Category: Mommy Life

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

“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.”...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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....

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...

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...

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. ...

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. ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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”...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

On February 4th.  I like you, Florida.  

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...

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:...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

“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...

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,...

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....

 July 6, 2011.  Myrtle Beach, SC.    

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

This is Annabel’s potty chart.  We She did it! I’m so proud of my big girl.

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....

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...

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...

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.

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.)...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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. 

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Bean’s very first time bowling…

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...

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...

  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...

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...

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...

  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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...