Items You Can Include in a Christmas Gift Hamper

Christmas is celebrated a little differently in Australia. Australians are planning to head for the beach when the whole world is bracing for the snowfall and sipping hot chocolate by the fire. Christmas in Australia falls around the beginning of the summer vacation. Sydney's people move outdoors to celebrate Christmas with their friends and family due to favorable weather conditions. In addition, if you are in Sydney around Christmas time, one of the best things you can do is head to David … [Read more...]

3 Considerations Before Your Teen Gets a Car

As you watch your child transition to a teenager and then reach the stages prior to adulthood, they may request a bit more freedom. While you might have already adjusted any curfew or restrictions within your home, many teenagers might see having their own vehicle as the next goal. Before agreeing to purchase a vehicle for your teen, you may want to think about the different factors and responsibilities that coincide with owning and using a car. Insurance The cost of insurance for new … [Read more...]

7 Things Your Teen Needs to Know Before Moving Out

Watching your child grow up is hard. Teaching your child how to drive and how to apply to college or a job are a few things you've gone over with your teen as they've been in high school. However, when it comes to approaching adulthood, your teen needs to understand a few things before they move out into the world on their own. If your teen plans to move out soon, here a few subjects you should consider going over before that day comes. 1. How to Make Appointments Many parents make … [Read more...]

Are Gender Reveals Worth It?

Planning for a new addition to the family is incredibly exciting and is definitely something worth celebrating. After all, many families struggle with fertility and having a child. However, the excitement of a new child has led some couples to adopt an increasingly concerning trend: extreme gender reveals. Across the country, gender reveal parties are causing a shocking amount of damage, with some ideas actually leading to the death of several people, both those involved and bystanders. Are … [Read more...]

Top 10 Posts of 2015

It's hard to believe another year has come and almost gone. 2015 has been a good year for Optimistic Mommy. My growth has been tremendous, I've gotten to go on some amazing trips, and I'm excited to see what 2016 brings to the table! For the last day of this great year, I decided to put together a list of the most popular posts of 2015. Did one of your favorites make the list? 10. 25 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Toddlers 9. Best Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe 8. Easy Cheesy BBQ … [Read more...]

Happy 4th Anniversary, Miles!

4 years ago at 6:30pm I married my amazing husband, Miles. We have been through a lot in our short 4 years together as husband and wife, but I wouldn't pick anyone else to go through the good times and bad with. I really do not know what I would do without this man in my life. Oh, and I am still going to get you back for this... ;-) … [Read more...]

5 Steps!

So one of the most exciting things ever happened to night (or at least most exciting to me and my husband, at least)... Our daughter took her first 5 steps all by herself! Ahh, it was so exciting! I'm so proud of my little girl! What happened was she was standing at the couch and my husband was sitting on the floor a couple feet away. He held her cup out to her to see if she wanted something to drink, and she let go of the couch and took 5 steps to him! I started crying. Lol. Children … [Read more...]