My kids love to go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween! They've been witches, princesses, and even crazy monsters that year when we were late finding a costume and I pulled together a DIY outfit.Despite the shrieks of excitement and enthusiasm for canvassing the neighborhood for sweets, we always ...
parenting
4 Ways to Teach Your Kids Compassion
As my kids grow and mature, it is a main priority of mine that they grow compassion in their hearts. In a world where words are thrown without caution, I want them to have eyes that are open to the suffering of others.While it may seem like a large task, teaching our kids to have compassion is ...
Amazing Rewards of Being a Stepparent
Whenever a stepmom is portrayed in a movie or television show, there is usually a little drama and tension. While being a stepparent is full of challenges, there are far more rewards of being a stepparent than difficulties.People may not always choose to talk about the rewards, but they are ...
Why Motherhood Will Change Your Life
Becoming a new mom is an amazing thing. It's a time of celebration, a time of excitement, and a time to cherish every moment. What most people don't talk about is that becoming a mom changes your life in ways you never expect.No matter what people tell you, you don't "get it" until you're ...
Why Parenting Will Make You Question Everything
It seems like just yesterday that we were parents of an infant. Now, one headed to college, a kindergartener, and a 2nd grader later, we're pretty deeply entrenched in this whole parenting way of life.Over the years, we've definitely had some moments that made us question everything we knew ...
Teach Thankfulness and Gratitude All Year Long
Teach thankfulness and gratitude all year long - that has become my covert mission. Not only do I want my girls to recognize the things they're blessed with, I want them to realize that not everyone has the same opportunities and support that they do.To me, thankfulness, gratitude, and grace are ...
STEM: Building with What You Have on Hand
My husband is an aerospace engineer, so we often geek out over science things. In fact, the chances of there being a discussion about science and technology over the dinner table is pretty high. The other day we were out to breakfast and, as any normal family does, we started building a coffee ...
What to Do When Your Teen Doesn’t Want to Talk
Parenting a teenager isn't easy. In fact, sometimes it's downright hard. While we've weathered a lot of storms and survived a lot of teenage angst over the years, I can honestly say that the times that were toughest for me were when my daughter didn't want to talk.When teens withdraw and stop ...