August 31, 2012 Many people view my family as a little unconventional. When my husband or I are asked where we work, we can both happily reply, “at home.” Likewise, when asked where our children go to school, we give the same response. As you can see our home is a little busy. We have…
March 19, 2012 Learning about various cultures is always fun and enlightening, not just for adults – but kids as well. This spring, people around the world will participate in activities and fun. From the ancient to the modern, these spring traditions and festivals may inspire something new you’ll want to try with your family….
April 20, 2012 Many people, including myself, shy away from politics because they do not feel they can commit themselves completely to one party’s prescribed belief system or goals. I find myself on the fence in many issues. I may agree with a particular candidate on 3 out of 5 of their policy platforms but…
May 9, 2012 What Makes A Mother? Mother’s Day was officially created in 1908 to honor mothers whose sons died in war. The earliest attempts to establish a Mother’s Day was rooted in women’s peace groups. It has since become a day to celebrate motherhood, mothers, and the positive contributions they make to our society….
April 27, 2012 I know many women who are reluctant to join any political campaigns or activist groups; however, many mothers are activists without even realizing it. With social media and blogging, stories can become viral almost instantly and moms often jump in to express their opinion or rally to support a campaign. This recently…
May 25, 2012 In my last article “Activism at Work: Farewell to Pink Slime” there were a number of comments stating this as a number one reason individuals have chosen a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Not knowing what is in the meat products currently on our store shelves is a huge factor in changing your…
June 15, 2012 If you read my posts you probably are fully aware of my support for an organic lifestyle in regards to the foods you choose to eat. However, choosing an organic product sadly does not mean what it used to years ago. It is vitally important that you read the labels on your…
June 22, 2012 Whether you realize it or not, your actions now can determine your child’s political motivations and participation in the future. There are a number of things you can do to foster an interest in the political world with your children now that will serve them well when they reach adulthood and tackle…
July 6, 2012 We talked about the importance of getting your child involved in politics, but is there a line that shouldn’t be crossed when talking with kids about political matters? It seems that most of you felt that it was important to involve your children with political gestures such as voting. However, many of…
July 13, 2012 I know it is the middle of summer and for the majority of families and teachers that means no school. But this doesn’t mean school can’t be on your mind. Public schools are funded by taxpayer dollars; therefore, this money is received from our government systems (whether it be local, state, or…
August 10, 2012 Women’s health issues are always on the forefront of political campaigning towards women. Whether you are Pro-choice or Pro-Life supporters, women’s health always makes its way into campaign promises. However, there is one glaring area of women’s rights that is slowly being stripped from our society without much of an outcry from…
August 17, 2012 I recently saw a photo of President Barack Obama kissing an infant on his political campaign. The image was not all that impressive. In fact it was very standard. The president held a small infant high in the air to his face and gave it a nice smootch on the forehead. The…
August 24, 2012 I have discussed genetically modified food a number of times in regards to the outcry for labeling. Obviously people feel they have the right to know what is in their food. However, producers of these genetically modified seeds continue to say that there is nothing to label. “Corn is corn,” as they would say….
December 18, 2011 Congratulations to Splendid Market: the SocialMoms Blog of the Week! The first thing that attracted me to the Splendid Market blog was the simplicity of the layout and the photography. Everything from the crafts to the decorating were simply beautiful to look at, and I immediately wanted to try them out. I…
September 7, 2012 Education and educational spending is always a hot button issue in political campaigns. However, one area that seems to take a back seat is the school’s lunch program. Many students’ lunches are subsidized by the federal government due to families meeting certain income guidelines. The program is designed to allow children of…
September 28, 2012 Last week we talked about the definitional differences in political parties. As you saw – there are as many different combinations of political views in the world as there are parenting styles. Whether or not someone is on the same point of the political spectrum as you – you can usually learn…
October 12, 2012 Gary Johnson is one 3rd party candidate that will be on the ballot in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Jill Stein is another very popular 3rd party candidate. Jill Stein represents the Green Party and will be on the ballot in 37 states, plus the District of Columbia. She will…
October 19, 2012 The Democratic presidential candidate and current President of the United States is Barack Obama. Many of you are probably already familiar with his stance on many of the issues, but may not know where he stands on some of the main platform issues. So where does President Barack Obama stand? The Economy…
October 26, 2012 We have talked about where the 3rd party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein stand on the key isues as well as were current President of the United States, Barack Obama stands. Now we will discuss the key stance issues of the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney. Here is where Republican candidate Mitt…
December 14, 2012 I have many friends and family who have adopted the new tradition of Elf on the Shelf®. For those of you who have not heard of this latest Christmas craze, it is pretty much an elf doll that you adopt and keep in your home to let Santa know who to put…
January 11, 2013 With the Bush Era tax rates expiring at the end of 2012, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. What exactly does this act mean to the taxpayer? Will you see tax increases this year? If so, how much and for whom? Here is a rundown of the changes that…
March 26, 2018 *photo credit Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic What’s going on with some of the world’s most famous moms right now? Here’s a roundup of stories to get you all caught up! Kelly Ripa Shamed for Bikini If you were a fan of Kelly Ripa back in the early days when she was Hayley Santos on All My…
October 10, 2018 *Photo credit: BBC News For those that are keeping up on the midterm elections, you may have noticed that there are more women running for midterms than there have been in the past. So far this year, there are a record number of women that are running for U.S. House, Senate and…
October 17, 2018 Not every family is into celebrating Halloween, but the ones that do may struggle to find attractions that are kid-friendly. If your child gets spooked by the haunted houses and fright zones, but still likes the idea of dressing up, here are some suggestions that are a little less trick and a…
February 18, 2020 As we continue to celebrate Black History month, we look towards a new field of inspiration: inventions. Minorities often don’t receive recognition for their hard work and many were never even acknowledged before their death. In order to take these stories of influential people and make them more personal, here are some…
May 5, 2014 Many people confuse Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May in Spanish, with Mexico’s independence day but, in actuality, it is a national holiday commemorating the country’s victory over the French which, of course, was an important step towards attaining autonomy. While all special days are enjoyable, Cinco de Mayo is…
November 12, 2019 Even if you’re all on the same page politically, don’t make your precious holiday time all about what’s happening in Washington, D.C. This Thanksgiving, make a conscious decision to pass the gravy and pass on the divisive talk at the dinner table. There have been so many films made about the tension…
May 21, 2013 As a resident of Oklahoma, the past two days have been especially difficult for our family. Massive tornadoes ripped through the center of the state, causing unimaginable damage and destruction. On May 19th, 2013 a tornado hit Shawnee, OK and on May 20th, 2013 another tornado hit Newcastle, OK and Moore, OK. The tornadoes were rated…
July 23, 2013 Many of you have probably already heard, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and his wife Catherine) welcomed their new bundle of joy into the world yesterday. The announcement was made public by displaying a small ornate card on an easel at Buckingham Palace, where people lined up to…
October 1, 2013 Today Yosemite National Park celebrates it’s 123rd birthday. Unfortunately, park-goers won’t be able to celebrate on the premises. Today the government has shut down due to Congress’ inability to pass a new budget. Part of the governmental shut down deals with National Parks and monuments. Yosemite National Park is one of the…
November 21, 2013 Today, families are more blended than ever which is a beautiful thing – but it can present some challenges, particularly where holidays are concerned. An interfaith marriage doesn’t necessarily have to result in a couple choosing one set of beliefs over another but, rather, they can learn to embrace and incorporate each…
December 20, 2013 One year I read a Christmas book to my young daughter and the next year she asked for it again. Now, 5 years later, we still read it each December, snuggled under a blanket near the fire. The month of December usually finds us extremely busy; between work, maintaining the house, doing…
December 18, 2013 The holidays, for many families, is a time to give back to those in need. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Why not implement a new family tradition this year by working together to give something back to the community? You can start with your family interests and go from…
December 23, 2013 Exhilarating. Educational. Enchanting. Enriching. These are just a few words describing my experience-of-a-lifetime as a mom lifestyle blogger invited to The White House for the holidays, as a guest representing both my blog and SocialMoms. It all happened lighting fast. Last Thursday evening, I received the official White House invitation to attend…
January 27, 2014 Chinese New Year falls on Friday, January 31 in 2014 and, while the weather is chillier this time of year, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the festive occasion. The centuries old tradition and was originally held to honor ancestors and deities. Today, it is celebrated in many places around the…
February 11, 2014 With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, companies have started bombarding our men with commercials telling them what they need to buy to declare their love. Tradition calls for things like edible delicacies, jewels, and intimate apparel. Just in case you feel confused or need to pass on some advice, here are…
March 10, 2014 There’s a good chance that morning came pretty early for you today. And if you’re a parent, it came even earlier, since you spent most of the night trying to convince your children to go to sleep last night. Because somehow, moving bedtime up an hour, makes them “not tired” for three. …
March 19, 2014 What were you born to be? Be a fabulous mom to your children? Introduce a new fashion line to the world? Prepare extraordinary gluten-free cuisine? Travel the world photographing exotic animals? Together with March of Dimes, eBay celebrates the potential in all of us. We are all born to be something great! And now…
July 5, 2019 The election cycle has officially begun! Hopefuls on both sides have confirmed their intention to run and the first Democratic debate for the 2020 election is already being dissected. While it’s important that we gain insight into the candidates before casting our vote, we all know how volatile and mean-spirited this time…
June 16, 2014 If you’re not a soccer fan, you might have missed it. Last Thursday, June 12th, nearly everyone on the planet had their eyes turned toward Brazil and the opening of the World Cup. It is truly a universal event with teams working for years to qualify for each of the six global zones….
August 12, 2014 It’s the second week of August. Some kids are already back to school. Labor Day creeps closer and we know that summer, the season of fun and adventure, is on its way out. But before we say goodbye, let’s look at the craziest, strangest, and biggest water fun available (perhaps you can plan…
May 7, 2015 It’s almost Red Nose Day! While this comic fundraising initiative has been a hit in the UK for more than 25 years, it’s just now making a difference in the United States, with Walgreens leading the efforts. Red Nose Day is a campaign dedicated to raising money for children and young people…
September 24, 2015 Everyone has off days when they just can’t seem to focus on getting their work done. Unfortunately, the frequency of these unproductive spells seems to increase over the summer months and carry over into the first few weeks of fall. When the nice weather is dwindling, it’s hard to want to stay…
May 3, 2016 There’s nothing quite like a summer vacation at the beach. Sunshine, blue skies, beautiful waters, and sandy beaches are the ideal elements of a memorable summer escape with the family. How can we protect the delicate ecosystems of our shorelines, so that the next generation can enjoy a summer at the beach,…
July 13, 2016 This election year seems to be more volatile than any other in recent years and, unfortunately, the polarization has begun to affect people’s personal relationships. Many have chosen to keep their opinions private in order to avoid any unnecessary conflict. While that may be best, there are times when you may feel…