekend! I love them as a couple. I’ve been a fan of Blake’s since she starred in the ultimate BFF movie, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. She then landed her starring role on Gossip Girl and...
I have figured out who my favorite Jonas is and it’s not Kevin, Joe, or Nick. (Or little brother Frankie.) It’s Danielle Jonas, the wife of the oldest JoBro. SHE is the star of the new E! reality series, Married to Jonas. Danielle has to navigate being...
Daniel, You are such a big boy now that I don’t want to write on and on about what I THINK I know about you. You have your own thoughts and opinions. I’m sure there are things that you don’t share with me anymore (which breaks...
Oh, I wanted to fall head over heels in LOVE with The Newsroom, HBO’s new series about, well, the inner workings of a cable newsroom. But I ended the first season just liking it. Season one took me on a journey of indifference then love then...
Annabel would walk into the “big kid” school with me every day last year. We’d drop off Daniel in his classroom and then turn around and come home. She’d hold my hand and skip through the parking lot and we’d go home together. But not anymore....
It’s the year of the polo shirt. Daniel is not a big fan of polo shirts. But he needs to realize that he looks really, really cute in polo shirts. Everything became real this morning when my little boy put on his school uniform. The sun...
Taylor Swift’s fourth studio album, titled Red, will officially hit stores October 22nd! I’m SO excited. She announced her first single off the album (“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” LOVE it.) last night during an exclusive web chat with her fans. As always, the album is...
There was no way I wanted to cut off any of Annabel’s amazing curls. BUT it was time for a teeny, TINY trim. Annabel’s hair gets so tangled at night that it’s a struggle to brush it every morning. The ends were a little dry from...
I’ve been listening to John Mayer’s new CD, Born and Raised, almost every day because it just calms me. It’s one of those albums you can listen to from start to finish. Every song is great. I’ve been super stressed out lately and I find comfort in...
Okay, admit. When these two songs come on the radio you turn them up. AND you sing along because you know every single word. And then I found this video floating around Facebook and Twitter. I laughed so hard I cried because…SO TRUE! I originally...
After we decided not to take Annabel to Brave as her first “movie theatre” movie, it was on to Plan B. (Daniel’s first theatre movie was Cars 2.) Plan B. was Ice Age: Continental Drift which opened this weekend. Our whole family went to today’s first matinee...
Happy Birthday America! I love that we celebrate America’s birthday at the beach. Every year we spend the same July week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We stay in the same beach condo. Sometimes my parents or my sister and her family join us. But this...
When Harry Met Sally is one of my all time favorite movies. It’s probably safe to say it’s my favorite “rom com” of all time. It opened in theatres the year I graduated from high school, but I didn’t appreciate it until much later. Hubbie and...
We decided not to take Annabel to Brave as her very first movie theatre movie because of some of the reviews. (Daniel’s first movie theatre movie was Cars 2. It was the perfect choice for my little car lover although the movie was “eh.” That’s...
I just dropped off both my kiddies at their very first summer day camp. It’s every day from 9 AM to 3 PM and I don’t know how I’m going to make it. I keep looking at the clock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Daniel was a...
Why am I just discovering this hot country boy Luke Bryan? I like country music, but I’ve been away for a little bit. I’m not as up-to-date with ALL the newcomers. But I was watching the 2012 CMT Music Awards last night and Luke Bryan brought...
John Mayer is BACK, baby. After all the bad press and hub bub about Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson, it was probably for the best that he just left for awhile. (And now he’s finally addressing that controversial Taylor Swift song, “Dear John.” He just told...
Daniel “graduated” from Pre-K last week so I wanted to feature some of his final snack bags. His passion for only drawing buildings surprisingly changed and he wanted to draw bridges, ships, and even birds. (But he still threw in the Eiffel Tower.) I love this...
I can’t wait! I can’t wait! Here is an official movie trailer for Les Miserables which opens in theatres this Christmas. I’m so excited to see this amazing cast. Les Miserables is my favorite musical of all time and I just saw it in again...
Since both kiddies had their last day of school on Friday of Memorial Weekend, we decided to head out on a family adventure and visit SeaWorld Orlando. It was our first family visit. We arrived in Orlando on Friday evening and spent some time in Downtown...
Daniel and Annabel ended their school years on Friday. Their final weeks were filled with recitals, fun activities, and final evaluations. It is bittersweet. Annabel will be joining Daniel at his “big kid” school this Fall when she starts Pre-K and my little man will enter...
What a way to end a great run on American Idol! Here’s Phillip Phillips singing the original song, “Home.” This will be the single released to radio if he wins tonight. I’ve been a fan since day one. Go, Phillip, Go.
Let’s move on from all the midlife craziness and talk about SMASH! NBC’s Smash is one of my favorite new TV shows and I just realized I’ve never posted about it. And the season is already over! I really enjoyed every episode and I even got the...
BLAH. That pretty much sums up how I’ve been feeling lately. I don’t want to be overly dramatic and say I’ve been “depressed” because that’s so not my style. But, yeah, there’s been a little of that too. And when I feel that way, I don’t...
Annabel dropped out of her Fall dance class because…well, I don’t really know why. And when I say she dropped out, I really mean I ended it after four weeks of listening to her whine and cry and complain the minute we walked into the room...
You can read The Disney Diaries: Day One HERE. You can read The Disney Diaries: Day Two – Magic Kingdom HERE. You can read The Disney Diaries: Day Three – Epcot HERE. You can read The Disney Diaries: Day Four – Animal Kingdom HERE. One of the best parts of...
Mother Nature threatened us with rain and thunderstorms all weekend long, but we ended up with sunshine and perfect temperatures. Sure there was some rain here and there, but it was just enough to cool things down and create some fun puddles for the kids. My...
Here we go! Sometimes I think I love Nickelodeon’s The Fresh Beat Band more than my two kiddies. The songs are so darn catchy! They are always smiling! (How do they smile like that?) I was very excited when I found out the foursome would be...
After a nearly TWO MONTH hiatus, Glee is back! And Quinn is alive! (But in a wheelchair.) I loved the “don’t text and drive” message throughout the episode. Finn and Rachel are NOT married (yet.) And I didn’t think there could be someone cuter than Blaine...
You can read The Disney Diaries: Day One HERE. You can read The Disney Diaries: Day Two – Magic Kingdom HERE. You can read The Disney Diaries: Day Three – Epcot HERE. I was so excited to finally see Animal Kingdom. I have a serious obsession...
Now wait a minute, Easter 2012. We have an update. Daniel just lost his very first baby tooth! He’s a little bit sad, but very excited to use his new tooth fairy pillow. Go, Bean! (Oh my. I just noticed the baby picture in the background....
This year I had two school Easter bonnet parades, egg hunts, and class parties to attend. And they were on the same day. First, it was Daniel’s school celebration where I helped coordinate the fun. Then I was off to Annabel’s school to enjoy the rest...
Last night was 80s night on American Idol! My two favorite Idol contestants, Phillip Phillips and Colton Dixon, did not disappoint. The boys are on fire this season! Here’s Colton’s version of Cindy Lauper’s “Time After Time,” one of my favorite 80s songs. He made it...
You can read The Disney Diaries: Day One HERE. You can read The Disney Diaries: Day Two – Magic Kingdom HERE. Daniel was very excited when we rode the Disney monorail to Epcot because the monorail is one of his favorite “rides.” We arrived at Epcot...
You can read The Disney Diaries: Day One HERE. We woke up really early Monday morning and had a small breakfast at the Roaring Fork snack shop in our Wilderness Lodge resort. We then jumped on the boat to the Magic Kingdom. The boat service is...
Disney World is the most magical place on earth! We are all still recovering from a week of family fun and bonding in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. And I finally downloaded all my photos. (over 750!) We arrived in Orlando on...
The two-hour season premiere of Mad Men ROCKED. I loved it. One of the highlights was Megan Draper (Jessica Pare) singing this song at Don’s 40th birthday surprise party. I’ve been singing it all week. Caution: It will get stuck in your head too.
I’m totally procrastinating. I really need to/ want to /HAVE TO do my Disney World trip recap post. It’s just so overwhelming to go through 500 photos and think about how to document dozens of awesome memories. I’m hoping to get it all finished this weekend...
I just got back from an AMAZING Walt Disney World vacation! (That LONG recap to come very soon. Princesses! Dole Whips! Animal Kingdom Safari!) I had some serious TV catch up to do over the past 24 hours. My DVR was on overload. I finally had...
One of my fondest memories growing up was watching Sesame Street every morning as a preschooler. I can remember loving Grover (he’s still my fav) and I’d dream about one day visiting Sesame Street. I wanted to see Hooper’s Store! I wanted to sit on those...
Daniel loves to draw pictures on his school snack bags each morning. He started the daily ritual by drawing one small car next to his name, but now the drawings are much more colorful and elaborate. And pretty darn awesome, if I do say so myself....
Why, hello there…. How are you, Jon? Getting ready for a brand new season of Mad Men? Oh, I can’t wait! This is what I saw when I opened my mailbox yesterday. I love Mad Men! Jon Hamm and the cast will be back when season...
Daniel had his first T-ball game of the season on Saturday morning and it wasn’t until he slipped on his jersey that we noticed this: Kaye 9. Canine? Ha. Someone suggested “Who Let The Dogs Out?” for his walk-to-the-plate music.
I was watching Oprah’s Next Chapter a couple of weeks ago and motivational speaker Tony Robbins was the guest. Oprah sat through one of his amazing 12-hour conferences and highlighted some of her favorite “a-ha” moments. One of them was when Tony said this: “See things...
I was so happy I finally saw The Artist on Saturday because it won BIG at last night’s 84th Annual Academy Awards. The Artist picked up Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Picture. I thought it was well deserved. I was surprised to be completely pulled...
I love these two. Wouldn’t they make the cutest couple? And then they can get married and have some really pretty and really talented babies. I also love that Zac can play the guitar…and SING! Check out the “couple’s” appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show which included an...
Annabel wanted a pony at her birthday party this year so we started researching the option to bring a pony to our house. I thought we could do another at-home celebration that would include pony rides for the kids around our backyard. But when we drove...
Annabel turned four on February 15th and it’s been a whirlwind of fun. First, she had her birthday party at home with her family. Then, this past Saturday, we had a pony farm celebration with all her friends. (More about the pony party tomorrow.) This was...
I’m one of those suckers who loves Valentine’s Day. I love the hearts. I love the red, pink, and white. I love flowers. I love Hallmark cards and a big box of Godiva truffles. My birthday is February 1st and my daughter’s birthday is February 15th,...
Whitney Houston passed away the day before the Grammy Awards at the age of 48. It’s so tragic when an unbelievably talented artist dies. It forces me to reexamine everything I loved about their music. As soon as the news about Whitney’s death broke on TMZ and...
LMFAO is everywhere! First, they made an appearance with Madonna during Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show. And last night their popular song “Sexy And I Know It” was performed on Fox’s Glee by the muy caliente, Ricky Martin. Ricky was making a special guest appearance as a...
I was so happy when Kelly Clarkson rocked the National Anthem at yesterday’s Super Bowl XLII extravaganza. I had just met her Thursday night when she played a concert here in downtown Jacksonville. It was my birthday present from my hubbie and Kelly was the cutest thing...
On February 4th. I like you, Florida.
Yay! New Madonna music! And a music video to go along with it! Is it 1985 again or what? I’m really loving Madonna’s brand new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin.” It’s so fun! (And my son gives it two thumbs up.) Madonna will perform “Give Me...
Annabel loves to sing. She had such a blast in December because she would sing every single Christmas carol in the book. She loves to sing along to the radio or to the songs on her Hello Kitty keyboard. Her favorite time with her GG is...
I grew up listening to Michael Jackson. My first album was Thriller. (I still have it.) He left us way too soon, but his music lives on. And now I’m super excited for next week’s Glee! It’s the much anticipated “Michael” tribute episode and it airs...
Today was Pajama Day at Daniel’s school. All the Pre-K’ers could wear their pajamas to class and there was a special story time with the Principal. The morning snack was a special treat: Donut holes and juice boxes! Daniel was on cloud nine! When we walked...
Taylor Swift graces the cover of Vogue magazine’s February issue and here are some of the interview highlights. Love her! “I look out at the stadiums full of people and see them all knowing the words to songs I wrote,” says Swift. “And curling their hair!...
American Idol is back in action and my first favorite of the season is Phillip Phillips. You can’t forget the name, right? Well, take a listen to his audition below. I love his voice and I love that he rocks out to a little MJ too.
I was so excited to be invited to attend an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus on opening night! The theme this year is “Dragons” and we will be attending the show on Saturday when my hubbie is the guest ringmaster....
Listen, listen, listen, listen…these videos are so funny. I’m sure you’ve seen them already, but feel free to watch them again. Because they are SO funny. And (unfortunately?) SO true. (Is that a coffee? I might get one.)
I love, love, love Bethenny Frankel! And her Bravo TV show, Bethenny Ever After, returns for its third (and final) season on Monday, February 20th. I can’t wait! Here’s a sneak peek of Season 3. It’s filled with Bethenny’s famous sarcasm, a little marriage drama, that...
I grew up in Maryland so you would think I’d be used to a little cold weather. You would think I MISSED cold weather since I now live in Jacksonville, Florida. I did miss it a tiny little bit when we first moved down here five years ago....
Ricky Gervais was back to host the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles and these are my top five favorite moments of the night: 1. Christopher Plummer’s acceptance speech. Christopher Plummer won the first Golden Globe of the night for “Best Supporting Actor” for...
I caught an episode of Ellen and I wanted to share it here. In the episode, Justin Bieber gives a surprise visit, and performance, to the underprivileged children of Whitney Elementary in Las Vegas. This will give you one more reason to love superstar Justin Bieber. Or,...
We took the training wheels off Daniel’s bike this past weekend. And, of course, captured the moment he rode on two wheels for the very first time. “Look, Mama. No hands!” Well, that was my husband. You go, Bean.
“The most amazing feeling I feel, words can’t describe what I’m feeling for real / Baby, I paint the sky blue, my greatest creation was you.” -Jay-Z This is pretty awesome stuff. Brand new Daddy, Jay-Z, just wrote and recorded a brand new track called “Glory.”...
Wow. I can’t WAIT to watch this one, Anderson Cooper. (Thanks to Mom-101 for sharing.) Are we STILL talking about this? Why can’t we all just get along? Everyone loves to create a Stay-At-Home Mom (SAHM) versus Working Mom battle. It’s sad to think there...
In 2011… I hit a major milestone. So did my son. And my daughter. And my marriage. And our country. We lost a loved one. And had the (not so) tough conversation. We lost a pioneer. We were back in the ER. We had a fire...
Hi. I’m back. I took a mini break because of personal reasons. The personal reasons were all mine. I needed to clear my head. I needed to miss typing my thoughts and feelings on my keyboard each week. I needed to miss it, so when I...
I love Ryan Gosling. He was in one of the best movies of 2011 and he totally got cheated out of People Magazines‘s “Sexiest Man Alive” title. I’m still working on that petition. Here he is spending New Year’s Day in New York City with his...
Heavy D’s music takes me right back to my college dancing days at the Cellar at the University of Maryland in College Park. It also reminds me of my first years working at urban radio stations WPGC in Washington, DC and WBLS in New York City....
When I had my children 18 months apart, I knew there would be days (weeks, months!) that would be tough. It’s inevitable when you have two little ones so close in age. The first months were difficult because I had a brand new walker and a...
Well, FOUR more things. Quick things. Promise. My last week of October was CRAZY. Annabel had her very first class party. It was “Fall” themed and I was one of the moms in charge of the crafts, food, and fun. It was also my first time...
Glee was back last night! And my favorite cast member, Darren Criss, aka Blaine, sang Katy Perry’s hit song, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” Darren makes a cameo in Katy’s music video for this song, but here he is singing lead on the Glee version. Loves! Last...
It’s when the holidays come around that I realize I’ve been living in Jacksonville for almost five years now. We moved to Florida in February 2007 for Hubbie’s radio gig. It was an adjustment. We came down from Maryland where we lived in a suburb about...
Or should I say, “Happy Kim Kardashian gets a divorce day” or “Happy Jessica Simpson really is preggers day!” No, I’ll just say Happy Halloween! Because it felt like this day was never going to get here. We have been celebrating all week long. I’m officially exhausted....
Happy Birthday to my awesome husband. We recently celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary and I gushed all about this man. And he deserves all the goopy gushing he can get. He is my one and only. And it’s because he puts up with me. He’s...
Is she or isn’t she? Jessica Simpson has not confirmed her pregnancy, but I think this photo taken of the superstar this past weekend at New York’s JFK airport says it all. Jessica is engaged to Eric Johnson and has been mum about her growing belly....
Last weekend was the grand opening of LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven, FL. We have been counting down the days because the kiddies are huge fans of everything LEGO. We were able to score some media passes for a special early park preview on Friday afternoon....
E! correspondent Giuliana Rancic and her husband (Apprentice winner) Bill Rancic are an amazing power couple. I’ve been watching their Style Network reality show, Giuliana and Bill, for a couple of years now. I love their chemistry. They have openly shared their struggle to have a baby....
I love my Real Housewives on Bravo TV. My favorite season used to be Orange County, but I gotta hand it to the ladies of New Jersey. They have locked me in. Each week they warm my heart and stress me out. I’m most fascinated by...
We have all seen the many commercials for Viagra, Cialis, and Generic Levitra Online. Drugs treating erectile dysfunction have become mainstream topics and generate huge sales for pharmaceutical companies. Do you know how they work? Vardenafil ¨C This drug is most commonly sold as the brand...
I went to my very first Jacksonville Jaguars football game yesterday. I’ve been in Jacksonville for five years now, so it was about time. Our awesome friends had extra tickets, GG was free to babysit, so away we went! I was equally thrilled to watch football...
Not that he really ever left, but after a string of number one hits, Usher has been taking a break. Then he popped up at Taylor Swift’s Atlanta concert over the weekend to sing “Yeah” with the country princess. The crowd went bonkers. And Taylor was too...
The man who people are calling our generation’s Edison (or Einstein or John Lennon) passed away in his sleep yesterday after a long battle with cancer. He was only 56 years old. I love this piece my husband wrote about the impact of Steve Jobs. My...
Doctors scare me. Not the doctor PERSON, really, but what a doctor stands for. To me, they equal bad news. Or pain. I know that sounds really immature but, hey, it’s true. I have a real thing called “White Coat Syndrome.” It means I’m afraid of...
I’ll admit it. I voted for Justin Guarini. I really thought he was going to win it all. It was the very first season of American Idol and I fell in love with the show instantly. And I fell in love with Justin Guarini. I’m not...
I was going to write “T” Ball game, but it felt more like a big boy baseball game. The kids can try and hit a pitched ball. If they miss after two tries, they move to a tee. Daniel played soccer last spring, but he was...
I’m a big fan of John Mayer. I know he’s had some trouble keeping his mouth shut about past personal relationships. Yes, I know he’s a serial dater and a bit of a playboy. Yes, he might even be arrogant and a little self absorbed sometimes....
Here’s Jon Hamm looking mighty dapper while filming Mad Men in L.A. yesterday. Happy Friday.
Iconic rock band R.E.M. has retired. They made the big announcement yesterday. I honestly have not thought about R.E.M. in YEARS, but I had a twinge of nostalgia when I heard the news. R.E.M.’s song “Superman” was my college anthem. I’m a Delta Gamma and we...
Annabel is my little girly girl. She loves dresses. She is just like me when I was little because she is starting to refuse to wear anything but dresses to school. She rocks them with her sparkly white sneakers. She LOVES ballet class. Her favorite part...
These are my five favorite looks of the night. These are also five of my favorite actresses. What a treat to see them all look so amazing. 1. Kate Winslet in Elie Saab. 2. Dianna Agron in Roksanda Illincic. 3. Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang....
The 2011 Emmy Awards: Here are my top five favorite moments… 1. The Ladies of Comedy. I love Amy Poehler from Parks and Recreation so leave it to her to be the mastermind behind the fun surprise when the Best Actress in a Comedy Series nominees were...
Ten years ago today I married my best friend. We were married in the beautiful courtyard of a historic inn in Charleston, South Carolina. We were just dating when we first visited Charleston together and I fell in love with the city in two seconds. Just...
Today was the day! The Missoni for Target line debuted in stores and on the Target.com website. I strolled over to my Target store around 9:00 AM because I wanted to get this super cute cup and saucer set: Nope. Not there. All I found were...
Simon Cowell’s new show The X Factor premieres September 21st. I’ve been hearing about this new talent show FOREVER and now it’s (almost) finally here! Here is a special extended preview of The X Factor. OMG, I’m so excited. Just check out the 8 minute clip...
This is my post from two years ago on 9/11/09. I will never forget. Please say a special prayer for all the children who lost their Mama or Daddy 10 years ago today. 9/11/2001 I woke up, got ready for the day, and then drove to...
I’m obsessed with this song right now. Just ask my two kiddies who wonder why I blast it at top volume every time I hear it on the radio. I’ve always loved Maroon 5 and Adam Levine is just so dreamy. Here they are performing “Moves...
Missoni has launched a 400 piece collection for Target which includes clothing, accessories, home decor, and kitchen items. You’ll recognize that colorful zigzag pattern. The pieces are reasonably priced and super cute. The collection hits stores (and will also be available on-line) starting September 13th. Everything...
What happened to my BAAAYBEEE? This is Annabel heading out to meet her preschool teacher for the first time last Friday. We had a 10 minute meet-and-greet orientation. Annabel met her teacher as well as all the cool classroom toys. Then, we left. Today, we went...
Special thanks to TVLine.com for this awesome 2011 Fall TV Grid. Hopefully your favorite television shows are returning (One of my favs, Cougar Town, won’t be back until mid-season) and you are excited for some of the new ones. (I hope Whitney is as funny as...
I’m a girly girl. I’ve talked about it here before. My daughter is “girly” like me. She has a pink room with ballerina pictures on the wall and Hello Kitty bed sheets. She loves the princess movies. She has a dollhouse. She likes to dress up and put...
Today my baby boy is five years old. And to use one of my son’s favorite phrases, “I can’t believe it.” Five? That’s an entire hand. The cliche is true. Time goes so fast. I can clearly remember bringing him home from the hospital and holding...
When Adele started to sing “Someone Like You” at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards, Hubbie and I both stopped typing on our laptops and looked up at the television. We had to watch this incredible stripped-down performance. Her voice is beautiful. This song is amazing. Just...
I wrote about Daniel’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go” birthday celebration HERE, but I needed a new entry to talk about one of the most important party elements: The goody bag! It’s so funny because I do not remember the goody bag being a...
The highlight of last night’s MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles was Beyonce announcing she is pregnant! She was absolutely glowing when she spilled the beans during the black carpet arrival. Then she performed her song “Love on Top” while telling the audience to stand...
Once we decided on the theme for Daniel’s 5th birthday party, Annabel would walk around talking about Daniel’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go Birthday Celebration!” It was the “celebration” part that always cracked me up. And she was right. It was a CELEBRATION. This...
We have done a lot of updates to our home in 2011. We bought a foreclosure in December 2010, so we had to renovate the entire place. Luckily, it had great “bones” so we put our efforts into appliances, paint, fixtures, and tons of outside work....
Oxygen’s The Glee Project concluded last night with the announcement of the winner. After 10 weeks of tryouts (I watched every episode) and lots of singing, dancing, and cool music video performances, the winner is… BOTH Damian and Samuel! Damian McGinty (18) and Samuel Larsen (19)...
Hubbie and I saw the new movie Crazy, Stupid, Love a couple weeks ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was really funny and sweet and there were some great performances by Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, and Marisa Tomei. Oh, and this...
It was such a bummer when Zac Efron dropped out of Footloose, the big screen remake of the 1984 iconic dance drama. Zac was supposed to play Ren, the Kevin Bacon main character. I was a big fan of the Disney High School Musical movies (yes,...
“Hi, Mama! I can’t believe I’m in a big kid school now, Mama!” “It’s the best school EVER, Mama.” “And guess what, Mama? I made TWO new friends today.” “I love my new school.” (EXHALE.)
How crazy was that THREE HOUR premiere of Bachelor Pad? I’m so drained from all the failed Bachelor and Bachelorette romances that it’s fun to see the franchise create a show that just revels in the ridiculousness of it all. And the most ridiculous Bachelor Pad couple...
Check out who will be visiting PBS’s Sesame Street this Fall when it returns for its 42nd (!) season on Monday, September 26th. First, there’s my boyfriend Mark Ruffalo. Did I ever tell you I had the chance to be alone in the backseat of a car...
Here’s the official music video for “I Love You This Big” by Scotty McCreery. It’s the American Idol Season 10 winner’s debut single. My favorite line is “I love you to the moon and back.” He’s just so darn cute. I was a fan of Scotty’s from...
My favorite reality show housewife, Bethenny Frankel, has just launched her new cocktail sensation, the Skinnygirl Sangria. I am SO excited because I don’t like tequila so I couldn’t enjoy the super popular Skinnygirl Margarita (The drink that made her a multi-millionaire.) But I definitely plan to taste...
Daniel starts school next week and he’ll be repeating Pre-Kindergarten. It’s something I’ve wanted to write about here because it was an important decision we made and it involved a bunch of research, conversations with teachers and friends, and good faith. It was actually a pretty...
Yo! I love this girl. Taylor Swift covered Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” during her concert stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan last week. She’s been paying homage to hometown artists in each city of her Speak Now tour. She chose Eminem’s Oscar-winning song for her show outside Detroit....
I love trendy celebrity things. I just can’t help myself. I had to buy Jessica Simpson’s crochet shawl when she started wearing one every week on her Newlyweds reality show. I made Hubbie buy me this designer diaper bag when I saw a bunch of celebrities carrying it in the pages...
Sandra Bullock surprised Ryan Reynolds last night at the LA premiere of his new movie, “The Change Up.” They’ve been buddies since starring in “The Proposal” together. They’ve also both dealt with painful, public divorces in 2010. When are they going to realize they should...
Here’s the official music video for Jordan Knight’s new song, Stingy. Okay, I’ll admit. I did not LOVE this song the first time I heard it. And I’m a HUGE fan of Jordan and the New Kids on the Block. But this super hot video is...
One of the highlights of our beach vacation this year happened on the very last day. We flew kites on the beach. GG bought all the cousins a kite as a special surprise. We waited until the last night when the weather was warm and windy....
Katy Perry wore this adorable Smurfette dress to “The Smurfs” movie premiere in New York City last night. Katy voices the Smurfette character in the movie. Don’t you love her matching blue Christian Louboutin shoes?
You know you’re a Mom when… You can’t get this song out of your head! I’ve been singing this all week. It’s Nick Jr’s “The Fresh Beat Band” and their new single, “Here We Go.” It’s pretty darn awesome. Happy Friday.
In 2002, I started my job at an advertising agency where I was responsible for marketing movies. It was a cool gig. I had to show the films to press so they could do their reviews. The studios would send their stars and directors into town...
It’s been a rough couple of weeks adjusting back to “normal” after our beach vacation. Plus, add the fact that Hubbie went away for the weekend to attend Queen’s funeral and then, we both got sick. Yeah, good times. It was some nasty stomach virus and the only...
There was a time, a few years back, when I could not tell the difference between all the young, cute girls who starred on the popular Disney Channel television shows. Then, Hannah Montana made Miley Cyrus a HUGE superstar and I saw her first interview on...
I can not WAIT for this show! Simon Cowell is back (and Paula Abdul too! Yay!) on Wednesday, September 21st at 8 PM EST on FOX. Here’s the world premiere preview of The X Factor.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine (Kate) Middleton, looked absolutely amazing during her North American tour last week. She went from Canada to California and every fashion choice she made was stunning. She is the epitome of a princess. Here are my favorite outfits that she wore...
When Queen turned 98 years old in May, Daniel asked me how long people live. Well, he really said, “Mama, what is the longest age?” “Well, people can live to one hundred. Or even more than one hundred.” “Will Queen live to one hundred?” “She might,...
Please check out this totally awesome video from Katy Perry. It’s for her new single, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” and you need to watch closely for all the fun cameos (including You Tube sensation Rebecca Black, Debbie Gibson, the kids from Glee and Hanson, just to...
We got Miss Independent her very first bicycle this week. She loves it. This is the first time she is peddling by herself. She never liked the tricycle she had and that was a bummer. She would just sit there and want us to do all...
I love Gwen Stefani. I think she’s a super cool chick. I love that she’s my age and she’s a mom. She also has an amazing sense of style that she apparently handed down to her two fashionable little boys. I love this photo of her...
I first met Ms. Earline Heath King when I was dating my husband back in 1998. She was the best friend and life companion of my husband’s father. So when we married in 2001, she was at the wedding. And I know she was never technically...
I almost wanted to count the number of times that Ashley from The Bachelorette said the word “Bentley” on last night’s episode. If I was playing a drinking game, I would have been passed out in my bed. “I’m having a really hard time completely forgetting...
I enrolled Annabel in an art class this summer. It was every day for one week from 1:45 PM to 3:00 PM. The class was called “Clay for Tiny Hands” and I just kept thinking about that “tiny” part. Annabel is my baby and I’m already...
We took Daniel to his very first movie yesterday, Cars 2. We waited until he was 4 years old because we wanted it to be a memorable first experience. Something we ALL would remember. Daniel LOVES the Disney movie Cars, so it worked out perfectly that...
There is SO MUCH Justin Bieber in the pop world that I just tune it out most of the time. Not that I don’t like him. He’s cute! He’s talented! Honestly, he could be my kid. That’s how I see him. But I’m glad I clicked...
One of my absolute favorite cable channels, Bravo TV, has done it again. They’ve created another addicting reality series. This one is called Million Dollar Decorators and it airs Tuesday nights at 10 PM EST. Not only are the five featured decorators so funny and fabulous, but...
I go to Target every other week to get all my cleaning supplies. (I try to avoid all the cute clothes and the stuff in the dollar bins…but that never happens.) Well, two weeks ago I needed sponges and I threw these in my cart: I...
Happy Father’s Day to the most awesome Daddy in the whole wide world. Love, Bean and Annabelly
Get ready to go Ba-nanas! The Rachel Zoe Project is back for Season 4. It premieres August 2nd on Bravo TV. Here’s a special sneak peek and, if you wait until the end, you can see adorable Baby Skyler.
Daniel and Annabel are enrolled in summer swimming lessons and it’s been great. They go twice a week for 8 sessions. This is the first year they have done a group lesson. Daniel started the ISR (Infant Survival Classes) when he was only 18 months old....
If you are a fan of the Fox mega hit Glee, like I am, then you MUST check out The Glee Project. It’s a cool new series that airs Sunday nights on Oxygen and I have no idea why Fox did not pick this show up....
Here’s the story, Of how I met Greg Brady. Who was starring in a play in Jacksonville. It was at a dinner theatre, called Alhambra, The awesome manager picked up the bill. Here’s the story, of how I met Greg Brady, he actually looks very much...
I flew to Washington,DC this past weekend to meet my sister, Marsha, and our childhood BFF, Melissa, for one fun, EPIC night. It was the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys concert. We were there for the New Kids. I’ve mentioned here before that...
Here’s the latest video from Taylor Swift, “The Story of Us.” I really like this song and it appeals more to her pop fans. Big eyeglasses definitely make a lot of cameos in her videos. Enjoy!
Daniel’s final days of preschool were jam packed with activities. Besides the graduation ceremony, there was an alphabet party, a water fun day, and an end of year party with the parents. For the alphabet party, all the kids had to pick a letter. They had...
Yeeeee Haw! Scotty McCreery won the title of American Idol last night. It was a fun finale. I really did not care if Scotty won or Lauren Alaina won because I had picked them both as my favorites when the season first started. I love that...
I just ugly cried through the entire final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. It was perfect. No guests. No fanfare. No “Favorite Things” to hand out. Just Oprah talking about the lessons she has learned and the wisdom she wants to pass along to us,...
I was going to write all about the 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, but this is all that really happened: Justin Bieber and his girlfriend Selena Gomez kissed! Justin did not mention Selena when he took the stage to accept his many Billboard awards,...
Daniel’s soccer season ended on Saturday. This was his very first team sport experience with weekly practices and games. This was my first experience being a “soccer mom.” I had so much fun. Daniel did too. Sure, there were days when he was happy the game...
It’s official. I will never see a live taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Boo. I did try to get some last minute tickets for her final season but everything is a lottery and it was basically impossible. I had a plan that if I did...
It’s been a big week of milestones for our family. Today, Daniel had his Pre-K graduation ceremony at school. It was beyond cute. First, all the kids performed some summer songs on the big stage. The songs included the very popular “Florida Alphabet” and “If All...
This is Annabel’s potty chart. We She did it! I’m so proud of my big girl.
I still have TWO of my four favorite American Idol contestants left in the competition: Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina. Yay! They will compete against Haley Reinhart for a spot in the finale. Scotty and Lauren are both country artists. I would love a country finale....
This woman rocks. Enough said.
My Mother’s Day celebration started early. I went to Daniel’s preschool for a special Mother’s Day luncheon on Friday. Daniel gave me a homemade vase and the teacher read aloud questionnaires filled out by each child about his or her Mother. When it was my turn,...
Here is Taylor Swift’s video for her brand new single, “Mean.” It’s my favorite song on her latest album, Speak Now. Enjoy!
Last night something really exciting happened in Jacksonville …I got dressed up! I wore heels! I went out to a club! Oh, and I met Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley from Bravo TV’s The Real Housewives of Orange County. Yes, Gretchen is just as small and...
Here’s a sneak peek of Lady Gaga performing on one of the final Oprah shows. She sings “You and I” which, interestingly enough, Haley Reinhart just performed on American Idol last night. Check out her high heel piano and you can’t miss that face mask. She’s one...
I’m down to my two favorite contestants on American Idol. Casey Abrams was voted off last week. I was not surprised. He was amazing from the beginning, but he took a lot of risks. The judges used their one “save” on Casey and I think he...
On a much, much, MUCH happier note… Annabel had her very first ballet recital last week. It was more like an open house for parents to go completely camera crazy. It was awesome. Annabel was a camellia flower which meant her costume was pink! (Thank goodness!)...
Sunday, May 1, 2011: Almost 10 years after 9/11 I was watching The Real Housewives of OC on Bravo TV and I checked my Twitter. I saw the string of tweets: “Osama is Dead!” “Go USA!” “Yes we did!” I ran to turn on CNN and...
We had another eventful Easter with Daniel’s ER visit, but OTHER THAN THAT, it was a beautiful day. The kids woke up to find their Easter baskets filled with goodies from the Easter Bunny: the traditional chocolate bunny and jelly beans as well as a cool...
I watched the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton with the kiddies. We ate breakfast in front of the television set. They both were fascinated. Annabel ran to put on her princess dress. Daniel loved the car they rode in through the sea of...
Tomorrow is the big day! The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. I will be awake and watching the event unfold at 6 AM EST. I can not wait to see Kate’s wedding dress. And how cool that my daughter will be watching a...
New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys performed their new single, “Don’t Turn Out The Lights” on Dancing with the Stars last night. But my favorite moment was when Donnie and Joey from New Kids performed a dance number at the end of “Step by...
This was Daniel LAST Easter. (Please note the enormous blue and purple Easter egg bump on his forehead.) And this was Daniel THIS Easter. Please note the ginormous laceration across his cute forehead. It’s the annual Daniel Easter curse. This was the THIRD Easter we...
Well, the first of my four favorite American Idol contestants has left the building. Cutie Stefano Langone is, um, gone. And he just had an amazing Wednesday performance of Ne-Yo’s “Closer.” What a bummer. I hope he gets a record deal because he was the one...
I’ve already written about my love for the NBC show Parenthood. My favorite “Gilmore Girl,” Lauren Graham, plays the complicated Sarah. She’s great in this role but I really do fall in love with a different character each week. This week’s episode showcased the awesome Mae...
It was 2:00 AM and we woke up to this. There was a brush fire in the preserve area behind our house. This is one of the driest years that Florida has seen in a long time. Last night it was really windy too. The...
I can’t get this song out of my head. I caught myself singing it during My Gym with Annabel today. It’s not that embarrassing because everyone knows this song. It’s EVERYWHERE. I thought Diddy (P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Puffy, and what’s Dirty Money anyway?) couldn’t top...
I was watching TLC’s Extreme Couponing last week and it gave me anxiety. These shoppers have mastered the art of coupon clipping, but they have taken it to a whole new level of crazy. It was frightening to watch them fill cart after cart (some of...
or..not. I’ve been telling Annabel lately that “you are lucky you are so cute.” Which is true on two levels. One, she is very, very cute and two, she is driving me CRAZY with this “3” stuff. That’s the excuse I will use for her erratic behavior....
Taylor Swift won the big prize last night at the 2011 Academy of Country Music Awards in Sin City. She was named “Entertainer of the Year!” She also performed her song “Mean” for the first time. It’s off Speak Now and I think it’s her best...
Happy Friday! Yahoo!! And do you know WHY I’m so happy?? Well…. 1. Grey’s Anatomy ROCKED LAST NIGHT. (I may be in the minority here, but I thought it was just awesome.) 2. I survived Spring Break week with both kiddies at home! We had some...
The New Kids are on a roll! First New Kid cutie Jordan Knight released his new radio single, “Let’s Go Higher.” And now the blended boy band buddies NKOTBSB (New Kids on the Block plus Backstreet Boys) have released their first brand new song, “Don’t Turn...
Get the tissues ready for this Thursday’s Grey’s Anatomy: The Music Event. It features Sara Ramirez (Callie) having an out of body experience while she sings for her life after a truly horrible car accident. We don’t know yet whether her baby will live or even...
You know, I never had the nerve, or desire, to get a belly cast or belly art when I was pregnant with Daniel or Annabel. Here’s a photo of Mariah Carey’s REALLY pregnant belly. She shared it via Twitter. She painted it to celebrate her 42nd...
If you missed Part One.. Click Here! If you missed Part Two.. Click Here! Last year we did the awesome Chef Mickey’s character breakfast in the Contemporary Resort and I highly recommend it. It’s the perfect place to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald Duck and...
If you missed Part One.. Click Here! We were blessed with perfect weather for our one day adventure at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom last Friday. Since the kiddies are 4 1/2 and 3, all we really need to cover is the Magic Kingdom. And since we live...
We surprised Daniel and Annabel on St. Patrick’s Day and told them we were going to Disney World! I told Annabel in the morning and she was so excited that she wore her Mickey ears in the car when we went to get Daniel from preschool....
I’ve heard this song so much lately. It’s on the radio every time I’m driving somewhere without my kiddies, which is AWESOME because I can crank it up REALLY LOUD and groove along. Seriously, try to sit still while listening to this one. I will...
Daniel’s soccer season starts this week. His very first team practice is tomorrow evening. We are all very excited. Daniel was excited to buy the cleats and shin guards.
Jon Hamm is one handsome guy. I love him in Mad Men. It’s one of my favorite television shows. And he just turned 40! We are the same age! Whoot! Mandi Bierly from Entertainment Weekly celebrated Jon Hamm’s 40th birthday by posting 40 amazing photos of him...
Oh, Yay! My NKOTB crush, Jordan Knight, has a brand new song on the radio called “Let’s Go Higher.” It’s so good. It will make you want to get up and dance. Annabel and I are dancing around the kitchen to it now. Jordan said he...
I’m not a good cook. My hubbie is the cook in our family, or, rather, he is the CHEF. He’s amazing and I’m not motivated to go head to head with his skills. It’s fine by me. I like to bake. Sometimes. Now that Bean is...
I’ve picked my four favorite American Idol contestants for Season 10. I did this last year and one of my picks actually won the whole thing and became the American Idol! (Lee Dewyze. Remember him?) I’ve decided to abandon my two girls and two boys rule....
I have been waiting for Annabel to take her first ballet class since the day she was born. That might be a BIT of an exaggeration (I’m a girly girl. I admit it.) But, nonetheless, I was so excited to go out and buy her the...
I thought Anne Hathaway and James Franco were just ho-hum hosts of this year’s Academy Awards, but Anne sure did look amazing in all her costume changes. She kept smiling through all the zaniness of the evening. The King’s Speech was the big winner picking up...
My husband is a morning radio host and he gets to do A LOT of cool things. This week he was featured on Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible. The show was in town to help renovate a local restaurant and they all stopped by my hubbie’s radio...
Argh. I hate when American Idol builds up a contestant for us only to cut them before WE, the audience, get a chance to vote. Last night was the end of the road for AI favorite, Chris Medina. His story touched my heart from day one....
And since it’s all about celebrity HAIR lately, here’s a pic of Jennifer Aniston’s brand new bob haircut. It looks light she lightened the color too. I really like it. I might talk to my stylist about trying this look too. Well, once my hair...
PLEASE tell me it’s just a super slow news day when every entertainment website had THIS as the lead story when I woke up this morning: “JUSTIN BIEBER GETS A HAIRCUT.” Wow. This kid has some serious impact. (Taylor Swift better hurry up and straighten her...
My baby turned THREE on February 15th. I think it’s the hardest transition for me because “2” still feels like a baby, but “3” means I have a little girl now. And my little girl is already in her new “big girl” bed. Annabel wanted a...
OMG. OMG. OMG. I heart Topher Grace! His brand new movie about the 80s called Take Me Home Tonight opens in theatres March 4th. He created this super fun viral video with Atomic Tom to get us all excited for the film. It’s a cover of...
After watching American Idol “Hollywood Week,” my new favorite contestant has emerged: Robbie Rosen from Merrick, NY. Robbie is only 16 years old and he can sing and play piano. I love his voice. And he sure is a cutie. I can’t find his Hollywood Week...
Here is a preview of the new season of Bravo TV’s Bethenny Ever After. Yahoo! I love me some Bethenny! The show premieres February 28th. I can’t wait!
Valentine’s Day comes and goes in such a rush every year because it is now defined as the day before Annabel’s birthday. I really love the holiday so I have to remember to make it special. I decorate the house with pink and red and hearts...
Happy Valentine’s Day! This is one of my favorite holidays because I love hearts. I love candy and flowers. And I will always remember Valentine’s Day as being the day I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of my baby girl, Annabel. So in honor of LOVE,...
So, our friends from the massive TV phenomenon known as Friends are back in action! Jennifer Aniston (“Rachel”) has a brand new movie opening today, Just Go With It. It didn’t get the best reviews, but she stars with Adam Sandler so it will be the number...
My son Daniel loves to be a daredevil. He already had two staples in his head from slamming into the wooden foot part of our sofa. My hubbie was home watching the kids and said Bean was dancing on the couch and just fell. Great. I...
I’ve been reading some entertainment articles lately that say The Social Network is now a long shot to win the Oscar for Best Picture. I can’t believe that. I’m still rooting for it all the way. It’s the movie that clearly defines our generation and the...
It’s probably no surprise that I watch the Super Bowl every year for the commercials. This year there were three ads that really stood out for me while I was waiting for Glee to start. First, this Chrysler ad. I always get excited to hear some...
If you have not seen Black Swan yet, you must go out and see it this weekend. Bring your hubbie because he’ll like it too. Trust me. If you have not read the spoilers yet, well there’s this really hot scene between Natalie Portman and her...
Here’s a first look at Judd Apatow’s brand new comedy Bridesmaids. Oh man, I can’t wait. He’s the guy who brought us Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Funny People. This one looks like his chick flick version of all three of those films. Plus, it stars my...
So…I turned 40 yesterday. What’d you do? I feel fine, actually. I feel no different. Last year I had a freak out moment about turning 39 because 39 felt so final. Like the end of something. (Bye, bye 30!) Well, 40 feels new. 40 is...
On Thursday evening, the final American Idol audition was from 15 year old Georgia native Lauren Alaina. Steven Tyler basically declared her a finalist. Jennifer Lopez was moved to tears. Lauren has that wonderful combination of being sincere, cute, and super talented. I also love her country flavor....
WOW. I was watching American Idol on Wednesday and the final Milwaukee contestant was Chris Medina. Chris told the heartbreaking story about his fiancee Juliana. He is so amazing and mature for being only 26 years old. He is also the epitome of a great guy. Here’s the amazing story and his...
Hubbie was the guest ringmaster for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus that came to Jacksonville last weekend and here is the awesome shot I got of his performance: URGH. I really need a new camera phone. Or rather a brand new phone. I went...
Seinfeld is one of my favorite television shows of all time. I’ve seen Jerry Seinfeld do his live stand up show on two different occasions and I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. He is a comedic genius. Thank you, TV Squad, for this fun...
I’m giving the new and improved American Idol an “A.” It grabbed me in the first five minutes with an exciting opening segment that reintroduced us to the brand new panel of judges: Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Randy Jackson. Two of those judges are the biggest rock and...
I’m giving these four lovely ladies my 2011 Golden Globes Best Dressed Awards. I know January Jones’ (Mad Men) dress was a little risque, but I think she pulled it off with her amazing figure. Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) can do no wrong. She looked amazing...
No! In today’s sad news department, Regis Philbin is retiring from television later this summer. He will turn 80 years old in August and I’m sure he wants to end on a high note. He is a class act and a wonderful entertainer and I just...
Although I did love Natalie Portman’s acceptance speech for Black Swan, I have to give my favorite acceptance speech of the night nod to Chris Colfer who plays Kurt on Glee. This was Kurt’s season to shine and Chris Colfer’s supporting role win was so well deserved. Congrats!
After a great couple of days in North Carolina, we then drove 5 hours north to Maryland to the home where I grew up. We had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa. They are always amazed that their grand kids eat so well. (Or so...
Happy New Year! Did you know today is the very last day that I can say that? Well, according to Ryan Seacrest and his millions of Twitter followers. Yesterday he asked “what’s the expiration date on saying “Happy New Year?” Someone replied “halfway through January.” Or January 15th....
Here’s a first look at Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” video. It’s the song she wrote about Taylor Lautner. (Allegedly.) I love the song and the video is beautiful. Check it out. Taylor Swift – New Music – More Music Videos
Happy 2011! I still can not believe 2010 is gone. It went SO FAST. We are finally back in our new home after road tripping up north to visit family. I have lots of recaps to come. But I need to unpack and do tons of...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. – PopMommy
I just told my husband that the past couple of weeks have been the perfect crossroads of home, family, and LIFE stress. We moved. My son got a stomach virus for the very first time. (I’m not really great with “sick.”) Then I got sick. My crazy dog...
It was announced earlier this year that Taylor Swift would be the next face of CoverGirl And now the first photos are FINALLY revealed! She will be promoting their new NatureLuxe line which will debut in January. Below is Taylor’s very first ad for CoverGirl. She looks very angelic and pretty. ...
I have not had a moment to post some photos from our Thanksgiving celebration, because here is a quick list of what has been going on in my life since I last posted something on this here blog: – I got sick and was surviving on Dayquil, Nyquil, and...
Don’t you just love (or hate) our world of camera phones? You can’t hide from anyone these days. This photo of Taylor and Jake was snapped by a customer at a hip coffeehouse in Taylor’s hometown of Nashville. It looks like they are definitely “dating” or...
It’s been a weird couple of weeks in terms of my parenting. I’ve been having these two extremes. I either lose it completely or I become submissive and give in. I don’t know if it’s because of the kiddies’ ages right now or my tolerance level is just completely depleted or...
It was boy band HEAVEN last night on the 2010 American Music Awards. New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys closed the show in a big way. They took some advice from the success of Glee and did some really neat song mash ups. ...
This was my favorite performance on Glee this week. I know I didn’t speak too highly of Gwyneth’s performance at the CMA Awards, but she sure rocked her guest role on Glee. Is there an Emmy in her future??
Thank you, People Magazine. Good choice! I think Ryan Reynolds was at his sexiest when he was playing a father in the romantic comedy “Definitely, Maybe.” (Dads are sexy.) This issue is on stands Friday. (It also features “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm. Yum!)
We went to the Jacksonville Fair last week and it was the perfect adventure to display my kiddies’ unique personalities. Daniel is the daredevil who wanted to go on every single ride, including the super big Ferris wheel. He was in awe the entire time. He loves to figure out how...
I was so excited Miranda Lambert won big last night at the CMA Awards. She won four awards including Female Vocalist of the Year. I’m pretty sure it was all because of her amazing song, “The House That Built Me.” If you have not heard the song yet,...
Here’s a performance of Katy Perry’s smash hit Teenage Dream from tonight’s episode of Glee. Enjoy!
Ricky Martin has been super busy lately. He’s making the publicity rounds to promote his new book, Me. He visited Oprah last week. It was his first television interview since publicly admitting he was a gay earlier this year. It was a great interview. He was very open. He seems...
Daniel’s very first piece of sushi. A California Roll from the grocery store. Yummy avocado, crab stick, and cucumber covered with brown rice. Baby steps for my little foodie.
It’s cutie boy band overload! The New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys have just announced that they plan to tour together in Summer 2011! ( I am really excited. I’ve been an NKOTB fan since high school and the Backstreet Boys have one of the Best Pop Songs EVER.) ...
I’m excited to introduce my brand new PopMommy feature, “5 Questions.” Special thanks to super mom Casey Jones from the TLC show Quints by Surprise for being my very first guest. Ethan and Casey Jones were grade school sweethearts who married after college and had their first daughter, Eliot. ...
Now that the kiddies are 4 and 2, the Halloween celebrations have kicked up a notch. We basically celebrate Halloween the entire month of October. This year it started when I hung the “Countdown to Halloween” Witch sign on the wall and it finally ended last night when I wrestled...
I like them together.
The kiddies and I have been watching Yo Gabba Gabba! for the past couple of weeks in preparation for the Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! show in Jacksonville. Confession: We never watched the show before. The kids don’t watch too much television so we stick to 3 or 4...
My hubbie pointed out that he turned 16 years old yesterday. Well, TWENTY YEARS AGO. I think getting older freaks him out. Until I remind him that, ahem, I am the older one. So anything negative he says about his age is even more negative for me. But this isn’t about me. ...
Today was our annual trip to the pumpkin patch! I dressed the kiddies up in their festive long sleeve fall shirts and it was so HOT that I actually felt a little bad. But we were only there for about 30 minutes before I quickly ushered them back...
I’m so loving all these new pop songs that take me back to the 80s. First, there was THIS awesome tune and now there is Neon Trees’ Animal. Of course having a female drummer makes it rock even more.
Taylor Swift is this week’s PEOPLE Magazine cover girl and she will apparently dish about Joe (Jonas), Taylor (Lautner) and, OMG, John (Mayer.) I can’t wait to get my mail today.
It’s FINALLY cooling down here in Florida and it’s the perfect weather for some late afternoon bike riding. Now that the bikes are back in action, we have realized that both kiddies have almost outgrown them. Yikes! But they still love riding to the small pond near...
This song takes me back to college summers when my friends and I would roll out to the clubs downtown and just DANCE. JUST dance. For hours. I love to dance and I can’t even remember the last time I’ve been to an actual club. But all this week I’ve...
For our Friday night date night, the hubbie and I went to the zoo for their annual “Brew at the Zoo” charity event. The highlight was (surprisingly) not all the free beer and food samples. The highlight for me was some alone time with these tall guys and gals....
This is not an entry about Sunday’s Mad Men episode on AMC. I’m sure it was AWESOME, but I just started watching Mad Men Season Two on DVD. I never watched Mad Men before and they had another big win at this year’s Emmy Awards. (Mad...
Wow, Glee. You made me cry last night. Some of my tears were tears of joy because, after last week’s so-so Britney Spears episode, you came back in a BIG way. “Grilled Cheesus” was the best episode of the season thus far. (It was an awesome name for an...
One of Annabel’s favorite books is Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor. (Her most favorite things in the whole wide world are Hello Kitty, Tinkerbell, and Fancy Nancy. In that order.) Annabel likes to be fancy. She even asks for parfaits for dessert now. “That’s French for ice-cream...
I saw The Social Network last night with the hubbie. It was our “pizza and a movie” date night. I was looking forward to The Social Network for WEEKS and I was not disappointed at all. In fact, I was INSPIRED. It really makes you think about that...
My husband works in radio so he gets some really cool promotional items sent to his office. We had a lot of fun with this Glee cardboard locker last year. Last week he brought home this: It’s a cardboard suitcase from the new Fox TV show...
Last night’s Glee broke ratings records. It was the highest rated Glee show so far. Maybe it was because of all the early hype, but the Glee “Britney/Brittany” episode last night was, for me, a little disappointing. I was excited to see how the writers were going to incorporate the...
Oh no! This is BANANAS! Brad was the main reason I watched The Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo TV! Don’t get me wrong. I like Rachel Zoe. She’s the celebrity stylist who always tries to convince us her clients will be going to the Oscars nude if the...
Madonna and her teenage daughter Lourdes have officially launched their new “Material Girl” collection for Macy’s. I love this photo of Mom and Daughter. Madonna always looks amazing and Lourdes is rocking her own cool style. There are some super cute items in the Material Girl clothing...
Tomorrow’s Glee is going to be Toxic! It’s a full on Britney Spears episode and it finally features ditsy cheerleader Brittany front and center. (The episode is called “Britney/Brittany.”) We also get introduced to John Stamos’ character. He plays a dentist. (A really CUTE dentist.) Here’s a sneak...
Katy Perry’s kid friendly and peppy version of “Hot N Cold,” in which she sings about wanting to play dress up with Elmo, has been yanked from the brand new season of Sesame Street. A video of the taped segment was leaked to YouTube this Monday and has over 1 Million views already. But the...
The summer rumors were true. Jennifer Lopez & Steven Tyler will be joining Randy Jackson as the American Idol judges for Season 10. I just love how Ryan Seacrest is in the photo too. The question now is who will be the “mean judge?” J-Lo seems...
I feel like I have not written about Annabel lately and it’s probably because the last month has been filled with some major Daniel milestones: Turning 4. First big boy birthday party. First day of preschool. Annabel has been the trusty companion through it all. She...
I’m excited to see this new movie The Social Network. Otherwise known as “the movie about Facebook.” Justin Timberlake is in it. (Just sayin’.) It’s cool to see a film pop up that will basically define a generation. We are all on Facebook. And if you’re not on Facebook it’s...
Happy Anniversary, Baby. I’m so very lucky to not only be married to my very best friend, but also the man of my dreams. I lovey you.
I’m thinking about getting this responsibility chart for my two kiddies. I want to start them on chores and allowances sooner rather than later. Hey, they already like to wash cars.
Thanks to everyone who entered the Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! contest!I used a random number generator to pick the winners. FIRST PRIZE: A four pack of tickets to KIA Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! The four tickets are for...
This was the best performance of the night. Welcome back, Eminem. 2010 MTV Video Music Awards – More VMA Video
I’m lovin’ this new song and video from Taylor Swift. I hope she performs it tonight on the MTV Video Music Awards. Taylor Swift – New Music – More Music Videos
This is my post from last year on 9/11/09. I will never forget. 9/11/2001 I woke up, got ready for the day, and then drove to the Safeway grocery store around the corner from our condo to get an iced grande mocha. They had a Starbucks...
So there’s this kids television show called Yo Gabba Gabba! Have you heard of it? YES? Of course you have! And even the celebrity dads are getting in on the fun! VERY cute, Brad. Well, DJ Lance Rock and the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba! have put...
Today was Daniel’s first day of Pre-K. He is going to school EVERY DAY this year, so it will be a bit of an adjustment for us all. I will miss him. His sister will miss him. She wants to go to school too. She got...
I’m loving this already! Super cute John Stamos. Oprah’s prodigy Charice singing Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” with Rachel Berry. And some “Empire State of Mind” in NYC! Bring on the GLEE! (But we have to wait until September 21st. Bummer.)
Well, according to my two kiddies. They listen to this one OVER and OVER on their Kidz Bop 17. Happy Labor Day Weekend.
Daniel turned four on Monday after a serious two week celebration. First, he had a party in Maryland with his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. For this party, he asked for a CARS theme: Next, he had a Pump It Up party back home with all his...
Hee.
1. That awesome opening number. 2. Eric Stonestreet from Modern Family winning Supporting Actor in a Comedy. It was a bit of a shocker, but so well deserved. 3. Jewel singing “Shape of You” during the “In Memoriam” segment. 4. Modern Family winning Outstanding Comedy Series. 5. The girls of...
This was one of the BEST opening skits. EVER. Jimmy Fallon was a great host all around and you gotta love my girl Kate Gosselin. She always knows where to pop up, doesn’t she?
Who will win tonight? Below are my last minute predictions for “Best Drama” and “Best Comedy.” Fingers crossed. Now I’m off to watch all the fancy dresses on E! News Live from the Red Carpet.
As part of last week’s family road trip, we stopped off at my sister’s gorgeous house in Maryland for two nights. It’s really great because her kids and my kids are super close. We love that they are cousins and friends too. They run around and play and...
I can not wait to read this week’s PEOPLE Magazine. Elin Nordegren breaks her silence now that her divorce is final from Tiger Woods. I still wonder what the heck he was thinking. She is a beautiful mom with two beautiful children. You can read the...
We just got back from a week long road trip to visit my family in Maryland and North Carolina. We make this trip ALOT. But there was something very different when I pulled into my parents’ driveway this time. The tree in the front yard was gone....
I know some people will say (Hit Me) Baby One More Time is Britney Spears’ best pop song ever, but I disagree. Toxic was Brit’s comeback hit after being away from the charts for awhile. And she came back in a BIG way. Britney is now...
More like 200 questions. My son Daniel turns 4 at the end of this month and he is smack dab in the “everything is a question” phase. EVERYTHING is WHY? and HOW? It’s cute and funny and exhausting and sometimes frustrating (when I don’t know the answer,...
I can’t believe it’s the Season Finale! Don’t forget to watch this awesome show. Tonight at 10 on Bravo.
My daughter’s curls are her trademark. She looks beautiful with curly hair. It suits her so well. And her curls looked the best during our beach vacation. It was something about the pool and the ocean and the salty air that made them look perfect. Perfectly Annabel.
I love ’80’s pop music. I’m an ’80’s kid at heart. When I was growing up, I would dance around my bedroom listening to my cassette tapes while rocking my leg warmers and jelly bracelets. (Those were my version of these crazy Silly Bandz.) Anyway, this song totally takes...
Annabel had her very first dentist visit yesterday! (I documented Bean’s very first dentist visit HERE.) Annabel was a little nervous and clung to me while I filled out the paperwork. But her fear soon turned to curiosity and excitement. We have the best pediatric dentist because his office is...
It takes a cool, confident man to rock some plaid high-water pants. Just sayin’.
Daniel and I started a new beach vacation tradition: Looking for seashells together. Just me and him. The best part? We went on our adventure after Annabel was asleep and it was “really, really late.” Like “super late.” Like the only other kids awake at the same time were the...
Here’s another PopMommy confession. I LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC. Yes, it’s true. I actually worked in country radio for many years. I was the promotions director. I was in charge of all the fun give-a-ways and I also met a bunch of up and coming artists. The one thing...
I FINALLY downloaded all my beach vacation photos and it was so nice to relive it all again. We stayed at the super family friendly Dunes Village Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC. The key feature for us was the nice covered pool area. (This is very important for my pale...
I was getting bored watching the series finale of MTV’s The Hills last night. I already knew I liked Lauren “LC” Conrad better than the f-bomb throwing Kristin Cavallari. I skipped a couple of episodes this season so I was playing a bit of catch up with the crew. (It wasn’t that...
I hope this is not a big spoiler for anyone, but the answer is… YES, Bethenny Frankel did get married! To her cute fiance Jason Hoppy. And she was 8 months preggers. It was a zany and emotional episode that included some really romantic vows and Bethenny peeing in...
Happy Independence Day! May God Bless America and May God Bless all the brave Americans who are serving, or have served, our awesome country. Have a safe and happy holiday.
The countdown is ON for my family beach vacation. I can’t wait! (Did I mention that I CAN’T WAIT.) I love this photo of Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross and her adorable twin daughters, Eden and Savannah. I especially love the sun protection bathing suits and...
I definitely need a vacation. Well, what I really need is some QUIET time. Alone. In a room. With a blanket over my head. It’s weird but this is the first time I’ve really felt the LOUDNESS of my life with two kiddies under the age of 4....
Bean’s very first time bowling…
I don’t know why I continue to watch Ali on The Bachelorette when I know how it all plays out. They should make The Bachelor or The Bachelorette LIVE!, don’t you think? Because there are always a million spoilers and, most of the time, they are 100% true. ...
And apparently Jessica Simpson loves New Kids on the Block too! She wore this vintage NKOTB T-shirt at the launch of her new jeanswear fashion line, Jessica Simpson Jeanswear. She said her very first concert was…New Kids on the Block. “They were my life,” she said. Just stay...
New Kids on the Block performed at New York’s Radio City Music Hall Saturday night and guess who showed up?? The Backstreet Boys! Two for the price of one! (That was a direct quote from Nick Carter.) It was boy band heaven. And YES, I wish...
My kiddies have the BEST Daddy in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD, so we had to do it up right. The day started with ME making the breakfast. If you’ve joined me here before, or know me, then you also know that I can’t/don’t cook. Well, I had...
I know Twilight: Eclipse mania is in full effect and everyone is TEAM EDWARD! or TEAM JACOB! I think they are both cute, but I’ve never been a Goth-Vampire kinda gal. I told my hubbie that if I was in high school right now, I’d be the girl with...
It’s HOT. The high was 100 degrees today. And yesterday. I KNOW that I live in Florida, but the heat just sneaks up on me every summer. I feel like Spring is five seconds long and then we just zoom into four months of sticky, uncomfortable...
It’s funny how your child’s interests just slowly start to define themselves. Daniel never was a big fan of crayons when he was a toddler. I would put one in his hand to show him how to scribble back and forth. He would do that for a few...
It was so awesome to see the talented Glee kids reprise Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” from the pilot, for their season finale last night. What an amazing episode. I especially loved when Finn pulled a Cutting Edge and said “I love you” to Rachel seconds before their Regionals...
I have mixed feelings about the new TLC show Kate Plus 8. I was a huge fan of Jon & Kate Plus 8. I watched it from the very beginning and I was excited to check-in with the family each week. I really liked Kate. Well, MOST...
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of John Mayer. Here’s his latest single and the official music video for “Half of My Heart” featuring Taylor Swift.
Daniel’s last day of preschool was one week ago today. He’s now on “summer break” as we like to tell him. I’m walking that fine line of letting him be totally relaxed and excited that he doesn’t have to go to school and reminding him that this...
Happy June 1st! It’s officially summertime! (Well, at least in my little Pop Mommy world.) And summer equals a brand new crop of reality television shows! Thank you Andy Dehnart at Reality Blurred for this awesome list. Ladies and Gentleman, start your TIVOs! June Hell’s Kitchen 7 [Fox,...
I just saw this on John Mayer’s blog. He saw it on this website. WAKE UP CALL. THIS IS MY GO-TO DRINK! Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Sugar-Free Syrup, anyone? Harmful Drinks in America 11. Worst Espresso Drink Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped Cream (venti,...
I was going to write all about LOST, but then I realized that I needed to acknowledge some of the other awesome show enders this season on television. I may be in the minority on some of these, but I have been surprisingly satisfied with the following grand finales. *NOTE: LOTS...
I’m posting some super cute photos of my daughter while I sit and think about the series finale of LOST. Wow, that was GOOD stuff. I’m going to TRY and write about it all tomorrow. Meanwhile, here’s Annabel. The temperature in Florida has hit the 90’s. Obviously, she...
I remember when my Dad came home with a Commodore 64 computer. It was a BIG deal. It was 1982 and I was 11 years old. My Dad set it up on a big desk downstairs in our basement. He taught me some of the BASIC programming. We played tons of cool...
I love this photo of the Beckham family. It’s the adorable David and Victoria Beckham and their super cute boys Romeo and Cruz. They are hanging out at a Jonas Brothers concert at The Grove in West Hollywood. (Thank you People.com for the photo and info.)...
Daniel and I flew to Maryland to celebrate my nephew, and Godson, Luke’s 1st Birthday. It’s a little sad because it’s our family’s last “First Birthday Party,” unless someone surprises us with a new baby. (And when I say SOMEONE, I definitely do NOT mean me.)...
I started with FOUR favorite American Idol contestants. (I picked my fab four back in February when there were 24 contestants). And guess what? I still have TWO contestants left! Go Casey! Go Lee! I can’t wait to see your hometown visits next week. PS: I was talking...
I desperately did not want to miss my Godson Luke’s 1st birthday celebration in Maryland, so I decided to fly up for the weekend. His birthday was Friday and the big family party was Saturday afternoon. I, of course, had to bring a kid with...
Happy Mother’s Day to my mom. My sister. My mother-in-law. My sister-in-law. All my mommy friends. All the moms who read this website. Have a great day. We all deserve it. I have so many cool Mama’s Day Weekend stories to share. But I’ll get to...
Just a little Play-Doh on the patio… Pink is my FAVORITE color and Mmmm this pink Play-Doh smells so good… Should I taste it?… Wait. What’s that??… I think I hear an AIRPLANE!… Could it really be an AIRPLANE??… Let me use my super fancy purple Play-Doh tool as my airplane telescope!…...
Not only is this a great pop song, but it’s now officially my daughter Annabel’s “song.” Daniel already has a couple “songs.” He has Daniel by Elton John and he has Daniel (in the Lion’s Den) which we play all the time on our Raffi CD in...
A wonderful, surprising, joyous HAPPY ending. Congratulations Sandra Bullock. Story HERE.
It was a super busy Saturday. There was a Gymboree sports class and a Where the Wild Things Are art class and a pirate themed birthday pool party and a Mommy Group block party in the park. I wish I had more photos, but here are...
I love a good park. And I don’ t mean a playground. I mean a serious “Parks and Recreation” PARK. A park with lots of trees. (I LOVE trees.) A park with dirt paths and perhaps a creek. A park with leaves and rocks and sticks...
I don’t know why I have not mentioned this earlier, but I ADORE the new TV show Parenthood. It airs Tuesday nights at 10 PM EST on NBC. It’s loosely based on the hit movie Parenthood and Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are executive producers. I hope YOU watch it...
I always wanted two children. And I knew they would be close in age. My husband and I were married for five years before we had Daniel. It was the perfect timing for us. We enjoyed late night dinners, Sunday afternoon movie dates, and tons of LEISURELY activities before...
So I’m a little late writing about our Easter celebrations because of this giant blue Easter egg that landed on my kid’s forehead: But we’ll get back to that in a minute. Now that I have a PRESCHOOLER, Easter celebrations start a week early. Daniel’s assignment was...
WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE. As a parent to two little ones, I am constantly asking myself, “Wait, what just happened here?” “What did I say wrong?” This video is the perfect example of how a fun moment can turn ugly because of something completely unintentional. I love that the sisters are...
Well, I started with FOUR favorite American Idol contestants. I now have THREE left in the competition. That’s pretty darn good. Lee Dewyze is definitely my front runner. And he had his big MOMENT last night singing “Treat Her Like A Lady.” He’s got such a great voice and...
I found my new Jon & Kate Plus 8. Introducing the Jones Family from Austin, Texas. Discovery Health Channel did a special documentary about the Jones Family and how they went from a family of three (they have an older daughter, Eliot) to a family of eight. They...
We finally did it! We took the kiddies to Walt Disney World for the very first time! We live in Florida so it was easy to plan a one day visit to the Magic Kingdom. And when I say PLAN, I mean I had a completely...
I’m been thinking a lot lately about how blessed I am. I was really emotionally invested in the story of little Layla Grace who lost her battle with pediatric cancer last week. I just can not imagine losing a child. I can not imagine not watching my...
Jessica Simpson talked to David Letterman last night about her romantic relationships with Tony Romo and John Mayer. I think she handled herself beautifully. You go, girl.
Beautiful Layla Grace from Houston, Texas lost her courageous battle with pediatric cancer this morning. She was 2 years old. I have been following this little angel’s story on twitter (http://twitter.com/LaylaGrace). Earlier this afternoon her parents wrote: “Layla went to play with the angels early this morning....
There are SO MANY reasons to be excited for The Hurt Locker winning SO MANY awards last night, including Best Picture. First, it’s a GREAT film. Second, it’s one of the only nominated films I was able to squeeze into a Friday night this year, so I...
I had to capture this image of my boys getting ready for church this morning. I think it’s so cute that they are both in dress shirts and dark socks. And, yes, my hubbie is the best. He IRONS.
I love the new song by Orianthi called “According To You.” My favorite part of the music video is her rocking the guitar with cute purple nail polish. I first saw Orianthi in Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” movie. She was amazing. I’m excited that she’s...
At his Philadelphia concert stop last week, John Mayer brought a small fan on stage to play guitar with him. The sixth grade boy wanted to play “Belief” because he secretly learned it for his mother, who loves the song. How sweet is that? And it was super cool of...
Here are my favorite American Idol contestants this season. I decided to pick two girls and two guys. We’ll see how far they go. Or how long I keep loving their performances. And don’t they just all have the best names? Also, Kris Allen had an amazing...
I know my family up north in Maryland will be VERY jealous, but we had the most beautiful spring weather today. Spring comes early in Florida. Special thanks to my mother-in-law for taking this pretty picture of Annabel. It captures the essence of my daughter, and the day, perfectly.
Angela Martin missed out on her THIRD, and FINAL, attempt to be a contestant on American Idol. (She is now 28 and past the age limit.) The first year she auditioned she had to quit because her father was shot to death by her stepmother. Awful. The second year she...
Annabel turned two years old yesterday and our house was filled with pink balloons, Hello Kitty cuteness, and a super adorable birthday princess. It was a blast. Unlike her first birthday, Annabel totally GOT that it was her very special day. After breakfast, we watched “Tinkerbell” on DVD and then...
Part of the fun of having a preschooler actually IN SCHOOL is experiencing all the neat holiday stuff. Bean celebrated Valentine’s Day this week at his preschool and I got to take my kid to the store to pick out his very first box of Valentines. The teacher said they...
Here’s the thing. I don’t get out much anymore. I used to go to bars and parties and movie premieres and concerts. I used to go to A LOT of concerts. But since I became a Mom, I’ve definitely fallen into the cliché (that’s actually NOT a...
The past THREE days have consisted of THREE things that I’ve been SO wanting to write about: A. Our big MOVE B. The 2010 GRAMMY’s and C. My BIRTHDAY Because of THE MOVE, I have not been able to FIND my laptop amdist the sea of boxes and dirty laundry and...
I’ve been so busy packing boxes for our move to a new house this weekend that I forgot to comment about Conan O’Brien’s final broadcast of “The Tonight Show.” When I lived in New York City over 15 years ago, I saw a taping of “Late...
I just LOVE this acceptance speech by Sandra Bullock. It was the highlight of the 2010 SAG Awards.
Annabel is left handed. I never really thought about it. And I think about EVERYTHING when it comes to my kiddies. Then, one day I found myself wondering, “Wait a minute. Is that her LEFT hand she’s using to press those buttons on the really loud and obnoxious Elmo pop-up toy...
A few things on my mind after watching the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards last night…the first awards ceremony of the year! 1. Yay Glee! (Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical) 2. I NEVER wanted to see Avatar – until now. I was not interested...
It’s 2010 and here’s a quick list of some things I’m loving as we start this brand new year (and brand new decade!): 1. American Idol is back! I know that means Glee is gone, but it’s so great to settle back into a Tuesday/Wednesday, and soon to...
My baby boy started school today. It was his very first day of a three-year-old preschool program. In other words, he left me to spend the morning with a woman I barely know. I’ve been preparing for this day since September. Back then, I decided to wait a...
Guess what? Taylor Swift won “Favorite Female Artist” at the People’s Choice Awards last night. Shocked? Nope. Not so much. That was pretty much the tone of the entire evening. It was all nice and packaged with no real surprises. Well, maybe just a few surprises. ...
I am now drowning in laundry and new toys and excess body weight, but it was SO worth it. We had an amazing holiday road trip. I think it was because the kiddies are now at the ages where everything is just a LITTLE BIT easier. Daniel no...
My amazing husband is the chef of the family. I wrote all about it HERE and HERE. He loves to cook and is really, really good at it. Everything he makes is super yummy. But now he has ventured into my territory: Baking. I’ve been perfecting my baking skills all this...
It’s all over. It is still sad. One FINAL look back at Jon & Kate Plus 8. Now, let there be peace.
Tomorrow Annabel is 22 months old. The best word to describe her at this stage in the game: CRAZY. I say this partly kidding and, well, partly NOT kidding. She is a bunch of fun and honestly one of the best parts of my day is when I get her...
NO Taylor! I LOVE your curls! PLEASE keep them. It is so important for girls with curls to have an amazing role model. I hope you are just experimenting and having a fun makeover. Of course you look gorgeous either way, but PLEASE KEEP THE CURLS! They are...
It’s always an adventure to plan and execute our annual family Christmas card photo. Every year I decide we need to be practical and just go to a professional photography studio. But then the thought of getting the kiddies dressed, keeping them clean and happy while we try...
I was fascinated when Oprah featured a show about hoarders a few months back. There was one woman who lived in a house full of so much stuff that, once emptied, it filled two giant warehouses. Not only were these items filling every room of her house...
Now THIS is the performance I wanted to see on the American Music Awards. Hopefully there is more of THIS in your future. You are an amazing singer and performer, Adam. (Plus, might I add, you are incredibly handsome.) You don’t need all that other “stuff” to get my attention. You’ve got it...
Thanksgiving weekend was filled with joyous overeating, lots of fun shopping (yes, I survived Black Friday!) and relaxing time at home with the family. My husband’s aunt and cousin flew in from Canada so that was extra special. The kiddies watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the very first time...
1. Adam Lambert’s crazy performance at the American Music Awards on Sunday. I wanted to do a recap of the entire awards show, but the only thing I keep thinking about is Adam and his many bumps, grinds, and that KISS. Okay, I get it. That was the POINT. He...
I can believe, but I also CAN’T believe, that after 25 YEARS Oprah Winfrey will be ending her super-popular talk show. She made the big announcement on her show Friday and I was crying right along with her. I CAN believe it because she is probably ready for some...
Daniel started Karate lessons this week. It was difficult to find a location that allowed 3-year-olds to participate. The class he’s in now has a nice mix of younger kids and older kids. The older kids act as mentors, which is awesome. We wanted Daniel to start Karate because it’s great exercise and...
Taylor Swift was named Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Awards last week and that pretty much said it all. She truly is the Entertainer of the Year. She is the face of country music. She is the face of pop music. Best of...
I’m so proud of my little man right now I could BURST. They say it only takes ONE DAY to potty train, you just have to pick the right day. And when I say “they,” I mean the pediatrician and the parenting expert who wrote this amazing parenting book Toddler...
Saturday was Date Night! Hubbie and I went out for pizza, beer and a movie. We loved all three. We saw Michael Jackson’s This Is It. This Is It is as equally entertaining as it is sad to watch. I didn’t understand how close Michael was to his world...
The Real Housewives of Orange County are back for Season Five! This was the original “Real Housewives” series on Bravo TV and it is still the best one. I love Vicki and Tamra for being so outspoken and feisty. I love Jeana for being the Mama Bear although...
Matthew McConaughey is 40 years old today. Happy Birthday! Not only is Matthew McConaughey a gorgeous man and romantic comedy movie heartthrob, he is also a really awesome human being. I know because I spent two days with Matthew McConaughey back in 2005. I was working as a movie publicist...
Halloween (literally) started out a little scary this year. We had to take our baby girl to an emergency doctor appointment early Saturday morning. She was up all night with a crazy cough and raspy breathing. I slept next to her crib holding her hand. It was awful. Her...
Annabel is turning into quite the little princess. And, oh, how I love it so.
I’m a stay-at-home-mom. Or SAHM. However you say it, it’s a hard job. A really hard job. A hard, overwhelming, stressful job. It’s also an exciting, rewarding, thrilling job. It certainly is the best job I’ve ever had. This trailer for the new movie “Motherhood” looks...
My hubbie is 35 years old young today! He is truly the best husband a woman could ever ask for. He is an amazing Daddy. He is also the person I want sitting next to me on that porch swing 35 years from now. He is my best friend,...
We were so excited to head out to our local pumpkin patch again this year. We have been going to the same location for three years now. It’s so crazy to think that the first time we were there, we only had Bean and he was only...
Everyone here is talking about the horrific death of 7-year-old Somer Thompson. She was walking home from school Monday afteroon when she vanished. She was with her twin brother and her older sister. Today, her body was found in a landfill. Everyone here is talking about it because...
Here is American Idol runner up Adam Lambert’s very first music video! Awesome. The music video is for his very first radio single, “Time For Miracles.” The song also appears in the Columbia Pictures’ action film 2012. Time For Miracles Adam Lambert | MySpace Music Videos
My husband is a morning radio host so he gets to do lots of cool things. Like broadcast from car dealership grand openings and giveaway concert tickets. Well, this weekend he hosted a meet-and-greet at the Southern Women’s Show…with Bethenny Frankel from The Real Housewives of New York...
Annabel is 20 months old today. We’ve been calling her “Tummy Girl” because of this book we checked out of the library. It really describes her perfectly. She is a tummy full of smiles and laughter. She is a social butterfly who loves to run up to another child...
Okay. I don’t LOVE that he talks about getting stoned. But this is a cool song, an awesome video, and a VERY pretty boy.
Mike Tyson lost his 4 year old daughter Exodus last year after she accidentally strangled herself on a treadmill cord at her mother’s house. He was devastated and broke down about it on Oprah yesterday. I thought he was amazingly open and real about the whole thing. It...
Bean loves to play with my little pink umbrella when it’s raining outside. And it rains A LOT here. But the amazing thing about this little pink umbrella…. … is that it was with me during a summer vacation in Venice, Italy. That was when my little Bean was still just...
that our brave men and women are still out there fighting for our freedom. And sometimes they have to leave their little loved ones behind. Click here for the story from ParentDish.
I love Gwen Stefani. I met her once backstage at a concert. I really wanted my No Doubt Rolling Stone cover signed, but we were only allowed to take some quick photos of the group. I stuck around until the end and kinda pushed my way to where Gwen was...
Dear Kate, Please quit the show. Quit the show that involves you and your eight adorable children. We’ve watched them grow up on TV and it has been a fun and joyful ride, but now it’s enough. Cara and Mady especially need to move on without...
I am SO happy it’s October. The over-the-top heat in Florida lasts from May all the way to September. March is truly the best weather month. Second is October. The heat broke today. It’s like Florida knew it was October and said, “Okay, I’ll give you guys...
Things that I am LOVING right now: 1. Modern Family on ABC. (Sorry Community. You are just not doing it for me. I’m so disappointed. Joel McHale , you are still cute and funny and really the BEST part of the show, but I just can’t hang with you guys anymore.) On the...
Our family of four ventured out to see our very first live performance event, Sesame Street Live: When Elmo Grows Up. I really wanted the kiddies to see Elmo and company for their very first live event. They love Sesame Street and watch it every single day. They...
I LOVE television. I watch A LOT of television shows. Every year I watch the Emmy Awards. Then I realize that there are so many television shows that I DON’T watch. (Before I get into that, let me say that Neil Patrick Harris from How I Met Your Mother (and Doogie...
I wanted to make sure I noted the passing of actor and dancer Patrick Swayze. He died after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57. Everyone who knew him or worked with him said he was such an amazing guy. And boy, was he...
Daniel has turned into a full on “Mama’s Boy.” I love it. I’m frustrated by it. It’s definitely making me a little…crazy. I love to oblige all his requests for hugs and pick-me-ups. He’s an awesome snuggler. He always wants to be by my side and go...
So I’m sure this will be the moment we all remember most from this year’s MTV Video Music Awards: Kanye West walked up and snatched the microphone right out of Taylor Swift’s hands during her acceptance speech for Best Female Video for her awesome song, “You Belong With...
Annabel actually let me put a barrette in her hair today! I had to mark the date. I hope she lets me do it again. It just looks so cute with her curls 🙂
9/11/2001 I woke up, got ready for the day, and then drove to the Safeway grocery store around the corner from our condo to get an iced grande mocha. They had a Starbucks kiosk inside the front entrance of the store. I loved that. I went...
Okay. I was going to talk all about the premiere episode of Glee last night on FOX. It was awesome. It had the same charm as the pilot episode. I’m definitely a huge fan of this new show. My husband is a morning radio host so...
I don’t cook. My husband cooks. Okay, my husband doesn’t just COOK, he is a master chef in the kitchen. He never follows recipes. He can make anything he wants in 30 minutes or less and it is always DELICIOUS. He also enjoys to cook. So much...
I can think of only a few television shows that make (or made) me LAUGH OUT LOUD: Friends, Seinfeld, The Office, How I Met Your Mother and now, one of my new favorites, The Soup on E! It really took me by surprise. The Soup is so HILARIOUS. ...
My baby boy is THREE years old. The time went so fast. When he turned two, I still felt like he was a little baby. Now, he is a little BOY. An amazing, super smart, super cute, fast moving, fast talking, awesomely funny little boy. Daniel...
It’s “back to school” time. It’s that time of year when kids say goodbye to their carefree days of summer and say hello to schedules and homework. I see all the kids in my neighborhood standing at the bus stop again. My sister sends her little girl to kindergarten tomorrow. My brother sends his...
I love the “80s meets 2009” feel of this fun summer song. Plus, the song and video feature Leighton Meester (Blair from Gossip Girl). Awesome. Turn it up! Cobra Starship – New Music – More Music Videos
I took Annabel to her 18 month “well” check-up yesterday and here is a short list of what I learned: 1. Annabel is in the 98th percentile for her height and weight. She is basically the size of a 30 month old. Or a “2 and 1/2 year...
I’m adding this to my list of reasons why raising a daughter to have great self esteem and great body image in today’s society is SO important. This toddler girl T-shirt was featured on the front page of ParentDish today: The creator of this tot nipple tassel T-shirt is trying...
My baby girl is 18 months old today. I feel like just yesterday she learned to walk and now she is running and dancing. Annabel is so full of life and passion. A simple game of peekaboo will turn into a million giggles. Her laughter is infectious. She loves to be...
Here are some observations about the 2009 Teen Choice Awards on FOX – from my (Pop) mommy perspective: *I would be totally cool if Annabel loved The Jonas Brothers. They are ‘clean cut’ and cute. Oh, AND talented. Okay, fine, I’ll be honest. I like the Jonas Brothers. (Plus, I...
It was a really long week. Everyone was sick. First, Bean got it. Then, my husband. Then, me. And finally, Annabel. It was a yucky, germy, summer cold. It meant saline drops and Infant Tylenol for the kiddies and NyQuil and rum filled tea for Mama and Daddy. ...
Bean is sick. It’s the worst. It’s probably worse for ME because I have this “sick phobia thing.” I know. I’m a Mommy now and I need to get over it. I’m working on it. Poor little Bean is just feeling awful. He’s had these colds and...
I just saw this promo for the new August episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8. Which is worse: that they are continuing with this reality show or that I will continue to watch this reality show? Hmmmm….
When did living in a nice house in the suburbs with two kids, a dog, and a minivan (and MAYBE a white picket fence) become something people DIDN’T want? The hubbie and I rented Revolutionary Road on Netflix last weekend. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s performances were really...
When Daniel was a little over a year old, I bought him some items from the Dollar Store to create a “busy box.” I got this idea from his Gymboree class. The teachers always had a “busy box” time toward the end of class when all the babies...
I wrote about the deterioration of Jon & Kate (Plus Eight) Gosselin’s marriage here. I wished, back then, that they would have worked on their marriage a little more before calling it quits. But I think I may have spoken too soon. Here is a list of headlines from the...
Things that I am LOVING this week: 1. Jordin Spark’s “Battlefield” song. I know it’s really similar to Pat Benatar’s 1984 “Love is a Battlefield” hit (and I so LOVE and respect 80’s pop), but I always pump up this version when I hear it on the radio. Plus,...
I just got back from an awesome week long summer vacation with the family. We all survived another long road trip. The kiddies were great in the car. I really think they are little pros at this point. They completely get it. Bean even shouts out...
It was a “hat”-themed day on Sesame Street this morning. My kiddies really got into it. They love hats. And we have a lot of hats in our house: I always say you can never have too many hats or comfy blankies. We are a very fair and pale family,...
Today was Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service. It was broadcast on all the major TV networks. A billion people watched the service from their television sets around the world. Thousands of people attended the service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The broadcasters said that Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service will...
I was watching MTV’s The Real World: Cancun last night. And, oh my goodness, it’s the 22nd Real World! I have been really loyal to this series. I think I have watched every single Real World season. I really enjoyed some of the cities and fell in love with...
If little girls are supposed to be made of “sugar and spice,” then my daughter Annabel is definitely of the “extra spicy” variety. She is sugary sweet, for sure, but in the past month she has developed this amazing little feisty personality. I love it. Annabel was a...
I just saw this brand new Glee promo spot on Fox and I got so excited! I saw the first sneak peek and fell in love with this cool new show. I can’t wait until the Fall. It premieres September 16th.
When I was married and the thought of kids was still in the distant future, I would gaze quizzically at families when we were out at the shopping mall, grocery store or having dinner at a restaurant. Sometimes I would think, “Aw, that family is really cute.” But most...
The very first album I bought was Thriller. It was 1982 and I was in the fifth grade. I saved up my allowance and went to the mall to buy it with my own money. I listened to that album on my record player in my bedroom...
We bought Daniel his first toddler basketball hoop last Christmas. He threw the ball at the basket a couple times on the back patio, but that was it. He totally lost interest. We also bought him a soccer ball. He kicked that around the yard once in awhile, but there...
It was so ominous when that paragraph flashed on the screen last night in black and white: “On Monday, June 22, 2009, legal proceedings were initiated in Pennsylvania to dissolve the ten-year marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin.” It is just so sad. I have been a loyal...
I am not blogging today. I am too depressed. I just read THIS. I’ll blog about it all tomorrow after I watch tonight’s (final?) episode on TLC. 🙁
Dear Dad: I remember when: -You told me everything was going to be okay when I had a nightmare and couldn’t sleep. -You made me an awesome wooden puppet show theatre from scratch in your work area in the basement. -You sat with me at our dining room...
So tonight’s blog was going to be, “Woohoo! I’m going out! I’m leaving the house! I’m going out on a date night with my husband and get this…we are going DANCING! Something I’ve been dying to do FOREVER. I think the last time I went dancing...
When Daniel was born, someone bought him this stuffed dog: It’s an “asthma-friendly” stuffed puppy dog and it’s the softest, snuggliest little guy ever. My husband has asthma, so I was excited to see that a company actually makes asthma-friendly stuffed animals. Please note that Daniel has many other types of...
…and getting HOTTER. The months of June, July, and August are BRUTAL in Florida. We are all relegated to our lovely air conditioned homes. (Although today, I was desperately pleading with my AC unit to PLEASE move down below 79. PRETTY please??) I equate this weather we are experiencing to a...
Kids are weird. My kids are weird. I use “weird” as a term of endearment. “Weird” really means “amazingly cute.” We went to our downtown children’s museum this past weekend to check out their “Robotic Dinosaur” exhibit. I thought Bean would go nuts. He loves dinosaurs. ...
What is this “trend” with everyone having babies FIRST and then (maybe) getting married SECOND? I don’t want to get political and scream from a virtual soapbox, “Whatever happened to conservative values in this country? What happened to the ‘old fashioned’ way of getting engaged, getting married and...
My son has graduated…from the crib! I am very excited, nervous, and sad all at the same time. I feel like every milestone that he accomplishes is amazing, but it’s also a milestone that is COMPLETED. It just brings him one step closer to packing up all of his clothes, throwing them...
Annabel and I had our weekly Target shopping trip today. We do this every Thursday afternoon. It’s our mother-daughter bonding time. (I would LOVE to replace the “running of the errands” bonding with the “pampering at the spa” bonding, but considering she is only 16 MONTHS OLD, that will...
I guess I should not be eating THIS for lunch if I want to wear THESE. The lunch, by the way, is my husband’s amazing Turkey Ziti with Mushrooms. We had it for dinner last night and it’s even yummier the next day. It’s not terribly...
The biggest piece of unsolicited advice I received when I was pregnant with my first child was “SLEEP!” Moms would always tell me to “Sleep NOW because you won’t sleep again for a LONG time!” I heard a lot of “sleep when the baby sleeps” advice too. ...
I’ve been searching for the perfect skincare product for awhile now. And when I say “searching,” I really mean reading In Style, Allure and other magazines that print “best of” beauty products issues. But once I find a product that looks interesting, and in my price range,...
Even while getting “attacked” by the paparazzi, Adam Lambert is still a nice guy and a class act. (But he should probably not be going out alone!) There were some recent reports that Adam had turned into a DIVA, but that is obviously not true. He is also...
I HATE going to the dentist. I don’t know when it started. I think it was with my very first cavity when I was ten. Once I experienced a drill, forget it. I didn’t want to go back. I have very “weak” teeth. I know that sounds like...
I met Britney Spears in the summer of ’99. It was at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach. She was doing a concert that evening and a bunch of media were invited to a special “meet and greet” in the afternoon. This was when “(Hit Me) Baby One More...
Today was a great day. I took Daniel and Annabel to “Family Preschool Storytime” at the public library. There is a wonderful children’s area with fun puzzles, games, a coloring table, toys, and of course, tons of books. Every Wednesday morning, they have a storytime program which...
I worked in the world of media and marketing for many years before I became a full time Mommy. So I try really hard not to be a hypocrite when it comes to allowing media or marketing into my home or into my kids’ world. I already wrote...
Now that Annabel is almost 16 months old (!), I am hit with the reality that I no longer have a “baby” in the house. Yes, she will always be MY baby, as will Daniel, but she’s now a full fledged half-walking (half-falling) toddler. Annabel completed...
It’s Sunday night. I still get that weird Sunday night “feeling.” It’s the same Sunday night feeling from high school when I realized the fun weekend was over. My parents would tell me to get off the phone and I would be sitting in my bedroom all alone doing homework....
It’s Friday! Yahoo! But we are all still sick. Boo. The kiddies have not stopped coughing and their poor noses are red and runny. They spent the entire day inside the house playing with trains, cars, and trucks. Yes, both of them. Annabel is quickly turning into...
I just hung up the phone with my sister and I can not believe how “normal” she sounds. She just had a baby three weeks ago! She also has two other children, ages 5 and 2 ½. She had to take her middle child, Kate, to...
I’m really BLESSED because my children have NEVER had a major illness. They both have also managed to avoid the common baby ear infections and baby fevers. I’ve never had to take them to the pediatrician for any medical scare. (Do you hear me LOUDLY KNOCKING ON WOOD??) But...
We spent Memorial Weekend visiting my parents and my sister’s family in Maryland and my father-in-law in North Carolina. We also spent A LOT of time on I-95 North and South. I did not know I could be so exhausted from sitting in the car (and...
Congratulations Kris Allen – our new American Idol for 2009! Well done my friend. (And Adam will have an amazing career too.) I can’t wait for both of their albums. Although I wonder if Kris will go country. I hope not. I like country music, but...
I watched American Idol last night and I was LOVING the performances until both Adam and Kris sang the brand new song, “No Boundaries” written by new Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. Blech. I thought it stunk. Neither Adam nor Kris could make it sound good which is definitely...
So there are three reasons I am BEYOND super excited for tonight’s American Idol finale show (part one). First, American Idol is reality television at its absolute best. Second, there are two really cute and really talented finalists: Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. And finally, you just don’t know...
We are going on a long road trip up north to see my family (and meet my brand new nephew and godson Baby Luke!) over Memorial Weekend. And guess what we just bought? One of these: I always swore to myself that I would NOT...
Dear Beez, I remember when your name was “Steve.” That was before Daniel and Annabel decided your name would now be “Beez.” Sorry about that. You’ve taken it very well and I appreciate you answering to BOTH names now. I remember when you were our only...
My husband and I were doing some marathon furniture shopping one day and decided to grab lunch. We were STARVING so we just scanned the area for the first place that looked like it actually served food. There was a super small, but super cute, café...
Let’s get this party started! (Thank you Mr. Mailman.)
For my husband’s very first Father’s Day, I bought him this book as a gift from Daniel. I have images in my head of them working together on soapbox derby cars, paper airplanes, and rope knots. Mark would spend an afternoon teaching Daniel table football and...
Conversation with a toddler, age 2 ½: Bean: (Looking in the fridge) “Mama! Mama! NEW milk!” Me: “Yes, Daniel, there’s new milk in the fridge.” Bean: “Mama! NEW YELLOW milk!” Me: “Yes, it’s a new yellow milk CONTAINER.” (Some organic version from the local gas station...
My husband Mark is an AMAZING chef. I say chef because “cook” just won’t do it. I am very lucky because I don’t cook at all. (I’m working on the baking part.) And Mark really enjoys cooking. AND he’s just so GOOD at it! He makes awesome dinners for the...
So that annual list of the most popular baby names has just been released for 2008. My son Daniel’s name is always in the top 10. This year it was number 5. Annabel is number 801. I find this mildly amusing because I just came home...
This is my very first entry on PopMommy.com. I dedicate this website to my hubbie and two kiddies. Baby: You rock my world. The End. (And THANK YOU for creating this website for me for Mother’s Day – you are the best!) Daniel: You literally changed my life. ...
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