My kids love hanging out with Shane and his team from Adamson Lawn Care (www.adamsonlawncare.com)

My son and I just got back from a 10-day exursion.  Of course, it was once again a mix of work and family time in an attempt to make it all work.  It started with my son and I flying to Denver (via Baltimore and Raliegh, NC) where my mother drove up from Kansas to meet us and be nanny for me while I went to a convention.  During my our flight to Denver we had a few hour lay over due to a delay.  With Reino being 3 - he of course, had some issues with staying completely satisfied and calm.  And so the drama began!  He hadn't taken a nap, so his eyes were super r

This weekend, we threw the #2 birthday party for Sydney.  I cannot believe she's 2 already!  Since money is tight for everyone these days, I thought I'd share how we planned a great party for under $50.  

One of the most important reasons for parents to get themselves feeling, looking and living their best is for the sake of their kids.

Did you know that in 2010, about 50% of all kids were overweight! At this point 1/3rd of their diets consist of nothing but junk food. Add to that "portion distortion", fast/takeout food and inactivity and you've got a recipe for unhealthy kids. 

The first suggestion I give moms (who handle 90% of food tasks) is to set a good example. There simply is no better way to get the message across to kids. 

Now busy working moms-to-be can start shopping for pink or blue-colored onesies a lot sooner. According to a new study published by The Journal of the American Medical Association, an easy-to-use blood test can determine the gender of a fetus with 95% accuracy at a mere 7 weeks of gestation.
 

At times this summer I was not sure I was playing with a full deck. I don't want to push the poker analogy, but Bob and I were a lowly pair of deuces alongside three Aces in a very full house. Robert (age 24) was living at home to save for an eventual rental in the city; Julia (21) moved back from her snow bound New Hampshire college and her best friend Sarah moved in with us so she could intern at Working Mother.

Can you travel and avoid gaining weight? 

There are many ways to come home feeling great but it begins with a plan. You know the saying "if you fail to plan then plan to fail" that's so true with regards to preventing weight gain while traveling.

The first step is to bring healthy snacks for the flight. What's available in the airport may not be especially health conscious. If you'll be traveling in the car, same idea applies. Whatever you have is probably healthier than what you'd find at a rest stop.

Being a working mom is always a challenge, but working from home during summer vacation pushes the boundaries of absurdity at my home.  I don't have regular child care.  The school day is my work day, along with any early morning, evening and weekend hours I can wiggle in.  So when there is no school, and there is still work, it takes some creative juggling to make it all happen and keep everyone happy.

I just returned from a great week at Calistoga Ranch, a resort in the Napa Valley. This cute little duck was floating around the pool. It brought back happy childhood memories. I could practically smell the plastic and hear the squeaking as my chubby little arms rubbed against the toy and I bobbed about in the water.

It doesn't take an expensive outing to a theme park or a trip to Disneyland to create lasting memories for your children. Sometimes a push around the pool in a rubber duck and a Popsicle are just as good!

At 6:30 AM, I got on the metro.  Summer heat always slows me down, and enduring the taxing commute is very difficult.  I was sitting half asleep thinking about my day.  When I got to the next metro stop, a mom with a stroller entered.  I noticed that she communicated in sign language with her son, and even though he was about three years old, he signed back to her efficiently.  I was amazed to see them communicate so effortlessly together.  T