By: Maria Smith Like millions of American families this summer, we are headed down to Florida this month.  Specifically we will be in Orlando.  We will spend some time at Walt Disney World but since our kids are too little to spend many days at the theme parks, we didn’t want to stay at a Disney resort.  Since my husband and I have gotten used to

By: Maria Smith I recently had the opportunity to attend the Sugar Coma Festival in Atlanta. Produced by The Broke Socialite Media, this is one of the many food showcases they have put on and it was fantastic. There were 30 different sweet treat vendors in a hip loft-like art gallery space in the upscale Buckhead neighborhood. Imagine walking into a room filled to the

By: Maria Smith Contrary to popular belief, there is such a thing as a free lunch (and dinner and breakfast)--as long as your under 10 years old.  Eating out could be expensive for anyone, especially when you have several kids. So don’t stay home and pout, just put in a little research to find the “Kids Eat Free” nights. To get you started, here are a

By: Maria Smith I love going to movies.  It’s like you’re in a different world for two hours.  I started taking my kids to the movies when they were only weeks old, keeping them in the Baby Bjorn and nursing them when they got fussy. Now that they are lively, energetic 4, 2, and 1 year olds, I hardly ever see movies with them.  It is

By: Maria Smith On Wednesday May 25, 2011, The Oprah Winfrey Show went dark.  After 25 years of producing one of the most watched television shows in television history, Oprah closed her show with an hour of teaching, inspiration and reflection.  She called it a “love letter” to her viewers.  There were no guests sharing the stage with Oprah during the last show. And aside from

By: Maria Smith People might say that a trip to Disney World should wait until the children could remember it, but visiting the magical world of Disney with preschoolers, toddlers and even infants can be kind of fun all its own. And, Mom and Dad will certainly remember it if the kids don't. We took our kids to Disney World for the first time when my oldest was 2

By: Maria Smith I recently spent a weekend with my family in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Being about 350 miles from Atlanta, Myrtle Beach is a simple trip and is perfect for a laid-back family. It is easily accessible from East Coast cities like New York and Washington DC with direct flights. Myrtle Beach is definitely a “no shirt, no shoes, no problem” kind of town.  We

By: Maria Smith This past Spring Break, my family of five jumped in the car and headed to Myrtle Beach, SC for a weekend beach getaway. Knowing it would take us about 7 hours with stops for the potty, food, gas and the prerequisite Starbucks, I tried to plan for the unexpected. And we made it! Both the kids and the grown-ups survived.  Now if I could have just

By: Maria Smith The Oprah Winfrey Show will leave the airways for good this May. After 25 years on air, dozens of awards, and garnering millions of fans worldwide, Harpo Studios announced the last show will air May 25, 2011. As a former producer on her amazing staff, I am finding myself both nostalgic and sad to see it end. Like most thirty-somethings, I grew

By: Maria Smith Planning a child’s birthday party used to mean buying paper plates and balloons, and asking Grandma to bake a cake. Now, thanks to shows like My Super Sweet Sixteen and Outrageous Kid’s Parties, the expectations (from guests, moms and the birthday kid) are unbelievable. In Atlanta, I have been to parties I’m sure have cost thousands of dollars.  (How much does it cost to truck