I am in complete awe over the following pumpkins. It is absolutely mind-blowing what people come up with when decorating these big round orange fruits!  Some don't even cut into them and still make a rad ass work of art out of them. So without further ado... 20 Amazingly Badass Halloween Pumpkin Ideas... This Pumpkin puts the 'P' in PLEASE do mine next year ..read more

When I set out to do my annual Halloween costume idea post, I came across some of the most jaw-dropping are-you-kidding-me-right-now costumes. So, after wiping the tears of laughter away from my eyes, I decided the "best of" costumes post could wait because the "worst of" was going to be WAY more fun to create. But before we go any further... My friends, this post needs a WARNING:  A few of these costumes are just plain Epic Fail OH-Hell-No-what-is-happening-to-this-world-I-think-I-just-went-blind-with-disgust costumes. So please, DO NOT try most of ..read more

 I know what you're thinking, Popsicles? Before school? Healthy? Yep. I said it. And, I meant it.  You can make superfood popsicles with ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen. It's true. If you have yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit/greens, and/or juice, you have AWESOME popsicles waiting to be made. Just pull out the Dixie cups and craft sticks, then pour and freeze. It's seriously THAT simple! In fact, not only do I save money by making my own popsicles, I waste less too! I open the produce drawer and start grabbing the things that need to be used; spinach, kal ..read more

Now that school is back in session, it's time to get those sleep schedules nailed down. It's beyond essential! And not because I say so... Rachel Dawkins, M.D., with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, says so: Kids who regularly get an adequate amount of sleep have improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, and overall mental and physical health. Not getting enough sleep can lead to high blood pressure, obesity and even depression. So how much sleep does a person need for their specific age? I 100% get how friggin' hard it is t get kids on a scheduled sleep routine. My s ..read more

  I'm dedicating this post to the families sweating buckets during back-to-school sports practices and games. My heart goes out to little ones and their families enduring heatstroke and sunburns for 'the love of the game.' If 100 degree August afternoons on the football field are wearing down your family, below are five things I used to keep my family cool the weekend we braved 107-degree temps to win a cake and ride the rides at a church picnic.  Prior to the picnic, I scoured the Internet, novelty stores, Target, and The Dollar Tree for anything that would pro ..read more

1. If babies’ bodies grew at the same rapid pace as their brains, they would weigh 170 pounds by one month of age. 2. 60% of all the energy a baby expends is concentrated in the brain. Birth-to-three is the fastest rate of brain development across the entire human lifespan. 3. The average child will grow in their baby teeth by three and lose them before turning thirteen. Primary Teeth Development Chart Upper Teeth When tooth emerges When tooth falls out Central incisor 8 to 12 months 6 to 7 years Lateral incisor 9 to 13 months 7 to 8 yea ..read more

Below is a repost from my days of potty training. I came across it and had to reshare it for both the parents currently potty training, and for the parents, like me, that enough time has finally passed that we can look back and laugh about the hell ride Potty training rollercoaster. I love being a parent. It's the most amazing and insane experience in the world. Of course, it didn't take long (4.3 seconds) to realize being a mother was going to be scary, incredibly hard and beyond rewarding. It also didn't take long to learn that wishing for milestones was dumbassery. I couldn't ..read more

  Did you know... 1. St. Patrick was not Irish. He was born in either Scotland or Wales. At the young age of 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold into slavery. He spent six years herding sheep in Ireland before escaping.  2. Legend has it, St Patrick drove all of the snakes out of Ireland. (Truth is, there is no evidence of snakes ever even being in Ireland! Geologists claim this is due to the Ice Age, NOT St Patrick.) 3. St. Patrick's day was a 'dry' holy day of remembrance in Ireland until 1970. (I love when people embrace change ..read more

  Last year, my city went into lockdown the DAY BEFORE St. Patrick's Day. It was devastating. Not only for the party-throwers and party-goers, but the bars and restaurants also found themselves with massive food and beverage orders filling their bar and kitchen and no customers. My heart broke for the entire industry. Needless-to-say, it was a sadass St Patty's and I'm determined to make up for it this year. Even if it is just my family. We WILL Eat, drink and be merry!  In honor of my determination to reclaim my life and holidays from this damn pandemic, here are a few insanel ..read more

So, toddlers. A friggin breed of their own. I am convinced that the little buggers have the following Code of Conduct hard-wired into their DNA... 1.  You are the alarm clock for the entire family,  it is your job to wake everyone up at the ass crack of dawn every day. Every. Single. Day.   2. ALWAYS crap your pants AFTER leaving the house.  Your best bet is to clench those cheeks together until you have left your street, and then EXPLODE!!! To achieve Legend status, do this when your parent is in a huge hurry to get somewhere very important.    ..read more