Mommy Musings - Food, Friendship And Just Good Stuff

I have always believed that the best test of friendship, is to see who is surrounding you during the worst of times.

Mommy Musings - Luck and Motherhood

It seems only fitting that a 'mommy' would be so overtaxed that she would need to wait until after Mother's Day to actually produce a column about said event.

Mommy Musings - Cowgirls And Finish Lines

After a few months of hibernation and quality family time, along comes April. This April in particular, I could not help but wonder what life might be like in another zip code. April in Oakdale is - simply put - jam packed. We start the month with Little League Opening Day and conclude it with a good old fashioned Easter Egg Hunt. My favorite April events however, have held steady for the better part of ...

Mommy Musings - Stars In The Trenches

Life is full of metaphors, or at least mine is.

Mommy Musings - What To Write … What To Write?

Unlike the rest of my colleagues, I have the task of writing a column twice a month. It was my idea, so I guess I really shouldn't complain - but at times it's tough.

Mommy Musings - A Smile And A Chuckle

There is a certain sense of vacancy, which seems to slowly have begun for our quiet little town.

Mommy Musings – Promise Vs. Resolution

We are officially one month in to the 2011 New Year. As a person who does not make resolutions each January 1, I cannot help but wonder how everyone is doing with their new promises to themselves.

Mommy Musings – More Than The Food

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I love Thanksgiving.

Mommy Musings – Celebration And Ceremony

The San Francisco Giants have won the World Series.

Mommy Musings - Evolution Of Language

The topic of this week's column is one that has been weighing on my mind for quite some time. Intellectually speaking, I've pondered how to make a point without offending any one particular reader group. Recently as I struggled with the topic I realized, as a newspaper there is no way possible to make everyone happy all the time. So … with that said … here goes nothing.

Mommy Musings - Wisdom And Age

As an only child, I spent a lot of my childhood surrounded by adults.

Mommy Musings - The “I Do’s” And “I Don’ts”

Planning a wedding is not for the faint at heart. It has been 20 years since I stood at the front of a church and pledged my commitment to my husband. Since then, little has changed when it comes to getting married. Sure, dresses have fewer crystals and are sleeker, elegance has been redefined. Regardless of the decade or the trend, a bride is still a bride. As I've gotten older, I've come to realize ...

Mommy Musings – Love

I love my life.

Mommy Musings - Time To Adjust

Last week our oldest child started Kindergarten.

Mommy Musings - Bloom In The Gloom

We're still in a recession. This simple sentence is far from breaking news, even for a small weekly such as ours. Legal Notices continue to occupy a minimum of three complete pages in our paper each week and property rental ads continue to come and go quickly in our classified section.

Mommy Musings-Ponies, Playthings And Grad Caps

Graduation season is once again here.

Mommy Musings - A Relayer’s Return And Hope

My column is a week late.

Mommy Musings - Explaining The Unexplainable

I'm still recovering from Boston.

Mommy Musings - Horse Trailers And High Heels

And so it goes … another Rodeo Week has been put to rest in the Chapter Book which encompasses my Oakdale life.

Mommy Musings – Empowering Adjectives

Transitioning from my Reporter role at the Oakdale Leader was necessary in my life for a number of reasons. The one most at the core were my children. I knew I needed to work full-time. I knew I needed to stay local, but I desperately needed flexibility.

Mommy Musings - Pint Size Therapy

There are some days I think I'm wiser than others, when it comes to parenting.

Mommy Musings – A Moment Captured

Mommy Musings – So They Grow

They're growing up.

Mommy Musings – Guilt Free Mommy

There are a number of things I thoroughly enjoy about being a parent. Many of them I have the pleasure of being able to share here, with our readers. Among my 'favorite' things in the way of living with children, would be their innate ability to point things out which adults may give little thought to. I am of the belief that children not only pay attention, but understand ...

Mommy Musings – Proper Usage of Tools

Generally speaking, I'm an analytical type. More simply put, I think too much. Personally, I think it's inherent with becoming a mommy; however I have many male friends who struggle with the same topic. It's a two part problem for me, as I wake at 3 a.m. to recount what day it is and what I need to remember to stuff in my children's backpacks to which activity or ...

Mommy Musings – No ‘ing’ In Sportsmanship

It's barely February and yet here I find myself, penning yet another 'sports related' column. Truth be told there was a time when new sports reporters passed through our office on a routine basis. During that period I thought it might be fun to maybe 'switch it up' and actually approached Editor Marg Jackson with a proposal of possibly getting my feet wet in the Sports section. Much to ...

Mommy Musings - Holidays At The DMV

My month of December was not dissimilar from most of our readers. It was packed full of parties, shopping, holiday tradition and even a little quality family time.

Mommy Musings – What Awaits You

It's been a few weeks since I've forced my mind to share some thoughts. Truthfully we all need a reprieve on occasion and as the only staffer who does this weekly, there does come a point where I too must take a break.

Mommy Musings - We Made It

We survived. If you're reading this, then the world indeed did not end. Or perhaps it did and now you and I are left with the cockroaches to figure out what's next. Chances are, however, both are highly unlikely, not to mention improbable. I am no scientist, but after living through the let down of the Y2K hype I consider myself 'experienced' in such silliness. Of ...

Mommy Musings - More Than A Small ‘Cow’ Town

Another season has been wrapped up. This year marks one that dreams are made of, for many of this town's young men and their families. The 2012 Oakdale Mustang football season will now live on in the history books as well as the memories of all who will say 'I remember when.'