Katrina Siron
Katrina is a mom of three great kids and has been married to her first love for nearly 10 years. She’s grateful to have a job that allows her the flexibility to both work from home some days and in the office others. On the surface, Katrina is pretty crunchy – she loves breastfeeding, babywearing, co-sleeping, natural birth, and homeschooling — but still loves her stroller, having her kids in their own beds at some point, her epidural was fantastic, and she’ll be sending the kids through public school. Most of all she loves the fact that we have all these choices, which makes life interesting! One of her favorite experiences was moving to Japan in 2002 to live as an adult dependent with their USMC family. It was an amazing experience, and if it weren’t for that, she probably wouldn’t ever have met my husband.
Forget Hotels, Home Rental Is Where It’s At!
Somewhere in the last year, between planning various mini-getaways, I had an epiphany.
I hate hotels.
To elaborate, I really hate taking our family of five on vacation and staying in a hotel. We end...
Let’s Go To the Movies :: The Big Mo!
Whether you're new to the Midlands or a Columbia native, chances are you may have heard of The Big Mo. Or, maybe you don't know what it is (or if you're like me, you...
Middle School Here We Come!
It doesn't seem that long ago that I was asking if my son was ready for kindergarten. And yet, somehow, here we are, wrapping up fifth grade. And like so many other parents, I'm...
Road Trip! Let’s Go to the NC Mountains for a Vacation
Here in Columbia, it seems when families want to escape, the natural urge is to head east, to the beach. I love the beach. Being near the ocean feels like home to me, having...
Synchronized Fireflies Light Up the Night at Congaree National Park
It’s that time of year again – time to watch the fireflies do their thing! I’m not talking about a trip to see the Columbia Fireflies baseball team.
Before there was a baseball team, these...
Produce Boxes Do’s and Don’ts
I'm no stranger to meal planning. I love cooking, and meal prep (the chopping and peeling and dicing) is, for me, a very zen way to transition between the stress of the workplace and...
Dear Uterus, It’s Not Me, It’s Definitely You
2020 was nothing but curveballs, one right after the other. From school closures to e-learning, to adapting to working from home full-time with kids who may or may not be e-learning, not to mention...
3 Honest to Mom Reasons Not to Do Elf on a Shelf
When Elf on a Shelf first debuted several years ago - I think our oldest son was still a baby - I thought it was weird and creepy. Some doll comes to life and...
In a Meal Planning Rut? Try Theme Weeks!
As a busy working mom of three growing kids, meal planning is not just a convenient and efficient way to deal with feeding the masses in our house. It is an absolute imperative for...
Maybe We Don’t “Got This” E-learning Thing
As many Midlands districts head back to school, some fully virtual and others a hybrid, we are all adjusting to a new learning format.
In our district, we are doing a hybrid plan for school...
Oh, Brother! 3 Tips For Dealing With Sibling Rivalry
Being a mom of three isn't easy. It's a challenge stretching yourself to meet the needs of multiple children, especially when you're outnumbered. My three are pretty close in age. I have an 8-year-old...
Let’s Hit the Trails :: Top 10 Kid-Friendly Hiking Spots Around Columbia
The Midlands is home to a surprising number of family friendly hiking trails. This fun, inexpensive, and educational hobby is a great way to wear your kids out after school or on the weekend.
Some...
Enthusiasm is Contagious :: Getting Kids Ready for Back to School {Pandemic Style}
Has there ever been a more fraught back to school season than this one? I can't recall a single one. Parenting during a pandemic has thrown all of us some curve balls. Child care...
Vacation During a Pandemic?
For the last several years, I have taken a week off work in July to help break up the summer and give the kids a break from summer camp. This year, however, there has...