The Field Guide to Parenting for Mechanics
When our first child was born, I discovered that the man capable of diagnosing engine problems by sound alone was absolutely terrified of a crying infant. Children don't come with owner's manuals, Bluey can only do so much, and somewhere between deployments, bowel prep, and toddlers with a death wish, we all learn the same lesson: the goal isn't perfection. It's participation. Welcome to The Field Guide to Parenting for Mechanics.
Working Vacation: Broken Boats, Dahlias, and Family Legacy
What started as a summer escape quickly became our usual working vacation—repairing boats, planting dahlias, fixing fixtures, and remembering the grandparents who taught us that family isn't found in perfection but in gathering together, no matter how chaotic life becomes.
Apparently I Was Playing Summer on Beginner Mode
I thought years of Tennessee summers had prepared me for southern heat. Then we moved farther south and I discovered I'd only been playing summer on beginner mode. From humidity to wardrobe adjustments, here's my honest—and slightly sweaty—take on surviving a Deep South summer.
Love Her. You Fought to Become Her.
I thought strength looked like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Real life taught me otherwise. A reflection on resilience, motherhood, and the quiet fight to become who I am today.
The Day My Daughter Gave Me an Unscheduled Summer Haircut
I ignored one moment of silence during pretend hair salon. That was my first mistake.
The Family Life I Thought My Kids Would Have
I grew up with loud Sunday dinners, a blue cookie tin that never held cookies, and the kind of family closeness I thought my kids would naturally have too. This is about missing that life—and learning to build something meaningful of our own.
Another Day of Questioning Whether to Send My Kids to School
Some days I feel completely confident homeschooling my kids. Other days, I question everything. Here’s my honest struggle with choosing between homeschool and public school.
My Daughter’s Pretend Coffee Shop Includes Lattes, Sisters, and Sudden Emotional Plot Twists
My daughter’s pretend coffee shop started with lattes and ended with unexpected tragedy. Kids don’t ease into plot twists.
Mother’s Day, According to Real Life
Mother’s Day didn’t include sleeping in or uninterrupted peace and quiet. It included a 4 a.m. dog emergency, a toy-bin disaster, an interrupted bath, and one glorious locked-door nap. In other words: a very real Mother’s Day.
The Day My Nephew Swallowed a Quarter and My Daughter Turned It Into a Musical
One kid swallowed a quarter. Another turned the entire urgent care trip into a full musical performance. Parenting is wild.
Viruses Apparently Hate Chicken
High fevers, Nugget floor sleeping, anti-virus chicken, and an emergency horse school donut run. Just another perfectly normal week of parenting over here.
Parenting Update: One Fear Down, One New Problem Unlocked
One fear conquered another fear unlocked! The tale of the scary toilet and the codependent diaper lover.
My Child Called a Family Meeting to Fix My Relationship With My Mother
My daughter decided my childhood listening issues needed immediate resolution—with a phone call to my mom.
Military Life: the parts no one talks about
Military life is often defined by the visible things: the boxes, the moves, the fresh starts. What people rarely talk about is the invisible weight that comes with it—the mental load of constant transition, uncertainty, and learning how to trust calm again after years of chaos.
Homeschool Check-In: Keep It Simple
My daughter started writing everything backwards and I immediately questioned our curriculum. Turns out, the fix was simple—and a good reminder to stop overcomplicating homeschooling.
Homeschool Tip: You Don’t Have to Finish the Whole Workbook
I thought we had to finish every single workbook by the end of the year. Turns out… that’s not how learning actually works. Here’s the homeschool mindset shift that changed everything for me.
Kids, Am I Right? (A Tale of Love, Target, and a Broken Slip n’ Slide)
Gardening Tip: Even the Wind Has a Purpose
My potted garden has officially exploded. Between 48 dahlia seedlings, a very dramatic lavender, and sweet peas fighting the wind, I’m being reminded that sometimes the hardest conditions are what make roots grow deeper.
My Daughter Fact-Checked a Stranger in Walmart and I Just… Let It Happen
I went in for school supplies and left with my six-year-old publicly correcting a stranger’s geography. Kids don’t whisper their thoughts—they announce them.
144 Dahlia Seeds, 45 Survivors, and One Cross-Country Move
I planted 144 dahlia seeds. Only 45 survived—and honestly, that feels about right. Between an inconsistent watering schedule, “helpful” kids, and prepping for a cross-country move, this is what gardening looks like in a fast-paced, unpredictable life.