Dear Hollywood Screenwriters, Please Reconsider Your Use of the "R" Word

Dear Hollywood Screenwriters,

I tend to be an open minded person. I don't get offended about much, I don't get caught up in controversy, and I try to understand both sides of an issue. But today, I need to bring light to a very serious topic that affects millions of your fellow human beings, including my own family: the overuse of the word "retarded" in the entertainment industry.

The word "retard(ed)" isn't just a casual word to toss around in everyday conversation. It has one particular meaning, and it's directed at an entire community of people who have a disability. It's derogatory, it's hurtful and it's extremely offensive. Did you know that "retard" was voted the most offensive word related to a disability? So why do so many of you continue to use it so freely?

Life with Littles: February Moments & Memories

I love the month of February! It arrives with the promise of Winter being halfway over, and is usually full of fun events for my family. This February was even more exciting than usual! It began with a fun mini getaway for my family, and ended with a new puppy!

7 Awesome Ways To Build Language and Early Reading Skills with Dr.Seuss

We are celebrating National Read Across America Day today, which is the birthday Dr. Seuss! Between four kids, we have an expansive book collection, and some of our favorite books were written by this beloved children's author. Reading is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, so it's essential to encourage this habit while kids are young. Boosting language and early reading skills will help kids become confident and successful readers for life!

Puppy Love: Introducing Ella the English Mastiff

After a 3 year hiatus from dog ownership, our family grew by 4 feet this weekend! The kids have been begging for a puppy since our beloved Great Dane passed away, but I just wasn't ready to bring another dog into our lives. Their pleas could no longer be ignored, and I was starting to miss having a dog, so we started researching breeds 6 months ago. We finally decided an English Mastiff puppy would be a great fit for us, and we welcomed 11 week old Ella into our family on Saturday!

Happy Birthday, Lexie! The 11th Birthday & Yearly Interview

Our beautiful Alexandria Elizabeth celebrated her 11th Birthday today! The day Lexie was born was one of the happiest days of my life, and she continues to be an absolute joy who fills our days with so much love. Lexie is an extraordinary human being, and we celebrated her to the fullest today!

10 Incredibly Important Safety Precautions All Bloggers Should Take To Protect Their Kids Online

Blogging has come so far since I first started sharing my family nearly a decade ago! There's no doubt that blogs are a big business now. But as parenthood blogs continue to gain popularity, it's becoming even more important to take safety precautions to keep children safe in this sometimes scary online world!

The 8 Most Difficult Things About Switching a Young Child to a Gluten Free Diet

We are now 4 1/2 months into this gluten free journey, and I'm not going to sugar coat it...it sucks! Eliminating gluten from Liam's diet definitely made life more difficult. I truly wish this wasn't happening, but it's looking like it will be his reality forever.

Travel with Kids: Family Fun at Cedar Point's Castaway Bay Indoor Waterpark Resort + GIVEAWAY

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Castaway Bay, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Last week, my family and I left Pittsburgh, and made the easy 2 1/2 hour trip to nearby Sandusky, Ohio, for two days of family fun at Cedar Point's Castaway Bay Indoor Waterpark Resort! The timing was perfect for a trip with kids. The winter blues were kicking in, and what better way to chase them away than by escaping to a fun, tropical-themed water park?!?

Snapshots of January

It's hard to believe the first month of 2018 is already over! I usually hate the month of January, because it's so blah with the holidays ending, and it's so long and cold. This year, however, I didn't have many complaints! It was actually a happy, fun, cozy month!

We Went On A Family Trip...And Left One of Our Kids At Home

Before we became parents, there were so many things my husband and I said we would NEVER do as parents. Even after we had children, we still had quite a few things on that never list. We quickly learned to never say never because life happens. And this weekend we did something on our never list...we went on a family trip and left one of our children at home!