There are several occasions in life which force a woman to confront the inevitable and apparent fact that—despite what her inner 19-year-old brain and sometimes fashion sense is telling her—she is undeniably, objectively, and painfully.. a grown up.

In this week’s Holiday Gift Guide, we are talking about best friends.

Fall brings to mind a specific color palette; in my mind, I see rich browns, rusts and gold colors–all the shades you’d see on a drive through the countryside.

I’m not in the practice of patting myself on the back all too often (hello, all other moms out there too!), but may I just say, after this weekend, I think I deserve the gold medal for mothering the shit out of my kids.

Since having kids–and especially since having our third–people have asked, “How do you do it?” And for the longest time, I had no answer.

Friends! Do you hear that far-off tinkling of jingle bells and the sound of children wailing as they sit on Santa’s lap at the mall?

Admission: The term “Mini Me,” when used to describe one’s child, is a bit squirm-inducing to me.

Micellar water pretty much changed the way I do my makeup. It allows me to fix my mistakes so easily, so I’m not scared to try new looks. (Who wants to go back to the starting line when you’re crafting a smoky eye? Not this chick.)

There are many points in motherhood when we share our stories. And boy are there stories to share.

Ten Things to Tell Your Kids When You Don’t Want Them Touching Any More of that Freakin’ Halloween Candy