Working Mother’s doing the impossible

 

Thank you Tina Fey for this quote, so true! I literally look at our family calendar on Sundays thinking, how in the world am I going to survive? Thank goodness for my husband, our parents and extended village or else we wouldn’t survive. There are times when it does feel like the impossible but we’ve survived baby-hood, we’re on the tail end of toddler-hood (potty training… ugh), and now entering the season of extra curricular activities GALORE. It’s going to be messy, I’ll probably be late to everything but my kid will learn independent responsibilities like a boss.

I hope that everyone had a fabulous mother’s day and re-entry back into the workplace today!

 

How Does Our Garden Grow {Keehner Style}

Gardening is one of my ABSOLUTE favorite hobbies and one that I love sharing with my kids.  Since moving into our new house I’ve struggled to find a great place for our vegetable garden. Out of ease and with my “hurry get it done” attitude, the veggies were planted along the back of the house very close to the brick that gets the afternoon sun. Needless to say this area hasn’t proven to be the most successful for gardening and we decided to make a change for this summer.

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Look at the beautiful box gardens that Mr. Herron and Rick built for us and we have certainly utilized every last inch of space for the veggies this summer:

  • Grape Tomatoes
  • Sun Gold Tomatoes
  • Big Wonder Tomatoes
  • Mystery Tomato courtesy of Sandy, courtesy of my Mom, courtesy of my Uncle Tom – this will be a miracle tomato plant if it produces!
  • Squash
  • Zucchini
  • Chocolate Peppers
  • Orange Bell Peppers
  • Yellow Bell Peppers
  • Sassy Peppers (I think these are red bells??)
  • Garden Salsa Peppers (on the spicy side)
  • Basil
  • Rosemary
  • Cilantro
  • Cucumbers

My mouth is WATERING just thinking about the yumminess that we are going to produce this summer. All we need to do now is give it some water and love. Hoping to have as much success as we did on Willfleet, I love going back to this blog post to remember my little garden helper and the beautiful plants that surprised the heck out of me. This year my Abbey-girl and Jack were both helping and I think their green thumbs will prove to be good luck. THUMBS UP!

IMG_5859 The Herron Nest Garden

Raising Respectful Kids is Hard Work

Have you seen this image show up in your newsfeed on Facebook?

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It showed up in mine and smacked me right in the face! Just last night Abbey was frustrated with me for not getting her chocolate milk at dinner and here is how that conversation went down:

Me – Here is your milk

Ab – This is white milk, I told you I wanted chocolate milk you idiot! 

YEP, she called me an idiot! My reaction might surprise you because I didn’t scream or yell or threaten to beat/spank my child. I simply looked her straight in the eye and before I could say, “time out” she said “sorry” and started walking to the time out area of our house. But damn, where the hell did that come from? George wasn’t home so I immediately messaged him and we were both dumfounded and thought, which show or movie uses that word in that context? Certainly did not come from either of us.

We are not perfect parents by ANY stretch (I don’t believe in perfect parents) but I will say that George and I tend to parent against the typical grain.  Here are some of those examples:

  • We almost always have a meal together as a family and I know this is easier now than let’s say in about 5 years from now but it’s a good foundation that we are proud of! 
  • We are pretty strict about the screen time and WOW is this a hard one….not allowing my kids to have my phone to keep them happy/busy during a dinner wait at a restaurant is stressful on all of us.
  • We play with our kids A LOT! This is one that I’m really proud of because we have tried really hard to instill pretend play or kicking them outside versus watching TV….but this is HARD WORK on us parents.

But here is where I tend to fail our kids; I’m SUPER guilty for using my phone too much in front of them. I’m constantly taking pictures and video and posting them all over social media like my kids are some damn celebrities. I’m also recently allowing a lot of “screen” time with shows that I have NOOOOOO idea what the premise or content is that they are taking in on a daily basis. When Ab was born I was a huge stickler on this fight and now with Jack (second child syndrome) I’ve been way more lax on this topic. And like the article suggests, even the Disney Channel content/shows are not so great with parents coming across like complete dumb asses. Yes…our beloved Disney is not perfect either! 

As parents it is our responsibility to find a good balance – safe versus instilling adventure, protection versus sheltering, too much screen time versus enough to help us all stay sane (yes, I use it as a babysitter), the list goes on!

I guess I’m using my blog as a platform to commit to doing a better job (no more calling mom an idiot) and to do the hard work versus taking the easy way out. Mustering up the energy after a busy day at work to get on the floor and play. Pulling together the last shreds of patience to allow my kids to help with dinner versus shuffling them in front of the TV for the quick distraction. And above else, I’m committing to teach my kids grace, humility, compassion, respect, manners and love through action…..by watching us!

How’s that for a New Years resolution? Whew, Let’s do this Team Herron! 

When Daddy Leaves and Mommy is in Charge

A string of text messages that started at 10:15pm:

George – Kids go down ok?

Me – Bahhhhhh! They’ve been down for like 15 minutes

George – Whaaaaaaaaa? Everything ok?

Me – Yea! You know….mom’s home so they get how they can just manipulate me!

George – Lol. That shit don’t fly with me

Me – I know, but more importantly, they know too (sad emoji)

George – Ha

…. and that is pretty much our life, Mom tends to be the softy! But how can you not be with these sweet faces?IMG_3748

Marvel Universe LIVE! at US Bank Arena {Giveaway} (Winner has been notified)

My little boy is OBSESSED with Iron Man to the point where I begged all my family friends to donate toy catalogs just so he could look through them to find his beloved character. Then I found out that Marvel Universe LIVE was coming to US Bank Arena and that was a game changer because now I’m excited along with my little boy.12244492_749384278540666_4070523572738274506_o

Marvel fans, assemble! Marvel Universe LIVE! is taking the live entertainment experience to a whole new level, with a mind-blowing show unlike anything you’ve seen before. Watch your favorite Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man and the Avengers (Iron Man, Black Widow, Hulk and more) and threatening villains come to life in an action-packed arena extravaganza, coming to the Cincinnati. You’ll definitely feel the energy with cutting-edge special effects, pyrotechnics, aerial stunts, martial arts, motorcycles and more. It’s being hailed as the most technically advanced live show ever. Join Marvel fans of all ages for this once-in-a-lifetime, monumental performance. The fate of the universe depends on it!

This show is coming to the US Bank Arena December 17-20, 2015. There’s quite a few show time choices for all of the super heroes out there.

Show Times Schedule: 

Date  Morning Afternoon Late Afternoon Evening
Thursday, Dec. 17 7:00 PM
Friday, Dec. 18 7:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 19 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sunday, Dec. 20 1:00 PM 5:00 PM

Prices:

These range from $20 for kids tickets up to $120 for VIP Gold Seats. (For the kids tickets, here’s some more information: Not valid on premium seating. No double discounts. Child discount applies to children ages 2-12. Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.

Downtown Fun

If you’re planning on heading downtown after Thanksgiving be sure to look for some Marvel super hero fun in and around the square.  I saw first hand in the lobby of the Fountain Square Garage (upper level) some super awesome elevator doors decor, pretty cool.

What’s the show going to be like?

This video should answer any questions you have:

But, if you do still have questions, then visit the Marvel Universe LIVE website.

So are you in? I know I am. Would you like a chance to win tickets to the opening night show? Then here’s how you can enter to win a family four pack of tickets to see the opening night performance on December 17 at 7 pm. You must be 18 years or older to enter; and you must reside in the Greater Cincinnati Area. Tickets will be available at Will Call — a valid ID is required in order to pick up your tickets. Here’s FOUR chances to win (please leave a comment for each entry and I’ll use Random.org to choose the winner):

1. Leave a comment below letting me know which is your favorite Marvel super hero.

2. Like Marvel Universe Live on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know.

3. Sign up to receive The Herron Nest Newsletter.

4. Tweet this giveaway and tag @JesyHerron for it to count!

The winner will be chosen at 8 am on Tuesday, December 8. Winners have 24 hours to respond once contacted via email or another winner will be drawn. If you win, I hope you come to the show decked out in your favorite super hero flair!

I am a Feld Fam­ily Ambas­sador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attend­ing shows and report­ing my opin­ion within this blog, as well as keep­ing you advised of the lat­est dis­count offers, Feld Enter­tain­ment has pro­vided me with com­pli­men­tary tick­ets to Feld shows and oppor­tu­ni­ties to attend pri­vate Feld pre-Show events.

10 Years Vow Renewal

When I think back on Friday evening, perfection doesn’t do the night justice. Is there another word that is better than perfection? I looked this up and was given the following adjectives to choose from; flawless, out-of-this-world, to-a-T, dead-on, splendid and excellent. But the one that I feel does the best job describing the night (besides perfect) is “beyond compare!”

Walking into the house Friday night to be greeted by my two babies and walked to the back door to then find my family standing there waiting for us to arrive under romantic lighting was beyond compare.

Hearing my dad conduct our vow renewal and profession of the love he has witnessed from George and me in our ten-year marriage and how we raise our children was beyond compare.

IMG_2982Looking into George’s eyes as he spoke about loving me and growing together as a couple over the last ten years while staying true to our vows was beyond compare.

Renewing our vows in front of those we love was beyond compare! 

Here are some photos and a video of the evening, I still pinch myself thinking about how complete I feel….beyond compare!

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Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove {Giveaway is closed, winner is Kara!}

Whether you have kids, you are a kid or you like to channel your inner kid; you must see this show! Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove is coming to Cincinnati’s US Bank Arena October 28 – November 1, 2015 don’t miss it! And don’t miss the awesome ticket deals and giveaway for your chance to win a family 4-pack of tickets.

Discover endless riches when Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove comes to Cincinnati!  Disney On Ice sets the gold standard with its newest skating spectacular.  Get tangled up in Disney’s 50 th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and enter the worlds of your other favorite Disney princesses –Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and of course, the one who started it all, Snow White.  Ahoy, Mateys!  Set sail with Peter Pan, the always sassy Tinker Bell and the cantankerous Captain Hook & his pirate pals on an adventure beyond Never Land!  Trek the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the ‘Circle of Life.’  Tick-Tock!  Tick-Tock!  Don’t be late to a very important date with Alice & the Mad Hatter as they march with the Queen of Hearts’ Army Of Cards.  Be sure to see this show full of memories guaranteed to last a lifetime.

To prepare your family for Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove, consider creating this fun Count Down with the Disney Princesses idea from Pinterest.

Exclusive Savings just for YOU! The show is coming to the US Bank Arena, October 28 – November 1, 2015 and ticket prices vary from $60 for rinkside to $17. All tickets to shows on Wednesday/Thursday are just $13 – No code needed! Family 4-pack offer $114 includes 4 tickets, 4 Sm popcorns and 4 24oz lemonades Use code FAMD26  (Discount does not apply to Rinkside, Front Row, or VIP seats)

Show times are:

Date Morning Afternoon Late Afternoon Evening
Wednesday, Oct. 28 7:00 PM
Thursday, Oct. 29 7:00 PM
Friday, Oct. 30 7:00 PM
Saturday, Oct. 31 11:00 AM 3:00 PM
Sunday, Nov. 1

Would you like to take your family to see the show courtesy of The Herron Nest and our Feld Family Entertainment Partner? Enter to win a family four pack of tickets to see the opening night performance on October 28. You must be 18 years or older to enter; and you must reside in the Greater Cincinnati Area. Tickets will be available at Will Call — a valid ID is required in order to pick up your tickets. Here’s FOUR chances to win (please leave a comment for each entry as the winner is chosen via Random.org):

  1. Leave a comment below saying what you like most about Disney.
  2. Like Disney On Ice on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know.
  3. Sign up to receive The Herron Nest updates and leave a comment letting me know.

The winner will be chosen at noon on Monday, October 19, 2015 and will have 24 hours to respond once contacted via email or another winner will be drawn. Make sure I have your email!

I am a Feld Fam­ily Ambas­sador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attend­ing shows and report­ing my opin­ion within this blog, as well as keep­ing you advised of the lat­est dis­count offers, Feld Enter­tain­ment has pro­vided me with com­pli­men­tary tick­ets to Feld shows and oppor­tu­ni­ties to attend pri­vate Feld pre-Show events.

Discovering Our New Backyard

There have only been about 8 years of my life (minus some time away in college) that I have not lived in West Chester. This statement is important because after moving back with my family a little over a year ago, we have discovered one of our new favorite places to have fun. KEEHNER PARK!

Honestly, I have not a clue if the actual playground is good or not, if the grounds of the actual park are kept up or not, nor do I know if the amphitheater is a good place to see local bands or not. What I do know is that the hiking trail and creek are awesome and The Herron Nest gives it 8 thumbs up. Hanging out on these trails and creeking is our new thang and I can’t wait to go back.

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Standing up on a concrete/rock platform with ginormous water-hole behind us.

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Said ginormous water-hole with a collection of rocks, including ours from that day.

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The little Herron’s were all business with their rock-throwing skills.

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After we hung out by the giant water-hole, we started to really explore what the woods and creek had to offer. I was so proud of the way Abbey went from, “these woods are creepy” to literally walking in the creek all by herself managing to go from rock to rock without falling or tripping. And if you know my daughter, a.k.a. NOT Grace, than you know that is a big deal.

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On our way back out of the creek, through the woods, and heading up a pretty big hill, Abbey started singing and cheering on our family. She must have heard George and I out of breath hiking up the trail.

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Enjoy this gem, Abbey trying to catch a frog!

How to have a BOMB POP Party

Kids are back to school and the biggest end of summer party is right around the corner. Make your Labor Day picnic into a Bomb Pop Party with these easy steps:

Step 1 – Invite the cutest all-American kids you can find!

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Step 2 – Be sure to pick up a box of the one and only, The Original Bomb Pop, from your local Kroger grocery store. They are hard to miss with their iconic rocket shape and three great flavors packed into one delicious Bomb Pop.

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Step 3 – Start passing them out to 12 of your closest friends and family while enjoying your time together! My suggestion is to eat them outside when your party guests are under the age of 30 🙂

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Helpful tip! Eat all three delicious flavors quickly when it is super hot outside. Oh, and if you make a mess, just lick around your mouth with your newly red-white-blue tongue!

 

IMG_1516Step 4 – Be kind to your 4-legged guests and share with them too!

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Step 5 – Enjoy all the smiling faces (and colorful tongues) of everyone you shared The Original Bomb Pop with at your Labor Day Party.

 

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Hurry…..eat up….. it is dripping!!!

Today’s post is sponsored by The Original Bomb Pop, but my love for the brand + pics are all my own!

Cincinnati All Star Game 2015 Mustache Locator Map & DCI Video Tour

So I’m not the biggest baseball fan {gasp} but even I think it is cool for Cincinnati to be hosting the MLB All Star Game 2015. The buzz and energy around the city is contagious! Everywhere you turn or look downtown Cincinnati you’ll find “ASG” or “All Star Game” graffiti. My favorite ASG Cincinnati additions are a toss up between the Mustache statues around town and the Scripps Building transformation to resemble Mr. Redlegs with the pillbox hat and mustache.

Cousins visiting from Atlanta enjoying the view of Mr Redlegs

Cousins visiting from Atlanta enjoying the view of Mr Redlegs

If you are in town visiting for the All Star Game or even a native to the ‘Nati you can use this map to help you locate All Star Game Mustache Statues around the downtown Cincinnati region.

Have you thought about using the Red Bike to get around Downtown Cincinnati while searching for the All Star Game Mustache Statues? Here is a fun video that my company, US Digital Partners, produced to give a fun tour of the Downtown Cincinnati attractions for DCI and to promote the new Downtown Cincinnati app. The app was produced as an essential guide to Downtown Cincinnati visitors and locals to find a current list of what’s happening downtown. You can browse restaurants, bars, shops, parking and attractions. Click play below and check out yours truly riding around Downtown Cincinnati showcasing all the great things to do and see while you are visiting for the All Star Game 2015 and don’t forget to download the new app!

What are your favorite Cincinnati attractions? 

What are you most looking forward to during the All Star Game 2015 festivities?