Overtired Mama's Travel Tips and Tricks

Ok, not exactly the confession of the century, but, I've been reading a number of posts lately that are very critical of sharing stories about fairy-tale princesses with their daughters.  Why?  Because many of these stories feature princesses that are rescued by a prince.  And many argue that this sends a message to young girls that they need a man to get through life.

I consider myself a strong an independent woman.  Yes, I am married, but not because I didn't think I could survive without a husband.  I love my husband, and we each bring our own strengths to our marriage.

I too was told fairy-tales as a child as well.  I loved hearing these classic stories.  I loved imagining their beautiful dresses, and I even liked the part where the Prince would come to save the Princess.  In my opinion, these are stories, not reality, and the important thing is that we encourage self-confidence and independence in our children.  If they choose to have a partner in life, great, but it'…

I've had Disney on the brain lately.... Actually, I always have Disney on the brain, but, these dreams of Disney that I've been having have inspired me to share a few of my own tips for an amazing Disney vacation.
Sometimes I laugh when I read titles like the one I just used for this blog post... how can a Disney vacation NOT be unforgettable, right?  Well, I do think that with any vacation, there is a chance that you can be too tired, too overwhelmed, or trying to do too much, and that can make your vacation unforgettable in a not so enjoyable way.  Here are a few things I recommend to make your vacation more enjoyable:
1 - Get a stroller - Ok, maybe not if you're travelling with teenagers - although they might not be opposed to being pushed around in one after a long day of walking - but if you have young children, or school aged, strollers can be a life saver.  When my daughter was 2, she stopped being interested in riding in a stroller, however, when we made our first…

I know, I've written about this topic a few times before, but I also know that the more I share my story, the more I help spread awareness.
I am a HELLP syndrome survivor.  HELLP syndrome is a severe form of preeclampsia that can be potentially fatal for mom and baby.  I am happy to say that my daughter was born healthy, and I, after treatment, also ended up OK. 
The signs and symptoms of HELLP syndrome are sometimes ignored or not recognized - in my own case, I chalked them up to "typical pregnancy symptoms".
Some of the symptoms include:
- Headache - Nausea/vomiting - Swelling - Discomfort in abdominal or chest - upper right side. - Pain in the shoulder and/or when breathing deeply - Change in vision - Bleeding - High protein in urine - High blood pressure
I did not experience all of these symptoms, but I had some.  Unfortunately I ignored them as I thought they were typically pregnancy pains and discomforts and my doctor did not seem concerned.
Read more about my own…