Life as a mom, especially an urban mom, = RUSH?! Having a three year old and a 9 month old I feel as though my life is now on fast forward. My heart beats so quickly, I am on a constant adrenaline rush! I rush at home, at work, and when I'm driving. I rush through my workouts, the grocery store, and every other errand that is part of my everyday life. I wake up and RUSH to get ready. I hit snooze twice because my three year old woke up twice, crying for no reason whatsoever and my... More »

Five weeks of vacation with my husband Raoul, three boys; 9 year old Liam, almost 8 year old Ethan and 3.5 year old Gavin, as well as my in-laws in Cape Town South Africa was bitter sweet. We were on the go every day and by the end I was tired and the boys didn’t want to go back to school, Raoul joked that he has earned a year of no driving since he did all of the driving on the “wrong side of the road” while we were away. I loved learning more about my husband’s heritage and appreciate... More »

South Africa is an anomaly to me; it is a very arid country, yet the plants are lush which makes the scenery breathtaking. It is January while we are there, summer in Cape Town, and the average temperature hovers around thirty degrees Celsius.  We planned to go to Aquila Safari, climb Table Mountain, see the penguins at Boulders beach, visit Robben Island and the Castle of Good Hope and walk in Cango caves. Our first week was relaxing: going to the beach and a little shopping. We had fish and chips (mostly snook or hake) a lot that week, and... More »

Part 1 March 2006 my husband comes home from work and tells me we are going on vacation… to South Africa!... (with his parents!?!) After the shock wears off I freak: how can we afford it on his income? He assures me we can afford it; he just played every wedding he could get his hands on. And the boys are going to miss a month of school! Flash forward… October, November, and DecemberMe pessimistic; thinking about living with his parents for a month, a 24 hour travel day with three boys, and a country that is a totally different... More »