Author: Julie Meyers Pron

We all go through tough times. Times when we give of ourselves so much that it hurts. Times that we give of ourselves and don’t even realize how much we’ve forgotten ourselves in the process. Times that we need hugs. Times that we need love and support from other moms. And, so often, we don’t know where to turn. For times like those, I’ve asked bloggers to share words of encouragement in hopes that these words will stick with us now and will guide us later. Encouragement for moms on parenting … do not ever let someone make you feel…

With so many well-known museums to visit in Philadelphia, it’s easy to skip over some of our tiny gems. But if you’re spending the day in the Old City/Society Hill area (which is known for not only Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Constitution Center, and so many homes of historically-relevant Americans, but also top-notch dining), then be sure to stop by Fireman’s Hall Museum. Housed in a restored firehouse, this small museum holds firetrucks that date back centuries, allowing visitors to get up close to the detail. The goal of the museum is to preserve the history of fire fighting…

April sure did sneak upon us! Here it is, the long-awaited meal plan for the month of April–keeping your family healthy and happy and helping to make your life well-planned and, therefore, easier! Use the plan below, shuffling as necessary to make them work best for your family’s busy spring schedule. You’ll find a mix of grilling dinners, make-ahead dinners, and dinners using fresh items. The April Meal Plan will be reposted each Monday through the month. Want to know more about meal planning? Read my basic tips for meal planning post. And to get meal plans in your email inbox,…

As I worked to match bloggers with a Splash Creative Media campaign recently, I found myself rolling my eyes with frustration at some blogs I found that were unattractive, not user friendly, or provided poor navigation, all the while having excellent content. Rather than venting to my husband, who absolutely couldn’t care less, I began making a list. Then I chatted it up with a few successful bloggers and marketers and asked them to participate and add to the list. What followed was an excellent list of suggestions for bloggers who want to be read, enjoyed, considered professional, and work with marketers.…

In parenting, sometimes nothing is as scary as reality. We wish we could keep our children’s lives full of rainbows, unicorns, and fancy trucks that fly. But we can’t. Because at some point, our children are going to learn about the reality of life, loss, and scary things that are out of our control. First and foremost, make sure your child knows she is safe If nothing else, it’s your responsibility as a parent to keep your child safe. And the first way to do that is to tell them they’re safe. Offering hugs and security is your job. So…

I didn’t start learning the concept of pi until about seventh grade. Sure, we learned about circles and the basics of diameter, radius, and circumference. But the concept of pi is one that’s usually much more complex and held off in teaching until later. Oh, but there are such fun ways to teach pi to youngsters, and, as tomorrow is International Pi Day (aka 3.14 aka 3/14 aka March 14, get it?), why not jump in and teach pi? Of course, there’s no fun in pi without some pie, right? So, before we get started, you’ll need a pie. Now,…

Bloggers, parents, friends… we’re all involved in social media. Whether we’re on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or just sending an email, every time we type and hit “post” or “send,” it’s inscribed in the waves of the Internet. As we all know, there have been several instances of “private” things on Facebook not staying private lately. There have been Facebook private messages showing up on Facebook walls. There have been concerns (not proven) of private group comments showing up in feeds (note, Melanie is updating the linked post today). Several times, in other groups, people have copied and pasted conversations onto their blogs…

Way back 7 years ago, I was “that” mom. I didn’t mean to be. (Okay, maybe I did.) I had time. I had lots of time. I had the time that every night after the huz and I finished our tacos or fajitas or baked chicken, I cleaned, and he entertained Big. And then I had more time. So with this amazing “more time,” I pureed baby foods. Sure, it took a few minutes, but what else would I do with my time? Afterall, the laundry was folded, the toilets were cleaned, the kid was entertained and bathed, so I might as…

**This review of Les Miserables contains spoilers** I’ve seen Les Mis in the theater at least 4 times. I know the music. I know the characters. And I always thought that I knew the story. But over the past few weeks, as I’ve been listening to the Broadway production while I work, I realized that I didn’t actually know the story. Not really. When you see a Broadway show like Les Miserables, you see the set, you see the dancing, you hear and live the music, and you see the show. But following the story… it’s hard to follow a story when…

My first experience with the Consumer Electronics Show wasn’t as overwhelming as I was sure it would be. I suppose I put myself through so much stress prepping and was so taken in by all of the hundreds of press releases, announcements, and appointment requests that came to me the month before the event that I couldn’t quite settle myself. In fact, when I arrived in Las Vegas last week, I felt so sick I considered checking in to my room and spending the day sleeping. Had the room been ready at 11:30 that morning, I probably would have. Instead,…