I'll let you in on a little secret. Try to keep it quiet.

It's really loud at my house. I mean LOUD!

My boys love music. We listen to Coldplay, dance with Usher and sing along with the Beatles.

I even made the mistake of teaching my 5 year old how to make the "rock on" sign with his fingers. He thrusts his little hand high in the sky several times a day and shouts, "Rock on, Mommy!"

Sharing music with them started long before they were even born. My older son gave me his very first kick when I was pregnant with him while I was listening to Rick Springfield's Jessie's Girl. I don't think it's any coincidence that Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits is my boy's favorite CD.

As much as my kids enjoy singing and dancing around the room, nothing gets them wound up as much as making their own music. We have plenty of musical instruments -- a guitar, drums and a tambourine, to name a few. Read More...

_{Photo © AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com
Used with permission.}

We all have those family photos to look back on that make us think, "Gee, thanks mom!" For me, it's a tough choice between the professional shots my mom had taken of us wearing rabbit coats with a beach background displayed behind us when I was 9 or portraits from my short-lived dance days wearing an oversized ruffly outfit with red polka dots and matching bright red lipstick when I was 12.

Like I said, it's a tough call to narrow the photo shoot that was most embarrassing. Oh, but thank goodness we have the pictures to remind us of those days.

And then, of course, there's the Internet to help spread our shame around globally. Mike Bender and Doug Chernack are the founders of Awkward Family Photos, which feature photo categories like pregnancy, mom and dad, the kids, birthdays and the family portrait. Read More...

Mother's Day is the one day of the year the red carpet rolls out for mom. Please don't ask her to vacuum it!

For those 24 hours on a Sunday in May, we get to celebrate everything about the woman who cheers our victories, lifts us up when we're down and chases away tears with a single kiss. Take a look into the minds of a variety of moms to see what they have to say about everything from gifts mom really wants to why mom needs (and deserves) a special day in the spotlight.

Gifts That are Out of the Ordinary

According to the National Retail Federation, the average person will spend about $152.52 on gifts for mom this year. While packages with pretty ribbons and shiny wrapping paper can dazzle, there are simple gifts that can say so much more than fancy jewelry or a bouquet of flowers. Read More...

Get some mom time sans the kids. Mom's Day Out is an affordable child care option for younger children, and new sessions start right around the same dates as the school year with special summer sessions to keep kids busy all year long.

A Mom's Day Out program gives you a few hours of much-needed downtime so you can be a happier mom, schedule a lunch date with your spouse so you two can sneak in some alone time or you can clean the house without kids under foot.

Of course, you can veg on the couch too, if you want. Enjoy your mini-break however you want.

But how do you know if Mom's Day Out is right for you? You may have mixed feelings about Mom's Day Out because you're home and putting your kids in a program at a young age brings on the guilt. Read More...