National Reading Month kicks off each March with Dr. Seuss’ birthday. After you celebrate the life and work of this much-loved children’s author, perhaps by playing Dr. Seuss Bingo or making some green eggs and ham cookies, keep on celebrating by frequenting your local library, hosting a story time with friends, curling up with yourContinue Reading
3 Strategies to Strengthen Sibling Relationships
I was vacuuming the other day and really enjoying the “quiet” that comes with that task. You know what I mean: by drowning out all the noise in a busy household, I could get a few minutes of mindless peace. Or not. Slowly but surely above the low, loud hum, I heard an unmistakable crescendo:Continue Reading
Thumb Print Clay Diffusers
Happy Valentine’s Day! I stink at Valentine’s Day. I never know what to give my dearest husband, so his gift usually ends up being some awkward card. My kids, on the other hand, spend weeks creating all manner of Valentine’s Day crafts. I’m sure the intention is to give them to my husband and I onContinue Reading
The Best Books for Train-Loving Kids
Little boys and trains seem to go hand-in-hand. And I have five of them (boys, not trains). Well, really only three little ones now, and two big ones. Over the past 14 years we have had quite the collection of train gear – from toys and train tracks, to pretend play clothes and books. This postContinue Reading
The Birth Story of our 8th Baby
We were blessed with our last and final bundle of joy this past summer, but it has taken my six months to finish writing her birth story and get it posted. What can I say – having eight kids keeps a mama pretty busy! Eight is enough for our family and I feel like myContinue Reading
4 Ways to Get Your Kids to Stop Wasting Toothpaste
Raise your hand if your kids waste toothpaste! I thought so; I knew I wasn’t alone. I can’t even count how many times I’ve gone into my kids’ bathrooms only to see gobs and gobs of toothpaste in the sink. I’m just baffled at times by how they get way more toothpaste in the sink thanContinue Reading
FREE XOXO Print
Here is a simple, yet adorable XOXO print that you can download. It’s perfect for Valentines Day as a decoration or a gift. Or you could use it for an anniversary or to add some flare to your master bedroom. You could even shrink it down when you print it and make it into aContinue Reading
How to Help a Woman Facing an Unplanned Pregnancy
When I found out I was pregnant at 16 years old, I didn’t know what to do or where to turn. I was shocked, scared, and confused. I kept my secret to myself. I was so alone, and hurting. After a few days I did tell my boyfriend and my parents, but I had already turnedContinue Reading
3 Ways To Teach Little Kids About First Responders
One thing I just love about my little boy is how excited he gets every time he sees a fire truck or police car. He gasps and yells “wee-oo! Wee-oo!” And the time a police officer stopped while we were walking and gave him a sticker? He was in heaven. What I love about hisContinue Reading
Why Our Family Loves Classical Conversations {and is it right for your family?}
Late last summer, our family moved cross-country. We were just about to start “official” homeschool with our five year old, and all of a sudden we had no network of familiar homeschooling friends. Most of the families in our new church homeschool, but their kids are significantly older than ours. I felt a little lostContinue Reading
