I'm Moving...

Not my house, not my business...MY BLOG!

Here's where you can find me now:
The Simple Life of the SuperMom

Hope to see you there!

Keep Your Teen Safe on the Road

The time has come! Your teen has just received his license and the worry begins. Summertime is here and that means your teen will be spending more time on the road.

Here are some tips for keeping your teen safe on the road this summer and beyond:

• Set ground rules as to when your teen can use the car. Daytime driving in the beginning, at least for the first six months; then gradually allow your teen to drive at night; but only up until a certain hour.
• Teach by example. Don't: drive and use a cell phone; eat while driving; tailgate or speed; invoke any road rage when driving; drink and drive.
• Wearing seat belts is a law; therefore, follow all of the rules and regulations taught in driving school. Your teen will take note, and follow your lead.
• Limit the areas where your teen can drive, at least until he or she has been driving for a while.
• Do not allow any passengers in the car for at least six months. They need to understand the rules of the road, and not engage in conversation with friends. These can ultimately distract them causing an accident.
• Ensure your car is well maintained. Check the following regularly: tires; windshield wiper fluid; water; brakes; windshield wipers, etc.
• Accompany them as much as possible in the beginning; pointing out hazards they may come across such as potholes, construction, and the like. Mix up the routes so they become used to driving to different places.
• Take your teen to the gas station. Teach them how to pump the gas and which type to use in your car. Teach them how to put air in the tires as well.
• If you don’t already have one, purchase an emergency road kit, and explain each item to the teen.
• Teach your teen how to change a tire, how to use road flares, and what to do in an emergency.

These tips for keeping your teen safe on the road this summer probably need to be mentioned often to help them remember. Another thing to point out is that while they are a safe driver, others on the road may not be.

AAhhh...Vacation

Okay - enough slacking. I was on a vacation this past week with my family. We drove up to PA to my parent's house and met my brother with his 3 kids. We had a blast! The weather was great and the kids had a terrific time...not to mention the excellent time with Grandma and Grandpa!

But now, alas, we have returned and I have to get back to work. I apologize for the lapse in posting, but everybody's got to have some "down time." So, between unpacking, laundry and grocery shopping, I vow to update my blog this weekend and get some cool tips coming your way!

No Babysitter = Chaos in our Household

That's right, my sitter is away this week. She had a family emergency and had to go out of town.

I've been wandering around all week trying to figure out how to get my work done, do the laundry, clean the house and entertain my 3 yr old.

We are SUCH creatures of habit! I'm used to having my routine of getting up, doing about an hour's worth of work, grabbing a shower, getting the kids off to school and the sitter and having a 5 or 6 hour chunk of time during the day that I get all of my work done. Then, when the kids come home, I take care of the housework (of course, with their help) and cook dinner. Since, my sitter has been away, I am lost without my routine!

So, after much deliberation (and feeling worthless because I am having trouble with this simple change), I decided not to fight city hall and: let my daily blog turn into an every 3 day blog; get only the work done that absolutely HAS to be done during nap time and the early morning hours; let a little bit of laundry slip (we can all wear those shorts ONE more time before they need washed, right?); and PLAY with my little girl.

Hopefully, things will be back to normal next week, but if they aren't - I'm not going to sweat it!

9 Great Tips for Teaching Your Toddler to Share

Toddlers are, by nature, self-centered. Everything has been taken care of for her since you brought her home from the hospital as an infant.

When your child becomes a toddler and can begin to communicate, this is the perfect time to teach them the importance of sharing with others. It may take some time, but with continuity and positive reinforcement, your child will become very adept at playing with others!

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. If your toddler doesn’t want to share, explain why it’s an important thing.
2. Tell your toddler that not sharing may mean his friends will not want to share with him either.
3. Take the toys in question away. If your toddler doesn’t want to share – then no one will play with the toys.
4. Never yell at the toddler, but be firm in your reprimands.
5. If other toddlers are invited over, ask your toddler to pick out some toys to put away. But also remind him the toys left out can be shared with everyone.
6. If your toddler screams and carries on, give the toddler a time out.
7. Teach by example. Show your child how you are willing to share something you own.
8. Thank your toddler for sharing his toys with others.
9. Teach your toddler to think of others.

If all else fails remember this is probably a stage your toddler will outgrow. However, it is important to instill in your child that sharing and giving is important. Try not to give in to everything your toddler wants or buy your toddler a present every time you give another child or their sibling a present. Even though she is still very young, your toddler needs to understand the importance of the basic skill of sharing.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope you all have a very Happy Mother's Day! I've had a great one...did exactly what I wanted...nothing at all!

Question: How Many Moms Does it Take...

to finally upload a video link? Answer: 1
Question: How long does it take? Answer: 3 months

You heard me bragging about being on TV and promising a look-see back in February.

Well, I got the DVD, I even had a friend isolate my portion of the broadcast (about 4 minutes long) and send that file to me electronically...that's when I hit a brick wall. The file was about 36 MB and was way too big for me to upload on my website.

I couldn't figure out what to do so I let it sit.

Then it hit me...what's this YouTube thing all about? You know, I usually consider myself pretty "hip" and up-to-date on things - especially the internet, right? You need to keep on top of this stuff. It hit me that I was starting to sound like my mother, but that's a conversation for a different time.

So...last week I checked out YouTube and joined. Today, I uploaded my first video - the one that I promised 3 months ago :)

Now, I'm going to attempt to embed it in my blog post - hopefully the technology gods are shining on me today. Here it is...

Saddened in Virginia

This morning, my families' eyes are peeled to the Today Show watching the horrific aftermath of the massacre at Virginia Tech.

My husband hails from Blacksburg and we have many close friends who live there.

This tragedy has hit home in so many ways. This morning, my oldest daughter (11) was talking about the trailers that they have some classes in at school. "At least we have 2 different doors to go in and out...unless they would have both of the doors surrounded." She's scared. She should be. What kind of a world do we live in that this sort of thing happens? What do you say to your kids? I'm scared too. I know that right now I can only do my best to make them feel safe and secure and let them know that the real world sucks sometimes, but my arms are here to hold them for as long as they can.

Last thought today: Our families' thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims and survivors of this horrible tragedy. We hope that some peace can be found.

Talking to Your Kids About Smoking

Being the mother of two tween-age children can be a huge eye-opener. At the tender age of 10 and 12, it becomes quite clear they are more sophisticated than we were at that age. Some of the stories that I hear about the middle school kids' behavior are unreal. The language, the disrespect and smoking and alcohol consumption. While all of this is hard to fathom, one of the question facing parents is: “How to you talk to your kids about smoking?”

While it is recommended that parents discuss smoking with their kids at age five or six, it is nonetheless hard to broach the subject. Certainly, if you are a parent who smokes, it will be harder to convince a child that it is unwise and dangerous for them to do so. After all, to them it may seem harmless. Moreover, children tend to mimic parents at an early age. So what do you say to these children? How do you convince them the very thing you want them to avoid is a habit they constantly witness on a daily basis? It is quite a conundrum.

If you do smoke, the first thing you need to do is quit. I know this can be one of the hardest things in your life to do. We're experiencing it first-hand. My husband has been a smoker for a very long time. He wants to quit and has tried several different methods to quit and has been unsuccessful to date. Just these past couple of weeks he is trying the prescription Chantix. He has been very successful so far...wish us continued luck!

If you don't smoke, you can sit your children down and explain to them the dangers. It goes far beyond just telling them, doesn’t it? As they mature, they will be immersed in a culture where peer pressure and acceptance become the catalyst which may override your efforts to keep them safe and out of harm’s way.

So what do you say?

• Smoking can kill
• It is habit forming
• It doesn’t matter what their friends do or say to provoke them, they should say no and walk away
• Smoking is not a hip thing to do

Will they understand what you are trying to convey? Perhaps the answer is in repeatedly pointing out the dangers of smoking; that it is not a popular thing to do; point out people who smoke and make reference to how they look and smell.

While you cannot shield your child from all potential bad habits they will come across in their young lives, you can offer positive reinforcement on a daily basis by not engaging in any activity they may mimic, and being consistent in your efforts to dissuade them by any means you can. Books, videos and other tools can be used to teach children the hazards of smoking and other harmful toxins. Teach them to say no to their friends or peers. Tell them by saying no they are exhibiting strength of character, and how proud you are they have acted so grown up.

So far, so good with my tweens. In fact, they are a huge proponent in encouraging my husband to quit! We're going to keep educating and keep encouraging them to say no to the peer pressure that will keep bombarding them for the years to come!

Reduce the Sugar in Your Family's Diet

Does your family eat a lot of sugar? A lot of candies, processed foods and fast food make their way into your household? As more and more families search for ways to try and become healthier, one of the most commonly overlooked health concerns is sugar consumption. While this is true, there are even more ways that sugar is incorporated into your family’s diet.

Here are a few tips for you to start reducing the your family's sugar intake.

• Brown Rice – White rice contains mostly carbohydrates, which converts to sugar after consumption. Brown rice offers full nutritional value and should be chosen over white grain rice.
• Whole Fruit – Most kids love fruit juice. However, there are fruit juices on the shelves today that are loaded with sugar additives. Instead of drinking fruit juice, opt for whole fruit instead, like apples, bananas and grapes.
• Vegetables – Lots of kids fuss over eating their vegetables. Even though this might be a huge hurdle for some families, incorporating more vegetables into your meals will reduce your sugar intake by far and large. Smart vegetables include green beans, carrots, tomatoes, and squash. Be cautious not to intake too many of the starchy veggies, like potatoes and corn, which contain high amounts of sugar.
• Snack Wisely – Families tend to snack a lot—yes, even parents. Make fun, healthy snacks for your family instead of binging on junk food. For power-packed snacks that will keep away hunger, use protein. A light snack, like a turkey and cream cheese roll-up, will keep hunger at bay a lot longer than a bag of potato chips.

These tips can help you get your family on the road to a healthier lifestyle.

I've Been Blogtipped!

Ponn with Empower Women Now wrote a really nice post about me yesterday.

Thanks Ponn!

Sibling Rivalry - What Can You Do?

Sibling rivalry is common among children. Many times when introducing a new baby into a family, the existing child will display feelings of jealousy. Even established families, with two or more children, frequently deal with rivalry between siblings. For example, I had my first two fairly close together (21 months) - they are opposite sex siblings and they FIGHT like cats and dogs.

As a parent dealing with this rivalry, you should not expect your children to overcome sibling rivalry and jealousy overnight. This is something that usually needs to be addressed on an ongoing basis, especially as your children grow older. My brother and I grew up almost as twins (he's exactly 1 year older) and we fought and fought and fought (I know the fighting between my two is God's way of paying me back). BUT...as we grew older, we really grew to appreciate the other's strengths and companionship. We became friends in high school and have remained close ever since.

One way to help your children overcome their feelings of jealousy is to spend special time with each child individually. By sharing in quality time with each child on a one-on-one basis, you let them know that they are not in competition with each other. This can be very tough to arrange - especially if you have more than 2 children, but it is worth the effort!

When you are forced to referee, allow each child a turn to speak. Listen to their opinions and give each child equal time. Many times sibling rivalries can be easily resolved by just offering an ear. Frustrated children may not always know how to express their frustrations without becoming irritated. Teach them to use their words to express their feelings to you and each other.

Above all, never take sides. The last thing you want to do alienate one of your children and give the other one the idea that you are more partial to him than the other. This will only lead to even more sibling jealousy and just escalate the situation even more.

Lastly, help your children by offering them a simple solution. Even better, offer them questions to make them think about the conflict and come up with their own solution. This will help them work on their problem-solving skills and people skills at the same time. After all, isn't the goal to raise a confident, independent individual?

Thumbs Up Thursday - Lessons from the Scrapbook Page

Thumbs Up Thursday is here and I've got a great one for you. Tasra with Lessons from the Scrapbook Page has got it all together! Tasra has a lot of experience to offer her readers of this blog. She's an author, a podcaster, a personal discovery coach and speaker.

One particular post that really hit home with me was A Simple Strategy to Help You Organize Your Life.

Just last week I was struggling with some inner turmoil (falling into the rut of being a SuperMom and losing my identity). It took a swift kick in the butt from my really good friend to put me back on track and start getting back to ME.

Tasra does the same thing in this post with an inspiring video to back it up! It's about 6 minutes long - take the time and watch it...it'll help YOU get back on track.

Ever Had Caffeine Withdrawal? Learn to Recognize It!

Millions of people worldwide use caffeine every morning to give themselves that extra boost they need to start their day. In fact, caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world, even more than alcohol. I, for one am guilty. I started drinking coffee actually pretty late in life (I was about 25), but now I'm hooked! The only times that I cut off my caffeine intake were the 3 times that I was pregnant. Right after the baby was born - right back to it.

The problem is, too much caffeine can not only leave you feeling buzzed; it can cloud your mind when it starts to wear off and may cause permanent physical damage by increasing your heart rate. While the healthiest option is to stop using caffeine altogether, cutting off your supply can cause a host of withdrawal symptoms.

Caffeine is a stimulant, it wakes you up and helps keep your mind sharp. This means that if your body is used to caffeine and stops getting its daily dose, you’ll likely be tired and find it difficult to concentrate. Many people who abruptly stop caffeine find themselves barely able to stay awake and even harder to stay on track. They often make more mistakes at work.

Caffeine withdrawal can cover a wide variety of physical and emotional symptoms such as:

Physical Withdrawal Symptoms
* Loss of concentration or focus
* Headaches - usually a dull, generalized pain rather than anything sharp and focused.
* Muscle soreness or stiffness
* Chills
* Hot spells.

Emotional Withdrawal Symptoms
* Irritability
* Restlessness
* Depression
* Feeling of anxiousness

Everyone’s response to caffeine withdrawal is different. It depends on your own personal physiology as well as how much caffeine you were consuming per day. Symptoms can range from annoying to debilitating. If your symptoms are mild, you may be able to quit cold turkey. For those with a severe addiction, suddenly stopping caffeine intake may be unbearable.

The best way to avoid these withdrawal symptoms is to slowly cut down on caffeine instead of quitting cold turkey. While pain killers may take care of some of the problems, there is no magic pill or any other cure for withdrawal symptoms besides time. If your symptoms are minor, you may be able to quit all at once, but it your symptoms are severe, you should decrease slowly for your own safety.

Potty Training - Open to Suggestions

Potty training...anybody have any good suggestions? You would think since I've been down this road two times before, that I would know what to do...WRONG!

My youngest just turned three last week. She has always been very verbal and able to communicate. We never went through that frustrating time with trying to find words and throwing tantrums when said words couldn't be found. So, I'm thinking..."life has been a breeze with her for the first three years, why would potty training be any different?"

HAHA, was I in for a RUDE AWAKENING!

She has been using Pull-Ups, and pretty successfully, for the last year or so. We've been talking about becoming a "big girl" with this birthday and even got some Dora underwear in the stocking from Santa.

This past Friday, I decided it was time. She was home with me for the day and we would have a 3-day weekend to work on it. We traded in the Pull-Ups for Dora. I quickly became aware that my little angel's halo was slipping and she was going to put me to the test. All of a sudden she became defiant - I would tell her to go sit on the potty..."No, I don't want to" - EVERY time I put her on the potty this happens. We go through a HUGE power struggle and I'm trying like hell not to let her win.

This is the kicker right here...she goes to a private babysitter 3-4 days during the week. This babysitter has been taking care of her since she was about 10 months old. She's awesome. Livvie loves her and everything is hunky dory.

I'm getting to my point...the babysitter tells her to go sit on the potty...AND SHE GOES AND SITS ON THE POTTY. She even pulls her own pants down, does her thing, pulls her pants back up, washes her hands and BOOM, she's successfully gone to the bathroom by herself.

Of course, I'm thinking I'm the biggest failure of a mom who ever lived. This shouldn't be that tough..I'm smart, educated...and for God's sakes - I'm 36 years older than this child!

Okay mommies out there - this is an official cry for help.

I'm looking for some great advice...don't let me down now.

Update: it's now two days later and we've had TWO DRY DAYS!! All day long...even through nap time. Maybe I was wrong...maybe I AM a genius after all :)

Update - 8 days later: Okay - I want to thank everyone for the kind words and advice, but I really think we have this thing licked! She has had 1 accident since this past Saturday. She is still wearing the Pull-Up for nighttime (and she's been dry all night a couple of times), but she's "big girl underwear" all during the daylight hours. WOOHOO!!

Enjoy Them While They're Young

I had the joy of taking my almost 3-yr-old to the Children's Museum this morning. We were lucky to have a little one-on-one time to ourselves.

We had a blast painting, picking apples, shopping in the pretend grocery store, catching butterflies with our shadows, sending blocks down a water slide, putting puzzles together and marching in a parade with the resident red dinosaur, Seymour!

I just loved watching her face and having a conversation with her through our whole trip.

The moments are fleeting...and FAST! I hope you are enjoying yours as much I am mine :)

Play with Your Child - it Benefits Them AND You!

In our busy hectic lives, it can be hard to work in play time with our children. To properly grow and learn, children need to actively play. By playing with our children, we can make sure they gain everything they need from play.

Physical activity
While you want to let your child choose what they do and how they do it during play time, you can help encourage them to choose healthy physical activities. If they want to play a game, suggest hide and seek, tag, or anything else that will get them up and moving. Play also helps to support physical development. If a child sits in front of a T.V. all day, they’ll never develop their hand eye coordination, balance, or other physical abilities as well as they should.

Important bonding time with parents
There is nothing more important in building a child’s self-esteem and feeling of safety than bonding with a parent. If a child knows that their parent is there for them, they’ll grow up to feel safer and more secure in the world around them. You may think it’s just talking and spending time with your child, but to them it’s the feeling of being loved and protected.

Getting more personalized help with issues
If allowed to direct their own play, a child will re-enact situations that he or she finds important. They may also use play time to vent emotional frustrations that they probably can’t describe verbally yet. By paying attention to your child’s behavior during play, you can determine what their concerns and frustrations are. Once you know the problem, it’s a lot easier to deal with and fix.

While playing with your child is obviously beneficial to them, it can also help you out as well.

Get to know your children
Many parents of teenagers say that they know little or nothing about their child. A good way to know them is to start while they’re still young and work to keep it as they grow. Playing regularly with your children now may actually help you worry less about them when they’re older.

Helps you relax
When children play, they create imaginary worlds and situations. If you are actively involved in your child’s imaginary worlds, it can help you forget the stress of the real world.

Promotes physical activity
We all know how hard it is to stay active when there are deadlines to meet, bills to pay, and everything else to do. If we strive to keep our children active through play, we will end up being active with them.

Playing with your child is as simple as setting aside a block of time everyday. It may be difficult to rearrange your schedule, but it will be well worth it for you and your child.

Have a Romantic Evening With Your Spouse on Valentine's Day

Do you want to put the "spark" back in your romance? What better place to start this Valentine's Day than the bedroom?

Let's take a look at a few easy steps to set the romantic mood in the place where we spend 1/3 of our lives!


Step #1 - (my husband would KILL me for writing this)...Get rid of the TV!...or at least hide the remote for the evening. Unplug the telephone and rid the room of anything that may distract you and your spouse. Put away anything that’s out of place.

Step #2 - Buy some romantic decor...buy a red comforter and/or red satin sheets. Pick up some soft plush pillows also. Buy some scented aromatherapy candles in different scents.

Step #3 - Get some other fun essentials! Pick up some strawberries and chocolate and some whipped cream while you're out. One more thing...if you can pick up some rose petals, add those to your shopping cart.

Step #4 - Set the mood. Make some chocolate fondue for later. Place the scented candles around the room. Turn down the comforter, and place rose petals on the pillows. Either soften the lights or turn them off. Ensure there are no sounds coming into the room via the windows by closing them shut. Set up a bottle of wine near the bed. Put your favorite music on nice and low. Lay out your favorite night wear for you and your spouse.

Now stand by the door, and take a look! Is this a romantic bedroom or what? No matter what mood your husband comes home in, once he sees the bedroom his mood will quickly change. While these are some decorating tips, you may come up with your own imaginative style. Whatever you choose, the key to keeping your bedroom romantic and inviting is to get rid of all the distractions which would interfere with maintaining the ambience and mood of the room.
You can be certain that one night spent in this romantic setting will help the two of you remember why you married each other in the first place ;)

Whew! Live TV Wasn't So Bad

I wouldn't want to do it every day, but it wasn't so bad! Thanks to all of you who were sending me positive vibes through my first appearance on TV...in my bathrobe no less! Well, at least I was comfortable :)

I'll be getting a dvd here soon and I'll post the link so y'all can take a gander and see for yourselves.

I'm going to be on TV!!

I first talked about my upcoming TV spot here. Now I have all of the details.

I'm going to be on Channel 6 (local Richmond, VA station) on Virginia this Morning at 10am IN MY BATHROBE! This is going to be so much fun. You see, Monday, February 12th is International Doing Business in Your Bathrobe Day and I'm going to be interviewed in my bathrobe on a live show talking about the wonderful benefits of working from home!

If you're in the Richmond area, please try to watch...if not I'll try to get the spot in digital form up on my website in the very near future.

Wish me luck!