Hello to our wonderful Musing Mommies listeners! If you are expecting a baby or are thinking of getting pregnant, or if you have ever had a baby, this show is for you! This week the Musing Mommies Kim and Dawn interview Dr. T, obstetrician and co-author of [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 65 Monday June 28th 2010

Hello to our wonderful Musing Mommies listeners! If you are expecting a baby or are thinking of getting pregnant, or if you have ever had a baby, this show is for you! This week the Musing Mommies Kim and Dawn interview Dr. T, obstetrician and co-author of Hands Off My Belly, The Pregnant Woman’s Survival Guide to Myths, Mothers and Moods.

Listen in as Dr. T shares funny stories and all the interesting details around writing this clever and informative book. We guarantee he will keep you in stitches! (no pun intended! )

Until next time,
~Kim and Dawn

LINKS|Hands off my Belly|La Dea|

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Musing Mommies, if you are anything like MuMos Kim and Dawn, you love hosting parties.  You love the planning and the organization and the cooking.  You love putting it all together and ensuring everyone has a great time, you love seeing everyone eat your creations and make [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 56 Monday April 19th, 2010

Musing Mommies, if you are anything like MuMos Kim and Dawn, you love hosting parties.  You love the planning and the organization and the cooking.  You love putting it all together and ensuring everyone has a great time, you love seeing everyone eat your creations and make huge messes.  You love not having time to get dressed yourself and not really participating in the party because you have too much to keep up with.  You love never showing up in the pictures because you are that strange blur in the back ground, and most of all, you love all the mess that you have to clean up afterwards.

Wait – you don’t?

Yeah we don’t either. But we do love parties! And this week the Musing Mommies podcast has an interview that you will love! This week we are speaking with Rebecca from The Clubhouse Scene.  Rebecca owns and runs an amazing company that puts the PARTY back in kid’s birthday parties!  Her service comes to you on the big day with all the goods (and we mean everything from tables and chairs and paper products, to decorations, crafts and even the FOOD!) and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the fun!  Just think, you get to TALK to your guests, you get to SEE all the fun things that happen and you get to EAT!!! WOW!

Listen in as Rebecca tells us more about her fabulous Austin based business and how you can easily be on your way to your first stress free kid’s party.(and check out this link to the review of The Clubhouse Scene on Little Austinite)

Until next time,
Kim and DawnTo see more pictures, click on the boxes below, or check out the fabulous Jen Barnes Photo review:

LINKS|Clubhouse Scene|AT Tips|Night Light Stories | Little Austinite Review for CHS

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We’ve all been there; trying to feed the baby and the phone rings or the dog knocks over a potted plant, another child needs some help with something or you are desperately trying to multitask while the baby is safely strapped in the high chair.  Wouldn’t it [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 53 Monday March 29th, 2010

We’ve all been there; trying to feed the baby and the phone rings or the dog knocks over a potted plant, another child needs some help with something or you are desperately trying to multitask while the baby is safely strapped in the high chair.  Wouldn’t it be nice if you at least had one hand free for those other important tasks?

Well the Musing Mommies have found a solution for you! Tonight we would like to introduce you to Barbara, mom to 2, yes 2 sets of twins and the inventor of the Baby Dipper! If anybody needs a free hand, it’s the mom of twins! The Baby Dipper is a revolutionary bowl that works with you and allows you to feed your baby one handed.  Listen in as we discuss Barbara’s amazing idea, and how this busy mom turned her vision into reality.

Pull out the credit card ladies, we have the product for you!

Until next time,
Kim and Dawn

LINKS|Baby Dipper|
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We’ve all had the dream (or a version thereof).  We get married, we have kids and in our minds there is this perfect picture of motherhood.  In our vision, on the mantle rests your family photo of everyone in matching sweaters and perfectly pressed clothing, coiffed hairdos, [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 51 Monday March 15th, 2010

We’ve all had the dream (or a version thereof).  We get married, we have kids and in our minds there is this perfect picture of motherhood.  In our vision, on the mantle rests your family photo of everyone in matching sweaters and perfectly pressed clothing, coiffed hairdos, perfect smiles and even the dog is smiling – yes, this, this is what we all have, right?

Right?!?

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Musing Mommies Kim and Dawn are no fools when it comes to motherhood – we know how hard it can be and how incredibly unprepared we all are for the reality of it all.  And while each week the Musing Mommies Podcast is here to help us all better navigate the rough waters of motherhood, this week Kim and Dawn are bringing you an interview with an expert that can help us set sail on calmer seas.  Meet Kristin Maschka, author of This is Not How I Thought It Would Be: Remodeling Motherhood to Get the Lives We Want Today.

Listen in as Kristin shares her story, as well as exciting tips and tools you can use, right now, to start making motherhood the way you want it to be.  This is an exciting interview you can’t afford to miss!

Until next time,
Kim and Dawn

LINKS|Kim’s Blog|Dawn’s Blog|Remodeling Motherhood|Ustream|

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Life Coach Susan Liddy, MA, PCC, CPCC

I’ve always said that moms have the toughest job on the planet. Not only do they care for their own children, but they often willingly take on responsibility for their children’s friends, their relatives’ children, and any other child who comes along [...]]]> {Guest Blogger}

Life Coach Susan Liddy, MA, PCC, CPCC

I’ve always said that moms have the toughest job on the planet. Not only do they care for their own children, but they often willingly take on responsibility for their children’s friends, their relatives’ children, and any other child who comes along needing mothering! In Mom’s heart, there is room for everyone and plenty of nurturing to go around… also for a husband or boyfriend, and one day maybe even her own parents.

It’s easy to see how a Mom could put herself last on the priority list… or worse… forget about herself entirely while she looks after everyone else.

Do you remember how you took care of yourself before you had children? What were your dreams? Ambitions? What was your daily routine like? Chances are, you made your needs important… and you allowed yourself free time just for you.

Of course, once you’re a mom, it’s no longer easy to fit in that workout, let alone make time for daydreams and other simple pleasures that you once took for granted. These days, you’re busy planning your day carefully, trying to fit it all in before time runs out.  A busy mom quickly learns to go with the flow in her tumultuous life. School meetings and appointments are often rescheduled; kids fall sick unexpectedly; soccer games get rained out and friends break plans. Not to mention, the unexpected surprise of a forgotten overdue bill that needs attention, a car breakdown, or any number of inconveniences that can wreak havoc on your day!

Despite all this… you must remember one thing. YOU are still just as important as you ever were. In fact, let me rephrase that. YOU are even MORE important than you ever were. So, Mom, please don’t forget, in the midst of caring for everyone else, that it is critical that you make time to take care of YOU!

Ways to care for yourself:

Plan out your schedule a day or two in advance so you can fit yourself in there somewhere. Develop a routine that you can stick to during “off hours” when things are the least hectic. For example, maybe you designate Sunday as shopping and cooking day. This way, you can prepare nutritious meals for your family in advance, then freeze single servings that they can heat and eat as needed. This will free up so much dinner making time Monday through Saturday, which will make your life a whole lot easier.

Have backup babysitters available. Wouldn’t it be great to know that there’s a stay-at-home mom in your neighborhood who has room to watch more child on a day when you really need it? Or how about having the freedom to take a Saturday night off while the kids stay at home in the care of a local teen or senior? Interview your sitters in advance and get referrals. If you can’t afford babysitting, do kid swaps with other parents.

Have once a week date night with your S.O…. and make it something special. Just because you’ve been married many years or had yourself a bunch of kids doesn’t make you any less deserving of a night out alone with the one you love. Go out to a nice restaurant, catch a movie, meet up with friends or have them take you out dancing. Wear that new skirt you bought and don’t forget the lipstick. Having a social life and a little romance now and then will keep a spring in your step and a sparkle in your eye. Mom needs that every once in a while!

Schedule group play dates for your children and other moms. As the kids socialize, so can you. This is also a great way to make new friends if you’re new to the neighborhood or just haven’t had the time to meet people. Seek out child-friendly places to take your kids, that you’ll also enjoy. If you have preschoolers, get everyone together for lunch at the local park where the little ones can swing and slide while you chitchat.

Take a day off! Even Mom needs to recharge her batteries every once in a while. If your children are in school, maybe instead of spending the day working, cleaning and paying bills, you can play hooky from your responsibilities for a spell. Hit the beach, spend the afternoon window shopping, meet an old friend for lunch or take in a local museum or other culture.

Finally, consider that you are a role model for your children. How you take care of yourself reflects not only on how they will treat themselves when they become adults, but also how much effort they’ll expect their own wives or husbands to put into self care. You want your kids to grow up feeling fulfilled and happy as adults, yes? Taking care of you is NOT selfish; it’s actually a gift to yourself and others. After all… the more you put in, the more you’ll get out in the way of a happy and fulfilled life.

About the Author:

Life Coach Susan Liddy, MA, PCC, CPCC is the founder and CEO of AspireLifeCoaching.org, a life coaching company on a mission to empower women globally. Susan is the author of the “Secrets to Ultimate Living; What you wish you knew when you were 20!” and an active contributor to many blogs, including her own blog, SecretsToUltimateLiving.com.

Click here to get FREE access to Life Coach Susan’s Passages to Empowerment Video Series: Passages to Empowerment Video Series

(We are helping to promote Susan’s programs. In gratitude, Susan pays us a commission for any referrals who sign up.)

Happy February MuMos! The Musing Mommies podcast is joining forces with other podcasters this week.  The MuMos have an exciting interview with the writers/producers/hosts of the wonderful children’s podcast, Night Light Stories!  Mel and Chris sit down with Kim and Dawn and discuss how they went from [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 46 Tuesday February 2nd, 2010

Happy February MuMos! The Musing Mommies podcast is joining forces with other podcasters this week.  The MuMos have an exciting interview with the writers/producers/hosts of the wonderful children’s podcast, Night Light Stories!  Mel and Chris sit down with Kim and Dawn and discuss how they went from the teaching world to the world of children’s literature.

Listen in as they talk about their journey, how they come up with their stories, and their goals and plans for the exciting characters they have created.

Whether you’ve dreamed of becoming a children’s literature writer, or have kids of your own that love creative and original stories, this podcast is for you!

Until next time,
Kim and Dawn

LINKS|Night Light Stories|Abuelos|A.T.TipsCast|

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Ok, so you’re doing the daily organization task from the Musing Mommies facebook page, you are trying to get your life in order and you are motivated to make a change, but now what??? Where do you start?? HOW do you start?

Well MuMos, Kim and Dawn have [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 44 Monday January 18th, 2010

Ok, so you’re doing the daily organization task from the Musing Mommies facebook page, you are trying to get your life in order and you are motivated to make a change, but now what??? Where do you start?? HOW do you start?

Well MuMos, Kim and Dawn have found an expert on home organization and this week we bring her straight to YOU! Listen in as we interview Laura the Organizing Junkie! Her site, Orgjunkie.com has helped thousands of moms get their lives organized, and she can certainly help us as well.

Get ready to change your life for the better!

Until next time,
Kim and Dawn

LINKS |Orgjunkie|Home Sanctuary|Fridge File|A Woman Inspired|Open Sky|

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Q-tips won’t do it, your fingernail can’t reach it and toothpicks just don’t do the trick.  How the heck are you going to clean out those darn sippy cup straws???

Well the Musing Mommies have the answer! (of course!)  This week the MuMos meet and greet with Austin [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 38 Monday December 8th, 2009

Q-tips won’t do it, your fingernail can’t reach it and toothpicks just don’t do the trick.  How the heck are you going to clean out those darn sippy cup straws???

Well the Musing Mommies have the answer! (of course!)  This week the MuMos meet and greet with Austin native, Jennifer Reyes, creator, inventor and mompreneur.  Jennifer invented the Sippy Straw Cleaner, and she sits down with the Musing Mommies Kim and Dawn to talk about her fabulous product.

Stick around for information about the Musing Mommies December giveaway and hear all about Kim and Dawn’s adventure at The Book Signing.

This is a show you don’t want to miss!

Until next time,
Kim and Dawn

LINK: Sippy Straw Cleaner|The Pioneer Woman|New Moon|Because We Said So|Womentorz|

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We live in a fast paced, frantic world.

You’re up at 6 AM.  You do breakfast, pack lunches, dress children, load up the car, do the drop off, run the errands, pick up the kids, change the clothes, head to practice, drive through dinner, change clothes again, attend a [...]]]> Musing Mommies Podcast Episode 29, October 5, 2009

We live in a fast paced, frantic world.

You’re up at 6 AM.  You do breakfast, pack lunches, dress children, load up the car, do the drop off, run the errands, pick up the kids, change the clothes, head to practice, drive through dinner, change clothes again, attend a game or event, rush home, plow through homework and laundry and cleaning, baths, bed time stories and eventually collapse into your own bed, only to start it all over again 8 hours later. shew!!

Are your kids are in so many activities that you and your spouse have to actually split up the kids just to get them taxied to their proper destinations?

Are all these commitments, these enrichment activities really enriching our lives?

Maybe… maybe not.

This week, the Musing Mommies Kim and Dawn discuss the dreaded, over-scheduling, by speaking with author Ann Kroeker about her new book, “Not So Fast. Slow Down Solutions for Frenzied Families“.  In her book, Ann discusses the art of slowing down – finding your limits, defining what is your personal success, and saying “no”.

This informative, delightful interview will certainly get you thinking.  Come on MuMo listeners – let’s stop the madness!

Download this podcast episode to you iPod or mp3 player and listen in during swim lessons. You need to make time for this one.

Until next time,
Kim and Dawn

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