Alex Shorter

I had the worst time finding actually helpful information on teaching our son to potty train.  I read books, had a full on potty party - that I prepped for days on, consistently tried to re-approach the topic by having potties all over our house as well as the grandparents houses and reading him ...
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Do you ever have those days (or weeks) when you feel overwhelmed by being a mom and having to juggle it all? Sometimes I feel that way.  Right now for me the big stress is toilet training.  My son, Carl, is 3 years and 9 months.  We have been hitting toilet training hard since he turned 3 years ...
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"Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman." - Coco Chanel Having basic items that pair well with your outfits make it a lot easier and stress free to get ready in the morning.  It is important to have items that coordinate - that way you can use pi...
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Spring is here and summer is on the horizon. Many people start taking trips and visiting family during these months. There are baby showers, weddings and everyone is making the most of the beautiful weekends. I think it is really important to make guests feel welcome and comfortable in your ...
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For me spring is all about regrouping, reorganizing, purging and bringing in new fresh ideas.  It makes me happy and sane to have my spaces usable again. As my mother-in-law, Mari, always says spring cleaning is taking inventory of what you have and what you need.  For me it always seems that...
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My mom always made this cucumber salad growing up.  It is a really yummy, a healthy side on hot summer nights that pairs well with any grilled meat.  My dad would make BBQ chicken with so much sauce on it the sugars would caramelize - he would brush layers and layers on while grilling.  So for ...
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I love to make a naked potato salad to pair with salmon, venison or flank steak for summer dinners. My mom, Cecelia Otto, taught me this recipe - it is easy and fast.  I love how light it is unlike a traditional potato salad it is made with olive oil instead of mayonnaise. Ingredients: - green...
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Dear Friends, Mother's day is THIS Sunday, May 10th. I did not understand the power of Mother's Day until I had my son, Carl Shorter. Once I was pregnant, and when he was born, I was overcome with emotion and respect as I began to understand what mothers go through for their children. Carl was ...
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My mother-in-law, Mari Shorter, is out visiting us this week so we teamed up today to share some table setting ideas.  I have found that many people are not learning how to set a table properly before entering the adult world.  It is a good skill to have when entertaining or helping a...
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If you know my mother-in-law, Mari, you know that she knows all things about proper house keeping and entertaining. This is something I really admire and strive towards. Mari just showed me a great trick on how to fold a napkin so you can grab the corner, lift it up and spread it across yo...
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