Help Wanted: Moms not need apply

by Barb

I have been a stay at home mom for 10 years. Since both of my children (ages 7 and 10) are in school full time, I decided I would go back to work and help get my family in a better financial position. I just didn't realize how hard that would be.

Many jobs only pay minimum wage. If I have to pay for child care, that would eat up my entire paycheck. Many jobs want me to work overnights or second shift. My husband already works second shift. We still have two children to raise so that is out of the question.

Teamwork for Moms (and Dads too)

by Ron
They don't call me Mom.

Well, most of them don't.  Maybe there are a few that do, but they have their own blog somewhere.  But they do call me Dad (well, one of them does, anyway) and if that doesn't qualify me to write an article for a blog about Moms, well gosh darn it, I don't know what will.

If you're a Mom, you probably aren't a Dad.  (If that isn't the case for you, you probably have your own blog out there somewhere, too.)  But it's likely that you know a Dad, and maybe even have to deal with having one in your home.  So I thought I might take the time to offer some of my thoughts, from the perspective of actually being a Dad, on how to cope with Dads and make the most of having them around.

Craft Corner: Mod Podge

My love affair with Mod Podge started in high school art class with Mrs. Sonnenberg. This super sticky crafting glue is an essential addition in every crafting arsenal. Mod Podge is a glue that does everything and my favorite choice for finishing projects.

Why use a specialty glue?

Homemade Play-Doh Recipes

by Bethy

Sure, you can buy Play-Doh, in the familiar little yellow plastic jar. Or, if you and the kids are bored, you can make, and color your own Play-dough in various ways. And, if you like, following the edible recipes, you could even EAT it.

Contests, Giveaways, Sweepstakes & Free Samples

by Melanie
Entering contests and giveaways is so easy with a good auto-fill program and some good pages bookmarked; so, even the busiest parents can get in on these giveaways. I don't enter everyday, even though many online giveaways allow you to do just that. I use Google Chrome as my internet browser, which has a great auto-fill program built in. All I have to do is fill out my information once and click on the entry form, the browser does the rest.

Giveaways, Sweepstakes and Free Samples - allyou.com - this link takes you to the web site for one of the coolest magazines that I have seen. all*you's tag line is enjoy life for less. This is what they do. The magazine has great recipes & coupons, coupons, coupons! every month. The web site has monthly sweepstakes, more coupons, other ways to save, contest links, and (my favorite) the daily free sample! Yep, everyday they post a free sample giveaway. We do get free samples from our favorite brands (& new favorites) all the time in our mailbox. Its like my birthday whenever I see a little box mixed with our bills. Plus, the smaller sized sample products are super cute & travel sized. I got a tiny box of tissues from Kleenex (sent by my SO) a few months ago & I think that it was one of the cutest things that I have ever seen (as tissue boxes go, at least).

Kitchen Tip: Brown Sugar

by Melanie
I love brown sugar! I've started using it in more & more of my cooking & baking. But, yesterday while making my all too awesome meatloaf glaze, I found that my open bag of dark sugary goodness is hard & completely unusable.

Brown sugar gets its brown color from adding molasses to white sugar; it comes in light & dark versions depending on how much molasses is added. It is very yummy & appears in a lot of recipes, but can be really tough to keep light & fluffy.

Celiac Disease Questions And Answers

by Bethy
As part of my duties here at "They Call Me Mom", my mission, if I chose to accept it, was to address Celiac Disease. 


I was diagnosed in late '09. My first Thanksgiving with Celiac, I literally subsisted on mashed potatoes and butter, and coffee, while everyone else had the gravy, the great biscuits and crescents Grandma made. It's been a really long road, already. But, it's also been a huge blessing. Here goes:


What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac is a disease of the digestive system. Basically, when a celiac eats anything with gluten, the body treats it as a virus. It is an auto immune disorder. The "villi", little hairs on the intestines, are flattened. Numerous symptoms can develop, from flu symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, to headaches, crankiness, lack of concentration, irritability, and more. It is an equal opportunity offender on the body. 


Many celiacs find that they have been accused of "faking", have been misdiagnosed with illnesses like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and go through tests upon tests before being correctly diagnosed. I was lucky... my malabsortion, dark circles under my eyes, and extreme vomitting gave me away. Starting on a gluten-free diet (which I have to remain on the rest of my life) and with an endoscopy, I was found, not to have an allergy to milk, or to be "Just delicate" but to be having issues with foods I was given to make me healthy - like rye and whole wheat!