Mom's Timeout

I love finding the perfect gift. It’s so satisfying to get the perfect thing and so exciting to watch the recipient when you know you’ve just given them the best present ever!  When I’m getting presents for my children, it’s even better! I’m not sure who’s more excited about opening presents at my house: the […]

I want to be the best mom that I can possibly be. A lot of people tell me that’s unrealistic. I know I can’t be perfect, but I want to be the best possible version of myself for my children. Also, I want them to be the best versions of themselves.  Sometimes it’s really hard […]

Well behaved children don’t run away while their mothers chase them through crowded parking lots.  Well behaved children don’t scream and throw themselves on the floor at the grocery store. They aren’t the kids smacking their friends over the head with toys that they completely refuse to share. …No, those aren’t well behaved kids. Those […]

We all want our kids to be happy. It’s one of my biggest wishes for my children. I want them to be happy, healthy, and serve the Lord. That’s my dream for my children.  I work towards a goal of helping them realize that dream every single day.  I think most moms share the dream of […]

I may or may not have mentioned to my husband on numerous occasions that I can’t get this time back. I’ve reminded him over and over again that our son is growing and changing every day. What seemed impossible yesterday is within reach today. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around it. It’s […]

I know a lot about behavior. In fact, I’m a certified children’s applied behavior therapist. I know all the rules and reasons why, but when my own kids act out… I tend to forget everything I know. When my children misbehave, I often lose my cool and start making discipline mistakes I know won’t fix […]

Toddler tantrums suck!  I used to look at the mother’s of these toddlers in the grocery store and think: I would never put up with that! My child will not act like that!  Since having children,  I know better. Now when I see that mom at the store, I catch her eye and smile knowingly. Why? […]

Are your kids on a schedule? I had my son on a fabulous schedule. Then, somehow, when I transitioned to being a stay at home mom… his schedule got all jacked up.  Now, we’ve added a new baby and here’s the truth: we all need a much better schedule and fast! I really believe that […]

There are quite a few things in life that you can only manage to get away with if you’re under the age of three. It’s hilarious to think about, isn’t it? What we consider normally and even cute for a toddler is just plain old crazy for an adult. Imagine that. I look at my […]

Isn’t it crazy to think that Christmas is only about a week away? Hard to believe. I’ve been getting the little guy a few things at a time and “hiding” them in the studio. Of course, I use the term hiding loosely because he’s entirely too young to understand that all of the boxes I […]

There are certain lessons you don’t learn until you’re a mom.  For instance, you don’t realize the depth of love a mother feels for her child until you’re holding your baby.  You don’t fully comprehend what it means to be tired until you’ve spent all night playing nurse to a sick baby. You might think […]

Fun fact. My son apparently hits when he gets excited, so every day when I’m finished cleaning in our Preschool classroom and I go grab him from the toddler room, I get a big hug and then smacked. He starts flailing his arms around then.. Yep, you guessed it! Fun times. Note: I said fun, not […]

This year, my toddler is really excited about presents. He can’t wait to see what Santa brings him. He loves ripping off the paper and finding the surprise inside!  With a birthday just days before Christmas and 2 sets of grandparents living here in town, he’s quite spoiled this time of year. Here’s the thing: […]

My husband is convinced that all the sodas he drank as a child are to blame for the fact that our children don’t sleep. I’m starting to think it’s a real possibility. We have tried everything and our kids still struggle with insomnia. They often skip naps, stay up past 10:00, and still manage to […]

Visiting Santa at the mall in a nutshell:  You wait in line for nearly an hour (if you’re lucky and it’s not busy) before dumping your irritable, frightened toddler on a strange man’s lap and attempt to get him to smile for a photograph by jumping up and down and grinning like a Cheshire cat while […]

Every year people ask me what to get my kids for Christmas. I’m grateful, truly grateful that they are thinking of my children and want to give them a gift to show their love during the holidays.  I start thinking in advance about gifts, but not the way you might think. I start thinking about […]

My son has tons of energy! I wish I had that much energy. Sometimes it’s all I can do to keep up with him through the day.  Recently, we started having some behavior problems with my son. It took a few weeks for me to figure out what the problem was. The solution? He needed […]

Potty training my son was difficult. It was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve had to teach him.  I tried so many things before it finally clicked.  Once he learned, I was so relieved I could have done the potty happy dance all day long! I never imagined that there would be moments […]

I have a toddler boy at home.  He’s amazing! I love watching him learn and grow. He is so brave, smart, witty, and full of imagination!  He isn’t afraid of anything, he has a great sense of humor, and he gives the best hugs! Sometimes he is maddening. He can be stubborn to the point […]

There are some things that my son needs to know, things I can’t teach him.  Whenever one of these little gems comes up, I tag in my husband. Sometimes a boy just needs to learn from a man. Like that time he needed to learn how to aim when using the bathroom… not my forte. […]