I have three teenagers. They all loved trick-or-treating with friends well into their teenage years–and I happily let them! Initially, I questioned my judgement…Aren’t you too old to be trick-or-treating? But I quickly realized, there are MUCH BIGGER FISH to fry with teenagers…this is not a battle worth fighting. In fact, now I celebrate their…
Lifestyle
FlyLady Routines — Bless Your Home and Family!
Here’s the truth. I’m a very messy person at heart. I was the kid in elementary school who stuffed bent folders, stubby pencils, broken crayons, and crumpled notes into her desk. Oh how I envied my friends who kept their desks meticulous–shiny folders all in a row, neat pencil boxes (actually filled with pencils and…
Easy Family Recipes — make every day special
These days I don’t always have much time for cooking (maybe it’s not so much the cooking, but the clean-up)! As a homeschool mom, I feel like I am.always.in.the.kitchen! So when I do take the time to make something for my family (beyond peanut butter and grilled cheese), I want it to be something they…
Cleaning With Essential Oils — My Shortcut
I love the idea of cleaning with less chemicals…And as Chief Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Window Washer, and Countertop Wiper (AKA: Mom)–I get exposed to a lot of them! So, I’ve been searching and experimenting with different natural cleaning brands for a while now. But nothing has really stood out to me–plus they tend to get…
How to Pray — A Simple Prayer Structure
My prayer life has gone through ebbs and flows over the years. Somewhere along the way, someone shared a simple outline for personal prayer with me called ACTS. And while there’s no one right way to pray—I’ve found this strategy really helpful. My hope is that if you want to learn how to pray, or…
Easy Panang Curry
I discovered and fell in love with Thai food about 10 years ago (before that—was I really living though?)—curry is life. In particular, I discovered my most favorite food in all the world—Panang Curry. I know—this does not exactly sound like something you can recreate at home. But I love this dish so much, I…
20 Marriage Tips After 20 Years
Last summer my husband (Jason) and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary! And now I’ve officially been married half my life! We tied the knot just one month after my 20th birthday…wow! I felt very grown-up back in 1997—totally ready to take on the world with my new hubby! And I guess you could say…
Staying On or Off Disney Property at Disney World
Planning a trip to Disney World is so exciting! Deciding where to stay is one of the first things to knock off the “to-do,” list! We’ve visited Disney World five times with our family, and we’ve stayed both on and off property! (We’ve got 6 kids and have done Disney with toddlers, teens, and everything…
Get Organized — Homeschool Planner
Today I’m sharing tools and the Homeschool Planner I created to help get me organized! My hope is this comprehensive planner will help you tackle your own “to-do,” lists and help keep your homeschool planning simple, flexible, and organized! Organization and Mental Health For me—keeping organized is a big part of healthy living. I’m prone…
Kid Activities — Are the Sacrifices Worth It?
The last snowflakes just fell on this year’s Nutcracker ballet. It was beautiful—truly lovely. I wish I could just watch and enjoy the show—but instead I sit with shoulders tense, holding my program in a death grip and barely breathing. My eyes following my fourteen year-old daughter’s every move. Partly because I know the hours…
5 Must Bring Items to Disney World – Save Time and Money in the Parks!
A trip to Disney World is so exciting—we have visited four times with our family and absolutely love it! If you’re a little overwhelmed about planning your family’s visit, I’ve got you covered! This post is all about 5 Must Bring Items to Disney World —items you definitely should bring, but you may not think of….
How to Plan a Disney Vacation
We love Disney World! I think families are either in one of two camps—the Disney LOVERS or the Not-So-Much. We are wholeheartedly part of the first camp! And I say this as someone who does not love crowds—I’m actually a crowd avoider. I don’t do local festivals and carnivals because I cannot even handle that…
40 Lessons on My 40th Birthday
I’m celebrating my 40th birthday this week! I keep thinking, surely my birthday is at least a month away—it can’t possibly be June already (plus I had ambitious plans to start exercising, lose the last of my baby weight, and get my roots colored before this milestone)…but here it is. And here I am…staring in…
