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August 2021

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Whenever we go out in public, we get some weird looks. I remember asking my husband when we first started dating, how many kids he wanted. At the time, he told me two. I was worried it would be a deal breaker when I told him I wanted four. Our inside joke is that after a little negotiating, we compromised on having six (hopefully). Sometime after having my third kid, I had this feeling I couldn’t shake that four kids wasn’t all we were meant to have. Then, after having our fourth child, I knew for certain that I wanted…

We welcomed our fifth baby in January of 2021. We delivered at the same hospital as our other four and with the same doctor as the previous two kids. I thought I knew what to expect. After all, I could basically do this with my eyes closed. Or so we thought. Like a lot of people, COVID threw us a few curveballs. 1/10, I do not recommend having a baby during COVID. Although, our baby was the highlight of a rather weird and stressful year, the experience turned out to be a little depressing. Here’s why. The Hospital Was Tense…

Last week my daughter, Mackenzie, turned six. She wasn’t my first kid. But she was the one that made me a “girl mom” and she is also leads the pack of our not-so-small girl gang with her three little sisters. Just like most birthdays, that day had me reminiscing over the last few years, wondering where the time went. It is so crazy looking back on her baby pictures and then looking at her now. I had no idea that such a beautiful, smart, and loving kid with a big, kind heart would come out of that little, bald baby.…

I remember my very first road trip after becoming a mom. My son wasn’t even a week old yet and we were preparing for a 7 hour road trip to Durango for my sister’s wedding. I guess that’s one of the downfalls to living so far away from family; we are guaranteed at least one long road trip a year so we can spend time together. I had no idea what to expect, or even what to pack. So I literally packed everything and then regretted loading and unloading so much stuff. Things have changed since then. We now have…

Do you struggle with nailing down a weekly dinner plan that is quick, easy, and one that impresses even the pickiest of eaters? I hate putting together a dinner plan. It is my most dreaded task of the week. Every week, I ask my kids if they have any dinner suggestions to help me put together a grocery list. As usual, my husband is either too hungry, not hungry, too tired, too hot, or too busy to think about dinner. My kids, on the other hand, will all suggest the same thing and then unenthusiastically groan when they find out…

Have you ever read the book, The 5 Love Languages of Children? It is a great book that I recommend every parent read. This book goes into detail as to why we need to discover the language, or actions, in which our children feel most loved. Everyone has a love tank. When that love tank is filled, it creates a stronger relationship. With love languages, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all. But I believe all of my kids’ love languages include some aspect of quality time. They all thrive on spending time with me, which makes it really hard to venture out…

We made the decision to homeschool our kids when my oldest was starting kindergarten. If you’re interested in reading why we chose homeschooling, check out my blog post, 7 Reasons Why Homeschooling Was Our Best Option. Now, we are just about to begin our fourth year. Although, we are still fairly new to the game, I have come to enjoy prepping for the new year of learning. I love playing a huge role in my kids’ education! Whether you’re brand new, a seasoned professional, or just looking for some tips to make homeschooling easier, I hope I can give you…

Have you ever watched the movie, Cheaper By The Dozen? Tom (Steve Martin) and his wife, Kate (Bonnie Hunt), live in a small town with their twelve kids. Tom is suddenly offered a college football coaching position in a new city. At the same time, a publisher offers to buy Kate’s parenting memoir she wrote while staying home and raising her kids. As a family, they packed up their lives to chase these new opportunities. They thought trading their simple, country life to make more money to afford a huge house and nice things for their kids was the end…

I recently wrote a post, How to Prepare Your Toddler For a New Baby. In that post, I gave my best advice on how to prepare your only child for a new brother or sister. It is easy to forget how tough those first few weeks are after bringing your new baby home. You’ve done this before. But, at the same time, you haven’t done this before. So what’s the secret to managing motherhood with more than one child? Letting go of all your expectations and taking it one day at a time. I might have a few other useful…