I was young when I learned how to decorate a gingerbread house. Every December when I was a kid, my family went to my aunt and uncle’s house and had a gingerbread house decorating party. As the years passed and we gained experience, we got more and more creative with our houses. There was the […]
How an Imaginary Athlete Brought Our Family Together
This post brought to you by DICK’S Sporting Goods . The content and opinions expressed below are that of Oh, Honestly. The boys lay in their beds, getting ready to drift off. I’m beside Eli, doing my nightly round of cuddles, when Samuel suggests we play a round or two of “Guess the Person” before I […]
A Plea to Families With Busy Schedules
They sat in front of me as we waited for our kids to finish soccer practice, two moms shooting the breeze. “After this, Amelia has ballet and then we’ve got to run over to the school to pick up Trent’s football uniform. Tomorrow they have swim class right after school, then they’re getting their flu shots […]
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 […]
Five Signs Your Kids are Staging a Coup
A version of this post originally appeared on Scary Mommy. Is everything peaceful on the home front? Despite a few rough moments now and then, do you feel good about the familial order of things? Do your kids know the roles they play and and are happy with their places in the family? You poor delusional fool. Your children […]
71 Ways to Show Gratitude to Family, Friends, and Strangers
A light drizzle fell as I pumped gas on an unseasonably warm October day. As I waited for the tank to fill, I grabbed my phone. One new email message greeted me and it didn’t contain news I wanted to read. A project I was working on had hit a slight speed bump, and something […]
Five Ways to Keep in Touch With Family Who Lives Far Away
For most of my adult life, my extended family lived within a few hours of each other. When holidays, birthdays, or special events happened, it was easy to get together to celebrate. We took it for granted that we could easily see each other and that our kids would grow up near their cousins. Five Ways […]
9 Tips to Keep Everyone Happy on a Family Road Trip
As we head into summer, millions of families will be hitting the road for a good, old-fashioned family vacation. Whether heading across town or across the country, traveling with kids can turn even the calmest parent into a bundle of nerves. With a little planning though, the entire family can have a (relatively) stress-free and absolutely fun experience that will create […]
What’s Really Important
What’s Really Important I’m staring at my phone when he opens the driver’s door. He climbs in, drops two paper bags onto my lap, and backs out of our parking spot. I take a moment to place them at my feet, then return to my reading. As we pull out of the parking lot, he remarks, […]
Week 49: Did Christmas Meet Your Expectations?
Does anyone else feel like Christmas day is always a little anticlimactic? I love love love the season leading up to it, but then the actual day arrives and it’s kinda like, eh. It doesn’t usually live up to the hype. Or maybe I should say, it doesn’t usually live up to my ridiculous expectations. […]