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Rachel Recommends

Beauty Bags Giveaway Winner

Happy Friday! Thanks to all who entered the beauty bags drawing! My blog readers like beauty product giveaways! Today’s winner gets two bags packed with beauty product goodies… It is fun to receive different types of beauty products to try out. So who is our winner today? Who did random.org draw? Drum roll please… […]

Beauty Bags Giveaway Drawing

Let’s start the week with a beauty bags (yep – plural because our winner gets TWO bags) giveaway drawing! The weather here in Phoenix has turned beautiful so beauty is the giveaway theme this week. I’m not blogging as much lately because this manic managed mom is very busy going through 22 years of pictures […]

Dangers Of A Sedentary Lifestyle

I just recovered from the flu and a bad sinus infection. That was not fun and I had to pump a lot of meds in my body to help me recover. It strikes me that the last time I had the flu was 10 years ago. That was the year that I didn’t get the […]

Managed Moms Food Stuff & Recipes

Rachel Recommends – Give This Recipe A Try For Twist On Traditional Pumpkin Pie

It’s not pumpkin pie. Something a little sweeter, and better, in my festive holiday opinion! With tasty ingredients like pumpkin, whipped cream, cream cheese, vanilla pudding, cinnamon and more, this one is a crowd pleaser! Thanks to my sweet sister-in-law, Stephanie Harris, this yum yum has become my longtime favorite pleasing pumpkin decadent dessert. I […]

Rachel Recommends – My Favorite Thanksgiving Quick Tip!

My favorite festive Thanksgiving Day quick tip ever is so good it’s like butter! Plus, this will definitely butter up your Turkey Day guests, too. What am I talking about? The best buttery butter you can put out on your Thanksgiving Day table because this butter is perfectly shaped like a perfect turkey. Love this. […]

Yummy Autumn Sangria Recipe

Whip up a pitcher of this for your Halloween party or autumn get together. This recipe is perfect for fall and tasty for your October gatherings. This Autumn Sangria recipe is the perfect combo of not-too-sweet with a little spice. I recently served this to my gal pals and they asked for seconds…and thirds. Everyone […]

Family Matters

My Bittersweet 3TV Segment: Turning Empty Nest Into Fresh Start

When my KTVK Your Life Arizona morning show producers asked me to come on the show to discuss how to turn my upcoming empty nest into a fresh start, I paused for a second before responding. I haven’t truly experienced the empty nest yet, but it is coming fast now. Come late August I will […]

Empty Nest Ahead: This Is The New Year I’ve Braced For

As I paid the kind cashier at the restaurant today, he smiled at me and asked, “Do you have any big plans for your new year?” In previous years, I would have answered with a smile and quick reply. But today I hesitated for a moment before I answered. Although I knew the answer, his […]

My Son’s Touching LA Times Article Is Fitting For Thanksgiving Week – A Health Must Read For Men

My son’s article today about LA Kings’ head athletic trainer, Chris Kingsley’s prostate cancer diagnosis is a must read for men. And it is a must read for women to share with the loved men in their life. Jack was incredibly honored to get to write this piece. First, a little update about my Jack […]

What We Really Paid For Our Son’s College & 7 Ways To Save

Today I am smiling. We are done paying for our firstborn’s college! Wondering how much college costs today? So many anxious parents are. Read on as I’m about to share. I’m also including seven tips on how to cut the cost of the incredibly way-too-expensive college bill that many parents can’t afford. Today, on this […]

Cool Back To School Stuff For The Whole Family

Today on the Your Life Arizona morning show, I shared cool back to school stuff for the whole family. When it comes to back-to-school gear and foods, I have become a bit of an expert because I now have two seniors. With a senior in high school and a senior in college, we have tested […]

My Heartfelt Message For Parents Moving Kids To Dorm

Can’t believe this short and sweet…or shall I say bittersweet…video below was shot three years ago! That went by fast! For those pensive parents about to move a beloved kid out of their familiar and loving home into a new and unfamiliar dorm room, this sweet memory of mine…and some encouraging words are for you! […]

My Fellow Class of 2020 Parents…Senior Year Makes Heart Smile & Sob

Moms (and dads) of teens. This is written for moms, but I sure have seen my fair share of emotional papas who find senior year to be bittersweet on their hearts, too. Read this or bookmark this to read before or during your child’s senior year in high school. It just may be therapeutic for […]

Dorm Room Essentials Plus Stuff You May Not Think Of

Is your kid college bound? Are you ready?! Some parents feel really ready and for others the transition is tough. For me, I found it to be bittersweet. No matter how your emotions are swaying, you can’t get away from the fact that it is time to shop for the dorm room! I first put […]

Grad Party Planning Tips & Ideas

For those of you with graduating seniors, I wrote this and did this 3TV segment in 2016 with tips and ideas to have the perfect grad party. Ours went very well! Take a look and happy grad party planning. Manic: Graduation season with so much to do, events to plan and emotions to keep in […]

Clear the Clutter,Clear the Mind – My 3TV Segment

In case you missed my KTVK Your Life Arizona morning show segment, here it is with lots of helpul tips, tricks and a few awesome product picks to attack that spring cleaning and clear the clutter. This clears the mind and it feels great! Want more information about the tips and products shared in this […]

Smart Simple Spring Cleaning/Get Organized Solutions

Manic: Clutter! Closet clutter, under the kitchen sink junk, stacks, racks and sacks full of unorganized stuff! I am guilty of having such mountains of unorganized madness and it makes me manic and not managed! Managed: Taking a little bit of time each day this month to methodically to attack the stacks and regain control over all […]

Caring for the Caregiver

Have a caregiver in your family or a close friend who has suddenly become a caregiver for a loved one? Caring for a beloved caregiver can help that person and the person being cared for tremendously. I recently had the unexpected opportunity to do this and I was struck by the numerous ways a caregiver […]

Another Anniversary! 26 Years & Counting-Why It Works

Happy 26th Wedding Anniversary to my hubs. What a journey it has been and as we approach a very different empty-nesting chapter in late 2020 (is that really next year?!). I reflect on the peaks and valleys of a long-lasting marriage. Wedded bliss days and some challenging times make a 26-year union so far something […]

Hello 17: My 17 Wishes For My Girl

In one more year, I will have two adults. I won’t be able to say that I have two children. Umm…that flew by. Hello 17 one last time. One last year of having a kid before she becomes a legal adult. Happy 17th Birthday to my girl! 17 got here fast with speedy-beyond-belief-short years…and some […]

Guest Post: Ways To Help Your Teen Embrace Healthy Lifestyle

Manic: When your little kids turn into teens and suddenly you can’t control or police how healthy they choose to be every day, especially when they start driving. Managed: I have lived this twice now and it is one of the things I worry about. The nutrition my kids are taking in..or NOT taking in..since they are […]

Going Green Earth-Friendly Family Tips

Go green and get free stuff from some companies that have great recycling programs like MAC Cosmetics and Apple! This article corresponds with my segment on the Your Life Arizona show that aired this week. When my morning show producers asked me to do an earth-friendly segment, I jumped at the chance. My parents raised […]

Super Helpful SAT & ACT Phone App Study Guides

Here we go again. I have a high school junior again and that means it is ACT and SAT prep time. Class of 2020 parents, the time is now. Stressful, I know. I have two super cool phone apps SAT/ACT study guides that my son found to be very helpful in 2015 when he was […]

Healthy Back To School Food For Thought Ideas

As seen in my 3TV segment on the KTVK morning show, Your Life Arizona, here is what I showed along with some ideas on creative better foods for the lunch box, after school snacks and more. As the mother of two juniors now (one in high school and one in college), I have a lot […]

Our Creepy & Surprisingly Simple Scorpion Sting Story!

Manic: Enjoying a dinner out with my husband and a phone call comes in from our teenage daughter telling us that she just got stung by a scorpion! Managed: Thankfully our response, awesome advice from my wonderful mom-in-law and how well our girl took matters into her own hands and took care of the aftermath. Read on […]

For Parents: Senior Year Is Hard On Your Heart In The Best Way

I can’t believe this is here for me once again. One final time. My daughter, my last one, the baby of the family picked up her schedule today. She starts back to school next week and she is now officially a senior in high school. Cue the tears, some sad, many joyful and some that […]