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 …

There are less than 25 days of school left for my children.
An academic progress report came home last week. For my son, his grades are anywhere from high Bs to high As in math, reading, writing, social studies and science.
He took the AIMS last week (as a third grader, it was his first time).
He’s gone from doing single digit addition and subtraction to double digits. He’s nearly mastered multiplication of single digits and started division; a big jump, I think, in just eight months.
And though he’s still reading the types …

Just a shout out to mommy blogger, NieNie, (Stephanie Nielson, former Mesa resident) on the birth of her AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL daughter, Charlotte. I missed it (last week was a little crazy!) on her blog. So, if you haven’t had a chance, take a look. (P.S. her book is out!)

I got this release and thought I would share:
Valley-based Two Men and a Truck Local wants to help mothers in shelters this Mother’s Day.
The group will be collecting essential items for moms through the national effort dubbed Movers for Mothers. Donations will be give to moms who have had to leave domestic abuse situations.
According to the release, every year nearly 3,000 women and children seek refuge from abuse at Sojourner Center, the largest domestic violence shelter in the United States.
“We can’t overstate how important to us community donations like these …

I needed to step away from it. The hectic schedule: karate at 9, tutoring at 4, gymnastics at 6. Reading, writing and feeding kids in-between.
Nothing all on the same day. Well, most of the time.
It took packing two suitcases, two pillows, a cooler, a portable crib, the music machine and a stuffed elephant.
It meant kids begging to pick out just “one” more toy and “one” movie.
When the car was stuffed, snacks were within a child’s reach and toothbrushes were tossed in a backpack at the last minute, the GPS system …

I sat around the table with the women from my Bible study this week and someone asked us moms, “What are the kids doing this summer?”
“Well,” I started, “Swim team practice begins at 7 a.m.”
It’s almost here: Less than 30 school days until summer beings. Since I started working part-time last summer, I have to admit, planning summer activities for my big kids (9 and 7) is a little more difficult. Before, it was just: You’re going to camp Monday through Friday and swim team after. I had to keep …

We don’t have a set “family game night.” But now and then, one of the kids brings up the idea to play a game (we have a bunch) and it comes to fruition.
Last night was one of those nights. It just happened that daddy got home at a decent time, too.
Trouble was the kids game of choice. But at 8 p.m. – just a few minutes before bedtime – it’s a tough one because it can be long (trust me… my kids LOVE to send their parents’ pieces back to …