Today I found the Raisin Bran in the refrigerator and all of the silverware thrown haphazardly into the drawer. This was a direct result of the help I received from my very cute, not-quite-two-year-old son. He helped put away the groceries and empty the dishwasher all without my asking. He was very proud of himself. … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #96: Check the pantry

This past Saturday I gave birth to my third child, a very cute baby boy. I thought I'd share my birth story since I always find other people's stories interesting.I'd been having contractions for days and weeks so that was nothing new, but something about how they felt on Friday night at dinner made me … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #95: Count to three

Here's my last trip to the Publix:ME: I'd like a 1/2 pound of Boar's Head Ovengold Turkey, please. (It's good stuff, you should try it.)Deli Meat Counter Lady: When are you due?ME: Ummm....about 3 weeks.DMCL: So, you'll have July babies?ME: Well, he's due on June 26th, so it could be July, but hopefully not.DMCL: There's … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #94: Develop a taste for blood

Last weekend we traveled to North Carolina to see my sister-in-law and her husband who are stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville. This is about a 6 hour ride from our house so Jay and I decided to leave at about 7pm after the kids had been fed and bathed and put in their pajamas. … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #93: Plan to fail

A couple of days ago I had the opportunity to eat lunch by myself outside of a school building. It was a beautiful day and I was thrilled to be able to eat outside at a local sandwich place.When I got there, I pulled into a parking space that was a little tight, but I … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #92: Park for two

So my stretch marks have returned. I will be honest, I really don't have very many body problems. I'm tall and I lose weight relatively easily when I try to do so. And I eat a lot of junk food so there is always that excuse that I COULD be skinnier if I tried. I … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #91: Buy longer shirts

This morning I took my sweet daughter to register for kindergarten. She did her own hair, as usual, with a matching bow to coordinate with her shirt. She practically danced off with the complete stranger who was doing her screening process. She was trying desperately not to run when she returned from her screening, so … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #90: Don’t cry in public

The cover of Newsweek for this week is about the 50th anniversary of the birth control pill. It's actually the 50th anniversary of The Pill becoming legal in the U.S., but still, it is a momentous event. I am a dorky history teacher so patterns in work forces, changes in societal structure, and roles of … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #89: Be grateful for your birth control

I like to do home improvement projects. I like learning new things and using power tools. And I like avoiding regular house work. Unfortunately for my husband, my version of nesting means that we now have a really long list of projects to do in the next two months. The one we just finished making … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #88: Hang a DIY headboard

Last night I got the opportunity to go to the bathroom by myself. I know... you're jealous of my fabulous life. During that time, my husband was getting the kids into the bath tub when I suddenly heard him yell, "Ahhhh! Buddy, are you peeing? Stop! Don't pee on the floor!"A moment later I heard, … Continue reading Best Mom Tip #87: Invest in good carpet cleaner