Every May I mentally plan out all the teaching activities I am going to do over summer break to keep my son from experiencing summer brain drain. I list two or three subjects and tell myself that we are going to study throughout the summer. I don’t plan on overwhelming my son with worksheets or turning my [...]
Grief is something that we all must deal with at various times in our lives. Once you have experienced it, it never truly leaves you. For some of us it is something we once went through that shows up at unexpected times to remind us of its presence. For others it is an everyday companion. Regardless of where we [...]
I have been struggling to get back into running after I developed a knee injury a few years ago and I am pleased to say that I just ran in the 9th Annual Pat’s Run. I have wanted to participate in Pat’s Run for years but always had a reason why I couldn’t. As an Arizona State University alumni and an Army wife, this race holds special meaning to me so I made [...]
I do not consume many drinks that come in a glass bottle, but a few years ago I bought some bottles of Mexican soda to bring along on an outing to the drive-in movie theaters. The kiddos were very excited until I realized that I had not brought along a bottle opener and we could not twist the bottle caps off. I did, [...]
In case you haven’t noticed, I am making a concerted effort to include a little more of myself on this site. Talking about myself does not always come easily as it can be frightening to put oneself out there for scrutiny. I also do not want to toot my own horn, so to speak. I am sure your life is way too busy to concern yourself with other [...]
I am not a naturally crafty person so I am always searching for crafts ideas online. I recently discovered a useful and well organized site called craftprojectideas.com. This site allows you to search for craft project ideas by craft type, age of child completing craft, craft theme, and materials used. Once you search the site, you end up with a list of suggested crafts. When you click on one of those craft ideas you get [...]
If you have ever read a book by Tim Kimmel or heard him speak, then you already know that his views on parenting and family can be strikingly different than what you might encounter from other Christian experts. It seems obvious that the heart of the Christian parenting message should be grace, but unfortunately it often is not. I am always [...]
I love gift shops, online or brick and mortar, it really doesn’t matter. I especially love shops that celebrate family and focus on its importance. I am so pleased to be partnering with The Grandparent Gift Co. to offer my readers the chance to win a fantastic grandparent gift just in time for Mother’s Day. Don’t you love it when [...]
I am blessed to be able to stay home with my children, but not everyone is in the same situation. One of my family members is a single mom who provides 100% of her children’s support and care. This can prove to be tricky during times when school is out, especially during the summer. She cannot miss work all summer long [...]
Mexican food is my all-time favorite comfort food. It is also a panacea of sorts for whatever has you down. It is hard to be depressed in a festive Mexican restaurant. No matter what your ancestral heritage, Cinco de Mayo presents you with a perfect excuse to enjoy a robust and satisfying Mexican meal. I searched the [...]
I am not a big fan of attitude tees or of teaching kids to have attitudes in general. I do not think it is cute or funny. There are a few sayings that really get under my skin and the number one offender is It’s all about me (IAAM). When I see a little girl in a [...]
The more time I spend as a wife and mother who is trying to watch out for the health of my family, the more meals I make from scratch. My mom made most of her meals from scratch when I was a child and I grew up spoiled by her Southern-style cooking skills. My mom is actually English, but her mother-in-law was a Southern cook who [...]
