Don’t miss a thing.
The Best Parenting Advice
This advice comes from my mom. She raised me and my two brothers. We’re all grown and she’s pretty pleased with how differently we are each living our lives. Those are her credentials so take the following advice at your own risk.
Recurring Family-Friendly Instant Pot Recipes
These are my family’s five favorite Instant Pot recipes.
Pro Tip: Just Add Water
Just add water, when your kids or you need a mental break. That’s a tip I learned early as a parent. I’ll revise it to say, “just add soap and water.”
Going from Two Kids to Three
A third child is a whole new level of chaotic. I learned that my former routines must be retired. My expectations altered.
Mama, you’ve got this.
I overheard a comment from a woman when I was walking through our small downtown,“Wow, 3 kids.”When I heard it, I felt a prickle on my neck.
Guest Writer’s Series: A Letter to My Postpartum Depression
No one tells you that the newborn phase is like Groundhog’s Day — every three hours, it is diaper change, feed, sleep, repeat. Throw in some inconsolable crying, dozens of doctors appointments, formula trial-and-error, and hundreds of loads of laundry and you get the picture. In addition to the typical newborn struggles, I was struggling with something that I still struggle to put into words.
I Feel Jealous Sometimes…
I feel jealous when I hear positive breastfeeding stories. I’m human. I sometimes throw myself a “why me” pity party. I search Google for answers as to why I never produced milk after 3 pregnancies. My current theory is that I lack enough glandular tissue. But who really knows? 🤷🏽♀️
Parents, Forget the Schedule
I used to think the perfect schedule would allow me to “get it all done.”With my first child, I had a meticulous schedule. I planned every hour of our day. Productivity was the goal & I refused to have my time wasted.
You Are Your Child’s Gift
You are the perfect mother for your child. You were given to him, not the other way around. I had to repeat this to myself as a first time mom.
Moms, Read When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed
No matter how badly you wanted this child or how deeply you love him, you're allowed to admit being a mother is more than you expected. You're allowed to admit how lonely you feel even when you're surrounded by amazing support.
Guest Writer’s Series: Crushing the ‘Woe is Me’ Mindset as a Military Spouse
Military life is tough at times, for me dealing with the emotional aspect of doing life SOLO is one of the most complicated things to sort through.
Finding “Glory” in Sufferings Pt. One
I feel like I’m entering into a season of suffering. A bunch of hard things have hit our family in ways I wasn’t prepared for—I’m a preparer so I’m feeling uneasy.
Guest Writer’s Series: It’s Okay To Be Sad
Sometimes this thing happens in which someone shares a struggle with me but then adds “but it’s nothing like what you’re going through!” As if their heartache is insignificant because I have heartache as well. And can I be honest? It makes me cringe.
Guest Writer’s Series: You Don’t Have To Be Enough
As I was cleaning and organizing our little craft/home-school corner of the playroom this past week, a thought hit me…I’m not enough.
The Magic of 3 in Practice
I am often asked, how I run my days with my kids. Here’s my answer:
For my sanity, I focus on doing 3 things. It’s a technique I’ve been doing ever since my first was born. I just choose to complete 3 things off my to-do list.
Guest Writer’s Series: It’s Time To Retire This Motherhood Phrase
If 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss and so many other children die after their birth, how many women do you think you know that have had a child die? As the recipient of one of these items, I can tell you the pain I felt when holding the mug in my hands was immeasurable. It was a lighthearted gift, meant to bring me joy, but all I could see was a reminder of a sense of failure I was working so hard to free myself from.
Austin’s Birth Story
I am one of those women who loves being pregnant. I loved wearing maternity clothes. I lived in those stretchy dresses. I couldn’t wait to start wearing my jeans with the “over the belly band.” However, due to military family life, there was much stress around Austin’s delivery.