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Page 21 of 26.

Parenting Aug 25, 2011

Answering Questions From Moms

Answering Questions From Moms

Marriage Aug 23, 2011

Pole Dancing

There is power in sensuality. Men are captivated by women on a pole. Until recently, pole practice was left to strippers. Now women can take classes. There is art in dance and it is a beautiful thing. The art in pole dancing has a specific intent and the ad above attests to its intent – sensuality.

Marriage Aug 21, 2011

We Still Fight

Pin It My husband and I still fight – regularly. Not sure if you would consider it a lot because what is a lot? It’s hard to know if it is a lot or just normal, because my normal may not be your normal. And that’s OK, but some people have been led to think it’s not OK. So many people seem to be givi

Parenting Aug 18, 2011

Adoption

Adoption

Parenting Aug 17, 2011

Lingerie For Children?

I love it when I see rational thought on TV. I agree with everything said on this subject! Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Parenting Aug 15, 2011

Techy Tuesday: An App To Get You Back In The Loop

I am, sadly, out of the loop. Or at least I was out of the loop until I downloaded this free iPad app from Bing. I originally read about this app on Cool Mom Tech. I fell in love with this app when I saw what it could do for me on the video below. You see, I have had several awkward moments of ignor

Parenting Aug 14, 2011

The Overactive Child

When we adopted Grant he was already 9 nine years old. We hadn’t had him for 9 days when I realized I had adopted the only Tasmanian Devil from Siberia. Grant never went to school, he lived in a village in Siberia and pretty much had always done what he wanted, when he wanted. This meant that he was

Parenting Aug 11, 2011

5 Ways To Help the Active Child Sit Still

The Merrill family is not the best at sitting still. Not all of us are wiggle worms but we do have our fair share. When the children were younger, learning to sit still was a necessity for us for several reasons. We have a big family and if all five of the children were wiggling it really caused a c

Encouragement Aug 9, 2011

What’s Your Deepest, Darkest Mom Secret? I Confess…

Today.com did a survey of 26,000 moms asking their deepest darkest secrets (about parenting). The confessions were all over the board from giving their child medication so they can have peace and quiet to being lonely. Being a mom can be overwhelming, lonely, and full of fearful anxiety. Knowing tha

Parenting Aug 1, 2011

3 Ways To Control Back To School Spending

Every August I used to get a little sick to my stomach every time I had to swipe that credit card. It literally felt hot sometimes. My credit card was on fire and it wasn’t even Christmas, it was back to school spending. And it seemed to grow in dollars congruent to the inches my children grew every

Parenting Jul 25, 2011

Techy Tuesday: An App That Finds 2 Things I Love – My Phone & My Children

If you are like me and you think you have early-onset Alzheimer’s (not kidding, I just read the book Still Alice and it convinced me that I have Alzheimer’s) then you are often losing things like your phone, keys, sunglasses and children. Yes, children, as they get older they are always on the go, g

Parenting Jul 24, 2011

Discouraging Words We Say to Our Children

I know without a doubt there are defining moments in my life when God is purposely trying to show me my faults. I know He does this because as a mom my errors have a huge impact on my children. This example is like a waving red flag in my mind. It is a living picture that reminds me of how easily I

Parenting Jul 19, 2011

5 Ways I Am A Prehistoric Parent (Parentosaurus)

I am a Parentosaurus. Yep, that’s me on the right, daughter on the left. I am coming out of the closet and it feels great. I want everyone to know that you can be a mom with prehistoric values and still be loved by your children. You may not be their friend, they may seem to hate you at times, but i

Encouragement Jul 18, 2011

It Is Well With My Soul…Or Isn’t It?

I was in New York this weekend visiting my daughter and heard the story of Horatio Spafford in church (Redeemer). He is the author of the song It Is Well With My Soul. Perhaps you know his story, but after years of singing the song I did not. And like seeing a painting change before your eyes with a

Encouragement Jul 5, 2011

Hope, You Just Have To Look For It ;)

So if you read my last post you know that I was speculating that God was trying to tell me something about my mood in the black and blue sky. And I think I got it! So today this was my reward in the sky. The validation of hope. I am like Noah. We had the flood, days of homelessness, dark skies and c

Encouragement Jun 28, 2011

The Flood Phase IV: I Am A Little Black And Blue

It has been awhile since I updated you on our housing status post flood. Today marks one month exactly and I am happy to report that we are no longer homeless. We are not in our home but we have found a place to rent for the next 6-8 months. It’s a condo on the Bayshore (we live in Tampa). Today aft

Parenting Jun 23, 2011

Are You Discouraging Your Children?

Encouragement Jun 21, 2011

10 Confessions Of An Imperfect Mom

I was sitting at a ball game chatting with a mom I didn’t know well. We got into what “we do” and I explained that I work at iMOM. She questioned me about the program and said, “Wow, you must be a really good mom!” Ugh. Sigh. Piercing inadequacy. It made me kind of want to throw up. I am not a reall

Encouragement Jun 19, 2011

3 Secrets to Keep Motherhood in Perspective

When we bought our “forever” 1920’s house and spent a year renovating it I remember thinking, “It’s a shame I won’t ever do this again because I know so much more now that I have walked through the entire process.” Now that my oldest child is 27 I am thinking the same thing, “It’s a shame I won’t ev

Encouragement Jun 18, 2011

Finding God In A Swag Bag

So, if you know me you know that we are still living in a hotel due to a flood in our house. It is week 3 and we are a bit…tired. That being said, life goes on. That also being said I have an excuse for anything and everything in life that I don’t want to go on. Quite easily it can roll off my tongu

Encouragement Jun 17, 2011

The Flood Phase III: Saying Goodbye

Today, I had to say goodbye to Spot. He was such a fun bedtime friend to my children. I was hoping to introduce him to my grandchildren. He didn’t make it through Phase III of the flood – letting go of the unsalvageable (yes, that is mold) (see Phase I, Phase II for more details on the flood). Do th

Parenting Jun 16, 2011

Tackling the Bicker Zone: Bickering in the Car

Are you tired of breaking up sibling squabbles in the car? Here’s how to stop the bickering and fighting when you’re on the road. (Here are some more ideas for sibling rivalry over stuff, and sibling rivalry over the TV and computer.)

Encouragement Jun 14, 2011

The Flood Phase II: Kill The Mold In Your Mind

When Phase I of the flood – save what you can see – was over, we entered Phase II – save what you can’t see. Using sophisticated infrared cameras it was determined that there is quite a bit of water in my plaster walls. Water can destroy plaster walls and fuel an outbreak of mold, yikes! So the base

Encouragement Jun 13, 2011

The Flood Phase I: How Can It Be So Harmful?

On a clear, sunny day for one brief hour, a bizarre, windy storm hit Tampa. In that one hour my roof was exposed to the sky – shingles and paper off, just the skeleton of wood. My dry, 90 year old house received the drenching like a 100% pima cotton towel – soaking it up into every crevice and passi