I struggled with the name for this blog. I wanted to write a blog to my fellow moms to help each other get through our fun-filled, nutso days. The blog will be full of tips on how to survive and thrive with children.

I'm not a parenting expert. I'm just a normal mom. I have three boys and 88% of the time they are angelic. The other 12% you don't even want to hear about. I've had everything from syrup to grape juice in my carpet. I've had numerous matches lit on my hardwood floor. We've had more trips to instacare than I care to talk about.

I'll try to find a fun or helpful parenting tip each time I blog. I love to read parenting magazines and books, plus I have some amazing friends who help me be a better mom everytime I talk to them.

And there's my tip for today: You need friends. Good friends. The kind of friends you can call when you're going to scream at your child. The kind of friends who will make you feel better and make you laugh and hopefully prevent the screaming episode. The kind of friends you can go on a girl's night out with. The kind of friends you can complain to about your sweetheart and they won't go blab to the neighborhood about it and they will still love your sweetheart and understand that you are not getting a divorce, but you really needed to vent.

If you don't have that kind of friend yet: get out there and meet some friends. Talk to mom's at the park or McDonald's (say their kids are sooo cute, that's always a great conversation starter even if it's not true). Join a book club or church group or volunteer at school or for a worthwhile cause. Then just be a good friend and voila, you have someone who you can call when you're boys saw your piano bench with knives (yes, that happened to me).

Until next time, I wish you all happy friends and unlimited cell phone minutes to talk to those friends.