Parenting Wisdom

Meet Jennie! She is an Arizona native and yoga instructor with two adorable little boys. We hope you have fun reading her posts! Have you ever woken up in the morning and cheerfully thought, "This is going to be a great day!"? Then your kids...

As your child ventures back to school, are you getting dizzy from all the deadlines? Organization is the key for your sanity (and your child's success). The Middle School years are a time of increasing independence with your preteen and...

Why wait until your child is experiencing dental pain to see the dentist? Preventative dentistry focuses on a more proactive approach to keeping your child's smile beautiful, healthy, and functioning properly. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the...

Did you recently move? Do you feel a loss of identity, uprootedness, grief, sadness, disappointment or comparing what was to what is? Then congratulations, you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 40 million people move across...

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a messy person. I mean, not REALLY messy. I actually can't stand clutter. I'm also a purger. I don't hold onto things for too long and definitely don't hoard. I try to make sure we toss...

A HUGE thank you to Session Nine Photography for being so willing to take photos of our first event!  We are so pleased with them.  Can't wait for the next event.... Click HERE to view all of the photos from...

We moms are all supposed to be on the same team, right? But what about those times when you catch another mom giving you a sideways judgy glance - whether it's because you just let your toddler eat a cracker...

My husband and I recently had dinner with friends who let it slip that they are expecting. A million things flew through my mind that I wanted to tell her, but I contained myself. As we discussed details and...

I have been operating on half a tank of energy and steam since the pregnancy nausea of #3 set in 10 weeks ago. If you've seen me, perhaps I looked a little bit run down. I have been feeling...

I muddled my way through the first few years of motherhood and despite my blaring parenting blind spots, I witnessed my tiny baby turn into a bright, beautiful little girl.  I was amazed at how she saw the world:...

The what??? I know many of you may be reading this nursing your babies or cherishing the quiet while your toddler sleeps. Now I brought up THE talk and you have sweaty palms and heart palpitations. If you are...

I feel like one doesn't have to search long or far through the internet or among close friends for a story where someone was shamed for a parenting or lifestyle choice. I have a fairly sound and respecting group of...

I recently gave birth to our third child and our family is over the moon! If  you are interested, I have shared our birth story, plus some more photos of our newest family member over on my blog. The topic...

My kids will argue about anything. I am sure those of you with multiple kids that are about the same age can relate. They will argue about which movie they want to watch and who gets to get out...

The pressure to perform in high school these day is intense. Kids are warned by parents and teachers that their grades matter from day one. Many of them are pushed to take as many Honors and AP classes as their...

Don’t be surprised if you start hearing “Phoenix” and “Couture” in the same sentence a little more often thanks to Phoenix Fashion Week, which was held October 2-5th at Talking Stick Resort. Complete with fashion business workshops, a “Style...

March is National Reading Month! Chances are, if you have an older kid in your house, they probably already have a favorite series or genre of books. Try surprising them with something new to spark their interest in reading...

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Winston Churchill is credited with first saying this in the mid-1940s as we were approaching the end of World War ll. As the world around us seems to be slowly reopening,...

I see you across the playground. You look over and smile. Our kids are similar ages, and shoot, we might just have a chance of exchanging small talk and becoming friends. But you see... unfortunately I already know how...

Are you looking for a unique dessert idea for your child's birthday? Maybe your kiddo doesn't like cake or you just want to mix it up this year, here are 5 unique birthday dessert ideas to make your next...

 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...

As of writing this, I am about a week and a half out from my due date with baby number 3, and already I have mom guilt. Guilt that I didn’t enjoy this pregnancy enough. That I spent too...

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...

Celebrating our teachers is important for kids and their families. May 4 -8 is the week when children have the opportunity to show how much they love their teacher.  How do we do that? For teacher appreciation week, why not decorate your...

Ok, summer's here, kids are home, we are all stuck in the house.  We all NEED fun things to do to survive this heat! No need to worry because the SMB Guide to Surviving Summer is here, just for you! We included...

My four-year-old little boy confidently hopped on a two-wheel bicycle for the first time this past weekend and rode off into the sunset like he’s known how his whole life.  He can thank the time spent cruising around on his balance bike...

Almost two years ago, we welcomed our rainbow baby into the world. Mary Alice was an amazing surprise after 12 years of miscarriages and growing our family by adoption. She continues to be a joy every single day. We...

Imagine setting a goal for the year. Think you'll do better pushing through by yourself, or working with someone to guide you, encourage you, and hold you accountable? Yep, that's right. As my brother says, Teamwork makes the Dream Work....

First Lady Michelle Obama recently made a slip up on a TV interview and called herself a "busy single mother". She quickly made the correction and said she only feels like a single mom sometimes! Her slip of the tongue has started...

Here is all the tips and tricks that we use during the summer to make it through the extreme heat and the predictable boredom. Whatever it takes to get us to September!  Read all the Tips & Tricks written by...