I grabbed my keys while staring blankly into the distance and simultaneously uttering one simple sentence to my husband, “I’m leaving now.” Through my peripheral vision, I could see him raise his brow, glance in my direction, and nod once. I think he knew better than to ask where I was going or what I was doing. Maybe he knew I [...]
When Motherhood Feels Heavy, Remember This…
When I first learned my friend Sarah fell pregnant with her second baby, I was beyond elated for her. Pregnant with my second baby as well, it’s always a fun feeling when your friends are pregnant right along with you. Plus, Sarah was already an amazing mom to her toddler boy. I knew this next addition to her family would be so incredibly [...]
The Best Customizable School Night Routines For Kids
School night routines can feel like chaos! You run from school pick up, back home, rush through homework, leave for some kid activity, return home for a thrown together dinner, and repeat "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" all the way to bedtime. Whew! Thankfully, there is an easier way. It's time to take your school night routines from [...]
4 Year Old Sleep Schedules – EASY TO USE with examples
Have you ever noticed how 4 year olds can act self-centered? This is actually a developmental milestone for them! It can also wreck your 4 year old sleep schedule since they are more independent and self-confident (aka testing boundaries!). Your child may act afraid to sleep alone, repeatedly come out of their rooms, regress to [...]
30 Perfect Christmas Games for Families
Christmas games for families is my all time favorite way to to spend time during the holidays. Well...outside of shopping for toddler stocking stuffers. Christmas family games are an especially great way to bond with family you don't see very often. It breaks the ice and offers you something to do when you aren't sure how to start [...]
9 Genius Phrases for Dealing with a Strong Willed Child
The situation had “meltdown” written all over it. It was a fun, yet incredibly long day at the zoo for the kids. I knew our oldest - a strong willed child - wasn’t going to want to leave. In his mind, we could sleep there with the animals and everything would be perfect. As we prepared to break the news, hangry and tired washed over my [...]
75+ Simple Ways to Promote Independence in Kids (aka Life Skills)
It always started with an explosion of whining before dinner time each night. As a parent I wanted to raise independent children, but I found myself in rut with a child who wanted everything done for him. Naturally, there was incessant whining. I would stand at the stove cooking potatoes, vegetables or [...]
How to Easily Teach Kids Perseverance (Hint: Do Less)
When I was a little girl growing up in the Midwest, my dad and I spent most evenings playing Trivial Pursuit for Kids at the kitchen table. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was in the midst of a life lesson called teaching perseverance to kids. Each night, I desperately wanted to fill my colored trivial pursuit pie before my [...]
My Favorite Things Family Gift Guide 2021
I hope you are rounding out a wonderful 2021! Each year a love to share a few things that we used and loved throughout the seasons. We spent a significant amount of time camping in the Southwest USA and visiting family in the Midwest. These are the top themes that come to mind when I think of 2021: ReconnectionQuality Family [...]
The Day I Quit Dinner Time Battles
Tall and skinny. Those are two words that perfectly describe our preschool-aged son. At 6 months old his weight dropped from the 60th percentile down to the 16th percentile. The nurses and doctors at the clinic expressed concern that perhaps he wasn’t getting enough to eat. Back then I was a new mom and this worried the [...]