belief · failure · faith · family · healthy living · home · homeschool · hope · household organization · kids · life · marriage · mental health · Mom time · parenting · planning · school · thoughts

Re-evaluating

I got to check something off my bucket list today. I didn’t actually set out to do it. Truthfully, I’ve been working fiendishly toward completing several of the items I listed, largely because I am neurotic and manic and can’t stop working lists once I’ve started. But today’s item just kind of happened. Ironically, I’d been mentally… Continue reading Re-evaluating

failure · home · homeschool · kids · life · mental health · parenting · planning

Homeschool Megalessons from the Everymom

When I was a little girl, I put on some epic school-teacher dramatizations. My play school was the jam. I had a little chalkboard easel set up in my parents’ garage in front of an old sofa, and I would line up my dolls and quiz them on things like state capitals and make them… Continue reading Homeschool Megalessons from the Everymom

failure · family · homeschool · kids · life · parenting · planning · school · special needs parenting

Homeschool: The First Year

I realize that posting about homeschooling puts me at risk of being labeled a sanctimommy. Lord knows I’ve seen enough passive-aggressive Facebook mockery of organic eating, homeschooling, and home birthing to last me the rest of forever. But, since I’m not too terribly bothered by anyone else sharing their particular passions, I will happily post this hopefully non-judgy, yet… Continue reading Homeschool: The First Year

home · household organization · planning

Organizing the everymom: Closets

Oh joy! Here it is. The closet post. In case you’ve missed it, I’m in the middle of a series on organization. And if you want to catch up, here are Phase 1 and Phase 2. Let’s get started with the next phase, shall we? I should start by saying closets are both the bane of my existence and my… Continue reading Organizing the everymom: Closets

home · household organization · kids · life · marriage · parenting · planning

Organizing The Everymom, Part I: Getting Started

At long last friends, it’s here. The Type A, manic-mom in me is rejoicing a little louder than usual- I am SO excited to talk about organization. It’s borderline embarrassing. But I will happily go out on the limb of humiliation if it means helping other moms stress even a teeny-weeny bit less about household organization. Right… Continue reading Organizing The Everymom, Part I: Getting Started

fun · life · marriage · mental health · Mom time · parenting · travel · Uncategorized · Vacation

Enjoying a vacation with four littles…Part 3

The Finale Here it is. The final notes on our perfect-for-us vacay with the little troop. It might not fit in with everyone’s definition of the perfect vacation, but it wayyyy surpassed my expectations and will serve as the model for all future vacations involving our brood. Rather than bore you with all the notes… Continue reading Enjoying a vacation with four littles…Part 3

parenting · planning · travel · Vacation

Enjoying a vacation with four littles…Part 2

The First Half My last post gave you a look at how we started our vacation- and yes. It was awesome. Relaxing, enjoyable, and still included all four children and four of my in-laws. The Lauren from 5 years ago would tell you that she’d be ice skating in hell before she’d go on a… Continue reading Enjoying a vacation with four littles…Part 2

budget · household organization · planning

Keeping it together

Well friends, yesterday you got a little glimpse of the crazy journey that is my life. Seriously. In one post I covered the plight of low-wage workers, the need for humanity in even our most minute interactions, the depths of despair that come with budgetary woes, and wrapped it all in a bow with a… Continue reading Keeping it together

clean eating · cooking · eating at home · make ahead

Make-ahead meals

School is starting back on Monday…and this mom’s one solution to long days and new routines is having dinner at the ready. As a serious control freak, I have no problem admitting that knowing what everyone will eat offers me significant comfort, especially when the rest of our routine is in transition. So what did… Continue reading Make-ahead meals