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

Annoying Things About the Holidays: School Edition

December 14, 2012

Warning: It’s no secret that the holidays can make some people a little cranky-pants, what with all the obligations and preparations and forced celebrations. These people may cope with the stress by writing slightly whiny, rant-y posts on their blogs. We should humor them. Meaning the first person to comment about “the true meaning of […]

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Visiting Santa: Yay or Nay?

December 12, 2012

I did not grow up going to the mall to visit Santa. Truth be told, I find the concept a little creepy. A stranger… a fake beard… my kids sitting on his lap… HOW is this a good idea?! But I can’t deny that photos of kids with Santa are adorable, or at least hilarious. […]

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Christmas Memories and Trashcan Fires

December 10, 2012

This is what I remember from Christmases as a child: the cookies, the carols, the stockings my mom sewed for my brother and me, an angel candleholder that spun around and chimed, the tree with real candles on it when we lived in Germany, the Play-Doh Fuzzy Pumper Barber Shop, Superwoman Underoos, the cardboard Mr. […]

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Flashback Friday: Santa, Please Bring Me Some Patience

December 7, 2012

It’s that time of year again. When you go overboard looking at gorgeous Christmas decorations on Pinterest and spontaneously decide to give your fireplace a makeover, which requires 2 trips to Home Depot for spray paint and results in glue, soot and pine needles everywhere. What, just me? Sigh. Please enjoy this post from my […]

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Is There Such a Thing as a Perfect Mom?

December 5, 2012

We all know moms who seem to have it all figured out. They always look good, they never get rattled, their kids and homes are usually clean and calm. It can be tempting to write these women off as freaks of nature and disparage them behind their backs, especially if they’re the sanctimonious sort. But […]

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Life Lessons From a 6-Year-Old

December 3, 2012

He leans against a tree, clutching his binder full of Pokemon cards. He’s waiting for his friend to come home from school. He casts a long shadow in the fading light. Tall for his age at 6 ½, he’s grown an inch in 3 months, with the pencil marks on the doorframe to prove it. […]

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Friday Follow-Up: Family Cars, Phone Interviews, and Holiday Crafts

November 30, 2012

You all know how I hate loose ends, right? So today I’m tying up a few. Lucky you! Finding a family truckster. So remember how we were shopping for a car with third-row seating? Well, we ended up getting a great deal on a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder. I showed up at the dealership with 2 […]

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Yay for Other People’s Babies!

November 28, 2012

A childhood friend of mine just had her third baby. Third!! And she’s an only child! You might think that after you and almost everyone you know has a kid or 3, it gets kind of old. The miracle of life, ho hum. Not so! I was glued to Facebook waiting for her updates. But […]

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Not-So-Great Expectations

November 26, 2012

On a rare date night over the holiday weekend, my husband and I went out to a movie. As has happened several times before, we cut it too close trying to get the kids fed and ourselves out the door, and the movie we had planned to see was sold out. After a moment of […]

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Giving Thanks for the Little Things

November 21, 2012

On Thanksgiving, it’s great to be thankful for the big things: health, family, a job. But sometimes the little things are just as important. Read what 4 things this mom is thankful for at TheBump.com. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Enjoy that Tofurky! Or dead bird, if that’s what you’re into. 😉