Blog Posts by Julie Meyers Pron

Local (Philadelphia area) readers, this is really important. There's a Chester County toddler who was recently diagnosed with APML (Leukemia). He's in need of AB Negative blood (the really rare form). His parents are asking anyone able to donate AB Negative blood to please go to your nearest American Red Cross Donation Center and give. Reference: Kieran Dowd.

For more information about donations and helping, please visit the Chester County Moms Blog, where my good friend Sarah has created a form for platelet donation.

Please share this with your friends and family. Please share it on facebook, twitter, community emails... We need to work together to help this child. This family.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Dowd family.Read More »from Call for AB Negative Blood in the Philadelphia Region

[Editor's note: This month, Shine Parenting Gurus were asked to write about a moment over the last year that they are genuinely thankful for, whether that was a good time with their family, or a more difficult experience that made reflect upon their lives in a new way.]

I've been stressing myself out recently. I'm spending a lot of time thinking about 2010 and how its, already, coming to a close. For some of us, the year was easy and filled with joy. Others just want it to end. Always the optimist, I'm looking to fill my mind (and my mom blog) with joyous memories. Yesterday, while thinking of the year and how it flew, I joined my 15-month-old at the table as she colored. I grabbed a crayon and joined her.

Together, we colored monsters skating on ice, ice cream cones and little girls dancing. We traded colors, we scribbled, we laughed. It felt good. It felt relaxed.

As Little and I bonded over pinks, purples, greens and oranges, I watched her eyes focus and her head tilt. I watched

Read More »from Parenting Guru: Appreciating the smaller moments with my small one

Today, as part of the Facebook Places roll-out, people who checked in at GAP got a pair of free 1969 jeans. There were limited quantities and *I got the last pair* (doing the happy dance) at my local GAP. Sweet! (I'll be honest, it was a bit of a PITA. But well worth it.)

I had also held on to my Groupon from August, where you spent $25 and get a $50 gift certificate to GAP. So, I walked in all primed to get my free jeans and $50 worth of goods. Of course, I walked out with more.

I have to say, I love how the old GAP is back. Really, jeggings and stirrups and all. I know. I said stirrups. Now, I wouldn't wear them with flats, but they are amazing with boots. I'm serious. Go get yourself a pair. They're comfortable and they stay tucked in. I didn't get stirrups though. Because black jeans? They're in. So I got black skinnies.

GAP was the perfect place to Mom-Chic-up my wardrobe today. I knew I needed a new black top for layering because my old one was... old. This new one was $19.50

Read More »from Getting Mom-Chic at Gap

Its been an interesting thing to be a part of, 31 Days of Pink. It started out as a fun challenge: "Will I remember to do it? Will I be able to wear pink for 31 Days? Will people notice a pattern?"

For the first two weeks or so, I had a great time. I found about 14 different tops, and vlogged each one. The vlogging part actually helped me, on a personal level. It helped to make me more comfortable with vlogging and seeing myself on video. But, of course, that wasn't the point of this exercise.

By the 3rd week, I found an old pair of pink earrings, a pink watch, pink sneakers and my pink wellies could, pretty much, help me make it through the rest of the month. The vlogging got old. I can promise you, I wore pink all 31 days. It didn't seem necessary to vlog about it or share it every day.

Which, unfortunately, is where I might have failed this exercise. The point wasn't to wear pink every day. The point was to wear pink and raise awareness. And while many friends knew to look and

Read More »from 31 Days of Pink: Reviewing the purpose

Cardigans by Magaschoni
Platforms by L.A.M.B.

Fashion and style have always been important to me. But since becoming a mom, there are definitely times I fall back to the sweatpants slump. And not just days, weeks. Weeks that I pass from a velour sweatsuit to yoga loungewear to never changing from my gym clothes.

But on the days I look Mom Chic I find I'm more motivated, I get more done. Every time I wear a skirt, a snazzy top or a put-together look, people double-take. They ask where I'm going, what the occasion may be, if I have an important meeting. Usually, I do. Sometimes, though. Sometimes, I'm dressed for me. And I'm dressed for my kids.

Back in high school, I remember watching a friend walking down the hall, wearing sweats, hair uncombed, no make-up. "Why?" I thought. "Why doesn't she take an extra few minutes to show she cares?"

Related Article: Fashion Friday: Accessorizing in Pink

Now, in Mommyland, I remind myself of that thought. That even back in the

Read More »from User post: Being Mom Chic

Today, I missed my workout. I ran around all day, making sure I did the grocery shopping, hit the sale at the Gap, and returned my kids' library books before they were overdue, again. I took Middle to the toy store and stopped at a second store to compare gift ideas and prices. I made it home in time to pick up Big at the bus stop, then walked back to the house so that Little could sleep, while I joined the kids at the table for homework time and then made dinner.

Several years ago, as in, before my kids, my dad told me he loved Toby Keith 's I Wanna Talk About Me because it reminded him of our family growing up. He's father to 3 daughters. Three, as my mom explained it, leading ladies. In other words, he never had a chance to talk about himself.

Oh, do I understand that! But I don't just want to talk about me, I want to have a little "me." Its been, afterall, over 7 years since Big was born. Those years, though magical, have taught me to give of myself more than I ever

Read More »from User post: Parents need to remember me time

I'm joining Mom Generations, Mommies with Style, Classy Mommy and Lady and the Blog and helping to raise awareness for Breast Cancer. For all 31 days of October, we're wearing something pink.

I'm going to try to check in on my blog, Just Precious, each day to share my pink.


Join in!

Birthday-eve was a late night when Big was about to turn four. He ran all night in the late-August heat, through puddles and dirt piles. That night, he crashed onto his bed, anticipating an exciting birthday.

When he woke, early, he announced his big day while bouncing into my room, "I'm FOUR!!!"

"No. You're not. Not yet," I groggily replied. "You have to wash off the three's first."

Wide-eyed, he replied, "I do?!"

"Well of course you do! Hurry! Get in the shower! Go! Go! Go!" I've never seen him more excited to shower. On his brother's birthday morning, Big insisted that Middle wash off the one's. And a tradition was started.

This summer, Middle turned 5. He jumped out of bed and bounced into our room. "Mom!" He said. "Do you know what?"

"Its your birthday?" I replied. "You're FIVE! Happy birthday!"

"No, I'm not! Not yet! I have to wash off the four's first! Quick! Turn on my shower."

When the kids were young, I tried to create warm-fuzzy

Read More »from Parenting Guru: In our family, we wash in our birthdays every year