Thursday, January 26, 2012
Most new moms aren’t going to ask for help, so it’s up to those who have "been there and done that” to just offer.
I have a confession to make; I am not a "baby holding" person. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children more than anything in the world, but I didn’t exactly enjoy the “baby stage." Some people are just “baby people.” They will hold a complete strangers’ baby just because they love babies. At family gatherings, the “baby people” argue over who gets to hold the baby. I’ve even heard of some families setting a timer to make sure everyone gets equal baby holding time. I am not one of those people. Now don’t get me wrong, babies are incredible. I loved snuggling on my own babies like crazy. Since I breast fed, I got to hold my babies for hours a day. It was wonderful, but it was enough. I figured out that I accumulated about 2,160 hours (…
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Real Mom of O'Fallon shares money saving tips.
In my last column, I mentioned that one of my resolutions for 2012 is to save money. I’ve received a lot of reader inquiries asking exactly how I plan to do that. It seems that many other O’Fallon moms are hoping to cut back on their expenses and put a little extra money in the bank each month, too. First of all, I want to go on record stating that I am in no way an expert on saving money. My husband would tell you I am an expert on spending money. I am, however, a mom who likes to maximize my resources. Read: get more bang for my buck. The first thing I did was to create a way to track our finances that works for me. My husband had created a spreadsheet years ago that he likes to use, but it didn’t work for me. I need something that …
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Real Mom of O'Fallon talks goals for the New Year.
In just a few days, we will say goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012. For those of you who’ve been reading the “Real Mom of O’Fallon” since it began in January, you know that I like to set goals each year. I really don’t like the term “resolution” because that has such a finite meaning. A goal on the other hand is something that I can constantly be working towards. Before I set my goals for 2012, let’s look back at 2011 and see how I did. My three goals for 2011 were: To ditch the drive-thru and eat better, spend less time on the computer and to get back into scrapbooking. Well, I’m happy to report that I had a 66 percent success rate this year! Not only did I ditch the drive-thru, but I made my family a home-cooked meal at least four …
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Real Mom of O'Fallon shares ways to teach your children to give back this holiday season.
Christmas is coming and coming quick! With less than two weeks until jolly St. Nick arrives bearing gifts galore, it’s time to get busy. Most of us have shopping, wrapping, baking and cleaning on our “to-do” lists. Well, I’m going to suggest that we all add another item to that list: Give back. This time of year makes me realize just how fortunate my family is. We have a house, food on the table and the ability to provide a nice Christmas for our children. I know there are many families struggling this year and I want my children to understand that not every child will have the same kind of Christmas that they will have. I also want my children to understand that Christmas isn’t just about getting presents, but it is also a time to …
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Real Mom of O’Fallon shares her secret to keeping the kids in line while waiting for Christmas
The tree is up, the stockings are hung, twinkle lights adorn the house and Buddy the Elf is hanging from the ceiling fan. Yep, it looks like Christmas at the Feldt house. So, I realize that not every house has an elf hanging from the ceiling fan as a part of their normal holiday décor. But don’t worry, Buddy is perfectly safe (the fan isn’t on) and will be somewhere else in the morning. Where will he be? Well, honestly I don’t know! Buddy the Elf joins our family each year around Thanksgiving. He is one of Santa’s special elves from the North Pole. He is on a special assignment to watch the boys in the Feldt house every day. Buddy remains perfectly still all day long, acting as a silent observer of the normal musings of our daily life…
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Real Mom of O'Fallon shares her love of all things Twilight.
Yep, I am one of those moms. We refer to ourselves as Twilight Moms, Twi-Sista’s and even Twi-Hards. Most of the time, I am a normal mom that focuses most of my time and attention to my husband and children. However, a couple of times a year, I become this wild, crazy, slightly obsessed person. It all started innocently enough. I was looking for a new book to read, and a friend of mine, Kristen, lent me her copy of Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. I was actually pretty against reading it at first, because I knew the book was classified as young adult. Worried it would read like a Sweet Valley High book, Kristen assured me it was above a fifth grade reading level and to just give it a chance. I read the book and it was okay. I wasn’t …
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Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Cardinals World Series win creates life long memories for kids too.
Broadcaster Rick Horton may have said it best; these are the “moments we are going to remember for the rest of our lives.” For the past month, we have watched the St. Louis Cardinals make history. They defied the odds and secured a spot in the post season. First they beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. Then they conquered the Milwaukee Brewers to become the National League Champions. On Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, the unthinkable happened; the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Texas Rangers to become the 2011 World Series Champions! I will always remember the day. I was exhausted from staying up until 1:30 a.m. because game 6 of the series went into extra innings. It was Trunk-or-Treat at my kids’ school, which was going to coincide with…
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Real Mom of O'Fallon shares tips on keeping kids safe on Halloween.
Halloween is an exciting evening in O’Fallon for both children and adults. Our neighborhoods will be filled with children of all ages trick-or-treating. As parents, we need to take a few precautions to keep our children safe as well as help to ensure the safety of others. I’ve put together a list of a few things we can do to make this Halloween safe and fun for everyone. Dress for the Occasion Carve the Perfect Pumpkin Have the Safest Home on the Block, Not the Scariest Pounding the Pavement Lastly, in the event of suspicious or unlawful activity, don’t hesitate to contact the O’Fallon Police Department. With a little bit of planning and common sense, Halloween will be fun and safe for all. Happy Haunting!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Real Mom of O’Fallon makes a call for action for bullying prevention.
Bullying has got to stop. Last week, I learned of an area teen who took his life and it is believed to be a result of bullying. This is not the first time this has happened in our community. Unfortunately, O’Fallon became the focus of a high profile cyber-bullying case when Megan Meier took her life as a result of cyber-bullying. To say this is concerning and has me worried for my own children is an understatement. I don’t just worry about my children being bullied, but I also worry about my children being the bully or partaking in bullying. I know my boys are “good kids," but I’m sure all of the parents who are faced with bullying issues in their home think the same thing. I am not a naive parent who thinks my children can do no wrong…
Monday, September 26, 2011
Real Mom of O’Fallon and her boys review the new area park.
After months of driving by and watching the construction, the new playground at the Dardenne Prairie City Park has opened. My boys have been anxiously but patiently waiting for this new attraction. Mother Nature finally blessed us with some sunshine, so this past Tuesday after school, we headed to the park to test it out. Upon arrival, the first thing my kids did was remark about how tall the slides were. My oldest son said “I bet that slide goes really fast!” Within seconds they were off to find out. According to their squeals of excitement, the slide is indeed “really fast!” The park is divided into two sections, a play area for children ages 2-5 and then an area for the older kids, ages 6 and up. The play area for the 2-5 year…
Heidi L.
12:04 pm on Thursday, January 26, 2012
I love to hold the babies! But mama's deserve something too- a home cooked meal drop off is good- don't bring it and expect to be served and entertained. more ›