Mother’s Day is May 12^th, that is a week from this Sunday.  There are likely to be lots of articles to suggest ways to honor your mom or help your children honor their mom.  I would like to take a different approach and speak to moms directly.  Give yourself permission to pat yourself on the back and to take a break.  Parenting is both the toughest and most rewarding job in the world.  This is a good time to remind moms (fathers too) that you have to fill your own bucket before…

My church friends from our Vermont years called me last month and asked me if I could come speak at their next women's breakfast.  I said I think I can arrange that.  

I remember in 2004 how unsure I was that a southerner could transplant from Tennessee to Vermont, but I learned very quickly that it can be done with ease.  

As I prepare to return this…

We did manage to make it through the store without me having a similar meltdown. I was concerned they might find both of us in frozen foods, on the floor, sobbing and throwing things — but we survived. Of course, when it was time to leave it had started pouring down buckets again and by the time I had the squirming snotty midget in his car seat, and had loaded the groceries, I was looking like a drenched rat in squishy Birkenstocks. – Me, Circa…

How do we achieve happiness as a family, especially when you consider varying personalities, interests and communication styles? Not to mention different genders and ages, two-adult homes and one-adult homes? I recently read an article based on a book by Bruce Feiler on this very topic. He introduces some interesting facts and concepts I think worthy of sharing. In our incredibly fast paced lives, full of stress and worry how do we find peace at home?

I think most people have heard…

It is not easy to raise children in today’s society when so much emphasis focused on video games, sporting events, and the latest trends in clothes. And let's not forget the peer pressure and media pressure that offers temptations to kids to do drugs, drink alcohol and get involved sexually. Today's kids face an overall absence of godly examples and moral living in a society that is moving toward "freedom from religion" instead of "freedom of religion." 

 Schools  teach and …

If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.

Abdul Kalam



Where would society be without a family structure?…

Check out my SoapTime review http://mommaof3-littlebits.blogspot.com/

SoapTime…

With many families still struggling and even those who are not, this is an appropriate time of year to teach an attitude of gratitude.  It may be easy for kids to focus on what they don’t have or won’t get, especially compared to those of their peers. Regardless of a families’ financial situation it is helpful  to use the holidays as a time to teach family values. Any gift, whether big or small, can come from the heart keeping the recipient in mind. So what values are important to you and…

I follow those whom I admire on Twitter, and Anne Graham Lotz is one such individual.  Yes, she is the reverend's daughter, but an impressive Bible teacher apart from her famous father. (www.angelministries.org)

Recently she tweeted a blog on Thanks-living.  It struck a chord with me.  It challenged me, dared me, compelled me to operate out of gratitude every day.   I am finding that when I let gratitude be my guide, I cannot…

Two years ago I went to a friend’s cottage with a few other women. While I didn’t know all those invited, it was … nice. That was the first and only time I’d gone away without family, D, or the kids since university in Wales. 

The cottage weekend was good, yet I long for something different. Less calm, more … well, more something. Strictly in a non getting-arrested-and-living-with-regrets-for-the-rest-of-your-life way. Nothing as extreme as a ‘What Happens in Vegas Stays…

Over on Ye `Ol Facebook I posted a link to some great ideas for volunteering with children**. As a person who was raised in a very strict Baptist household and family, I grew up with very firm ideas of right and wrong. In my late teens I came to disagree with many of the teachings I was raised with and all of the idea of organized religion in general. But here’s the rub: as a parent who learned right and wrong from a religion she no longer follows, how do I teach my son right from…

One of our family's favorite summer experiences is an annual trip to the drive-in.  If schedules allow, we try to squeeze a few more trips in if possible because we have so much fun.  It's also an affordable way for families to see 2 first run movies.

The success of a good night at the drive-in comes down to a little prep work before you…

It is widely known on here that I have five kids.  As you guys all know I spend 80% of my time writing, bitching, complaining or gushing over at least one of them.  (Okay, I bitch and complain more than gush but whatever.  Once in a while I do gush over them.)  I get asked a lot of questions about whether the two sets of boys are twins and if not, what is the story.  I have wavered back and forth about exposing a part of our family that I like to keep sheltered.  I think I am ready to open…

Lena and her buddy were bouncing the trampoline discussing deep philosophical five-year-old matters like who can do a higher jump and whose twist was "wicked cooler".  Eavesdropping provides a cornucopia of hilarity for me. So I hunker into a chair on my porch and unabashedly listen to their prattle.  Without warning, the conversation takes a mature turn.  The girls are in a heated debate about whether girls can marry girls, boys can marry boys.  They concede that they are both ok with same…

This article was originally written by me for Stepmom Magazine at www.stepmommag.com

Recently, my sister and I sat at a pizza and play place while our kids played. Suddenly, one of my 2-year-old twins, who had climbed into a tunnel, cried out for help. This momma bear jumped to her feet to run to the rescue, but someone else beat me to it. It was my stepdaughter. I sat down and my sister and I couldn’t help but giggle as we…