All the reasons we really like this easy-to-make, grab-and-go recipe. And bonus: it includes everything from veggies to fruit (avocado) to whole grains to protein! We call it “Not your Grandma’s Chicken Salad” since we’re replacing the often-used mayo with savory avocado.

Reading is one of the most important life skills. Yet some children and adults will never know the joy reading can bring. So, how do we instill in our children the love of reading? Here are some steps that we can take to start fueling the desire to read even before they can.

Back to sleepless nights…this time for completely different reasons. Even though we may not get eight continuous hours of sleep in the foreseeable future, an optimal wake-up time is still within our reach. An optimal wake-up time? Let me introduce SmartWake by Verlo.

Trying to think back to that hectic time in our lives, I can honestly say that I don’t remember if it was the orthopedic surgeon or our pediatrician who recommended that we see a rheumatologist. Again, we were dumbfounded, looking for answers and logic in a situation that seemed anything but logical or explanatory. As I sat there that day, I remember staring at the bio of Dr. David Keim. A rheumatologist? For a 4-year-old? How did we get here?

I am all for anything that will save time or make my life easier these days. It’s amazing how many things I *think* I will accomplish until all of the mundane day-to-day household and family responsibilities get in the way. Don’t get me wrong, I would much rather read stories and build towers with my kids than do dishes and laundry, but we do need clean dishes and clothes too. When I find a mom hack that works for us, I run with it.

My younger daughter came home from school recently with a library book. It was called “The Book with No Pictures.” She requested that I read it immediately, and I’m not proud to say that I tried to blow her off.

I don’t remember what started the disagreement with my 11-year-old daughter. Maybe it was a late math assignment or a missing permission slip. But I’ll never forget the sorrow-filled way she looked up at me from her bedroom floor, tears streaming down her face, as she asked: “Mom? Why don’t you like me?”

Eating at a restaurant with a child (or multiple children!) can be a challenge. Time ticks about 10x slower when you’re awaiting the food for a hungry child. I put together these Restaurant Busy Kits and keep them right in my car. They’ve been a real sanity saver and have made dinners out actually enjoyable again!

Like any profession, and really anything in life, there is always room for improvement. I’ve been teaching for 6 years, and I learn something new every day. Once I became a parent, my outlook on teaching really started to evolve and transform, and I saw my profession from a whole new perspective.

I’m not going to lie, life with 2 children under 2 years of age is quite the whirlwind, to say the least. My 2 sons, Harrison and Benjamin, are 18 months apart. I thought life was going by crazy fast with just Harrison, and now with Benjamin’s arrival, it has sped up exponentially. God blessed us with the most mellow baby known to man, to complement the wildest toddler known to man. Without exaggerating whatsoever, I have no clue where the time goes.