We just celebrated our tenth anniversary. Ten years! Holy moly! I don’t know what makes me feel older–turning thirty, having three kids, or being married for ten years. Honestly, it might be the ten years of marriage. I mean, I thought we had accomplished something great after just one year, but TEN YEARS?! That’s legit! The past ten […]
In Joy and in Mess: The Challenges of Being a Foster Parent
I’m diving into the personal side of foster care. I started writing because I needed to digest. I’m publishing because there’s a chance that someday another foster family (or future foster family) will stumble upon this post and find it useful. But it’s hard to write without sounding resentful. My hope is to enlighten not anger. My […]
11 Tips to Keep You Sane on Road Trips with Kids–No Screens Required!
Tablets, phones, and portable DVD players have changed how families take road trips with kids. At our kids’ current ages (we have two two-year-olds and a four-year-old), I can pop a movie in the built-in screen in my super cool mini van, and my kiddos will stare blankly at the screen happily ride for at least […]
MURDER at the Haunted Castle: Murder Mystery Dinner Scripts, Tips, & Ideas
What’s better than a really good birthday party? In my opinion, it’s a really good murder mystery birthday party. This is the third murder mystery party we’ve hosted, and each time I’m left with memories of awesome costumes, the high that comes from lots of laughter, and the reminder that we have awesome friends. Since this was my 30th […]
Glamping, Foster Care, and a Weekend of Bonding Behind the Yellow Sign
Special thanks to Trekaroo and KOA for sponsoring this weekend of bonding. We didn’t know it when we signed up, but this experience was just what we needed. You’d think our family would love to camp. We love to be outside. We love to travel. We love adventures. But in our ten years of marriage, we’ve never gone camping. I think […]
Twenty Things I Learned in My Twenties
For this sponsored post from Arm & Hammer™ Truly Radiant™, I was asked to share a personal story about my own “Truly Radiant Finish.” And guess what? This week I turn 30! So today I’m celebrating a #TrulyRadiantFinish to my twenties. (Keep reading to see why the hashtag matters to you!) I should probably be excited (and […]
A Short Trip to Costa Rica with Kids: Sloths, Howler Monkeys, and a Roadside Fruit Stand
One of the great things about cruising with kids is that you get to visit several different places and countries without the cost of flying to each place individually. On our recent cruise to the Panama Canal, we stopped in Aruba, Columbia, Grand Cayman Island, the country of Panama, and Costa Rica. The variety of ports was part of the cruise’s appeal, […]
Free Printable! 24 Fun “Would You Rather” Questions! (with a Subtle FROZEN Theme)
What do unicorns, Santa Claus, Bigfoot, and preschoolers who haven’t gone through a Frozen phase have in common? Just one thing–THEY DON’T EXIST. Even my two-year-old (who doesn’t get screen time) can tell you all about Anna and Elsa thanks to books, stickers, playdoh, and the Frozen internet radio station. She even proudly modeled an Elsa […]
Taking Kids on a Cruise to the Panama Canal: Embera Indian Village Tour
We recently returned from one of my bucket list trips–a cruise to the Panama Canal. Our bags still smell like our stateroom, the souvenirs are still sitting out on the counter, the tan that slipped through the sunscreen is still hanging on, and I’m still high from the memories. So as I process, I thought I’d give you a peek […]
Plans for a shared girls’ room with an awesome IKEA bed hack!
Do your kids share a room? A few months ago, I randomly decided it was time to put our girls in a room together. They seemed ready. They love sharing a room when we go on vacation, and they were always yelling chatting to each other across the hall from their individual rooms at all hours of […]