Parenting Wisdom

This is Part 4 of our series on Being a Working Mom.  If you missed Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3 check them out. ***** I've never met anyone who's marriage didn't change after having a baby. It's pretty incredible how much your...

guilt /gilt/ Noun The fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime. Ever since I had my baby girl I have been ridden with guilt: for not breastfeeding long enough, for not giving her enough attention, for not parenting correctly, for working...

My childhood memories of summers in Scottsdale are simple and joyful. I remember wearing my swimsuit so long that it would turn from wet to dry while still on my body. I remember pruny-wrinkled skin and burning eyes from...

Local mom, Jenny Castle, shares an unfortunate experience at her children's tennis clinic- and the lesson she learned from it! Jenny is the mother of three beautiful children and keeps herself busy with PTSA, catching up with friends in...

As I revealed here a few weeks ago, I am super-preggers with number 3! This being the case, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on how strangely and differently people seem to treat a woman with a baby growing...

Like many mommies, I enjoy my coffee. Each day begins with a cup, and I usually end up buying another while I'm out and about. There may be a Starbucks on every corner, but there are several local coffee...

As we step into a brand new month, it's time to focus on the dental and orthodontic care and health of our children. Why Pediatric Dental and Orthodontic Care Matters: Pediatric dental and orthodontic care play pivotal roles in ensuring the...

Dear Abby Scottsdale Moms, Recently I've been having a problem, and I need your advice. I'm not sure if it has to do with the fact that the sun doesn't shine until after 7am, or my new Anthropologie comforter makes my bed EXTRA...

          You know what's a little unnerving? Getting made up to go interview beauty guru, and world-renown make-up artist, Jemma Kidd.  Especially if you're like me and your skill set in that department is seriously lacking. But regardless of my...

  Get your baby to sleep through the night: Math does it! Calculating sanity for the parents of an infant? Actually, it’s just simple addition, but it feels like magic! Below, you will read about the formula, literally, that leads...

Meet our newest contributor: Monika Patel!  As the mother of two elementary age daughters, Monika is busy with school, parties, soccer, running the business side of SMB, and of course, birthdays.... which sometimes are a little hard on mom...

This past weekend Steph and I headed over to Moonbeams (at The Shops at Gainey Village) to find out what some of the most popular baby shower gifts are.  Since I have several baby showers coming up this summer (and into...

Preparing for international travel with a preschooler can be a daunting task. There are flights to book, reservations to make, and endless blogs that give you advice on what you “MUST SEE!” Throw in an unpredictable preschooler to the...

Happy Labor Day! Labor Day traditionally marks the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year - even though many Scottsdale and Phoenix-area kids have been back in the classroom for almost a month. I too am thinking...

I distinctly remember when she was 18 months old- the fashion wars began. It seemed that my sweet, easy going little girl formed a strong willed fashion sense over night.  One morning I was dressing her in a matching...

I'm back with more favorite local finds on Instagram to share. You can visit my first post regarding local vendors on IG here. Take a look below and make use of your follow button on Instagram! A Bakeshop: @abakeshop Follow...

                I turn 29 this month…and although I try not to put too much emphasis on a number…I do feel slightly panicked to be in the last year of my twenties. To me, being in my twenties feels safe to make mistakes...

Every blog or news feature about gift-giving lists the must-haves or top holiday gifts. My list is the MUST-NOTs this holiday season. MUST-NOT GIFTS FOR KIDS. It has a nice ring to it. 1) Pottery Barn Kids Skeeball Machine: I am...

You don’t need me to tell you that being a parent is tough stuff. From the moment we learn of our child’s conception (quite possibly for years prior to that) we navigate the chlorine-free, all-natural, no added chemicals, Montessori,...

  Upon having our third child the question that we are most commonly asked is; “how many children do you want to have?” I'm never sure how to answer the question. In fact, I'm fascinated by families who can state with boldness...

If you’re just tuning in, Renee is a local mama of 1 little boy and is chronicling her second pregnancy as part of  The Belly Diaries.   Click here to read the first post in her series.   My son is obsessed with...

 Recently, I was having a conversation with a mama friend of mine on the phone (gasp! yes this still exists even though I think we all only have time for the quick texts.) Anyway, she cut the convo short...

Good enough. Not great, not terrible. But good enough. Could I really be that kind of parent? Before kids (BK), I was a bit of a perfectionist. Always have been. I never liked to do anything unless I felt I could...

In anticipation of Mother's Day on Sunday I have been asked some sweet questions by my inquisitive kiddos about what I would like for the holiday created in my honor.  Mostly the requests circle back to what the boys...

Our family moved to Phoenix from southeast Minnesota 1 year ago, making THIS our first full AZ summer -- and all I can say is Holy Moley. This desert dwelling thing is no joke! If you find yourself in Phoenix sweating summer...

I usually consider myself pretty up to speed when it comes to the laws regarding the safety of my kids.  I've regularly reviewed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations (NHTSA) website for recommendations when it comes to car seat...

I love how as women we're able to lavish lots of extra love on our friends through parties.  Men don't do this sort of thing.  Frankly, men don't really understand why women put so much effort into parties like...

The end of the school year is right around the corner (small tear rolls down my cheek), and it is about time that I start planning for my children’s teacher gifts. These are my suggestions for great teacher gifts,...

mom·sen·se (mɒm sens) noun 1.  practical motherly intelligence that is sensible or reasonable 2. a mother’s mental discernment, realization, or recognition  – She has momsense.  OR She used her momsense to determine that something was amiss. Meet Cate.  Her MomSense journey has spanned the ocean's tide and mountains...

Let me first say that I do not really want any more children. We couldn't handle any more children, actually. I know my patience level, and threshold for crazy, and I believe my husband and I are pretty much...