Disclosure: I am not a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow. Still, I totally get that people (specifically, parents) do and say some very silly things sometimes, expensive words like "conscious uncoupling" and "co-parenting" make my brain itch. On the other hand, I use made-up phrases all the time (much to the chagrin of my grammarly-gifted friends) so I can certainly relate to the assumption that there may have been a little snark sprinkled in, because...HELLO WORLD!!!....Paltrow's got a personal lifestyle website to maintain. So, it's no surprise that news organizations and the internets were more than ready, willing and able... Read more →

In an ongoing effort to cut down on the clutter (or clut-tuh, if you're from Jersey), I decided to re-arrange our kitchen counter (AGAIN!) and, while I was at it, organize myself a lovely little coffee station. Because COFFEE!!! But the sugar bowls were taking up way too much counter space that we already didn't have and yes, I said sugar BOWLS: one for me and one for my husband, Garth (not his real name) who prefers the alternative-type of sweetener (a.k.a. sweet-nuh). I remembered my MIL gave us a box of stuff, that was never added to the yard... Read more →

One of the many reasons I love blogging (not to mention, why I've been at it for almost 11 years now): I've had the pleasure of watching this space grow and mature into sooooo many wonderfully diverse communities. You can't go two clicks without meeting someone new to the blogosphere. So, inspired by my friends Shannon and Kendra, I'm kicking it old school and linking up with Elaine from The Miss Elaine-ous Life and Kim from Co-Pilot Mom for some Old School Blogging where I answer a list of random questions. [rolls up sleeves, blows bangs out of eyes] Okay,... Read more →

It's springtime here in Jersey...wait, let me look out the window...YEP!...today, anyway. So, I thought it would be fun to break out with the light and airy scarves, until I tried to tie one around my neck and, well, that's an accident...just waiting to happen. There are about a bazillion online tutorials on how to wear scarves and they are all great, until I actually try to tie one around my neck and, well, see previous paragraph. You know, what?!? It would be a whole lot easier if someone showed us fashionably-dorky-types what [k]NOT to do...and...HEY!!!!...wait a minute...I CAN DO... Read more →

If given the choice ten years ago: I would rather push an old-fashioned reel lawn mower through a field of sticky balls...barefoot...than spend half the day dodging other shopping carts at the supermarket, while simultaneously attempting to put ALL the stuff my kids threw into OUR cart...accidentally on purpose...back on the shelf. Now that my kids are older? I still hate...Hate...HAte...HATe...HATE food shopping. Unless I am with my husband (date night at the supermarket, FTW!) and most especially if I happen to be shopping with one of my teenagers. "Are you Facebooking, again?!?" "Maaaaaaaaaybeeeeeeeee?" The kids were off on Friday... Read more →

My dad has been on "the Facebook" for a little over a year and it's been fun to watch him reconnect with friends and family here and in Hungary, but he was a little worried about leaving comments for his English-speaking friends...in English...so, of course, I tried to encourage him (because I am ALL about social media engagement, yo) by insisting that Bing translator would help them out. Aaaaand, seeing some of the crazy stuff that Bing said, that he said, is yet ANOTHER reason why I do not, and should probably never be encouraged to, teach social media classes.... Read more →

My husband, Garth (not his real name) has a lot of stuff on his plate at work. So, When it comes to taking care of the stuff here in the house, the kids and I have this one unspoken rule: if it is NOT broken, don't try to fix it. And if it is broken, then for the LOVE of all the things that mom let's YOU get away with, do NOT tell your father. Because, more often than not, I was the one who probably broke it AND that is precisely when the "unspoken" part of the rule would... Read more →