Relationships

When I first began pursuing minimalism about a year and a half ago, I distinctly remember a time when I had returned from the grocery store to a solid surprise. I’d only been out less than an hour while my husband watched our two daughters, but upon walking through the door, it appeared that the […]

A few years ago, we found out we were expecting our fifth child. A month later, we learned it was twins, and a month after that we learned that one of them most likely had Down syndrome. We knew that God had plans for this pregnancy, but it was a lot to take in. I […]

My husband and I locked eyes at the dinner table. Wide-eyed and stone faced, our forks frozen in mid-air as our children began screeching yet another nonsensical song about spaghetti squash. Just as I moved to quiet them, our two-year-old daughter broke into a solo, reaching a record-breaking crescendo that rivaled the likes of Idina […]

Our “Crayola Blue Ranch” was built in 1974, and if you’ve ever seen “That 70s Show”, our house could’ve been on it. From the funky colors to the big brick fireplace to the carpet choices, the house betrayed its decade of origin with one look.   My husband Brett and I fell in love with it […]

I NEED TO ESCAPE MY LIFE. I literally said this the other day in a huff as I ran past my mom while gathering water bottles, snacks, shoes, sunscreen, hats, a check to deposit at the bank, plus 3 packages to return to UPS…and crap, I thought, I need to call the insurance company. My […]

On those rare nights when my husband and I FINALLY have the kids in bed and somehow are still awake enough to try and watch a movie together, nothing is more frustrating that spending half an hour searching for something we are both actually interested in watching.  It happens. And it’s the worst. However, over […]

Three years ago, I married my husband, Dan. I vividly remember standing at the altar, saying our vows, “for better, for worse, in sickness and in health,” promising to love and care for each other, even in the tough times. But, like most newlyweds, I never could have anticipated what the future would hold. And […]

Parenting can be tough, and it can also be lonely. It can be hard to find time to go on a much-needed date night, let alone get together with other couples, and sometimes the idea of hosting another family just sounds exhausting. Kids are picky, the house is messy, you haven’t finished painting the kitchen, […]

Kids can change your entire world, including your dating life. After having kids, instead of the spontaneous nights out on the town my husband and I would have had before, we found ourselves tucking little ones into bed and reading a fifth story night after night. As a stay-at-home mom, the all-consuming focus on my […]

I never imagined that on the day I became a mother, I’d be living 9,928 miles away from family.  We live in Australia, and we have a one-year-old daughter. We love our life here—my husband and I both have great jobs, and mine has even given me a year off to spend with our daughter. […]