"It's the little moments that turn friends into family." Three years ago, I sat in my almost empty house as I grieved deeply, preparing to leave a sweet community of friends whom we called "framily". After 9 years of investing in each others lives, working side by side in our community, our children playing together and double dates with our husbands--I was now having to say goodbye to my tribe, my community, our "framily". It was one of the most painful things I've had to … [Read more...]
Two Ways to Thrive in Motherhood and Not Just Survive and It’s Not Something You Can Buy
The gift we all need as mothers to survive motherhood and I'm not talking about something you can buy or make. Keep reading this article written by Deb Ober to discover two ways to survive motherhood. We have established that we are all broken, sinful people in need of a Savior. And we know that Jesus came to set us free! This is what our next three chapters of our Summer Book Club focus on--freedom. But what does freedom look like? Where does it come from and how do we find it and … [Read more...]
My Tricks to Get Your Kids to Clean Up
My tricks to get your kids to clean up are pretty simple and they work! Before using these tricks cleaning time sometimes got a little frustrating (mostly for me) because I had a hard time ignoring their attitudes. I would turn into crazy general mama and let me tell you that wasn't fun for anyone. Or sometimes they were content playing with the "new" toy they discovered in the midst of cleaning. When they were younger I did the "clean up" song and they absolutely loved it and I was … [Read more...]
How 20 Minutes Is Changing My Relationship With My Kids
It's amazing how these intentional 20 minutes connect us with our kids! It helps us stop for a moment and think about what is robbing our joy or keeping us from enjoying our relationship with God. I especially love that it naturally leads us into deeper conversation. These questions remind our kids that we are a team and most importantly they are not alone. It fosters teamwork, unity and love. The Questions Come From Two Verses The monthly check in touches on 5 key themes: emotional, … [Read more...]
Mom Don’t Just Be the Memory Maker…
Don't just be the memory maker but be in the memories they are making. This is something that has been playing over and over in my head since the beginning of the year. I had no idea, how hard it is for me to just--play. Put the scrapbooks down. Put the camera down. Put your phone away. Let go of your plans you came up for them. Let go of your schedule. Now dive in and immerse yourself in their play. The other day instead of being the one behind the camera, I asked … [Read more...]