MilSpouse Life
I used to be a very pessimistic person. If things didn't go as I thought they should have, negative feelings would fester until I lashed out in some way. I would often be in a bad mood but covered it with a smile, rolled my eyes at overly cheerful people, stressed out about the small stuff, and put up walls to block out criticism. I [...]
Mom LifeMy Favorite Moments in the Last 10 Years of Being a Mom
I became a mother in 2004 when my oldest son Daniel was born. I knew I always wanted to have children and he was the reason I was able to fulfill that dream. In 2006 we had our 2nd little boy Drew and in 2010 we completed our little family with Joshua. [...]
Schedule / Routine20 Small Chores Even a Toddler Can Do
My toddler was furious. He’s always show a bit of a strong-willed side, but I could tell he was not going to back down over this. I was cleaning with the spray bottle and he was adamant about cleaning right along with me. He was determined to do exactly what I was doing without assistance. This got me thinking that it was time [...]
How to Stay Healthy & Sane During the Newborn Phase
There’s nothing quite like parenting a toddler and newborn together. No matter how many books you read or classes you take, nothing truly prepares you for the tidal wave of emotions and sheer exhaustion of motherhood. The newborn phase is all about survival. Of course there’s the utter joy one experiences when becoming a new mother that [...]
Raising KidsThe Surprising Benefit of Teaching Kids High Five
I’m not a huge fan of high fives. Never have been. My husband spent the past two years trying to “convert” me to high five him over every little thing. I kept reminding him that I was his wife, not his bro. And that high fives just weren’t my thing. Why must we high five over everything? I grilled a burger. High five. I took a [...]
One Simple Approach to Help Kids Stay Positive
What makes kids feel happy? Well, a lot of things actually. Off the top of my head there are several things that come to mind: running, jumping, good ole’ fashioned play, quality time with parents, games, stickers, milk, cookies, music, roughhousing, surprises, sticks, dirt and bugs. Life is good. Life is simple. [...]
The Best Advice for the Military Girlfriend
There is rarely a week that passes where I don't hear from a military girlfriend. She is seeking support, friendship and acceptance into the military community. Researching this post, I found much of the advice for military girlfriends discouraging. She needs to know "her place." She is "just a girlfriend." She is "not entitled to [...]
27 Brilliant Things to Know About Pregnancy
I recently asked other moms to share their perspective a few important things to know about pregnancy. Whether this is your first pregnancy or beyond, you learn something new every time. There are a few things that are downright scary like birthing a baby for the first time. And there are things that are beautiful and precious like [...]
Deployment25 Patriotic Military Care Package Ideas
Around here I've been sharing some tips and tricks when it comes to generating some fresh military care package ideas. No matter what time of year you are sending a care package, a patriotic military care package is a fun way to go. I've compiled some of the best red, white and blue military care package ideas for you, plus a few awesome [...]
A New Approach to the Epic Toddler Meltdown
No matter how long you’ve been parenting a toddler, you know that epic meltdowns are something fierce. You also probably know that you can try a variety of things to help your toddler get through those meltdowns and eventually snap out of it. A few initial things that always come to mind are empathy, storytelling, and keeping your child [...]
