GIVE ME A CALL SOMETIME!

So, today I've reached my 100th post on this blog. Not too bad for a hobby I only started in late July. Instead of my usual ramblings about the latest news parents could use, I thought I would take this opportunity (right before the new year) to check in:

Everybody ready? (This could be bumpy.)…

You read it correctly. Write a Mile.

Do you make exercise goals such as walking or running a certain number of miles a week? What about writing? Do you try to write a certain number of words or pages a week?

Well, I'm combining the two. This month I'm going to do a Write-a-Mile-a-Day challenge.

I takes me an average of 18 slow minutes to walk a mile. At least that's what the treadmills at the YMCA say. Each time I write for 18 minutes I'll consider it a mile. And when I…

When I was able to eat hot lunches at school, there were limited options. We ate the food that the kindly nuns made for us. Actually, I am pretty sure the nuns didn’t cook, but it was Catholic school, so you never know.

The point is, we didn’t have options.

But some schools do give children a choice in what they select for meals, which fascinates me. I can see the boys and girls lining up in the cafeteria, deciding between roast beef or spaghetti. Between carrots or tater tots.…

http://ourstringofpearls.blogspot.com/2013/12/our-year-in-trenches.html

A wise man once told me that the man is the head, while the woman is the neck.  And a woman has the power to turn the head of the man in any direction she chooses.

While I love Beyoncé and am enamored of her talent, her beauty, and ability to take creative risks I have a little bit of an issue with the fact her most recent album sparked such a debate once again about “feminisim”.  While you will find 1,980,000 results if you Google Beyoncé + Feminism (seriously) that stake claims on…

It's winter...and there's nothing like a good cup of rich, creamy, and smooth hot cocoa to warm you up... To make it special for grown ups, I added a tiny spoonful of rum...for the underage kiddos, however, you must skip that part of the recipe. Enjoy and have a Happy New Year!



INGREDIENTS (serves 2):

• 2 cups of milk
• 2 packages of Starbucks Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
• 1/2 cup of Half & Half (creamer)
• 3 Tbsp of table cream (…

** Next year, I really need some elves, dammit.

** My twins now have nicer phones than I do.  Thanks, Santa.

** Candlelight church services with kids make…

       With a new forum to share my ever so exciting adventures of mommyhood, I would like to give you all the skinny on my background. I am Amanda and I reside in a small town in east central Indiana with my amazing husband Ross, our amazing almost two year old Jackson and our three dogs. We are expecting baby number two by February third!

My husband works for a machine sales company and I graduated with my paralegal degree last spring and worked as a paralegal for a very short time…

My mom taught me to write thank you notes (thanks, Mom!), because we are civilized, polite people who have respect for our loved ones and an overall fondness for the complex social cues found in Jane Austen novels.

She gave me the basic formula when I was little:

Thank person for…

Part of writing fiction is knowing your characters. Of course you already know their ages, names and physical characteristic.

But if your characters are children, what can you tell me about gifts they've recently received?

• Did your characters write a wish list?
• Did they receive what was on the list?
• What surprise gifts did they receive?
• How did they show their excitement?
• Were they disappointment if they didn't receive a gift they'd…

I read the Harry Potter books - even though I was an adult when they came out. I loved the world that J.K. Rowling created, and enjoyed each of her novels. I know I wasn't the only one; evidently adults enjoying children's books are now a thing.…

Some of you may remember this post from a few years ago, and some of you may be reading it for the first time.  Whatever the case, it was my own nucking futty spin on the classic tale of "The Night Before Christmas".  If your holidays are anything like mine, you'll appreciate the recounting of a Christmas Eve that's not exactly what you might call picture-perfect.…

I know I don't reference my Dad a lot in this blog, but that's mostly because I am really good at apologizing to my Mom. (Sorry, Dad.) Although my parents separated when I was little, I have some very nice memories of my Dad. For example, sometimes, he would make us waffles for dinner. It was pretty cool, because waffles are awesome and it added a touch of whimsy to an otherwise regular week day. He'd even put chocolate chips into…

Here’s another delightful romantic short story collection about Christmas and dogs from Jennifer Conner.

In “Central Bark at Christmas,” Tennyson has just been dumped by her arrogant and insensitive lawyer boyfriend. She swears to stay away from men, believing they’re nothing but bad luck. But then, while walking her dog she…

Christmas parties are a wonderful way to help your child celebrate the holiday season. Planning a great Christmas party is easy, if you keep a few things in mind. Here are some tips to help you plan a memorable Christmas party for your child.

• Structure helps

  It’s a good idea to…