scarlett

I try to inspire my family but most often are met with blank stares. Recently I swapped out our WiFi password for some deep wisdom and threw a “Quote Quiz” …

When I drive Scarlett to school, she always likes to put on Spotify and listen to songs. When doing so, she makes it a point to sign out of my…

Until 9:14pm last night, I thought I was pretty cool under pressure. At 9:15pm, I realized I was wrong. Because at 9:15pm, I thought my 13-year-old daughter had been abducted…

In the days leading up to the first day of school, Scarlett had made plans to go tanning to get the perfect back to school glow. She monitored the UV…

Vince and I had a date last night to go see Deadpool & Wolverine. It started off as a normal evening out until about 45 minutes into the movie I…

Walked into Scarlett’s room the other night to say goodnight. She has her covers wrapped over her head and is on the phone video chatting with two friends as they…

We have family movie nights pretty regularly. It can be hard to pick a movie because of the vast age range in our kids. But one thing that is always…

When we moved to Florida 8 years ago, I thought the upheaval would impact Gianna the most. She was 9 after all. She had a circle of friends and had…

Pixar makes amazing movies that totally impact my life, especially Inside Out (1&2). On the surface, they are kids’ movies, but with so much depth. It’s truly impressive how they take complex…

Took the brood to the Tampa Fringe Fest yesterday. I never heard of it before but got an email somehow and was intrigued. It was inside and not that expensive – two…

Family came to visit this past weekend to celebrate Evie turning 4. Vince’s mom, aunt, and sister all flew down from Pittsburgh to stay with us. We didn’t really do…

Today, I thought I knew how my morning was going to go. I would drop Scar off at school. Then, with Evie in tow, take Marina  to her chiropractor and…

They both admired her wall and complimented her work. Gianna’s eyes, however, lingered for a moment on the two sets of rosaries that were draped over the push pins on the …

I lost my shit on Scarlett yesterday. The girls had all been dancing in the kitchen together as Vince and I got dinner ready. Before the shit was lost, it…

They wanted to go sneak into our unfinished clubhouse to see how it looked. Not to do any vandalism, just curious and wanting to explore. Excited by the thrill of …

This trip, while a learning experience, was also supposed to double as a mini vacation for my family. Going alone was an option, but that felt like leaving too much …

“I’m scared Mom.” When she followed up with those three words, it didn’t matter that this lockdown was out of an abundance of caution. It didn’t matter that there was …

We arrived at the doctor’s office. You know when you walk into a place, and you immediately feel like something is off? That’s how I felt. This place was bare …

Vince made stroganoff noodles as a side for dinner last night. Nothing fancy, just a $2.89 bag where you only need to add butter and milk. As we all gathered…

We went strawberry picking this past weekend. It’s something I’ve been wanting to take the kids to do for a while, but never seemed to have the time. This weekend…

Gianna had about 18 or so of her friends come over for a gift exchange a few days before Christmas. Last time she had her large group of friends over, …

Having a fourth child, that’s not crazy, right? I go back and forth about this idea and wonder if I’m batshit crazy to even entertain this thought. There’s never a …

The girls still had school, so we were on a typical schedule. I take Scar to her school with Evie in tow. Afterwards, me and the little shadow go through …

I followed the girls around all night, watching them laugh, take photos, and stalk (so not casually) a group of young boys. We took a break after they lost the …

Lice. This was not good. This was not good at all. This was not good because I immediately recall that my daughter, Scarlett, had been complaining for the past two …

I was sitting at my desk, staring at the Southwest website, realizing that a trip to Pittsburgh for Christmas just wasn’t going to happen. The cost of airline tickets was …

Why does school sometimes feel like a creativity-killer? When my daughter Scarlett came home upset because her teacher criticized her unique writing style in front of the class, I was …

Are you a parent who sometimes feels like you’re barely holding it together? Same here. In my latest post, I’m sharing my “Mother of the Year” moments—the times I definitely …

TikTok… love it or hate it? I was firmly in the “hate it” camp—until my daughter pulled a fast one on me, using a TikTok persuasion trick to get herself …

What happens when you mix a competitive soccer tournament, a road trip, and an unpredictable toddler? A “perfect recipe for disaster”—or maybe not. This lighthearted look at managing family chaos …

Ever wonder how COVID hit a house full of girls (and one man with a “man flu” immune system)? Our family’s journey through mild symptoms, testing woes, and a side …

Raising a child who reinvents herself every few months isn’t easy—especially when you’re the one footing the bill. From fashion overhauls to room redesigns, join me as I share the …

A simple day turns into a profound journey of connection, memory, and love. Join me as I share the serendipitous series of events that brought me face-to-face with my guardian …

In “The Message in Luca,” Kristina Curtin reflects on the 2021 Disney movie Luca, highlighting a key message that resonated with her about silencing fear and self-doubt. In the film, …

This past weekend, we took a day trip to Sarasota. It’s about an hour and 20 minutes from our house, but we decided to go on Memorial Day weekend, so …

As a parent, I’m going to be direct and say that you should never allow a video service to autoplay anything for your kids. It’s like playing roulette with your …

Initially I had wanted to spend Mother’s Day mulching my front yard and planting some flowers to get my house ready to sell. I was going to guilt my family …

We try to raise good children. Honest, funny, caring, aware, financially savvy, confident…all things we want our kids to be. We teach them to tell the truth, to never bully, …

The housing market is downright bonkers right now. I don’t know if it’s like this everywhere…but inventory is low and demand is high in our area. I think a lot …

It’s the house kids flock to. You know the one. Opening the pantry door is like walking up aisle 16 at the grocery store. Shelves loaded with Nutella snack packs, …

At what point, as a parent, do you throw in the towel and decide you need outside help? How do you decide that it’s gotten to the point that you …

My hands are purple and I don’t know how to get the color off. It’s all because I’m a sucker for guilt and Evie was primed and ready to pee …

I walked downstairs the other night to tell the girls it was time for bed. As I made my way into the kitchen, I overheard the TV show they were …

Just wanted to share the bingo cards I created for my fam to use when driving around our neighborhood, looking at Halloween decorations. We did the same thing last year …

My girls don’t date. They are all under the age of 14 and one’s an infant so I don’t think I’m being a strict parent. Really, what’s the point of …

I don’t know if it’s a common thing or not but when I was little, I used to lay in bed at night and think about dying. The idea of …

There are probably a million good things about having just one child. I can say this confidently because I have 3 kids. Jokes aside, all 3 of my girls are …

Sleep deprivation is hands down the worst part of having a newborn. Close second might be breastfeeding. Sure, despite the 50 things I basically LOVE about breastfeeding, it does literally …

Apologies out the gate if this post is a little haphazard and seems like it was written by a sleep-deprived, walking milk truck who can’t remember anything unless it’s written …

The age gap between my kids is pretty significant and for the most part, 100% intentional. Four and a half years separates Scarlett from Gianna. Baby girl #3, who is …

Being grateful actually makes you MORE HAPPY than getting more money or buying a sweet ass car or dream home. Our brains tell us this isn’t true, but the science …

I talk about positivity and how I am focused on living my life with that type of mindset. However, I am human. I am a pregnant human with hormones and …

I’ve dealt with Santa and actually somewhat enjoyed the magic he brings to the season, however, I’ve never, EVER been a fan of the Easter Bunny. He’s creepy, slutty, and …

My family has a history of mental illness. I spent a good part of my life waiting to see if I would also be afflicted with something. Now that I …

I need to teach my kids about money. Not that a quarter equals 25 cents That’s covered in school. But they never learn money’s true value, it’s importance, how to …

Gianna’s 13th birthday is nearing. Along with the internal struggle of dealing with the fact that my baby will be a teenager in a couple weeks, I am also overloaded …

I wanted to break tradition and not have my daughter believe in Santa. It didn’t feel right in my heart creating all the lies that surround the magic. I just …

These weeks leading up to my next doc appointment have been slow as my kids getting ready to leave the house because, regardless of if we have girl #3 or …

A lot of parents give you a rosy look on what raising children is like. How much they absolutely love their kids and how perfect they are. Kids being the …

I am 37 as I write this post. Not dead yet, but not at the ideal age for a 9 month sobriety challenge (aka pregnancy). Because, at this age, it’s …

A little recap of our second try at shark tooth hunting for your reading pleasure. It includes a homeless guy showing off his goods, inappropriate jokes, ice nuggets, drinking anxiety, …

Recently, we were extras for a Mexican television show. This catalogs our experience which includes the raping of a snack cart, stripper comparisons, and swollen feet.

A lot of people think I am exaggerating or merely joking when I talk about how unreal Scarlett can be. Between her difficulty getting dressed, inability or unwillingness to follow …

First things first. I am not a lady. No one would ever call me prim or proper. I fart – because everyone does. I crack dirty jokes. I wear a …

Scarlett had her 8th birthday party this past weekend. I was relieved to find a local music studio that offered birthday parties. Scarlett’s ability to hang on to disappointment is …

We are officially closing out the second full week of summer since school let out and my house has become over-ridden with the disease known as slime. I had the …

I dread Scarlett’s outfit selection process more than I dread going to the gyno for my annual pap smear. Sure, the room is always freezing, I’m naked save only for …

Chaperoning sucks. Especially for me. I never wanted kids and don’t really like them. It’s just who I am. So with that in mind, why on earth would I volunteer …

Growing up, I didn’t want to be a mom and I definitely didn’t want kids…ever. I think deep down it’s a combination of a few things. First, because I didn’t …