Between spotty Wifi and being ultra relaxed – i.e. not motivated to turn on the laptop – I can’t think. When you’re poolside and the kids are playing and the cigales are chirping there’s no point trying. Not possible.

Because we were between travel days it seemed like a good idea to spend a few days holed up at a friend’s house to recoup. You know … from our strenuous mountain experience of eating, watching the stars, and exploring abandoned villages.…

It’s Saturday morning and I wake up and realize that OMG – I promised the kids we would go to the pool today. I had come up with a gazillion great excuses during the week but today it is warm and sunny…and no rain in sight. Thanks a lot weather.com.

Drats. I’m stuck.

Kids don’t realize that you just don’t hop in the car and head on over to the pool or water park. Those clean towels and drinks and snacks and sunscreen and toys and floats and chairs don’t just magically appear in…

Summer is here and everyone is enjoying the pool and hitting the beach. While we're all having a good time, it's important to remember that water safety is crucial, it takes only a few short minutes for someone to drown. My kids were at a pool party yesterday, there were a lot of boys splashing around and having fun. Although both of my boys are good swimmers, even the strongest swimmer is at risk when someone pushes him in or jumps on top of him.

As I was keeping a vigilant eye on…

Here's another one of my lists of things I've discovered throughout the past week.  Included is the realization that it's all fun and games till you find the dog eating a blond wig in the family room.  Click over to my blog to read the full list: …

Paid Viewpoint is a great option for those wanting to earn money from surveys, but hate the task.

In my seemingly never ending search to find legitimate ways to earn extra money, I've come across many different methods. Many turned up to be flops or scams or were too hard just to be "side hustles" for the pennies you earned. But occasionally I come across something that is legit, simple and you earn actual money.

Survey taking has earned a collective hatred from many…

Summer is here and so is my pool envy. Also my pool want and pool whine. Anyone close to me is familiar with it because I use the same script every year.

“It’s hot. This is pool weather. I want a pool. I wish we had a pool. We need a pool. Why didn’t we get a house with a pool? We should have bought that bungalow with the pool. Can we have a pool? Let’s put one in this year!”

I alter the order, tone, and volume level of the script just to change things up and not bore anyone.…

I've compiled another one of my lists of things I've discovered lately.  And this week's list includes the sad realization that sitting next to the fittest person at the pool is like driving a clunker next to a Ferrari.  Click over to my blog to read…

We’ve been enjoying a lot of time at my sister’s apartment complex pool. Hot weather in the South and bored kids equals lots of pool time but the only bad thing about that brilliant idea is all the other parents with the same brilliant idea and, let’s face it, sometimes other people’s kids can be…

Recently I shared our story on how our twins survived nearly drowning, and today I wanted to share with everyone the true signs of…

Like many families where we live, we purchased a house with a swimming pool for the hot summer months when temperatures rise above 100 degrees.

Even though we knew we wanted to have children, and that one day our children would be in and around our pool, we never thought we'd have to save our children from a near drowning.

I'm telling our…

Lately I have been the victim of thoughtless, self-consumed, and, in some cases, stupid women.  Well, not just me, my children have been as well, which really makes me irritated.  The most frustrating part is that these people were so oblivious to what was going on around them, they never even realized that I, among other people, were getting extremely annoyed.  Here are the situations:…

Do you ever wanna just walk away from your kids in public and act like you don't know who the hell they are?  No?  Surely that's not just me.  Call me Mommy Dearest if you will, but when my kids have a brain fart and act like complete Neanderthals who've never heard of manners, I sometimes think it would be easier to point and stare and pretend like I'm disgusted by the horrible excuse…

I can't believe it - baby #2, Big Guy, is due in less than five weeks.



When I was pregnant with Doll Baby I found this great free website, Bebepool, and…

** We actually made it to the beginning of the school year without my kids stabbing each other!!

** New backpacks make everything more exciting.

** My son can evidently make his leg fart.  (I'm so proud.)

** I can't even watch the previews for scary movies anymore.

** I'm raising the king and queen of…

Since summer is almost over, my daughter and I are trying to enjoy every second of it! If the weather is hot, we are at the pool.

About 2 weeks ago on a Friday morning, my daughter started complaining about earache. I thought it was just some discomfort (from going very often to the pool) that it would go away by itself, but I was wrong. By late afternoon, ...

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** School doesn't start for 10 more weeks (but who's counting?).

** It's gonna be a LONG summer.

** If it happened on Scooby Doo, then it must be true.

** I've visited pretty much every public restroom from here to Timbuktu.

** Hugh Hefner's fiancee must've realized that she'd have to have sex with an old…

This morning we woke up got the kids up and moving.  Jerry made a super yummy breakfast.  Then around 11 headed to get some ice cream.  It was all part of the plan.  Our plan to get the Ben to St. Louis without him catching on.  We told Jenny earlier this morning so she could pack the clothes that she wanted to bring.  We made it all the way to the arch before Ben realized where we were.  He was so excited.  What a way to celebrate.  Spending the…

On a hot, steamy day, what better way is there to cool off than by splashing around in a big hole of water? Naturally, most people would assume then that the community pool would be cram-packed with crazy

screaming kids on a sultry summer afternoon — most people, that is,

except the grumpy old bee-atch who barreled her way into our town pool

yesterday.…