I love Thanksgiving! I love everything about it, from the cooking, the place settings, the timeless traditions, to the smell of pumpkin spice. Yes. ALL THE PUMPKIN SPICE. But the one thing I love more than anything is the opportunity to remind my kids {and myself} how very much we have to be thankful for. We always do some kind of Thankful Tree, and this year we found a new fun and special way to talk about thankfulness, a grateful heart, and our blessings!
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Spilled Milk {teaching your kids how to deal with failure}
"No use crying over spilled milk", the saying always goes. Which is true... unless you're the one who spilled it OR you're the one that has to clean it up. That was how my morning started today, and I'm beginning to wonder who ever thought that was a good thing to say in the first place. Whoever they were, they obviously didn't have kids! However, they might have known a thing or two about grace.
My Baby You’ll Be {the journey through miscarriage and recovery}
“There is no heartbeat.”
Those words have echoed in my ears over and over again. I’ll never forget that terrible day; how I waited for an ultrasound to confirm my doctor’s fears… how I then drove to my husband’s office and we cried together in the parking lot.
Loss never looked this real before to me. Death never hit me so hard.
The Ultimate Baby Products List {favorites from a mama of 4}
Contrary to popular advertisers’ opinions, there are many, MANY baby products you can absolutely do without! This list, however, is not one of them. As a first-time mom, I was the ultimate sucker for a good commercial. I bought the Boogie Wipes (fantastic but not necessary), the wipe-warmer (my husband literally laughed me out of the room on that one), and the most expensive diapers…. for the first two weeks. Then I got smart and realized there must be a better way to be a good mom besides stocking up on every product that’s suggested on the registry website. There are, however, some major life-savers that I wish I had known about before I needed them! Now that I know, I keep these products in stock CONSTANTLY. I’m telling you, a few of them have literally changed our lives!
The Secret Weapon: Our Number One Baby Sleep Hack
If you would have told me 10 years ago that today I would have 4 kids, I would have laughed at you. What would have amused me, even more, would be to hear how we have struggled to sleep train every. single. one of them. I thought with number one I had it all figured out when I stumbled upon a way to get her to sleep on demand at 3 months. Nope. Thing 2 came around and blew that theory right out of the water. Then what worked on 2 didn't work on 3, and so on. I don't have schedules for you, a great revelation of how many months your baby should co-sleep, the best sleep sack (although I could recommend my favorite if you asked!), or how long is too long to 'cry it out'. They may still be sleeping in your bed by the time they're 4. BUT! I do have one little simple trick that may just get that baby to SLEEP, regardless of where they are. The answer? Music. Too easy? Maybe, but it might just change your life.
Week One {5 Baby Must-Do’s in the First 7 Days}
The first week of your baby's life is perhaps the most amazing and awe-inspiring as you watch them slowing begin to awaken to the world they have arrived in. But let's be real - those first 7 days are perhaps the most intimidating, terrifying and ultimately the hardest you've ever experienced to date! And instead of getting easier things tend to get harder, at least for a time. Although my husband and I both came from big families and had lots of experience with babies, when we brought our firstborn home from the hospital, many nights I would begin crying as the sun went down, so dreading the long night ahead. True story. And, no matter what you do or don't do, transitioning into life with a newborn is as painful as growing a limb. Or so I can imagine.
This Mom’s Open Letter to Target: The Real Reason We’re Boycotting {It’s Not What You Think}
Dear Target, From the beginning of your business venture, your CEO's, executives, marketing teams - everyone down to my local branch manager - have dreamed up and executed a brilliant strategy. You realized that in order to secure yourselves a place next to Walmart you would need to hone in on a very specific consumer, one … Continue reading This Mom’s Open Letter to Target: The Real Reason We’re Boycotting {It’s Not What You Think}
Busy Mom’s Guide: Managing the Mess
No matter how 'OCD' you naturally tend to be, no mom can turn a blind eye to the chaos forever. It begins to grate, like fingernails on a chalk board, and before you know it, you hear yourself making empty threats about giving away all their toys because they're messy, ungrateful, little minions of destruction. It was time for this Mama to take action.
A Few Of My Favorite Things
From caroling to the Christmas play, wrapping to reading Christmas books, testing the tree lights (again, and again...) or gorging yourself on every goody insight, Christmas is the best time to bring out your favorite traditions! Here are a few on my bucket list this year. I hope you enjoy! There is no two flavors on earth … Continue reading A Few Of My Favorite Things
When All You Can Give Is Not Enough
Nothing beats the thrill and excitement of experiencing Christmas as a child. I remember counting down the days nearly all year until the long-awaited morning would dawn. Thrilled beyond belief, my brother and sisters and I would race to wake up mom and dad and drag them out to the tree, overflowing with gifts. The magic was so thick you could nearly taste it! Oh to be young again.
JOY FOR MOM 