My husband and I moved here with one dog, a baby bump and no support system, and are leaving here with two dogs, two kids under three, and a village of hand-selected family. We have not, however, had a babysitter for the popular “first night out kid-free” milestone yet. And this has been by choice – one that is usually met with glares of shock. Continue reading “When home is exactly the break that you need”
I’m proud that I followed through with many of my resolutions for 2017 – well, most of them. My biggest goal was to minimize the clutter in my life, which has transformed our home. It has helped me cut down on wants vs. needs, find a style that I actually like – both in my closet and on our walls, and it has helped me in parenthood by knowing which types of toys are actually worth the splurge. Minimizing has helped me build a space that is full of things I love, period. Continue reading “I failed last year’s resolution and uncovered something better”
I’m that girl who is ready for Christmas in August. It’s my favorite time of year. Not just for the cookies, music, decor, shopping, and the whole Jesus birthday thing, but because of how it fills my cup spiritually. There’s an extra dose of love in the air that ripple effects from our communities into our homes. I feel closer to loved ones, closer to faith. Continue reading “Why I will continue asking my husband for Christmas gifts now that we are parents”
Fifteen months since becoming parents, and I still turn to one of the first pieces of advice I received before going into labor. Continue reading “Why we should stop helping our husbands”
Three years – that’s it? As we looked at our approaching anniversary date, we thought this year’s celebration would be a higher number. Having a kid definitely catalyzes your relationship; It feels like we’ve been tied together far longer, but I suppose this feeling isn’t a bad one. We’re used to marriage by now. We have graduated the honeymoon phase and the notorious adjustment period that follows. We’re not new, we’re not old. We’re just … married.
Continue reading “What I’ve learned in three years of marriage”
In between slicing mangoes and toasting waffles – while making sure our collie isn’t stealing our labradoodle’s food like he always tries when I’m looking away – I overhear on the morning news that it’s International Happiness Day! Continue reading “How happiness changes as I get older”
Thanks to Facebook’s “On This Day,” feature, I saw a blog I had written on this day one year ago countering all the negative warnings that people innocently give to expectant mothers, as if we are doomed for a life of “never agains.” Continue reading “The one warning that we should be giving to expectant mothers”
