I sit on a swing at my favorite park and glance to my left at the playground equipment. As my eyes focus on my oldest it dawns on me what I’m seeing, what I’ve been seeing since we arrived over an hour ago. He is perched above the monkey bars, surveying the neighborhood from close […]
Cutting the Chaos of Dinner Time With Kids
Not long ago I found a bunch of stock photos of families at dinner time and I’ve got to tell you, they looked NOTHING like our family dinners. Everyone was in their seat. Everyone was smiling. Kids were grabbing second helpings of vegetables. No one had food on their face or shirt. These photos were remarkable. They […]
People Who Should Run as a Third Party Candidate for President
Editor’s Note: I published a slightly different version of this post on Saturday, then removed it a short time later. It was targeted at one candidate in particular, and although I don’t believe it was terribly mean-spirited, I still felt vaguely uncomfortable with it. I couldn’t quite place my finger on the source of my discomfort until […]
How I’m Like Lord Business as a Mom, and the Ways I’m Letting Go
Guest Post by Esther Littlefield of Wellness Mom Life I sat on the floor with my daughter playing Legos. I looked around me and inwardly cringed. Every set we’ve bought her over the years is now jumbled up, scattered throughout multiple bins, across the floor, and made into new creations. It’s not just the Lego […]
To the Me I Used to Be
Hey Me, It’s me! Or you or… well, this might be more confusing than I first thought. I’m the me you’ve become. The future you (me?). You probably recognize parts of me. We haven’t changed much. Then again, in other ways, I’m almost unrecognizable. To the Me I Used to Be You’ll be happy to know that […]
Ridiculous Stock Photos of Family Meal Time
What does family meal time look like at your house? At our house, it’s often a struggle. The kids don’t like what we’re having or we’re up and down 15 times getting drinks or ketchup or second helpings. Although we love our meal times together and know the importance of family dinners, they are rarely a […]
When Pride Gets in the Way of Parenting
This post contains affiliate links. I settled onto the couch, laptop in hand, as three excited kids crowded around me. They talked over each other, trying to be the first to be heard. “Look up sports ones!” “No, Star Wars!” “I want princesses!” When Pride Gets in the Way of Parenting It was the end […]
How to Steal Time
This post originally appeared on Mom Babble. I awoke to quiet talking and took a moment to get my bearings. Our room was unusually dark, mostly because our three kids were camped out on our bedroom floor. With their bedrooms vacant, we’d forgotten to turn on the nightlight in the hall and the dim green glow that usually […]
Popular ’90s Songs Rewritten for Moms
Isn’t it funny how a song can transport us back in time? The other day I was driving home when “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer came on the radio. Immediately I was back in high school. When I got home, I asked the people on my Facebook page to name the songs that […]
When Your Kid Is a Brat
Originally published in 2012. This will come as no great surprise to those of you who already have children, but it may be shocking to the ones who haven’t yet delved into the wonderful world of parenting. Brace yourselves, future dads and moms because here it is: Sometimes I don’t like my kids. Thankfully, most […]