My daughter has started negotiating with me using the game, Rock Paper Scissors!  I’m sure most people believe I should not negotiate with a 5 year old, but sometimes you just have to entertain this behavior! The other morning, my daughter asked for a waffle for breakfast, which I made for her.  She got distracted, the waffle got cold, and she no longer wanted it, after only eating a couple bites.  She asked if she could throw it away, in which I responded, “no, you need to eat some more.” She quickly said, “lets do rock, paper, scissors and if you win, I will eat some more waff ..read more

Today is my daughter’s 5th birthday!  I cannot believe how fast she is growing up and how fast time is flying. Birthday’s, in my opinion, are so important.  They are the one day that celebrates just you, and only you, so I think they should be special and celebrated BIG! The day starts with my daughter waking up to her bedroom door decorated with signs, streamers and balloons.  Wrapped birthday gifts are waiting for her to open.  Depending on what day of the week, she might get a special breakfast and/or lunch and definitely a cool, out on the town, dinner! The closest ..read more

A couple years ago we started a tradition of a “staycation”.  Here in Arizona, the resorts cost quite a bit less in the summer, luring the locals to stay and partake in the resort fun.  In the past, we have gone with my girlfriend and her daughter, but this year they could not go.  Instead of my daughter and I missing out on what I want to be an annual tradition, I booked our staycation. I picked my daughter up from school on Friday, with our bags packed and ready to go and surprised her by telling her our weekend plans.  She was besides herself with excitement and joy.&nbs ..read more

I am not sure how many of you parents will be able to relate to this but here is my frustration. The grocery store I shop at, recently remodeled and revamped their entire store. Its beautiful now! With this revamp came these fun kids shopping carts. They have a police car, a firefighter car, and a pink cart covered with flowers, which my daughter is crazy about! Sounds great right? NO!!!! The problem is they only have about 6 of these carts. That is maddening when you show up on a Saturday with your toddler in tow, who has talked about the pink cart incessantly the entire ride to the grocery s ..read more

Savanna started a new school today. She was excited and nervous…i was proud and tearful!  We of course picked out a new dress and shoes, beautiful pink & purple lunch box in hand and took pictures in front of her new school.  She was so ready to get in there and get started!  That made me so happy! Once we entered the classroom, her demeanor changed.  I saw her face go from excited  to apprehensive; her confident body language slump down and hold on to my leg; her enthusiasm turned to fear.  Savanna realized none of her old smells and sounds were in this class ..read more

A friend recently reached out to me asking if she could set me up with a guy she works with. She told me a little about him and sent me some pictures of him. Although I was not attracted to his pictures, I told her to give him my number and we would see what happens. “The Guy” text me that very evening (seeming very interested). We text on and off for a couple of days and finally made a plan to meet the following week. The next week came and went without “the guy” actually solidifying a plan or even saying a word again about us meeting. He continued to text much about nothing. “The guy” never ..read more

This week has been emotional for this Momma!  Savanna tested in to a new gymnastics group, she moved up to a new dance class and she left the school she has been attending since she was 3 months old. That’s a lot to take in one week! Leaving the school, though, was a lot harder than I anticipated. I will never forget the first day I dropped Savanna off (December 17, 2013), I left my baby with basically strangers (I visited the school and interviewed the teachers that took care of the infants and the Director of the school) but basically strangers.  I cried all the way to work, which ..read more

Last night while my daughter and I were waiting for her gymnastics class to start, we were looking at pictures on my phone.  Pictures of Savanna, of course, started appearing.  Savanna stopped on one of the latest pictures of her from this weekend, and exclaimed “Mommy, I am so cute!” This is definitely something I cannot argue with, but it made me laugh out loud how she had no modesty in her statement.  I am so thankful that my daughter has confidence and has no problem expressing what is on her mind!  I hope as she grows up, that confidence stays with her!  Everyone ..read more

Coming home late on the Southwest flight, which was 95% booked, I found a window seat in the back of the plane with the middle seat vacant.  People kept walking by the middle seat, passing it up, and the lady sitting on the aisle and I kept exchanging wishful glances. Flight attendant asks over the intercom “is there a single person who is willing to change seats so a family can sit together?” I thought about my daughter and I travelling and how hard that would be to not sit together, so I volunteered to move.  The mother and daughter were so appreciative. The flight attendant quickl ..read more

I have always had a crush on Enrique Iglesias, and last year I was fortunate enough to see him in concert. It was so good! He was energetic and lively, singing new songs and the oldies I loved…but best of all he was still hot!  Ha Ha Recently, Enrique released a new single “Move to Miami” with Pitbull.  It is the kind of song that makes you move in your seat.  My daughter heard it and loved it!  Yesterday we were listening to it in the car and she was looking at the information on my playlist, which included a picture of Enrique.  Savanna asked “Mommy, is this the guy ..read more