Nearly two years ago I did what I previously thought was unthinkable.

I walked away from my career.

For someone who has worked and hustled for everything I’ve had since I was 15, it was an adjustment, to say the least.

I’ve learned a lot about what not to do as a new stay-at-home mom.

Thankfully, I’ve finally learned a lot of healthy things to do as well.

And even though I traded boardrooms for carpool…

And spreadsheets for bake sales…

There are a lot of similarities between corporate life and stay-at-home mom life. (more…)

Eyesight really is the first to go. Or is that memory? I can’t remember.

But my eyesight is going. I went 40 years with perfect vision then BOOM!.. I’m blind. I have to pull things so far away from my face to read, they might as well be in the other room.

So I recently got my first pair of reading glasses. And I’m much less excited about looking smarter than I am sad that it’s not a fashion statement, I really need them.

It’s probably a coincidence this happened right around my 40th birthday. But it was sort of a double whammy of age creeping up that I wasn’t at all prepared for. (more…)

Months ago we booked a long weekend trip to Key West. Then Hurricane Irma happened. The category 4 made landfall 20 miles east of Key West before churning through pretty much all of Florida.

I’m not gonna lie, I was a little apprehensive to go, not sure what we would find. But our vacation rental company said their homes sustained no damage and the island fared well.

And if anything, I figured our presence would be beneficial to the businesses and the people who make their living off tourism. Which is a lot. According to the Sun Sentinel, tourism accounts for more than half of all jobs in Monroe County. And 60% of the money spent there comes from tourists, according to numbers from the county’s Tourism Development Council.

Long story short.. it was a great decision. Key West is still kickin’ and looks great. And it’s a great place for a family-friendly vacation, with lots of affordable things to do. Check out some of these reasons why. (more…)

Watching the coverage of the natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Hurricane Irma in Florida is gut wrenching. Being in news for two decades, I’ve seen so much tragedy and despair and it never gets any easier to see or emotionally cope with. Aside from prayers, many people want to do more to help those impacted.

And while it’s great to have a giving heart, you also have to be smart to make sure your donations really make a difference. Here’s a few ways to do that. (more…)

Do you ever read food packaging? Like, really read it? Sometimes it will surprise you. Usually for the shocking amount of calories and sugar it includes. But sometimes labels surprise you in a good way.

That’s what happened to me when I opened this month’s Daily Goodie Box. Last month I explained how Daily Goodie Boxes often contain organic and all natural foods. And this month one product caught my eye not only because it looked delicious, but also because it helps people around the world.

(more…)

At the bottom of my daughter’s birthday party invitations you’ll see a note that reads, “No Gifts Necessary.”

Why? Because I’m an evil mother and I don’t want her to have any fun.

No, that’s not it. (more…)

Do you want to eat healthier and buy more organic food, but you’re not sure what to get or if you’ll like it? That’s me. I know organic food is better for me and my family. But I also live on a budget and absolutely hate to throw out food (and money). So I love sampling products first to make sure we’ll like them.

That’s why I’m super excited about this month’s Daily Goodie Box because it’s jam-packed full of all-natural, organic goodies that I can’t wait to try. (more…)

Who likes free? Me! So I was thrilled when Daily Goodie Box offered me their latest box full of free samples so I could share it with you. (All opinions are authentic and my own.) You can check out my previous Daily Goodie Box Review here.

I know you like free too, and if you like instant gratification, also like me.. you can click this link right now to find out how to get one of these great boxes full of free, full-size samples. And keep reading for details on how it works and what’s inside. (more…)