To my almost-teenage daughter: I will be right here waiting for you
Sweet daughter, I know you’re 12. You’re not just my little girl anymore. You’re starting to wade a little further from the shore. You’re pulling away from your family more and leaning into your friends….
Date night feels impossible after kids, but it doesn’t have to be
“Date night is so important,” they say. It’s scrawled in the advice column in most wedding guest books and cards by well-meaning couple friends and parents alike. But, if you’re anything like my husband and…
Losing one of my triplets — and living with life and loss
If you’ve recently lost a child, there’s something I want you to know. Because I’ve been there too. At the end of 2017, I found out I was pregnant. We were shocked. We weren’t actively…
Why we don’t seek help when our marriages need it
Photo by: Love Well Photography Marriage. Takes. Work. We’ve all heard this saying before. But when it comes down to it, this is much easier said than done. As much as it makes sense that…
A letter to my kids: the “ordinary” days
Dear Kids, It is almost 8 pm on a cold Wednesday evening in January. I am sitting in the kitchen typing on the laptop to the hum of the dryer in the basement tumbling a…
I threw out my smartphone — and it revolutionized my life
It’s everywhere. At the grocery store, in work meetings, and even on the highway. It’s talked about in the news, and discussed amongst friends. Our smartphone addiction has become awful — and we know it…
Your birth experience doesn’t define you
My husband recently decided he wants to climb Mount Everest. This is not the first time he has expressed something like that. Going to the moon, learning how to free solo climb, joining the army—I’ve…
Former Next Top Model Leah Darrow talks motherhood, body image, and raising confident daughters
Leah Darrow, wife and mother of four, is a former model and contestant on America’s Next Top Model. Leah left the modeling industry when she was 25, after going through a life-changing experience that led…
Where I shop with 6 kids on a one-income budget
Sometimes minimalism sounds like a beautiful dream, doesn’t it? Calming, simple, clean; an exhale of clutter and resources that helps you live responsibly on a budget, while saving the planet and reducing stress in your…
What I did when “living in the moment” seemed impossible
“Live in the moment,” they tell young moms. “Enjoy this time! Babies grow up so fast!” This advice — repeated by older ladies with kind eyes in grocery stores, mindfulness yogis, wise relatives, and yes…
Flooring Renovation: Asbestos Removal and Choosing the Perfect Floor Stain
We finally completed the renovation of our first-floor flooring, and like most renovations, it was a bit more involved than we initially hoped for. When we bought the house three years ago, we knew the…
Roses are red: 8 beautiful shades of a paint color you might not realize you love
Lots of us love blues, greens, whites, and greys. And if neutrals are more your thing, you might think you need to stay far away from a color like red. But we think it’s worth…
