This is a post sponsored by Evite®. I have worked really hard to create and maintain a culture of presence at our family meals. It hasn't been easy over the years. When the kids were younger, dinnertime was difficult. At any given meal, it’s likely that Karis was having a meltdown over her bowl being the wrong color, or Kembe and Jafta were kicking each other under the table, or India was crying because a vegetable was placed on her plate.  Remember the mealtime scene from . . .

There are many awkward decisions that have to be made in the midst of a divorce, but whether or not to go back to your maiden name is a big one. I think there is no right answer and it's personal for every woman, but I wanted to share my own thinking in how I came to the decision to keep my married name after getting a divorce. 1. My kids wanted me to keep it so we would continue to share the same last name. I'm not of the opinion that kids get to dictate adult decisions, but I'm also one to . . .

In my facebook live video today, I talked about the dilemma of being separated and sending photo Christmas cards, and how I dealt with it over the past couple of years. I also talked about my ambivalence about sending a card with just myself and the kids in the photo. And I also shared some strategies for choosing the best card, and getting some of them for free. Here is the final card I went with, from Minted, who has my lasting devotion for the fact that they include FREE address . . .

For starters, phew. That felt good. I'm so appreciative of the outflowing of support that I received after writing about my divorce. It's amazing how our fear can build something up in the mind to the point where our anxiety about a certain outcome is worse than the actual outcome, and that was certainly true for me in this situation. I feel like I'm breathing a little lighter with that news out there. I believe that there is a big difference between secrets and privacy, and while I don't think . . .

Over the past several years, a number of you have noticed and asked about the decrease of photos of my husband, both on the blog and on instagram. I've been quiet about that for a long time. I've been blogging about my life for about twelve years now, and while I often give the illusion that I'm sharing all of the details of my life with the internet, the truth is that I'm very guarded about particular aspects of my life. There are many difficult things I've never blogged about that have . . .

This post is sponsored by Airwick's V.I.Poo The holidays are in full swing, and while it’s supposed to be the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, sometimes it can also be the most stressful. I’ve had to actively work at making sure the holidays are festive and joyful instead of harried and tense. Here are some of my best tips for keeping the merriment alive.Keep it simpleLet go of the social pressure to "do it all" and practice simplicity this holiday season. Opt out of traditions or . . .

Teen boys are really hard to shop for, in my opinion. They are past the point of playing with toys, and yet aren't interested in some of the easier gifts for girls of the same age like makeup or lotions. Here are some of my best finds for teen boys, some of which might be under our tree this year . . . Whirly Board is a fun balancing board that can be used indoors to practicing sports like skating or snowboarding. It's a great agility trainer and the perfect way to keep your active boys . . .