My name is Stacey, and I am a Reality TV addict. (::hangs head in mock shame::) 
It’s only gotten worse since the arrival of our DVR last month, too!  Now I can record Housewives (I prefer Orange County and New York), America’s Next Top Model, The Millionaire Matchmaker, and so much more!
As embarrassing as it can be [...]

Most people would probably look at this store and – if they’re from the South – recognize it as one of several in a chain of Ingles (as in someone’s last name) grocery stores:

However, not being from the South, my husband and I laughed our heads off, because we saw it this way:

(inglés is “English” [...]

There’s a lot more Mama Drama rolled into this story, but I’ll give you the short version: 

16yo daughter screwed up, I gave her a 2nd chance – with very clear stipulations attached. 
16yo daughter plowed through stipulations and blew it again, I grounded her for 2 weeks.
Too bad, so sad.  The end.  Or was it?

Now, if this had been maybe even [...]

Looking for a totally discouraging experience?  Follow these proven steps to motherhood angst, and you’ll be on your way!
First:  observe your toddler throwing the most irrational tantrums – knocking down dining room chairs, biting his big brother, hitting the dog, violently pullings plugs out of the wall, and clearing the kitchen counters with huge sweeps [...]

I mentioned back in my “Prettiest Me” post (which detailed my new-found awareness of all things Beauty) a book I’ve been referring to often in my research.  It’s Nina Garcia’s The One Hundred:  A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own.
This book is nearly perfect in every way.  It’s clear, straightforward, shows the hows [...]

On Friday my 8yo son had the opportunity to participate as a control subject in a research study by the Division of Pediatric Neurology and The Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas.  Located downtown at Houston’s world-famous Medical Center complex, we both thought the day-long series of tests, scans, and an MRI would [...]

It’s late, and I know what I want to say, but not how to say it. I’ve had some really ugly and really beautiful moments today – I can’t even wrap my head around the extremes I reached in motherhood over the past 24 hours. But if you follow these three steps, you’ll get an [...]

Something unexpected happened when my oldest daughter turned 16 earlier this month.  Beyond the OH MY GOSH SHE’S ALMOST GROWN AND GONE emotions lie something more personal, and more about me than her. 
I’ve spent 16 years of my life teaching, guiding, encouraging, correcting this young life.  But I’ve also spent 16 years largely putting myself [...]

Twice a year our church region (called a Stake in our church…maybe it’s like a Diocese in the Catholic church?…a Stake is a larger organization comprised of smaller congregational units, or Wards) gathers for what’s called a Stake Conference.  It’s our chance to hear directly from region leaders on matters of greatest spiritual interest to us [...]

I have a new hero in my life:  Cesar Millan. 
Have you heard of him? - The Dog Whisperer?  We recently switched our cable service and while surfing through our 500-ish channels (man, it’s overwhelming!), I landed on Millan’s show on The National Geographic channel and was instantly drawn in to the way he was educating owners on handling [...]