Keep the Kids’ Brains Engaged this Summer
Ah, summertime with the kids. We love it, but it can also require some huge adjustments. The kids are home all day, or on a modified schedule, and trying to keep the household operating while also luxuriating in lazy days is a precarious balance. In our house, we also try hard to
Hosting a Foreign Exchange Student
This time last year, we were welcoming our first foreign exchange student into our home. Through a Facebook connection, we learned a local organization needed homes for high school students from Russia who would be visiting our area for the summer. Honestly, this had an element of risk attached to
What to Know About a Juice Cleanse
We believe that the body is a temple and we are tasked with taking care of it. Plus, we want to be around to embarrass our grandkids someday and that starts now. So I suppose it should be no surprise that I tried a juice cleanse. Before you decide if
Visiting Bruges, Belgium
On some rare occasions, pure magic happens when you travel. When it does, you grab the day and live it hard. But when it is done, you wonder, was that amazing day a gift from the place (a city or setting that is a hub of magic) or is it
How to Pack The Perfect Family Pool Bag
Pool season is upon us here in the Southeast states, and it is gorgeous. But, as Boys Scouts or someone says, being prepared is next to godliness (or something). We have logged many family pool days in our lives and have a routine down. We promise you will have much
How to Have a Hummingbird Feeder
Grandpa has a hummingbird feeder. He has had one for decades, wherever he has lived. If a hummingbird visits his feeder, we stop all conversation to lovingly stare at the sleek little body warily humming near us. If you are playing Grandpa in Apples to Apples, save the hummingbird card
Visiting Brussels, Belgium
Belgium was never on my radar screen. When I sat with a world map, or when I plotted places to visit in my Bullet Journal, Belgium was never there. Overlooked, forgotten, tiny. Which is a travesty since it is full of some of the best things God gave us. The
How to Get it “All” Done
We had a short conversation about life with a parenting friend lately. “Yes, we are so busy and then I remembered it’s April! April is always our busiest month! When sports are over things will calm down and we can get back to life.” And it got me thinking: is
A Family Visit to Everglades National Park
I am not sure what my expectations were, but I realized suddenly that I was in the Everglades with my children. This is the park of legends…of swamp monsters and mosquitoes…of kayaks and marshes…. Or so I thought. Instead, my family and I were on a pontoon boat in the
22 Easy Rainy Day Activities for Kids
When a rainy day comes and you are stuck inside, kids are stuck inside with you. Things can get tense. And while the Pinternet is full of fantastic ideas on how to entertain your children, no one says that it has to be complicated. There is no reason to run
Family Visit to the Grand Canyon
If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on
Family Visit to Zion National Park
If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on
Meet Leigh Hines: Sharing the Power of Choice
Talking to Leigh Hines, it is hard not to be swept up by her enthusiasm. She is bubbly, intelligent, easy to talk to, and full of great ideas. By the end of our conversation, she had me convinced I should do a podcast. Leigh has a sharp wit and a
Chapter Book Series for Kids
We read a lot in this house and cultivating a family of readers can be hard. It takes effort. Yet it is effort we feel is worth the end result. We’ll share some ideas soon on how we “grow readers,” but picking the right book for kids is a great
Family Visit to Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Parks
If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on
Recipes To Use Hard-Boiled Eggs
To all the parents out there: who has a dozen or more hard-boiled eggs left after Easter? You dyed them, maybe you hid them, now you need to eat them. It is possible that your family will eat a dozen hard-boiled eggs with just a hint of salt on them,
Family Visit to Arches National Park and Moab, UT
If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on
Raising Butterflies at Home – Metamorphosis Up Close
We have 2 kids, a dog, and a cat. Jobs, chores, special projects, and a church we love to be involved in. And yet…something was missing. We wanted something we felt we could successfully care for. A being that didn’t need training and constant vigilance. We desired breathing things that
Easter Basket Ideas You Still Have Time To Get
We are staring Easter in the face and perhaps, if you are anything like us anyway, you haven’t done a thing yet to create the magic. Unfortunately, we also don’t enjoy when the Easter Bunny delivers nothing but candy (after all, who needs sugar-crazed kids at 8 am?). This means
Family Visit to Fossil Butte National Monument
If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on
Family Visit to Grand Teton National Park
If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on
Family Visit to Yellowstone National Park
If you are just getting started on what we lovingly call our “Epic Trip Out West,” where our family of four drove from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, hitting all the parks we could in between, start with our FAQs and full itinerary here. Otherwise, here’s the low down on
The (real) Reasons to go on a Mission Trip
We’ve been to weddings in the Dominican Republic. We’ve stayed at all-inclusive resorts, driving past teenagers guarding plantations with assault rifles to hole up in a gated hotel while peacocks strutted around. We’ve been into cenotes and had “Montezuma’s Revenge” from the fruit on the buffet. The ocean water was
How to Host a Freezer Meal Party
We get it: preparing meals ahead of time and freezing them is a great idea. In theory, we can get on board with that. But in practice, life is full and when it comes to Sunday afternoons neither parent wants to be bulk prepping meals to freeze while the rest
8 Chapter Books for Preschoolers
If you are tired of Go Dog Go and the Knufflebunny, there is hope! There are chapter books for preschoolers and younger children, and we have a few to share with you. These books will keep minds with short attention spans enrpatured, yet will keep them coming back again and
Favorite Soup Recipes
Our children refuse to eat soup. Obviously, they are crazy heathens who don’t know what they are missing out on. We have tried luring them with various recipes, but nothing works. Regardless, we keep turning to soup time and time again. Some nights, nothing satisfies like a big, hot, filling
6 Great Audible Books for Families
Weary parents, it is possible to have a car ride without the tapping of tablets, the hum of the screens, or the incessant whining. Having a low-screentime household and family doesn’t mean that car rides have to be miserable, or that you have to give up. Through the years, we
Easy Smoothie Recipes
There are smoothie recipes all over the Internet and health magazines. But let’s be honest, many require ingredients that simply aren’t native to our pantries and refrigerators. Yet smoothies are so tasty, delicious and filling that most mornings they are what we start with. Through the years, we have been
Recipes to Make Your Own Household Cleaners and Detergents
This is something so easy to reject due to convenience: making household cleaners There are enough hours in the day, why do we need to spend time on this?! I am lucky to get dressed in clean clothes most days, this seems like over-achieving pressure. But it turns out that,
From Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon: Our Family Travel Itinerary and FAQs
Late last year (starting at the end of September), we took our boys on what we call in our family our “Epic Trip Out West.” We drove from Yellowstone National Park down to Grand Canyon National Park and hit as many parks in between as we good. It meant –
The Easiest LEGO Ninjago & Ninja Birthday Party
We like easy birthday parties that reflect our child’s interests, don’t break the bank, and don’t break our backs. And we think it’s possible to have one! Take a peek at the Easiest LEGO Ninjago (or Ninja) Birthday Party ever. Please note there are some Amazon affiliate links below. We
A Family Visit to Kennedy Space Center in Florida
Friends, we took our first trip as “NDP”s (non-Disney people) to the Magic Kingdom this year and enjoyed it, but we have to advocate for the spot right down the road that was even more rewarding (and cheaper) for our family: The Kennedy Space Center. If your family travels take you
Disney Vacation Tips for Active Families
The world is divided these days. There are two groups in America: Disney People (“DP”s) and Non-Disney People (“NDP”s). We are NDPs. To clarify: we are NDPs, not Disney-haters. To us, Disney is great but when we choose to spend $1,500 on a vacation, we want to take our kids
Things We Can DO to Create a World of Love
It’s been hard to figure out what to say. I (mom) sit in a place of privilege. But as someone who wants a better world for her sons, who believes that God is love and did not create beautiful people of different races so we could hate each other, who
Seeing Annecy, France
You know the crystal clear alpine lake? The one that looks enticing with it blues yet you know will shock you through with a frigid blast? Where merry-go-rounds from yesteryear spin round on its banks and children laugh? Where beautiful people picnic with wine under the little crease where the
Seeing Chamonix, France
Chamonix, France. A mountainous town full of charm and oozing storybook settings. But primarily, it brings to the forefront a controversy in our household: if a place is widely shared as a great place to go, is it worth visiting anymore? It seems there is a tipping point for places.
Seeing Chambery, France
Thanks to my sister’s brilliant idea for a house swap one week in summer, I was able to spend some time seeing Chambery, France. What I proclaim after this trip is: I AM AN AMBASSADOR. Say it with me, loudly and confidently. We are ambassadors, friends. Every time we venture
9 Ways to be an Earth-Friendly Family
The fact is, Earth has limited resources. Further fact, we tend to point fingers at Other People or the Government while forgetting that, as mama says, three fingers point back at us. We all play a part. Being blind to the choices we make, no matter how small or insignificant they
12 Great Books for Book Clubs
The thing is, I (mom) love books and believe in the power of a good, beautifully written narrative. It can change lives. Book clubs are a fabulous forum for stretching minds, conversations and relationships. Of course, it has to be greased with the right book choice. (Please note there are
Camping & Hiking Morrow Mountain State Park and Town Creek Indian Mound
The kids are running around – dirty, free, burying worms. I am sitting by a fire reading a book or just staring at the vast sky. My husband is cooking dinner. Allow me to repeat: my husband is cooking dinner. Camping. It’s perfect. One beautiful weekend here in the Southeast,
Why You Should Use a Bullet Journal
If you are looking for a better way to organize your busy parent life, you should use a bullet journal. While taking the Internet by storm for many reasons, the bullet journal can be as complicated, crafty and simple as you make it. Yet the bullet journal will always be
Traveling the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Bourbon country, Kentucky. It is the mecca of all things wonderful about the caramel-colored vanilla-flavored craft liquor. One gorgeous fall weekend, my husband and I traveled from afar to partake in what spoils bourbon country had. Leaving the kids with their beloved cousin (and her parents) we took off on a
Foods of New York Tour Review & Tips
Food can take you on a journey: through the past, into the present, and off to the future. As your taste buds are tempted, tantalized and satiated, you are there and that is somewhere else. It is why our society is obsessed with food, it is why the Food Network