Parenting Wisdom

I struggled to write this month’s blog post. I was having a hard time getting back into the school routine. I was forgetting things, running late, and constantly feeling one step behind. My husband had started traveling again after...

As I creep into midlife, I've pondered the word regret. We hear it all of the time throughout our life, "If you don't move forward with this plan, you might regret it," or "Don't do something you may regret,"...

All hail the great babysitters!! {we're not woooorthyyyy!!!} If you (like me) have no extended-family help within a day's driving distance, then extra Cheers. I see you and I feel your pain. Somewhere around the birth of my second babe, I...

Anyone else a podcast junkie? Sometimes I think I may have a problem, like my addiction to mugs or t-shirts with witty sayings on them.     I discovered podcasts a few years ago and I have been hooked ever since!...

Here is my top 10 list to the Practical Approach to New Years Resolutions: The big ball drops, kisses are shared, and the calendar is replaced with a big bold Happy 2017! Not all too unfamiliar is the idea of...

Holiday planning can be difficult for a divorced parent. I never imagined seeing my child’s face light up on Christmas morning, every other year. This is the fifth year I will enjoy the holidays as a single mom. Each...

One of my struggles as a parent is keeping the kids safe while they are online. I truly believe granting them access to the internet, texting and games is a necessary part of them growing up. The older they...

I recently had hired a babysitter who babysits for several of my friends. As I was showing her around the first time she came into my home, she said, "You know, most of the people I babysit for have...

Baby it's cold outside! Time to bust out the Christmas decorations…or is it? The past couple of years I find more and more of my holiday bins are staying in the garage untouched. The reason is that most of my...

Santa Claus is coming to Scottsdale early this year! Mark your calendars On Saturday, December 3 and the following Saturday, December 10, the Promenade Shopping Center (located on the corner of Scottsdale Road and Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd) will spread Christmas cheer by giving children the...

Dear Family, Every year, as October is coming to an end and we embark on the lovely month of November, I begin to feel it. An uneasiness at first, followed by uncertainty. There are way too many what-if's, which turns...

Our first born is celebrating her birthday this month and as I reflect on my almost seven years of motherhood, I am in awe of all the amazing experiences and moments we've shared as a family. I'm also very...

As soon as my daughter could sit on the counter, we began baking together. We bake for play dates, for neighbors, for my husband's coworkers, and for ourselves. The value of baking with little ones extends far beyond the...

I have a love/hate relationship with the last three months of the year.  I love it because the weather tends to be pretty much perfect, the holidays are upon us, and it's just the most wonderful time of the year. I also hate it because...

You want to know what is AMAZING? Paternity leave. Yes, a mother’s time off is first and foremost when it comes to importance on the postpartum scale, but there is something to be said for having dad home for...

My husband and I always wonder how we came to have such an extroverted son. We consider ourselves introverts through and through. Big parties? No way. Small talk? No thanks. Being the center of attention? Would rather go to...

Anyone else out there hooked on the show "This Is Us"? (As if any of us need another show to be addicted to... am I right?) It's about three siblings (twins and an adopted brother) who were born on...

When it comes to birthdays in our house, we like to celebrate big. Often times it is a week full of family, friends and lots of celebrations. I love that my kids’ schools encourage celebrating their birthdays with their...

You could say I am in a busy stage of life. I have two kids, ages two and under. A full-time job. A side gig on this here blog. But to be honest, I’ve always been busy. I pride...

It's that time of year again, candy corn, cooler temps, pumpkin spiced everything and (gulp) hunting down a Halloween costume for my kid. I feel an irrational amount of pressure picking the perfect Halloween costume. I don't know where it...

Whatever outdoor fall decor look you're  going for, the color that pops out the most this season is teal. Teal is the color for food allergy awareness and while Food Allergy Awareness Month is in May, the month of October...

I think one of the most meaningful gifts you can give someone is a potted plant. But I've learned that potted plants are more difficult to keep alive than they look, and after lamenting to a friend that I've...

I am smack dab in the middle of the sippy cup years. I was successfully able to transition both kids away from the bottle by 15 months old to the good old sippy. It was a pretty easy transition for...

School hunting in Arizona is NOT easy. It can be one of the most difficult choices that you have to make. And there are so MANY choices here in the Valley! Choosing your child’s first (or next) school is a...

Looking for a fun way for the kids to spend an afternoon? iPic Scottsdale is offering Minecraft on the big screen! The new session starts October 19th and lasts for four weeks. iPic Scottsdale (located at Scottsdale Quarter) is hosting...

It seems to have happened overnight. Our calendar became a shared, color-coded rainbow, over scheduled mess. Events, gatherings, sports, extra circulars, meetings, parties, plans... Partner that with a traveling spouse, and it got out of control quickly. We are...

Written in honor of pregnancy loss and remembrance day this October 15. Almost a month after my sweet baby was born sleeping, I was encouraged to join a baby loss support group. At this session we met a mom nurse who lost...

Click here to donate A toy box: Just a simple way to ease the fears of children going in for treatment at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. My heart breaks every time I take my daughter to PCH and I see...

The team at SMB is so LUCKY to receive products, try new local venues, and hear about new things to do all the time. It is so much fun! But we want to share all of these fun new finds with all of you