Abby Off the Record — The scoop on life, writing & raising kids

Flashback Monday: All Kinds of Time

February 4, 2013

No one’s reading non-sports-related blogs today, right? Everyone who cares about football is hungover this morning, right? Well, as you can tell by the jersey on the kid below, no one in our house was especially vested in the Super Bowl this year. I’m just glad we made it through without our tires getting slashed. […]

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Strong Like Butterfly: Essay Anthology and Giveaway!

February 1, 2013

I can’t remember exactly how or when I first connected with writer Pauline Campos, but it may have been when she praised the writing on my blog. I have Google Alerts to track that sort of thing. What? Everyone knows writers are self-absorbed slaves to praise! Then I began reading her blog, Aspiring Mama, and […]

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Why Moms Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

January 30, 2013

Like a lot of moms I know, I have a hard time asking for help. Sometimes even admitting I need help. “No thanks, I got it!” I might say, while carrying a child, a purse, and five bags of groceries, one in my teeth. I don’t want to inconvenience anyone. People are busy. They have […]

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Bubble Magic

January 28, 2013

Ah, bath night. What should be a fun and relaxing moment at the end of a busy day, but which so often devolves into squealing, splashing, tears, and yelling. If you can’t relate, you’ve probably never tried to bathe two small boys who are busy playing “waterslide.” This involves slipping down the back of the […]

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3 Ways Kids Drive You Mad and What You Can Learn From Them

January 25, 2013

No question, kids can and do drive their parents batty. It’s because they’re wily and unpredictable, and have no regard for rules or basic human decency. Also, they have those big puppy-dog eyes and they know how to use them. They may work your last nerve, but they can also teach you something if you […]

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What My Crazy Cravings Did to My Kids

January 23, 2013

I knew it! I have long suspected that I am partly to blame for my kids’ strange food preferences, like black olives, mustard, and lemons. (Lemonade, yes, but they will also suck on plain old lemons. Weird!) But I couldn’t prove anything until I read an article about scientific studies showing the link between what […]

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Flashback Monday: Oh, Yeah, I Forgot. I’m a Grownup.

January 21, 2013

It’s MLK day here, meaning the kiddos are off school and I am on duty. I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to NOT be on constant kid duty. Please enjoy this post from my archives, where I got a rare glimpse of my former adult life. Oh, Yeah, I Forgot. I’m a Grownup. Something weird […]

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Low Dog on the Totem Pole

January 18, 2013

Frequently when we’re talking about our family, I will refer to the 4 of us, only to be quickly corrected by my 6yo: “No, Mom, there are FIVE of us in our family. You, me, Daddy, Riley, and Gracie.” Gracie is a scruffy-looking mutt with a sweet disposition that we’ve had since before kids. You […]

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(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: The Cure for Cabin Fever

January 16, 2013

When the stomach flu and rainy weather force you to stay inside for days on end, why not have an indoor camp-out? The bear’s roasting a cotton ball, BTW. LINK O’ THE DAY: You know when you buy your kid’s favorite food in bulk at Costco and that same day he decides he hates […]

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Gratitude Through Gritted Teeth

January 14, 2013

Saturday, 6:05am: “I throwed up, Mommy!” Not how I envisioned my weekend starting. On the bright side, at least he’d made it past the rug to the hardwood floor. Also? Daddy was home for backup. Things could always be worse. Plans for our trip to the zoo were scrapped. Old towels and bowls to puke […]