My friends (all of them wives, by the way) and I often joke that we need to hire a wife.  Not to replace ourselves (fully, anyway), but someone to assist in the constant activities and management of busy households. Well, I’m actually hiring one.  No, I’m not kidding.  I’m extremely...

Mommy-Guilt is weighing heavy on me this week.  We attended our first swim lesson of the summer on Tuesday, or should I say “kind-of” attended…as Luke (almost 2 yrs) screamed at the top of his lungs for the first 20 minutes of our 30 minute lesson.  With me holding him.  Hugging...

Since starting MomsOutLoud.com last year, I’ve learned a lot. One of my earliest writings in 2008 was the list of 25 Free or Cheap Things to do with Kids in DFW.  It was really popular.  And I was very happy. But – now I’ve learned a lot more about all the fun things to do with kids...

OK, been a little quiet on the blog lately.  Getting a business off the ground, raising two little ones, and having a third baby have been keeping me a little busy. But I can’t resist this one. In doing some research on the web today (actually trying to select some relevant parenting news feeds...

Hate the TAKS test? New Legislation in the Texas Congress May End It Ask a Mom or a teacher in Texas what she thinks of the TAKS test and you will no doubt hear a long diatribe of all of its faults.  Even Moms who don’t have elementary-aged children (yet!) like me have heard enough from our friends...

Our son Jack has become a bedtime stall artist on the grandest scale. I am thankful for the three years of (relatively) easy bedtimes we’ve had with Jack, don’t get me wrong.  Other than two short but tramatic periods – when we had to let him cry it out to learn to soothe himself to...

I don’t mind telling everyone that I was a very happy, but very freaked out expectant mother during my first pregnancy.  I always knew I wanted kids, and so did Jim, so having a baby was a shared dream for both.  But somehow in my dreams, I always pictured “kids” – not babies...

My husband likes cars.  And trucks.  And SUV’s.  And motorcycles.  And ATV’s.  And jet skis.  Basically, if it has an engine, he loves it.  Some friends were kidding him recently, saying that he changes cars like other people change clothes.  When we did the math, it was a bit surprising: ...

Meet Jeanene, our eleventh MOMumental Mom of the week. Name: Jeanene City: Frisco Marital Status: HAPPILY married Mom to: 10 year old son, Will and 9 year old daughter, Hope. Occupation: Full-time MOM, laundress, maid, chef (actually more like a person who warms things up in the oven and microwave!),...

Your kids want to get in on the pumpkin decorating fun, but handling carving tools is a no-go.  So, what are your options?  Here are a few ideas. FIRST STEP - no matter what decorating option you use, clean the pumpkin using a baby wipe – NOT getting the pumpkin really wet or it is more likely...