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New 39 week rule?
My sister is 36 weeks pregnant and went into labor a couple days ago. When she arrived at the hosp...
March 2012
Tori Spelling to Have Fourth Child
Saturday, March 31, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
Tori Spelling recently announced that she is expecting her fourth child with husband, Dean McDermott. The couple’s three children are Liam, 5, Stella, 3 ½, and Hattie, who is 5 months old. The star announced the pending arrival on her webpage and posted a picture of her bare tummy with all three children’s hands on it. It is hard...
Saturday, March 31, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Before we had our little girl, our house was a zoo. Actually, it is STILL a zoo. As I write this, I'm joined by Larry, our 20 year old cat, and Penny, our black lab. They are part of our family. If you have animals, you know what I mean. In addition to Larry and Penny, we have another cat and another dog. That adds up to four animals in our h...
Save Money On Clothes When Heading Back to Work
Friday, March 30, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
One of the last things you probably concerned yourself with after baby’s birth was clothing. For the first year or so of my first daughter’s life I trotted around wearing yoga pants and shirts, most of which were stained or wrinkled. (Yes, I know. I was a slob and proud of it!) My running sneakers got used whether I was jogging three mi...
Thursday, March 29, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
We all have options. I appreciate all of you reminding me of this! A few weeks ago, I blogged about Chardon. The blog was a way for me to share my thoughts about a recent tragic event. It was also a way to talk about how each of us is responsible for ensuring the quality of our child's care and their early childhood environmen...
Johnny Weir and Husband Bring Home a Son
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
According to People Magazine, champion figure skater Johnny Weir and his husband, Victor Voronov, posted on Twitter that they had brought home a son. However, it is not a cuddly human baby - but a furbaby. They said, "Our new son is home and exhausted. Say hello to Artem Viktorovich Weir-Voronov, or, Tyoma!" Okay, so I get that people lo...
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Get out your bowling shoes – well, that is, if you have them – grab the kids, and head to the local lanes. It’s that time again: time for kids to bowl free all summer long! If you haven’t heard of this great deal, check out kidsbowlfree.com. We have been participating in this program for three years now. Each summer, you si...
How to Save Without Feeling Overwhelmed
Monday, March 26, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
I believe the biggest obstacle moms face when coupon clipping is time. It’s tough to fit in an hour or two each week to go through coupons, and no matter whose plan you follow and who you listen to, I’m here to tell you this: coupon clipping is a task and it will require time. I typically spend half an hour creating my grocery list by ...
Monday, March 26, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I am no fashionista. I stay home all day balancing working from home and entertaining my youngest daughter. The rest of the day, I am in my car, chauffeuring the kids between school, ball practice, and home. I have no need for clothes that need to be ironed; and quite frankly, I am most interested in being comfortable throughout my d...
Monday, March 26, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
I was pumped, so to speak, about breastfeeding my baby. Months before the little one came and rocked my world, I had read everything I could to prepare for successful breastfeeding. I'd even taken a breastfeeding class. Moments after she was born, we gave it a shot. She latched on. Success! (Or so I thought.) Of course, it wasn't qu...
Sunday, March 25, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I cannot sit still. I think that my constant need to be in motion is something that was handed down from my mothers and grandmothers. I remember as a kid, my mom never sat still. She always had something to do. And my grandmother as well. They were always doing something. If it wasn’t a chore, they were knitting,...
Snooki to Be On Season Six of Jersey Shore
Saturday, March 24, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
People magazine is reporting that Snooki has signed on for the sixth season of Jersey Shore to begin taping this summer. Snooki has been a fixture on the show since its first season with her drunken antics and one-night hook ups. This season will be different though considering that Snooki is pregnant with her first child. According to MTV "Th...
Friday, March 23, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Lunch is such a small meal tucked into the middle of the day; but for some reason it tends to be one of the most expensive. For the longest time, I lived on lunch meat. I love a turkey and cheese sandwich loaded with veggies, but at $7.50 and up for meat and $7.50 and up for cheese per pound, that can get really costly - especially if I’m mak...
Fact or Fiction - Orgasmic Birth
Friday, March 23, 2012 by Stef Daniel
A friend of mine sent me an email the other day with a link to a woman’s story who claimed that she had an orgasm during birth. And of course, (because what mother doesn’t want to actually WATCH someone else give birth (SMH)), a video was included. Lucky me. Needless to say, my curiosity was peaked. W...
Thursday, March 22, 2012 by Stef Daniel
Watching your kids grow up is sort of bittersweet; but it happens so fast. One minute you are in labor, pushing out a baby, and in what seems like a blink of an eye, you are holding her hand to help her walk. All the moments leading up to and in between seem lost in the momentum of motherhood. Maybe a little lost, but certainly not...
Thursday, March 22, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
What will really make a difference in your child's development? I have been pondering this question. A. LOT. You see, I'm at that point when it is time to ponder those school-aged years. It's time to consider a public education vs. private education. To be honest, I never thought I would consider anything BUT public. After all, I'm a public s...
Jessica Alba Tells White Lies To Her Children
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
Jessica Alba recently sat down with Parenting magazine to talk about all things parenthood. The mother of two girls, Honor, age 3, and 7-month-old Haven, Alba talks about how she handles daily life with her kids. One of the things brought up was the paparazzi; Alba says that Honor often asks her about whom they are and why they are followin...
Warm Weather Inexpensive Activities
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Summer is approaching quickly in the south, if we even had winter at all. My kids have only eight weeks left to go with school – they get out May 21 (yes, a full week before Memorial Day!) – so I’m starting the search of "things to do for the summer." Working from home allows me quite a few perks; and probably t...
Tuesday's Top 10 - Little White Lies
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 by Stef Daniel
It’s Tuesday. And you know what that means - Another Tuesday's Top 10. This Tuesday's Top 10 might make you a little uncomfortable. You might be wiggling around in your seat just a little, because I am going to reveal the Top 10 lies that parents tell their children. Sure, your little white lies may be a necessary evil of pa...
Bag Up the Old to Bring in the New!
Monday, March 19, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
This week I have one top priority: bag up the girls’ old summer clothes that no longer fit and get them to the consignment store. Now is the time the consignment shops in our area begin taking summer-type clothing, which means, of course, now is the time they will begin to sell short sleeves and shorts. Lately, I’ve been doing really w...
Saying Goodbye to Friends Moose A. Moose and Zee
Monday, March 19, 2012 by Stef Daniel
If your toddler watches television, then you might have noticed a BIG change with Nick Jr. that I didn’t notice right away, but my 5-year-old did. After watching Nick Jr. for a few days WITHOUT Moose A. Moose and Zee, she asked me where they went. The cute little jingles were gone. The anecdotes between Moose and Zee missing....
Monday, March 19, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Which book is your Pregnancy Bible? You know; the "go-to" book for information for all the questions - some which may be just a little too embarrassing to ask - you have during the journey of pregnancy. Besides the hubby, the first person I disclosed my pregnancy to was my sister. I was just a few weeks along and we happened t...
Jessica Simpson Goes Nude for Elle
Saturday, March 17, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
In an act that would make most pregnant women have nightmares, Jessica Simpson recently bared it all for Elle magazine. She is certainly not the first celebrity to pose this way; Demi Moore started the trend in 1991 when she posed for Vanity Fair while pregnant with her daughter Scout. Since then, several other celebrities have posed nude w...
Saturday, March 17, 2012 by Stef Daniel
If you were to run into me with my brood of girls, one of the first things you would say to me is, “Are you going to try for a boy?” To which I would answer, “Heck no! I am done!” Then I would scamper away as quickly as possible to avoid the karmic wave of fertility that you might be sending my way. I ...
Keep Track of Savings to Stay Motivated
Friday, March 16, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Okay, I’ll fess up right now: last month I went over my grocery budget. Not like, “Oops, shouldn’t have bought that can of artichoke hearts I so desperately wanted,” but like, “Holy (insert words of choice), I could have fed an army on that amount!” Yes. It was bad. I’m blaming it on the extra week and my...
Tuesday's Top 10 (on Thursday) - Keeping Your Sex Life Alive
Thursday, March 15, 2012 by Stef Daniel
How is your sex life? I know, I know, that’s really a personal question and one that rarely, if ever, gets an honest answer (And I don’t REALLY want to know). A few weeks ago, an acquaintance of mine was sort of bragging about her awesome sex life. The rest of us moms sitting there, listening to her stories of romantic ...
Thursday, March 15, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
A child is the best excuse to make the most of every holiday. It's with this statement that I excitedly say "Happy St. Patrick's Day!" I admit, prior to bringing the munchkin into the world, I didn't pay much attention to this holiday. Yes, even during my college years, I let it pass without so much as one green beer. Then Ms. V came int...
Do You Use Drugstore Savings Programs?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
I attended a workshop several years ago held by Jenny from Southernsavers.com. Her couponing program appears to be the biggest used in our area, and the church in which she visited was packed. During the workshop, Jenny talked about matching sales with savings. I already knew about most of the program from utilizing The Grocery Game while I ...
Have You Ever Forgotten You Were Pregnant?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
If you’re experiencing your first pregnancy, this question may seem so stupid to you. Being pregnant for the first time can be consuming, it is often all you think about, talk about, and dream about. Almost all plans and conversations relate to the baby growing in your belly. You wonder about what your baby will look like, wait in anticipatio...
Parents Behaving Badly in Youth Sports
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 by Stef Daniel
My children have been involved in competitive sports for many years now. My husband and I are both involved as volunteer coaches and have been since the onset. However, it never ceases to amaze me how badly – hideously, ridiculously - parents behave in the presence of competition. Even when this "competition" i...
Do You Use Your Cell Phone for Savings
Monday, March 12, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Technology has come a long way. Once upon a time, when I was a young twenty-something girl, cell phones were as large as house phones and not at all convenient. Today though, people use phones to connect, chat and, well, save! A survey by Princeton Data Source showed during a thirty-day period before and after Christmas of 2011, nearly a quarter o...
Monday, March 12, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
I really haven’t tried to make my little girl a princess. Really, I haven’t. However, it seems that is the way it was meant to be since the day she was born. She loves purple. She thinks the flute is the coolest instrument ever. She refuses to wear anything but dresses and tights every day. Did I tell you I spent a year of my life stud...
Sunday, March 11, 2012 by Stef Daniel
My kids fall down and get hurt all the time. Like every day, there is some sort of injury occurring. We live on a farm, all my kids play softball, and for children, life is a hazardous road. No matter how careful you are with your kids, they are going to get hurt. And sometimes, you won’t even know what happened. &nb...
Saturday, March 10, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
The pint-sized reality star has been telling the media that she isn’t pregnant for a few months. Rumors first started to fly earlier in February; Snooki even addressed the rumors on Good Morning America, Live with Kelly, and Watch What Happened Live. She told each show that while a baby would be a happy thing, she isn’t currently pregna...
Friday, March 09, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
A few years ago, my husband and I decided to tackle our lawn solo rather than going with a company. We’d gotten many bids, from larger companies to smaller one- or two-man units, but all of the bids to mow our grass and cut our bushes back were over two hundred dollars. We bought a small push mower and began doing it ourselves. I’d nev...
Friday, March 09, 2012 by Stef Daniel
In one of my recent Tuesday's Top 10’s, I shared with you my biggest labor and delivery fears. One of those fears, which ended up happening to me, was having a C-section. In the Facebook comments that ensued after that post, it became evident that many, many pregnant women are worried about the impending doom of a C-section.&nb...
Update to the Saga of the New Years French Fry
Thursday, March 08, 2012 by Stef Daniel
Back in January, around New Years, I wrote about the Saga of the New Years French Fry. If you missed the post, you can find it here. It is a heartbreaking (and hilarious), warm story filled with disdain about a lone French Fry that fell to its doom in the bottom of my refrigerator. I regret to inform you that today, March 8...
I Mean No (Except When I Mean Maybe)
Thursday, March 08, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
The first time I held my daughter, I wondered how I would ever be able to look in her eyes and tell her “NO.” No as in absolutely not, forget it, and I am NOT changing my mind. Seriously, she was the most amazing creature I ever met. What would she or could she do wrong or ask for that would warrant a response of “NO&rd...
Reese Witherspoon Not Prepared For Daughter to Become a Teenager
Wednesday, March 07, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
Reese Witherspoon recently talked to Daybreak about how she is unprepared for her daughter, Ava, to turn thirteen. She tells the T.V. show, “This is the time where I start asking all my friends who have kids who are older, ‘What do you do about a cell phone? What are your rules about the computer? Is she allowed to go out with f...
Has the Recession Stalled Your Plans to Have More Children?
Wednesday, March 07, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
A study by Pew Research Center found that young adults aged 18-34 feel they have been hit hardest by the recession, which has also been reflected in government data showing those aged 18-24 have had the toughest time with employment (only 54% are currently employed) and earnings (a drop of 6% in pay). This may be why people up to age 34 are ...
I Don't Want to Play Barbies Today (Or Ever)
Tuesday, March 06, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I found myself hiding from my daughter today. Why you ask? Read on…. She had received a few new Barbie’s for her birthday last week, and has ever since been bombarding me with requests to play. I have changed Barbie clothes, been chastised for using the wrong "Barbie Voice," taken them in the bathtub with me ...
Monday, March 05, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
If you’ve seen the news in the last week, chances are you’ve heard about Chardon: Chardon High School located in Chardon, OH, and the recent school shooting to be exact. I live 20 minutes from Chardon. The suspected shooter attended a school for at-risk students located LITERALLY across the street from my house. To say this incid...
Are Movie Rental Stores a Place of the Past?
Monday, March 05, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Friday night was long ago designated movie night, which means pizza in front of the TV, fireplace roaring on cold nights, and a good flick on the television. The girls have some all-time favorites, like Peter Pan and Scooby Doo; but every few weeks we run out and rent a movie – at Red Box or Blockbuster kiosks. Yeah, we’re cheap. But ...
Stef's Number One Parenting Pet Peeve
Monday, March 05, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I have been a mother for a long time now. I still have an immense amount to learn. But one thing I know for sure is that when my kids are sick I don’t want to be one of those irresponsible parents or caregivers that knowingly sends my kid to school - or invites a friend or cousin over for a play date – only to make another kid...
Nicole Richie Talks About Role Models and Keeping Her Kids Grounded
Saturday, March 03, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
Nicole Richie may be the mother to two young children now, but not too long ago she was a rebellious twenty-something who didn’t have a great reputation. Known for driving drunk, partying, doing drugs, and other unsavory things, she has certainly matured into the mother she is today. Richie recently sat down with Flare magazine and talked abo...
Saturday, March 03, 2012 by Stef Daniel
Moms are a fickle group (complete offense intended). One of the most widespread trends I see among groups of mothers is jealousy. It starts out with snide remarks or comments, often camouflaged with so-called pride, about how their kid walked at 3 months old (umm okay), or said their first word before they could even sit up. I&rsqu...
Amazon Moms Benefits Changing: What Are Your Thoughts?
Friday, March 02, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Amazon recently made changes to its "Amazon Mom" program, which offered members a deep discount on diapers and wipes, along with other perks, such as membership benefits through the Prime membership program, like free shipping on many products. Now, angry Amazon Moms are protesting the changes and asking Amazon to take a second look at th...
Thursday, March 01, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I have to admit that I am sort of a sucker for the paranormal. The thought that magic and mystic are all around is both exciting and perhaps a little frightening. But I never gave much thought to ghosts until my husband and I moved into our century-old farmhouse. At first, I sort of wrote off the creaking of the house to...
