The topic of tattoos recently came up over dinner one night at my house. My oldest daughter, Loughlin, who just turned 18, was telling me that she wanted to get one. I immediately told her absolutely not and that I would not allow it as long as she lives under my roof. Continuing on my mom rant I told her and all of the kids at the table that getting a tattoo was a lifetime decision and one that needed to be thought about and made carefully.

Below is my list of reasons:

Tomorrow is my daughter’s 16th birthday. Her one request is to get a car and my response is always the same, “That is not going to happen."

Our house has been crazy (well crazier than it normally is with six children running around) as my two oldest daughters have been busy preparing for their junior/senior proms. For months they have laid awake at night talking about what they would wear and shared their visions of the “Cinderella” moment that would soon be here.

My brother and his wife are expecting their first baby any day now. Every time the phone rings I hold my breath and hope that it's my brother calling to tell me that his wife, Julie, is in labor and that my new little niece, Skylar, will soon be born. I can hardly wait to hold her and to watch my brother step into the role of being a daddy.

My daughter Elspeth got some Barbie dolls for her birthday recently, and everywhere we go, she brings her Barbies. Elspeth happily told me, "Mommy, you are not like Barbie." I made the mistake of asking her why.

I'm No Princess

Lately I feel as if not a day goes by that I don’t say to at least one of my children, “What were you thinking?” I swear it feels as if it is my mantra and just in a one week period I found myself saying it at least once to each of my children.

Example 1- thirty minutes before bedtime, just as I am starting to relax and pat myself on the back for another day when everyone got where they needed to be, Finn remembers something.

“Mom, I have to do a diorama and take it to school tomorrow. I need a shoe box and we have to show how black bears hibernate.”

Losing someone you love is one of the most difficult things we face in life.

I have read every book and article I have been able to find on the grief process thinking maybe it would help me understand the process or suddenly make it easier.

Spring has sprung and a new season has begun. The flowers are blooming, temperatures are slowly starting to go up, we have pushed are clocks forward and tax time is right around the corner. This is my favorite time of year.

The birth of a child is a beautiful thing and soon after the delivery of your child, comes the delivery of the placenta. The placenta is amazing for the mere fact that it basically provides life to your child while it is growing inside of you. So I am a fan of the placenta and really appreciate all the life sustaining work it does during a pregnancy. But once it is out- I’m completely content with tossing it out.

The days fly by and I never feel as if I have accomplished as much as I needed to get done. The laundry pile never seems to get any smaller, I could easily spend another two or three hours at work each day to do all that I would like to do at the office. By the time I put my head down at night I feel as if I have only really crossed off one or two things on the “to-do” list for the day. There are moments when I do realize that I am juggling a lot.