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

I’m Publishing an E-Book!

December 19, 2011

Big news, people: I’m in the final stages of publishing my very own e-book. I’m taking a lesson from Oprah’s “Lifeclass” and repackaging my best content over the years into a Brand! New! Shiny! E-book! Clearly, I decided that the holidays weren’t stressful enough, so in addition to starting a new session of my writing […]

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The Gimme’s and the Getitforem’s

December 16, 2011

I realized something yesterday in the middle of the mall: I have a problem. It’s not that my kids have a rabid case of “the gimme’s” and are begging for mass quantities of Christmas presents. Aside from a zoologically ambitious but fairly modest Christmas list, my 5yo has not asked for much. My 2yo would […]

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Not Company Men – Er, Boys

December 14, 2011

The other morning the boys and I shuffled into the still-dark kitchen for breakfast. I began the usual preparations – getting their cereal, pouring their juice, making my coffee. I expected them to begin their usual squabbles over who’s sitting where and who gets which color cup. But they didn’t. Big brother said nicely, “Riley, […]

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4 Movies Rated IL, for In-Law Acceptable

December 12, 2011

It’s hard enough for my husband and I to agree on a movie. Add visiting relatives to the mix, of varying ages and appetites for raunchiness, violence, and profanity, and it’s damn near impossible. I love my in-laws, but they have a very low tolerance for anything risqué. Let’s just say they are not fans […]

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Flashback Friday: A Crafty Christmas

December 9, 2011

My in-laws are visiting this weekend, so I will be busy carting everyone around town for forced family merriment. And probably hosing down the holiday train garden at the mall with Purell before I let my kids near it. Hope you enjoy this post from my archives! A Crafty Christmas It’s been well-documented here that […]

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How to Overcomplicate Your Christmas Cards in 21 Easy Steps

December 7, 2011

1. Forget what an ordeal the whole thing was last year. 2. Get a great photo of the kids, purely by accident. 3. Realize the photo is on your husband’s cell phone, so have him send it to your email, then download it to your computer. 4. Realize the photo is perfect except that one […]

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Santa, Please Bring Me Some Patience

December 5, 2011

Yes, the holiday season is magical. No, there is nothing like the joy and wonder in a child’s eyes as he awakens on Christmas morning to find that Santa has visited. I know it won’t be long before I have to drag my teenagers out of bed at noon on Christmas day and force them […]

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Giddy Me Up, Mama!

December 2, 2011

“Mama, giddy me up!” “What?” I laughed, from my seat in the kitchen. Riley repeated his request: “Giddy me up!” Then he climbed onto my legs for a horsey ride. Ohhh, gotcha. My kids are pretty verbal – some days I might say “mouthy” – so it’s funny to me when they get words and […]

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How Do You Pick Your Battles if Everything’s a Battle?

November 30, 2011

Whenever I hear someone advise parents to pick their battles, I always wonder: what do you do if EVERYTHING is a battle? Like, say, when you’re dealing with 2- and 3-year-olds. Lately I’ve been locked in combat with my younger son over nap time, meal time, TV time, and well, just about every time in […]

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All I Want for Christmas is a Ukulele and a Pet Mouse

November 28, 2011

This is my 5yo son’s Christmas list. He began crafting this document with great care well before Thanksgiving, and has been adding to it regularly. As you may notice, the first few items are in my handwriting — hula hoop, trip to Build-a-Bear workshop, ukulele — an attempt to steer him towards more interactive playthings […]