Carrie Buddin
Hi there! I’m Carrie. When I’m not chasing pups and 10-year olds, I’m the owner/designer of a small jewelry business based in Chattanooga. I enjoy leaving things on the stairs for my child to take to his room but never does, spending hours of my life in the school car line, and packing a lunchbox every Monday through Friday until the year 2030.
To-Do Lists Are Stressing Me Out
My mother taught me the art of To-Do Lists. There was always a notebook nearby. Always a pen. Not because she’s a writer, mind you. But because she is a list maker. Grocery lists....
The Kindness Of Strangers
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. People will be celebrating love. Romantic love. Friendly love. Family love. There are so many different types of love and so many degrees of it. There’s the love you can’t...
Half Empty Or Half Full?
Do you ever wake up one morning and think "Well. This is it. Today's the day. I've officially run out." Of words, ideas, motivation, gas, tape, chicken nuggets. As a mom and a writer,...
Dear Santa: A Letter From A Grown-Up
Dear Santa,
I know I don't write to you anymore. You see, I'm a grown-up now. A mom with a full-time job and a house and leaves that need blowing and laundry that needs folding...
Never Enough Tape
Mamas, to say I live in an arts and crafts world is an understatement. My son, in his short lifetime, has used billions of pipe cleaners, oceans of washable paint and 5,429,832 Sharpies. Yes,...
A Mom’s Solo Vacation: I Did The Impossible
“Solo” is defined as “done as one person alone; unaccompanied.” This is not a word in the Mom Vocabulary. Maybe moms have solo trips to the grocery store. Or solo trips to work. Occasionally,...
Somewhere Between Teddy Bears And Teenagers
My son is 11. That’s his actual age. But some days he’s seven. And other days he’s 17. Some days he wants to snuggle and play with action figures and watch cartoons. Other days...
Making Mom Friends And Keeping Them
Everyone always says how hard it is to make Mom Friends. It’s not just moms. It’s grown-up friends, in general. As kids, it’s pretty black and white. “You like dolphins and the color green...
The Magic Of The Public Library
I love books. I’ve always loved books. I grew up surrounded by avid readers. My Nana had stacks of books everywhere. Growing up on a small farm in the middle of nowhere, books were...
Single Mom Break-Ups
Let's get right into it. Let’s talk about dating as a single mom. As if parenting wasn’t hard enough, what if we throw dating into the mix? Because that sounds fun, right? Oh, and...