Christie Pettus
Christie Pettus is a full time working wife and mother living her suburban cul de sac dream in Orange Park, Fl. She is Mom to two awesome teenagers, McKenzie and Ethan, who have come to accept that certain parts of their lives will be blogged about, so they should act accordingly. As graduates of the University of Florida, she and her husband Ryan can be found rooting on their alma mater every chance they get including the more obscure sports. LaCrosse anyone? When she’s not judging her kids' questionable teenage choices, she can be found hiding in a room buried in a good book or writing, editing, and dreaming about being a full-time author.
Traveling With Kids: Give Up on Perfection
We are a family who loves to travel. Local or international, weekend getaways or week-long adventures. We're in for it all. The memories are priceless, and the chance to escape the distractions of day-to-day...
All the Ways I’ve Failed as a Mom
I held on too tight. When my kids needed to fly, I snipped their wings and pulled them back into the nest. Not because they weren’t ready, but because I wasn’t ready. I then...
The Gun Debate: Let The Teens Speak
So many things about the devastating news out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School upset me: a mass shooting in a school, the senseless loss of lives, parents dealing with the unthinkable. As a...
Teenagers are Basically Oversized Toddlers
I remember it like it was yesterday. We were headed to Disney — no strollers and no diaper bag for the first time ever. We waltzed through the entrance with our “see ya, suckers”...
The Other Sex Talk You Should Be Having With Your Teens
My Facebook feed was flooded with shocked posts. Matt Lauer fired for sexual misconduct in the workplace? Surely not the Matt Lauer who's been smiling back at us each morning for 20 years while...
We Can Disagree… Respectfully
There are certain trends I can get behind. Accepting leggings as pants? Yes, please! Binge-watching TV shows? Um, is there a better way to watch television? The trend I'm noticing lately, however, is not...
More Than Just a Facebook Image
A friend of mine recently felt the need to clarify her choice of Facebook profile image in a status update. She was worried her photo choice would be misconstrued as supporting, or not supporting,...
To My Teenage Daughter: I See You
Believe it or not, the above images were taken on the same day. One depicting my 15-year-old daughter as the little girl I've always known. The other a stark reminder that she's growing up...
I Did Everything Right (And It Still Went Wrong)
There was a point during my 40th year when I decided to take charge of my health. I couldn’t control my age, but I was going to make sure that whatever 40 and beyond...
My Daughter is Officially Starting High School
It seems like just yesterday I brought her home from the hospital, and yet, somehow, she’s headed off to high school. Four years filled with times she’ll remember forever and some she’ll want to...
A Day in the Life of a Teenage Gamer
As a mother of two tech-savvy teenagers, I’ve had my fair share of experiences in the world of video games. From the Nintendo DS providing entertainment in the backseat, to family tennis on the...
Thank You, Wonder Woman
Growing up, I never missed an episode. In an age where DVR, Netflix, and On Demand didn’t exist, I made sure to be seated right in front of the television as soon as the...