Somewhere Between Stay-at-Home Mom and Whatever Comes Next
What happens when you can finally see the end of the stay-at-home-mom years—and realize you have absolutely no idea what comes next? Somewhere between career tests, unfinished questions, five years away from my profession, and a suspicious number of home projects, I’m realizing maybe I’m not looking for something else to do. Maybe I’m trying to figure out who I want to be next.
Dahlias: What I Learned Planting 38 Dahlias in a Brand-New Garden
Why Can’t I Just Let Things Be?
Apparently, I Work Here Now
I went to the lake for the summer to relax. This was my first mistake. Somewhere between repairing the cabin, managing boat drama, and trying to keep my garden alive, I realized I might finally be getting too old for my own version of a working vacation.
Day Four Without AC, But At Least the Kids Have Beds
It is a balmy 78 degrees in this house. Day four without air conditioning. I am not okay. But today, the kids finally got their beds.
God Tried to Smite Me Today
I have long since said that God is just a little kid with a magnifying glass. Today proved it. He tried to smite me. He just missed.
The Military Spouse Road Trip Survival Guide (Spoiler: There Isn't One)
What should have been a simple drive home turned into potty emergencies, sketchy gas stations, a damaged tire, and one very tired military spouse. If you've ever road-tripped with kids, you'll understand exactly how this story ends.
The Day I Almost Bought a Taxidermy Raccoon Purse
My sister-in-law and I went vintage shopping looking for the perfect strange object to hide in someone's house. We found an old crow in a pinstripe suit, a taxidermy raccoon purse, and a coyote purse that brought back one unforgettable family story.
Strong Enough to Rest
Ten years ago, my husband and I rebuilt a deck. This summer, we rebuilt patio stairs. Same marriage, same tendency to fix things together, but thankfully a much wiser approach to heat, breaks, and admitting that shade is actually pretty wonderful.
Update: I've Solved the Mystery
The Tales of Captain Trashbeard continue…
Update: Captain Trashbeard has become bolder.
Captain Trashbeard and my escape from certain death.. while my dog stands by and let it happen.
I Love My Kids. I Just Need Everyone to Keep Their Pants On.
Tiny Minecraft Evangelists & Other Things Keeping Me Up at Night
A day at the library turned into a lesson about peer pressure, confidence, and one very persuasive little Minecraft salesman. Parenthood really is emotional whiplash.
The Sounds of Vacation
Vacation was supposed to be peaceful. Instead, I spent the day hauling five wheelbarrows of rock uphill while a peg-legged raccoon loudly protested the empty bird feeder outside my kitchen window. Sometimes the best vacation memories are the ones you never planned.
The Time My Brother Boiled a Squirrel in My Mother's Pot
My little brother was an excellent hunter. My mother was terrified of mice. Those two facts collided spectacularly the day he decided to clean and boil a squirrel in her favorite kitchen pot. A funny childhood story about family, city living, and the pot that never recovered.
Planting Forty Dahlias in Three Cottage Garden Drifts
Slow Summers and My Own Personal Global Warming
After a hectic year of moves and transitions, summer at the lake has reminded me what matters most. Between sweating through every outdoor project, nursing transplanted flowers, homeschooling, and watching my children create worlds from construction paper, I've realized these simple days are becoming the childhood memories they'll carry forever.
I Finally Stopped Looking for One Perfect Answer
I spent months trying to decide if I was a homeschool mom or a public school mom. In the end, I realized I didn't have to choose one identity. Here's why one child is heading to first grade while the other is staying home.
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.