Beauty Myth Revealed

Have you ever had a facial and afterwards, as your feeling a little euphoric from the incredibly relaxing experience and marveling in how fabulous your skin feels, ask about purchasing some products they use? Usually I just want the exfoliant or mask they used but they insist that you MUST buy the entire skincare line to receive the full benefits of that product. I’ve fallen for this twice and am to ashamed to admit how much I’ve spent.

See, I suffer from acne. I’ve battled it off and on throughout the years and I’ve tried everything. I used to be open to trying everything. Now, after all these years, I know the specific ingredients that work for my skin and keep acne at bay. And yes, I use three different brands of skincare to achieve my clear skin...

Continue Article...

Savvy Shabby Chic Decorating

What’s old is new again. Shabby Chic decorating is a trend that has greatly appealed to my artsy-fartsy soul. I have been able to turn my home into my canvas. Thankfully, with my husbands appreciative eye. Yes, I have received strange looks what I say things like, “I found the coolest antique windows that I’m going to use for our headboard.” But when I’ve drug my new found treasures into the house and put them in place, he often stands back and says, “Wow! That really is cool!”


Another thing I’ve also heard is, “You paid how much for that old, beat up (insert name of latest fabulous find of mine)?” It amazes my husband that I actually pay money for things that look old and used. But what amazes him more is when I say, “I paid $10 for that. And look, here’s one almost identical on Ebay for $75. Oh, plus $25 shipping.” Then I bat my eyes and say, “Aren’t you glad I’m savvy at spending your money?”


The fact is, decorating your home Shabby Chic can really be a fun adventure that both you and your husband can enjoy while not breaking the bank...

Continue Article...

A Bachelors Degree Unutilized

When I started working towards my Bachelors Degree in Social Services, I had dreams of saving children. A single mom of two, my children were my world and I suddenly understood that overwhelming fear that my own mother had experienced while raising me. The outside world is dangerous for children and I was bound and determined to do my part to make it a safer place for my children.

When you’re an aspiring Social Worker, your professors job is to get you to see the world thru others eyes. I’ve always been a compassionate person, so I didn’t think it would be hard for me. I seldom pass judgment on others because I know that I myself have done things in my life that some may find undesirable. I realize I am human, as everyone else is, and sometimes our choices aren’t right or right for everyone else. But in the case of a Social Worker, you are bound to encounter people that engage in actions that your mind just cannot fathom. For me, not only did I not want to fathom some of those issues, I could in no way “put myself in their world and see things thru their eyes...

Continue Article...

Mothers Intuition VS The Pediatrician

As a mother, you trust that your pediatrician “knows it all” when it comes to the health and development of your child. Those fancy degrees in those shiny gold frames adoring their office walls say your should. We rarely question them. If they disagree with a concern that we have, we chalk it up to the fact that we’re most likely over reacting. Sometimes our pediatrician even says, “Each child is an individual and we can’t compare their development to the development our friends’ children.” Fair enough. But what if our “Mothers Intuition” is telling us one thing and our pediatrician is saying another?

I knew early on that something was very different about Nicholas. Growing up with a mother who worked in a “special needs” preschool, I had been exposed to it all. Volunteering my summers at the preschool, I had learned first hand not only the blessing of these children, but also how overwhelming the care of them could be at times. So when I confronted Nicholas’ pediatrician with concerns about his tactile defensiveness, I wanted and welcomed his dismissal of my fear of Autism. I wanted a trained “professional” to tell me my baby was normal...

Continue Article...