RMMB: "What are you really saying?"

Warning! This is a cheater post (i.e., I'm referring to another post either written by myself or another person rather than typing up something from scratch). But time is short and my new website is already collecting dust due to my inability to get over there and get moving on it.

So in lieu of a "real" post I'd love for you to check out my latest feature on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog:

"What are you really saying?"

Excerpt:

The words "I'm sorry" are simple enough yet can be said—and interpreted—in so many ways. I'm not talking about variations of "I'm sorry" like "I apologize" and "Can you ever in your wonderfully merciful heart forgive me?" What I'm referring to is the tone or voice used when telling someone you're sorry, and my kids are pros when it comes to saying one thing and meaning something entirely different. {click here to read the full post}

If you're in need of a chuckle you just might find one while reading my take on my children's apologies. And if not, I can guarantee a smile simply by reading Kalli's comment. Aren't brothers the greatest! --Emily

Wordless Wednesday: Will work for massage

Come one, come all!

Whenever we visit my parents' home, my second oldest immediately sets up shop in one of the bedrooms and offers massages to the family complete with sign on the door and sign-up sheet outside. We all take advantage of it not only to humor her but also because they're so dang cheap. I'm talking 25 cents for a good 15 minutes. And if you're one of the lucky few, she'll even give you a coupon for a free massage. (Megan, you better give me back my coupon!)

This Christmas she enlisted the help of her younger brother. A couple questions:

1. How did she come up with the name Buggerts? It wouldn't be my first choice for a spa's name.
   
2. How did she convince her little brother to advertise for her via a homemade sandwich board sign?
3. Why was he so dang happy to help Lauren when he's usually happier pushing her buttons?
   

The answer to number one is still a mystery, but I'm thinking the answer to two and three is simply this: the perks rock. I'd walk around my parents' house advertising massages if it meant I scored one for free. (Honey, don't get any ideas...)

What kind of "shops" or businesses do your kids set up at home? Do they love the typical lemonade stand or do they do something a bit more creative?

Jack Johnson Helped Me Birth My Baby

A photo I took while enjoying the Jack Johnson concert at the Usana Amphitheater standing less than 20 feet from the stage. Pure heaven!

But let me explain the title of this post. Or rather, let this excerpt from my recent guest post on TodaysMama explain:

By the time it came around to our last child I had it down. I knew hypnobirthing with its exercises and relaxation CDs wasn’t for me, but the concept of distraction would work. So what to put on my MP3 player that would take me to my happy place and help me zone out when those non-painful (LMAO) contractions are hitting every two minutes? The be-still-my-beating-heart sounds of Jack Johnson. {click here to read the full article}

This was a really fun post for me to write. If you're dying to discover just how Jack Johnson helped in the labor and delivery room, check out "Birth Stories: Jack Johnson Helped Me Birth My Baby." And take some time to read the other experiences featured on TodaysMama. THESE are the stories we should be sharing, not the "I knew this woman who...{fill in the blank with scare-you-****less birthing experience}" stories.

Do you have any tips or tricks you use during pregnancy and labor/delivery? What works for you?

RMMB: "Who said anything about sleep?"

I will admit I have thoroughly enjoyed my time away from the computer for the holidays. In fact it was easier to step away from the keyboard than I thought. No withdrawals, no post-traumatic Facebook disorder, nothing...just more time to spend with family and less time feeling my butt go numb.

I did spend a little bit of time writing my latest post over on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog and would love for you to check it out when you have a minute:

"Who said anything about sleep?"

I have a feeling many of you will relate to my latest thoughts on the joys of parenthood!

I plan to get back in the blogging saddle next week, though I may continue this newfound love of less time online and more time "in real life." We shall see... --Emily

RMMB: "Let's hear it for the boys"

Anyone else finding the holidays are well under way, which means something going on every night plus twice as many errands during the day? I really want to enjoy the season rather than survive the season so you may find my posts a bit more random than usual. Someone's got to play Santa around here!

Because it's Monday and because there's snow on the ground I'm feeling the need to snuggle a bit more with my little ones today, so today's post is what I consider a cheater post: the mention of a post I've written somewhere else. But that's all you're going to get today. If you have an issue with it you can take it up with the little elves running amuck in the house. Over on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog you'll find my latest post:

"Let's hear it for the boys"

Excerpt:

Wherever you find girls, you find drama. I learned this for myself in elementary school when I pretended to not be friends with one girl so another girl wouldn't get mad at me. My girls are learning this now. I believe it was the second grade when one daughter was invited to a New Year's Eve party only to be told she was there because another girl couldn't make it. ... The point is, girls are a crazy, emotional, nutty bunch no matter the age. I've heard about drama in kindergarten but it seems to hit critical mass during the pre-teen, teen and college years. That's a good 12 to 15 years of glares, gossip and grudges. My solution? Steer clear of girls and make friends with boys. {click here to read the full post}

Anyone else dealing with the drama? Head on over to Rocky Mountain Moms Blog to read the full post and share your thoughts on the subject. Happy Monday! --Emily

RMMB: "It's a schedule, not a chore chart"

Sometimes it really is all in how you say it. My latest post is up on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog and it details our latest attempt to get our girls to "happily" chip in around the house so Mom doesn't have to nag 24/7. (It's actually more like 14/6 if you don't count the hours the kids are asleep and Sundays.) The idea for a "schedule" rather than a "chore chart" came from Nathan and I must give credit where credit is due since he rarely gets any credit. He's a smart man, don't get me wrong, but I'm really the brains behind this operation we call a family. (Totally kidding--couldn't do it without you, babe!)

"It's a schedule, not a chore chart"

Excerpt:

We've tried so-called chore charts in the past and even The Chore Board, a board-game version of a chore chart, but no matter chart or game, the newness wears off quickly. As a mom with a long to-do list I can totally sympathize with my kids when they whine and complain about vacuuming or doing laundry or heck, even making their beds. I constantly remind them Mom is the only one who gets to have a bad attitude around the house so they better change theirs and change it quickly! Click here to read more...

I'd love for you to click on over and read the post on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog. And of course I'd love you to comment over there as well if you feel so inclined. Share with us what works for you or hasn't worked for you. Who knows? This schedule thing may just fizzle and we'll need a new idea! --Emily

He did NOT just say that!

Whenever my kids say something funny I vow to write it down so I won't forget it...and then I don't write it down and of course forget it. But my husband just walked in and told me something I had to share so I wrote it down immediately because even though I was going to post about it within mere minutes, this mommy brain of mine tends to lose things rather quickly. This one's a keeper:

The setting
Dad, 12-year-old daughter and four-year-old son sitting on LoveSacs watching Samurai Jack.

Some bad guy on Samurai Jack: "Get me Samurai Jack. I want his essence."
Daughter: "What's 'his essence?'"
Son: "It means he wants his soul." {did you catch the part about his being four?}

Two minutes later husband walks into the office and replays the recent conversation for his wife.

Wife, after husband tells her what their son just said: "Seriously?!?!"
Husband: "Where did THAT come from?"
Wife: "Holy cow."
Husband: "Yeah."

I am still wondering what just happened... --Emily

RMMB: "Before you criticize your child, ask yourself this question"

So glad I have Rocky Mountain Moms Blog to fall back on when I'm short on inspiration (other than food-related inspiration) for posts on this blog. My latest RMMB post went live tonight and I'd love for you to check it out:

"Before you criticize your child, ask yourself this question"

Do you find yourself overly critical of your children no matter their age? Or one child more then the other(s)? I am well aware of one of many faults, that of criticizing my children far too often and over the dumbest things...and all too often in a not-so-nice voice. Admitting I have a problem is the first step, right?

If you have any thoughts on the post, words of wisdom or helpful advice I'd love for you to share them by commenting on the post over on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog. We're all in this together—I hope! --Emily

Out & About: "Do you need a timeout?"

April from Sweet Life in the Valley recently launched a new site, Out & About with the Family, and I was lucky enough to be asked to write a guest post on traveling as a couple. "Do you need a timeout?" makes a case for scheduling at least one child-free vacation a year. If you haven't had a "timeout" in a while I highly recommend taking one. You can read the post here and even see a couple snapshots of our recent adult-only vacations. (Notice how happy and carefree we look!)

"Do you need a timeout?"

After reading--and commenting on--my post take a little time to check out Out & About with the Family. You'll find lots of great travel tips and tricks! --Emily

RMMB: My pre-teen daughter, her body image and an overly concerned dad

I'm hoping my latest post over at Rocky Mountain Moms Blog will open up a discussion on how to best make sure our daughters (and sons) have and maintain a healthy self-esteem and positive self-image. In our family my husband definitely worries more about our children's weight than I do and I think a shift in focus is what he needs. It's all about living a healthy lifestyle and not about body shape or pant size.

We are still having discussions about the girls and I hope the discussions will continue (out of our daughters' earshot of course) until we are on the same page. We are not perfect parents but we can at least try our best to do right by our children. You can read the full post here. Feel free to leave your two cents in the comments section and continue the discussion.

P.S. Go easy on Nathan...he is a man and therefore a little slow on the uptake but he'll get it! --Emily

"My pre-teen daughter, her body image and an overly concerned dad"

Technical difficulties

Okay, I'm not really having technical difficulties. The internet is working great, my computer is functioning just fine and I have power to my printer. I'd say "technical" is simply another word for "emotional, mental and physical" and it all has to do with a 10-day vacation in the southern Caribbean and the stark reality of life when I returned. Over 250 emails (not counting my Hotmail and Gmail accounts), stacks of bills, one child with a nasty cough, another with a 103 fever, an actual desk where I actually have to sit all day, no humidity, no shore excursions, no snorkeling and definitely no late-night frozen yogurt swirl cones. I have a term for this post-vacation experience and I'll be writing about it later this week. Until then bear with me as I adjust to real life...and believe me, it looks nothing like the photo you see below. And yes, that's really me with my feet up, leisurely reading our cruise itinerary for the next day's activities. {sigh} It's almost like it never happened... --Emily

Guest post: "Home schooling & parenting tween-teens from my new perspective"

The following is a guest post by my friend April Atwater (@sweetlifeinthe) from Sweet Life in the Valley. If you haven't discovered her fabulous blog and sister sites like the new Out & About with the Family then you're in for a real treat! April is amazing and I'm so excited to have her write something for freshly baked. Enjoy!

Home Schooling & Parenting Tween-teens from My New Perspective

I prided myself in being a great mother to my children when they were younger. I was the mom who made crafts, took field trips, made the cupcakes for the class parties and more. I was involved with everything. Now that my kids are in the tween years and more independent I have been bit thrown. What does a good mom to tween-teens look like?

Not too many books out there help you with or talk about being a cool and effective tween-teen parent. After a lot of trying to figure it out I came to some exciting conclusions. I want my children to live a full life. I want to teach them to love living and learning. Since I home school my three tweens and I own my own business we have a lot of flexibility with our time. My kids are now old enough to share all my loves and to explore the world at a monuments notice. I am planning to take them to the pottery studio to show them how to throw a pot. We are going to make some pinhole cameras then develop the film in our make shift dark room in the pantry. We are going to explore their interests from apprenticing with a pastry chef to trying their hand at web design to indulging an interest in history and dates.

My tween twins are now writing their own blog for tweens, Cool Stuff 4 Us, which will teach them hands on writing and business marketing skills. We are planning a lot of traveling to see this beautiful country. After all, those tween-teen years are to prepare them for adulthood. Our more formal education will be centered around preparing for college classes. We are exploring their talents to help them figure out what they would like to study after the high school years.

If you were to ask someone to tailor your tween-teen years to help you become a successful adult today with all the advantages you could have used, what would that look like? This is the question I am asking myself for all three of my kids. I am excited! It will be fun! This is what I will look like as a tween-teen mom. I think I love what that looks like. ~April

Picky eaters? Try disguising breakfast as dessert!

My kids are pretty good eaters though my first and third are definitely the pickiest! But one meal all my kids enjoy is breakfast, whether it's French toast, Papa's famous scrambled eggs, cold cereal or toaster waffles. I think they get that from me--I absolutely love breakfast and wake up hungry. Skipping breakfast just isn't an option and when I do, it's a very, very bad day.

Back to food for thought friday...if you happen to have picky breakfast eaters, check out this super fun recipe you can try with your kids. It's the brainchild of my good friend Vanessa, and it's no surprise this nifty, creative, foodie mom came up with it. The "trick" is to disguise a healthy meal as a tempting treat. Who would've thought?!?!


But this recipe isn't just for breakfast. Vanessa's post includes some other great ideas to help your kids eat enjoy lunch and dinner foods (though they might catch on if you serve these "cupcakes" three times a day).

For the full how-to with photos check out her original post on Blissful Kids:

"Help Kids Eat with a Cupcake Trick"

If you're kids will eat just about anything, try this yummy breakfast recipe. It's one of my kids' favorites and healthy too!

Cheesy Egg Puffs
2 eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 cup butternut squash puree (puree it yourself or pick up a couple jars down the baby food aisle)
1/4 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray four 1/2-cup ramekins with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet. In a large bowl whisk the eggs, egg whites, puree, cheese, flour, baking poweder and salt until combined. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Bake approximately 13 to 15 minutes or until the tops are puffed up and eggs are no longer running in the center. (Check by piercing the top with a sharp knife.) Serve immediately.

NOTE: I double this recipe because my kids always ask for seconds!

"He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart." ~C.S. Lewis

Image by SteffanyF!, shared via Flickr.

They're back to school!

I had planned to be disconnected and in the middle of moving today but due to that whole crappy delay in signing/funding/recording I'm sitting amidst a ton of boxes twiddling my thumbs and living off marshmallows, leftover pizza and Diet Coke (and yes, so is my family). If all goes well we'll be moving out tomorrow, so here's to praying all goes well!

In the meantime I did manage to get my girls off to school today for the first day with new teachers. Yes, their backpacks were empty (pencil cases, notebooks and writing utensils are in a box somewhere) and they have to buying school lunch (peanut butter, honey and Goldfish crackers are in a box somewhere), but they were still excited. I can't believe it's my oldest daughter's last year in elementary school--where did the time go? --Emily

RMMB: Raise your hand if you love the first day of school

This Wednesday not only marks our big move into a new home but also the first day of school for my girls. With back-to-school thoughts on my mind I turned to Rocky Mountain Moms Blog for a mini confession: I love it when my girls go back to school. There. I've said it, and you can read all about it on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog:

Raise your hand if you love the first day of school

And if you're feeling so inclined, I'd love for you to comment on the post and tell me whether or not you too love it when your kids return to school in the fall! --Emily

Happy School Year's Eve!

Celebrating New Year's Eve is, well, a yearly tradition in our home. Though we're not in Times Square with the rest of the world, we enjoy good food, family and some serious game playing to celebrate the new year. But for most families the "new year" really comes around the middle or end of August when the class lists go up and school shopping begins. The first day of school is truly a "new year" for kids and families alike.

So in true party fashion, Cookie magazine and PTA have teamed up along with GAP, KinderCare, Children's Zyrtec and Hot Moms Club, the celebrate the newest school holiday, School Year's Eve! This new holiday was created to help get families ready and excited about the new school year. (We could use some help with the excitement some years more than others depending on the outcome of those class lists!)

Who's invited to the School Year's Eve bash and when is it? Everyone is invited--families, schools, and PTAs all across the country are encouraged to celebrate. Cookie and PTA will ring in the new school year (and the new national holiday) on August 30th. What if your school starts earlier or later? Just celebrate whenever school begins for your children and do whatever works best for you. You can have the party at home, put together a larger block party or even check with your school and ask for help from your local PTA and principal to host it there!

For party planning tips and ideas you can check out the Party Planner section of the School Year's Eve site for ideas, links and downloads. The site also has a Style File for cool back-to-school looks, resources for parents with advice from Cookie, PTA and parenting experts and recipes for yummy School Year's Eve party treats!

And to make your School Year's Eve party truly fabulous, Cookie and PTA are offering partygoers the chance to win $1,500 for their school or PTA unit. Just post pictures from your School Year's Eve bash after August 15th for your chance to win!

Oh, and the site also has some great money-saving coupons from companies like momAgenda, Y WATER, Birthday in a Box and Sharpie.

With only 17 days and counting until August 30th you'll want to start planning your School Year's Eve party now! For more details visit the official School Year's Eve site here. Happy countdown! --Emily

RMMB: "Have kids, will travel (but only with a portable DVD player)"

Okay, so I have done a little writing while on vacation in California, and the drive out was inspiration for my latest post on Rocky Mountain Moms Blog. Anyone else find a portable DVD player necessary when heading on road trips with the kids? And if not a DVD player then a plethora of other portable electronic devices? After our emergency stop at a Walmart in Elko (you can read more about that in the post) I started wondering why we've come to rely on movies to entertain the kids. Sure, it's easy and keeps the car quiet but what happened to the good ol' days of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" in rounds and pummeling each other while playing slug bug?

I'd love for you to read my latest post on RMMB and then comment at the end of the post sharing with us your thoughts/tips/tricks/advice for road travel with or without the latest box-office release! --Emily

"Have kids, will travel (but only with a portable DVD player)"

This week's excuses

Here is this week's list of excuses for why I'm too busy to post regularly this week:

1. As of Wednesday night last week four people in this house have been sick, three of whom vomited for about a 24-hour period (two of which can't make it to a toilet in time).


2. We hit Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, San Fran and my Fremont reunion within a three-day period. I drove along I-80 long enough to be able to do it blindfolded.


3. We found a home, discussed buying the home, even had my dad whip up a pretty serious pros and cons spreadsheet and then put an offer on a home. And the offer was accepted.


4. My youngest has refused to nap and prefers taking me by the hand and leading me everywhere she goes, and if I leave the room, even super stealthily, she finds me and puts me back in my place.


5. I have had very little time to actually "hang" with my parents so I'm going to do that instead of sitting here while my butt goes numb.


6. I've been spending way too much time reconnecting with "old" friends via Facebook.


7. Today I spent a wonderful evening with Josh and Rebecca from MomFaves.com and their fabulous little boys instead of thinking of a super cool new blog post to write.

So that's only 7 excuses this time. Perhaps in about 6 weeks I'll have no excuses left and get back to posting regularly. Until then...enjoy the rest of your summer. It's flying by way too quickly! --Emily

Image by Maxey, shared via Flickr.

RMMB: "16 and Pregnant"--Seriously?!?!

My recent post for Rocky Mountain Moms Blog (RMMB for short) is live. This week I took on the new MTV show "16 and Pregnant." Have you seen the show yet? Consider yourself lucky if you haven't. I ask you, what exactly is the point of this show?

I'd love for you to read what I have to say about it and then leave a comment on the RMMB site letting us know your thoughts on the whole thing. Really, just what are we trying to teach our kids? --Emily

"16 and Pregnant"--Seriously?!?!

What prevents you from enjoying "me time?"

Last week I had the opportunity of being on the panel for Mom It Forward's #GNO night on Twitter. The subject was "me time"--something all of us women need but very few of us enjoy. One of the follow-up posts I wrote is all about those things that make it especially hard to take time for ourselves. And this time is vital for our happiness, health and most importantly, sanity.

In "The Top 5 Things That Get in the Way of 'Me Time' (...And How to Deal With Them)" I've compiled a list of what I feel are the five biggest obstacles to the ever-elusive "me time." As usual I've thrown in a good dose of humor--it wouldn't be one of my posts if it weren't a tad bit funny. (Hello--humor is one of the ways I stay sane!) So enjoy a good little chuckle and read how you too can make time for yourself even with days full of children, laundry and a serious lack of sleep.

Read "The Top 5 Things That Get in the Way of 'Me Time' (...And How to Deal With Them)" on Mom It Forward.

Related posts I wrote for Mom It Forward's "Me Time" #GNO:

• "Gal to Gal Foundation: Design & Donate"
• "Make 'YOU' Your Number One Priority!"