Here are some quick and delicious but affordable meals:

1. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili Mac - https://kristineskitchenblog.com/slow-cooker-vegetarian-chili-mac/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
2. Crockpot Mexican Casserole - https://www.wellplated.com/crock-pot-mexican-casserole/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

We do a lot of recipes with beans since they are cheap but packed with protein.
A few other easy ones below:

1. Black Bean & Rice Bowls – Top with avocado, salsa, and cheese for a Tex-Mex flair.
2. Fried Rice – Use leftover rice, eggs, and frozen veggies for a quick stir-fry.
3. Baked Potato Bar – Top baked potatoes with cheese, beans, sour cream, and veggies.
4. Homemade Pizza – Use store-bought dough or tortillas with tomato sauce and cheese.
5. Breakfast for Dinner – Pancakes, eggs, and bacon make for an easy, affordable meal.

Hope that helps!

@Mommy-long-legs forgot to add, I think we paid around $25/hour but this was years ago so prices may have gone up!

http://www.lovemedoula.com - Katie Vinopal is wonderful! She knew what needed to be done without having to be told! Great with babies and easy to have in our house.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring:

1. Training and Experience: Where were you trained, and how many families or newborns have you supported?
2. Certifications: Are you certified in infant CPR?
3. What is your approach to newborn care and sleep training?
4. Duties: What specific tasks do you handle during your shift?
5. AvailabilityReliability: What is your availability, and do you have other clients during my requested dates?
   I would also make sure you communicate upfront exactly what you want and promote open communication.
6. Discuss your expectations, preferred routines, and any specific concerns upfront.
7. Establish Boundaries: Define the scope of duties, such as whether light household tasks related to the baby are expected.

Hope that helps, and good luck!!!

I hear you—you're showing up despite exhaustion, and that’s not nothing. His comment might feel surprising, but it could be an opportunity to talk about what he really means. Does he want more frequency, enthusiasm, or connection?

At the same time, your feelings matter too. If sex feels like another item on the to-do list, it might be time to explore ways to make it more enjoyable for you, not just something you do for him. Maybe that means:

1. Talking about what you actually enjoy and making sure your needs are met.
2. Creating space for connection outside of sex (more small moments of touch, compliments, laughter, etc.).
3. Making sure you're not running on empty—because exhaustion is a major mood killer.

Hi! I am in the same boat as you and unfortunately after seeing so many friends with breast plant illness, I want to avoid implants at all costs. That being said, I have had a good amount of friends who have gotten a lift, and they take fat from somewhere else on the body if you don't have enough skin.

I would get a couple different consultations with a couple drs, here are a few I have been recommended and looking into:

1. Dr. Burns in Dallas - specializes in fat transfers
2. Follow @drbednarmd on instagram! Not sure if you’re willing to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, but he posts awesome fat transfer breast augmentations for reference!

Lastly, theres a dr in Austin that people fly in from all over the world for explant surgery - Dr. Robert Whitfield. I would probably start with a consultation with him as he prob has a recommendation of best process and practice, based on he specializes in explants and removing breast plant illness.

Here are some our family loves:
Shell Toss – Draw circles in the sand (or dig shallow holes) and try to toss shells or small rocks into them.
Beach Ball Keep-Up – Work together to keep a beach ball in the air as long as possible using hands, heads, or feet.
Sand Drawing Contest – Use sticks or hands to draw big pictures in the sand, then vote on favorites.
Buried Treasure Hunt – Hide a shell or small object in the sand and have others dig to find it.
Bury a Friend – Safely bury someone up to their waist (or just their legs) and decorate them with sand designs.
Sand Sprint Races – Mark a start and finish line in the sand and race! Running on sand adds an extra challenge.
Sand Tic-Tac-Toe – Draw a big tic-tac-toe board in the sand and use shells or rocks as markers.
Beach Bowling – Use water bottles as pins and a beach ball to roll for a strike.

Burnout is real, and it makes even the smallest tasks feel overwhelming. You’re not alone in this, and it’s okay to feel like you need a reset.

Since taking a full break from life isn’t an option, maybe start small:

1. What can you let go of, even temporarily? Can you delegate something at work or home, or loosen up on a few things that don’t have to be perfect?
2. Can you build in tiny moments of breathing room? Turning your phone off or on DO NOT DISTURB for an hour or every night for a set amount of time. EXERCISE, or even just a walk or saying no to one extra thing can help.
3. If you are a working mom, can you outsource something? What is the task that is taking so much brain power but you avoid (laundry, meal prep etc.). Whatever that is maybe its time to outsource it.

If you're traveling on Friday, Palmetto’s in Slidell is a great spot for Cajun food. It’s right on the bayou, just five minutes off the highway, and could be a fun lunch stop for the kids. They can sit on the patio deck, watch the water, and maybe even spot an alligator. Palmetto’s is only open for lunch Friday through Sunday.

Another option is stopping at one of the waterfront restaurants or the lakefront park in Mandeville.

The INFINITY Science Center is just across the Mississippi River has a Saturn V rocket outside. While there wouldn’t be time for a full tour, it’s at the same exit as the Mississippi welcome center—it would be a fun site to get out and see!

@bluedolphin we have been through SO many!!! By far my favorite is Barb. Here is her website: https://www.barbmcounseling.com/

A plus is that she is also a sex therapist...which we can all agree we probably ALL need!!

You typically have to get the compound if you are not obese or pre-diabetic. A couple of my friends get it through Lavender Sky (a popular and legit provider, not covered by insurance).

We are currently planning a ski trip, and there are a variety of places where kids ski free depending on age, I've listed the ones I've found below:

1. Crested Butte (kids ski free under 4)
2. Big Sky (kids ski free under 6)
3. Steamboat (Kids 12 years old and younger can ski for free the same number of days as an accompanying adult who purchases a lift ticket for five or more days).
4. Park City (Kids in kindergarten through fifth grade are eligible for five free days of skiing)
5. Brighton, Snowbasin and Snowbird (UTAH) - all VERY affordable, kids ski free and a GREAT starter mountain if you have first timers. Half day private lesson is $425 in Brighton, which shockingly is cheaper than most.

I've worked with a holistic pediatrician who recommended we pass on the tamiflu. That being said, whatever helps give you less anxiety is the right choice for your family!

@whodatbritt thought of another one...champions gymnastics is the easiest birthday party ever!! The young girls run the party, play with the kids, and even wheel your presents out on a cart and load them in your car - HIGHLY recommend!!

It is definitely a transition... some people will tell you weeks, I think ours was 6 months!!! I made a point to have special time with my first born even if it was 10 minutes with zero interruptions from the baby or anyone else. We called it "mommy special time". Some days it would be 30, but most it was realistically 10-15. I also made a point for my husband to help with the baby A LOT. I made sure to continue to bring first born to activies, and we switched off every other night who put first born to bed. It's def a transition, but its a phase that too will pass!! good luck mama!!

I am struggling with the SAME battle over here. I just posted about it as well. I go back and forth about wanting another and I feel like I am older now so much harder to have another. The mourning is real!! Especially if you have all the same gender!!

3 years old HAS to be the worst age ever. I swear our daughter cried for a straight year... we actually hired a parenting coach due to 3 years old and sleeping was a BIG issue. Honestly, we got desperate and here is what we did:

1. Hatch light -- didn't really work to keep her in the room, but she knew that the goal was to stay until the light was green, it's red when its sleep time.
2. Our parenting coach recommended "check ins". So we outlined a picture that visually displayed the rules. You get 4 check ins total, and we WILL be back no matter what for your check ins. When you stay in your bed you get all 4 check ins, if you scream and come out you lose a check in. If you can't control your body and are just screaming, we used a monkey lock (GREATEST thing ever) and let her know we will monkey lock you until you can calm your body. Took A LOT of rough nights and practice and LOTS of praise on when she did good on the check ins.

We also had her pick out whatever stuffy she wanted that she felt like would protect her, AND we bought a dream catcher and explained how it catches all the bad dreams. I DEF lost my mind A LOT -- good luck!!!!

@whodatbritt Chuckee Cheese is actually surprisingly really great for a birthday if you need inside. Its super clean, and really easy!! Kids have a BLAST and its much cheaper for unlimited games than "high five" and others.

The zoo has a pretty good birthday party theme and easy if your kid loves animals too!!

Hi Mamas!!

I have 2 little ones, and we have been trying for our 3rd for over 2 years now! I didn't have trouble getting pregnant with our first two, but having trouble this time. I am also 37 years old!

Rather than go down the IVF route, I was wondering if anyone has experience with natural ways of helping. Open to supplements, herbs etc.