I surprised my kids this week and came home with a fish tank. It’s nothing fancy: a small $10 purchase from Wal-Mart. But since my daughter brought home two guppies last week from school, I decided it was time.
I grew up with fish tanks. We had puffer fish, a few “cleaner” fish and others. My grandparents had guppies when they got married (“Cuff” and “Link”). I loved the calming presence and seeing the crystal clear water.
Two years ago, my son brought home guppies when his first-grade year was coming to …

We’re taking a dive into a new sport this summer at the Reese house.
Literally, diving.
My 7-year-old daughter has decided to try the diving team through the local parks and recreation department rather than join her brother on the swim team.
Both were in swimming last year (my daughter for the first time). It was fun because they were also on the same team (though competed at different age levels). But this year, when I mentioned “diving,” she jumped at the idea.
It’s been a fun week at preseason camp. She seems so …

Song lyrics keeps ringing in my head this morning: “It’s the final countdown!”
Less than two weeks until school is done for the year. Gone will be third and first grade for my big kids. Gone – at least for 10 weeks – will be the homework wars (mostly with my first grader). Gone will be the anxiety of reading and making AR points.
I posted on my personal Facebook page – “I’m not sure who is happier, mom or the kids!”
My school-age children achieved a lot this year. They both did …

Just a silly Friday musing over here at EV Moms. After a crazy week, I’m looking back through the photos I took. They nearly all involve the children.
There’s the field trip I took Monday with my son and his class to Chase Field, the face-painting my baby did on her own on Sunday and magazine article with the skirt I want to sew this summer.
But then, there’s a slew of photos from Wednesday’s rain storm.
I live in Arizona, in the Valley, which means rain doesn’t come often (and recently, even …

So I got this e-mail and just had to pass it along. Check out this link for lots of FREE stuff for moms this weekend (my favorite: Redbox). FYI, the TCBY in Scottsdale is participating. They also sent me an e-mail.
 
Happy Mother’s Day!

It’s almost here. A day just for moms! Well, almost.
My kids like Mother’s Day because of a tradition that began, what, five years ago? And now, it includes our extended family.
The year it began, I was sick with a cold (hmmm… much like I am now!). My husband asked what I wanted to do that Sunday morning and all I could muster was, “Please go get me In-N-Out Burger.”
Thus, a tradition began. We started inviting my husband’s family shortly after that.
Earlier this week, as I discussed weekend plans with my …

Yes, I’m behind again. I have excuses – what mom doesn’t. This week, mine include allergies, illness, a field trip and, of course, deadlines.
So when I read this article on “preparing for the week” in an email I received, I clicked over.
There are some good tips there. (I hope to try the ”make-salads-and-snacks-ahead-of-time” trick.)
I’ll add a few of my own from many mistakes I made this past Sunday!
* Check your calendar Sunday afternoon before it gets too late. Note any meetings, practices, upcoming birthday parties or Mother’s Day. The latter is …

My heart stopped when I flipped over to see the latest post on “71 Toes,” which we have linked on EV Mommy Bloggers (are you an EV Mommy blogger? Write me!).
She wrote about living in England (at first, reluctantly) for six months as a teen. But how that country stole her heart.
A recent trip brought her to London for ONE DAY. She soaked it all in.
I can so relate. It brought back a flood of memories of my own travels to Europe – in the mid 1990s. (My goodness, has …

I felt rundown Friday night. By Saturday morning, I was convinced I had strept – sore throat, achy neck, runny nose.
A trip to the doc determined that it wasn’t anything more than a regular cold. But all I wanted to do was go to bed!
Being that that wasn’t going to happen – at least not for an extended period of time – I found other ways to “rest” this weekend.
My busiest child had a birthday party invite – for four hours. She played and burned energy while I managed a …

I got to talk to Chandler mom and nurse Angie Norton last week for a story about food allergies in schools. Several years ago, as Norton’s daughter prepared to enter kindergarten, Norton looked around to see if there was any information about how the school would handle her daughter’s allergies.
There weren’t. So Norton helped write them. The Tribune wrote a story several years ago about legislation that was introduced around food allergies.
My own kids don’t have food allergies – that we know of.
But I do have family members and …