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 …

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!

If you have kids, you’re likely taking photos.
If you’re taking photos, like me, they’re likely stuck somewhere in a camera, a computer, or – eek! – your phone. I just checked. There are 400 pictures in my phone. Wow.
With a winter storm coming down on Arizona this weekend – maybe we’ll get RAIN! – I think we’ll be spending time indoors Sunday. A lot of time.
I wish I had a photo to show you – that would make 401 on my phone – of my dining room table. It’s covered …

Do you ever feel this way, moms? That change is ever present? I’ve really felt it recently. Sometimes I wish it would stop!
I first glimpsed it on Sunday – tiny buds of green on the formerly barren trees around our park. Today, they’re full leaves.
A sign of a new season. Change.
There’s been lots of change around our lives in the past few months: many families – and friends – have moved away, two friends soon to welcome babies, one sport dropped and another began. As much as we want things …

So Saturday morning I was by the front door where we leave our backpacks and jackets.
There was an odor.
Moms, you know what I’m talking about.
“What’s that smell!#!” sort of smell.
I sniffed every bag. What mom hasn’t picked up everything and put it to her nose to find out what’s stinky?
I found the source – my son’s backpack. Inside, I found a lunchbag from two or three (or more) days prior. Inside – a VERY dethawed and decaying bag of what WAS frozen fruit. I don’t know why or how it …

So when you’re out of milk, and you have three hungry kids, you run to the store, right? I confess, that exhausted from being up since 4:30 with my toddler, I just loaded them all in the car and went to the store at 8 a.m.
Did I mention I didn’t even have matching shoes on? In fact, I had two left shoes on.
So if you saw me, now you know.

Forgive me. I’m running on fumes – and caffeine.
Thus the quiet absence for a few days – or is it a week? I’m not sure. It’s all running together.
Since my daughter started in a daycare center back in late November, we’ve had pretty much a disease a week – nothing major, thankfully.
It’s been cold, after ear infection, after sinus infection, after stomach bug.
You get the picture.
I wouldn’t give the snuggle time away for anything, but I swear I’ve “slept” in a chair more in the last three nights than in …

Moms, if you need a break — and a massage — here’s your chance.
The next Mom’s Nite Out event is coming Wednesday. The event is hosted and organized by Choosing Love blogger (and EV Mom Bloggers Connect contributor) Wendy Wright.
Every mom who attends the event will receive a free chair massage at Mom’s Nite Out courtesy of BackFit Chiropractic & Rehab. Moms will also get a goodie bag of giveaways, learn more about local vendors and get a chance to chat with other moms. Food and drink available for purchase, …

As many moms can attest, sometimes we are the last ones to bed at night, last to eat breakfast (if we eat at all), last to go to the doctor when we are sick. Sometimes a hat substitutes for a shower and “me time” is found in the 40 minutes of dance class once a week.
I’m guilty of all of the above. But I know mentally, physically and spiritually I want (and need) to do a better job taking care of me so I can be a better mom, a …