Christmas in October: A Little Holiday Magic, a Lot of Chaos, and Starting Over
It's only October, but Christmas preparations are already underway! Between St. Nick pajamas, Elf kits, family traditions, and a new home with nowhere to hide presents, this holiday season is shaping up to be another adventure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kids, Am I Right? (A Tale of Love, Target, and a Broken Slip n’ Slide)
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.
The Day My Child Manifested a Toilet Overflow (and Dressed for All Four Seasons)
My child woke me up at 6 AM convinced the toilet would overflow… and then it actually did. Add in an outfit choice meant for all four seasons in 90-degree weather, and you’ve got a classic parenting moment where chaos wins and logic takes a backseat.
Some Nights I Feel Like the Rug
Some nights, motherhood feels like being walked on from one need to the next. But maybe we’re not the rug—maybe we’re the ground holding everything together.
The Pipe Dream of an Uninterrupted Cup of Coffee
Four hours of childcare should feel like freedom, but the mental checklist of motherhood rarely turns off. A reflection on homeschooling, exhaustion, and the pipe dream of an uninterrupted cup of coffee.
When Peace Feels Suspicious
For years, home didn’t feel safe.
This is a story about survival mode, resilience, and what it means to finally find peace again — even when peace feels unfamiliar.
Why Simple Living Brings More Joy Than Perfect Plans
A slow, beautiful collection of timeworn pieces—hand-carved, well-loved, and completely unplanned. Because sometimes the best things you bring home are the ones you don’t have a place for yet.
Golden Eggs & Growing Roots. When Life Feels Unfinished (How to Find Joy Anyway)
A golden egg, a new neighborhood, and a home still coming together—this Easter reminded me that even in the in-between, something beautiful is already growing.
When Motherhood Feels Overwhelming and You Need to Hide
Some nights I don’t sit on the couch or turn on a show. I just go to my room. Not because I don’t love my kids—but because I’ve been needed all day and don’t have anything left to give.
When Your Parents Fight (And Somehow You’re Still in the Middle of It)
No matter how old you get, somehow your parents’ arguments still pull you in—usually at the worst possible time. One missed appointment, a group text, and suddenly you’re mediating family drama from a grocery store parking lot.