Several years ago, if I’d come to a conference and gotten overwhelmed by the size of the crowd or the crippling depth of my shyness, chances are good that you’d find me in my hotel room, by myself, very possibly with tears in my eyes and a homesick, anxious feeling […]

I’ll be 38 later this year, pushing 40 like I’ve pushed the shovel through the snow on the porch (unwilling and sweaty, but better than the alternative).

I don’t feel old, though. I feel pretty out of shape, sure, but that’s more my lack of consistent exercise than my age. I […]

This handsome dude turns twelve today.

This handsome dude is leading the way for the rest of them….navigating the brand new challenges of middle school, tweenhood, extra responsibilities.

This handsome dude’s current obsession is Undertale (the musical). He lives and breathes it.

He’s making animations on his phone and filling his personal YouTube […]

Hey there! It’s been a while. I’ve been around, and often think, man, I want to write something. And then I remember that I have a full time job now (from home, thank goodness) and no energy at the end of the day, and am fresh out of ideas most […]

I’ve seen a lot of musicals in my life, but never one like An American in Paris.

Imagine a story told in song, like an other musical, but the actors are professional ballet dancers. So not only do they sing beautifully, but they walk with the grace of people that […]

It’s your last chance to see the touring production of MAMMA MIA! as they say “farewell”, so get yourselves to Starlight Theatre THIS WEEKEND before they leave and the Jersey Boys come to town.

MAMMA MIA! is So. Much. Fun. The songs have you tapping your feet and clapping your hands […]

Starlight Theatre opened its 67th season of live Broadway entertainment last night with its production of Disney The Little Mermaid, and the girls and I were there to see it happen.

The show runs through June 11, with a total of 8 shows to choose from. Tickets for Disney The Little Mermaid […]

This is what I read in our grand finale Listen To Your Mother: Kansas City show yesterday. I wrote it between our first and second (final) rehearsals, and my son gave me his blessing to read it in front of the audience (while he was helping me get the show […]

I don’t really talk to them. I mean, when they come back in the house after a potty break, I tell them how sweet they are. My pups. But that’s it.

For a few weeks after school started this past fall, and all of the kids left for eight hours every […]

The no-longer-a-baby baby is six today. S.I.X.

Our youngest is almost done with kindergarten. He’s starting to read. He’s got his own opinions about EVERYTHING. He fake cries a lot, and snuggles a lot. He hugs his big brother and tells him that he loves him in his sweetest little boy […]

It’s spring break here, on this first day of spring, and the weather is gorgeous. For most of the last several spring breaks, I’ve been traveling to conferences or trips, so the kids and I haven’t had a good ol’ fashioned, lazy, sunny, relaxed spring break in a while. I’m […]

A lot has happened in the last six months (obviously) but there’s one thing that changed drastically and has made a huge difference in my life.

I’m an introvert (tell us something we don’t know, Greta), and I’ve always had close girl friends that I can pick up right where we […]

Hey there, it’s been a while. I’ve been itching to write, but I can’t seem to make any words come out of my brain. You know the feeling?

Anyway. Let’s just open the wound here and worry about that later.

Here’s to 2017.

To say that this week has been stressful is the understatement of the millennium. This summer has been stressful, really, with trying to buy a house and actually close on it and move, but this last week all but did me in. I’ve had to find distractions to keep my […]

Yesterday was my dad’s birthday, and to celebrate, the kids and I took him to Starlight Theatre and out to eat. It may not have been his first choice to see the touring production of the fairy tale musical, Beauty and the Beast, but we all had a great time.

The stage […]

It was an absolutely gorgeous night for the opening of Bullets Over Broadway at Starlight Theatre. GORGEOUS. I took my mom to see the new touring Broadway production of Woody’s Allen’s show, and it did not disappoint. Neither of us had seen it, so we didn’t know exactly […]

Read on and you’ll find a coupon code AND giveaway…

So, my husband is hard to buy for (if you continue to read this, babe, just act surprised on the 19th). If he wants something, he buys it. If you ask him for ideas, he doesn’t have any,

I’m not alone in […]

When Uncommon Goods approached me about sharing their company with you guys, I was immediately on board. Not because they have an amazing collection of unique gifts and products, or because they focus on environmentally sustainable and responsible practices (like limiting the number of catalogs they print and printing them […]

The following is what I read in the Listen To Your Mother: KC show last weekend. It’s become an out of body experience, like my brain and body are at odds with each other….my brain is telling me it’s no big deal, I can pick up the toy, while […]

It’s been two days since we had our Listen To Your Mother show, and I’m still processing (and needing a nap).

What I can say right now is this:

~~I’m so glad my husband and two oldest were there.

~~Our cast brought it. They were pros, truly, even though most of […]

In just under two weeks (12 days but who’s counting), our Kansas City area cast of Listen To Your Mother will be taking the stage at Liberty Hall.

To say that it’s a roller coaster of emotions for me is maybe a bit of an understatement.

It feels a little like having […]

The baby. My Boo. Today he turns five. FIVE! He’s been saying for the last year (or two) that he was five years old, but today, he really is. He’s been at home with me for five solid years, and in a few short months, he’ll […]

I haven’t had the time or energy to make anything crafty for the kids for Valentine’s Day (I didn’t even help with the first grader’s box, she and her big sister did the whole thing). They all asked for Louise valentines (I can’t make that up), so I spent five […]

You know how much we love Starlight Theatre at our house, and the summer seasons that bring so much talent and entertainment to Kansas City (we’re really excited about the upcoming summer season!). But did you know that this year, for the first time, Starlight had a short and sweet […]

I’ve mentioned before that I went to/worked at the ShiftCon Conference last fall, and that one of the things I loved most about is was meeting reps from companies that have the consumer’s health and wellness at heart, NOT money and not the quickest way to make a buck. With […]

I suppose someone somewhere can cook up a gluten free version of any food, but I am certainly NOT that person. Since our family went gluten free about three years ago, there are certain things I pine for and miss oh, so terribly. We can’t just go to a restaurant […]

I have some goals for 2016, and while some of them aren’t earth-shattering, work every day towards them or it won’t happen goals, I always think it helps me to write them down. One, for accountability…I don’t like letting people down (though obviously I do, sometimes), and two, so I […]

As I write this, it’s 11pm on Dec. 31, 2015. I’m not sorry to see December go, and it’s very existence has clouded my view of 2015 as a whole, so I don’t even know how I feel about the incoming new year right now. I do know that […]

I never wanted an elf in our house, but the kids have them in their classrooms and kept asking when we’ll have one in our house. So last year, I got one that didn’t look like that skinny little Elf on the Shelf and tried to remember to move her […]

You never feel more alive than when you’re watching an elementary school Christmas program about Santa and his reindeer going back in time and meeting the dinosaurs. Am I right? Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that I’m doing again this year. Next […]

  During our family photo shoot, one of these kids was packed with attitude. Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that I’m doing again this year. Next week’s prompt is ALIVE.

Randy (Randall, Randall J. Simpson Funk, Rando) is the newest member of the family, coming to us a few months ago because he had a chicken-killing problem on the farm where he lived.

He is passive as can be, definitely not the Alpha…more like the Delta. If he is confronted […]

I see glimpses of him in his kids, all the time. Both have become smart, head-in-the-clouds artists, creative and (mostly) thoughtful.

Nine years ago today, I was leaving the hospital for the last time, crying as my mom drove the two of us home and telling her that I was pregnant […]

On the first day of Christmas, John Hammond gave to me…

Henry made up the 12 Days of Christmas: Jurassic Park Edition yesterday.

Just try not to sing along.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, John Hammond gave to me:

Twelve pteranadons

Eleven mosasaurs

Ten ACU*

Nine tyranosaurs

Eight dino fights

Seven saurapods

Six DNA samples

Five gyrosphere rides

Four spinosaurs

Three stegosaurs

Two […]

We had a four day weekend for Thanksgiving last week, and this was our view for three of the four days, basically. We had a lot of family time, and some of it was quality. Thanksgiving didn’t quite go as planned, and Friday…well, Friday I had a lot of […]

He came downstairs this morning with his most perfect pouty face.

“I was trying to take a nap, but you guys waked me up.”

So he went back upstairs to his bed.

I heard him singing to himself for a bit, but then got quiet.

After awhile, he came back downstairs, and he was […]

“Ervin, if you do that, you’ll regenerate. That means come back.”

Essie is such a gamer, like her brothers. She comes by it naturally, although I’m more like Ivy and will only play if I’m in the exact right mood (I loved to play the fighting games with my guy friends […]

For someone that highly values her personal space, I’m not often without someone in it.

This is my lap, always. It’s not terrible.

And that’s a wrap on NaBloPoMoSorta, folks. Thanks for bearing with me.

I cringe when I see wiggly teeth in a mouth, but when it comes right down to it, I can pull them out with the best of them.

EB has had “shark teeth” for several weeks, and the baby teeth in front had gotten progressively looser.

Last night, we just decided […]

Four years ago, my whole family (parents, siblings, nieces and nephews) took two giant passenger vans down to San Antonio for the Thanksgiving holiday.

It was a long trip (we got stuck in Austin traffic for a really long time), but we did a lot of fun stuff and all of […]

Mom of Four Makes Thanksgiving Dinner for Eight
Eaters unimpressed, runs out of turkey, considers meal a failure.

Rain Steady Thanksgiving Day and Night
Outdoor Christmas light display put on hold.

Family of Six Venture Out For First Thanksgiving Since Celiac Diagnosis, on Black Friday
Mom of four not likely to repeat “venturing out” for […]

This is how we usually spend Thanksgiving….I cook the meal, some of it gets eaten, then we decorate for Christmas. This year, it rained all day so the outdoor décor didn’t get done. We’ll see if it ever gets done at this point. You should be glad there’s no sound […]

So, Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I listed some things I’m thankful for yesterday. Today, I’m combining two more things that I’m super thankful for with a GIVEAWAY.

Thing 1: My Thirty-One business. I’ve been at it for almost four months now, and I’ve had a lot of really fun Facebook parties, […]

1. Name a color you are thankful for.

I’m thankful for blue skies, blue eyes. I’m thankful for brown hair, brown dirt. White wine, white clouds. Yellow cheese, yellow sunshine.

2. Something your spouse does that you are thankful for.

This is a very specific example, and thankfully does not happen regularly, but […]

It’s November 23. I’ve published 22 blog posts this month and I didn’t so much feel like doing one today. So here’s a (very short) video!

Mwah. Happy Monday, y’all.

~~~Is it summer yet? Because I’m already sick of all the cold weather laundry and it’s barely even begun to be cold.

~~~These pictures of baby Essie with a Mohawk make me say things like “wook at the boodee widdle boonieboodieawwwwww”

~~~And then looking at 6 year old Essie right after makes […]

This cat. THIS. CAT.

He used to be an outside cat and then he started coming in in the winters and now he apparently thinks he needs to be inside all the time.

He’s old and stinky and old and crotchety and old and pees on EVERYTHING that’s left in the floor […]

Hey guys, you wanna plays spies?

I’m in my {air quotes} “spy suit.”

I have another one that’s neon.

The boys are cut from the same cloth. Henry is more outspoken and eager to talk to anyone, anywhere, and Ervin is shy and not very social or open, but they both love a lot of the same things and act the same way at home and pretty much […]

Remember the bug Ervin had, after Ivy and before Henry? Yeah, it’s my turn. So I’m writing this from the couch, on my phone, totally bummed about missing a meeting tonight and phoning it in for #nablopomo.

These are a few of my favorite things:

Skinny peppermint mochas

Animal print leggings

The color pink

Chocolate […]

As I write this (Monday night), I’ve spent the day talking to various people about our Listen To Your Mother show in 2016. I have literally been buzzing with excitement about the progress and decisions we’ve made, and those we will make in the next few months. As I […]

I watch him run the length of the grass, hands and head in a raptor pose. He still pretends, with his younger brother chasing behind, asking me to keep watching. Just like he did when he jumped off the side of the pool for the first time, and pedaled his […]

I came across this photo in my TimeHop just now (I love that app).

This was a day that we had gone to Target (obviously), and while I pushed them around in the double cart, they sang nonsense songs together. To the point where they had a lot of old […]

I spent my night last night with a group of incredible ladies, eating too much delicious soup and salad and munchies, laughing and crying and talking. It was perfect.

Then I came home to a preschooler with a stomach bug, who slept beside me with an empty toy bucket to puke […]

I just finished reading Me and Earl and the Dying Girl yesterday. I had picked it up immediately following the Harry Potter series, but put it right back down because I wasn’t at all ready for something so different when my heart pieces were still all over the floor. But […]

I tried to take pictures of our family last Sunday for our holiday cards this year, because (to be real) I had a good blow out from the salon on Saturday and I didn’t want to waste it. It was also a pretty nice day out, and I didn’t want […]

I’ve been waiting all year to get a chance to go in and help out in Erv’s preschool class.

Two years ago, I was in Essie’s class once a week, helping with center activities and getting to know her classmates.

Two years before that, I was in Ivy’s class once in a […]

This post contains affiliate links but also a GIVEAWAY. Woot!

A brand I met at Shiftcon this year was Grab Green. The team I talked to was AWESOME. They were a brand that said “Hey! Do you want to try some of our favorite products that work really well but reduce […]

Today is my hubba-hubba-husband’s birthday.

He may be another year older but his butt is as cute as ever.

Happy birthday, babe!

I got my haircut yesterday and got a lot cut off. But I love it!

I don’t love that my stylist for at least three years is leaving the salon to go to school. A good stylist is hard to find! I know you get me. (I’m happy for her […]

You may have noticed that I went from maybe posting twice a month for a while to posting every single day this week. You know what that means! It’s November and National Blog Posting Month (or NaBloPoMoSorta as I like to call it). I successfully posted every day last November […]

To say that going from a regular ol’ family of six to getting one of the kids diagnosed with celiac disease and overhauling our entire family diet, to learning another child is gluten intolerant, and realizing I am, too, was an adjustment is a bit of an understatement.

EVERYTHING involving our […]

The sky and ground and everything in between is a dull, gloomy opposite-of-bright collection of colors in the fall. I love it, though. I love living in the country where we can leave the fallen, crunchy leaves on the ground to pile them and scatter them and enjoy them.

For my […]

I went to Shiftcon at the end of September, and was inspired (all over again) to make small changes to improve my family’s health and limit our mark on the environment.

One of the things I knew I needed(wanted) to change was our dependence on traditional juice pouches. I pack my […]

I can’t even believe I’m typing this right now. I’m OVER THE DANG MOON right now. You may have seen the announcement? This has been my dream since I was a cast member in the very first Listen To Your Mother-Kansas City show in 2013. Uh huh. OH […]

We had a low key Halloween this year. Two trunk-or-treats, a few houses, supper at a local pizza place, buckets full of candy, and a movie or two when we got home.

Costumes were not stressed about, school party snacks weren’t pinterest-worthy, but everyone was happy.

I do so love Halloween.

Eight years ago, I was sure I’d be raising two kids on my own. I’d found love once and had it taken away; that had to be it for me.

Seven years ago, we stood at the end of the outdoor garden of the Artisan Hotel and vowed to love […]

Do you ever get so sucked into some book or TV show or whatever that you can’t think about anything else? (YEAH. duh.) That’s where I’ve been lately with the Harry Potter series, and it’s been really, really hard to want to go back to regular life. Now I’ve finished […]

Today, he is ten. Ten! The first of the four to hit double digits.

TEN.

He’s a chatty boy, the one that I have to remind (usually gently, sometimes exasperatedly) that we don’t always have to talk.

He’s a helpful boy, the one that can’t quite keep out of any and all conversations […]

It’s ridiculous how behind I got on this, and how overwhelmed I’ve been lately. (Breathe) But Clare has been dedicated to this project and I refuse to let her go it alone! So, here are a few weeks’ worth of pictures to get me caught up. DRAWN: The narwhal Ivy […]

Normally, when we eat dippable foods, our family sticks to the basics: barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, ketchup, and mustard (or, the last two mixed together for some of us). But I was inspired by Foster Farms (remember, the makers of our very favorite gluten free corn dogs??) Honestly, though, […]

Patience has never been a strength of mine. Since I was little, I’ve tried to find out what my presents were before the holidays happened. I get tired of waiting on people when I’m ready to go somewhere or be done with something. My least favorite time of year is […]

This is me being way behind and not particularly inspired. My breakfast for the last month or so: And…a bunch of games: Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that I’m doing again this year. Next week’s prompt is DRAWN.

We are a few weeks into school now, and just finishing up Erv’s second week of preschool. I’m not going to lie…it has kicked my butt. My part-time job is definitely the busiest when school starts up (because I work with the area high schools), and I’ve started a new […]

We went to Omaha on a “last hurrah before school starts” trip a few weeks ago. Omaha is the perfect place for it, because it’s only about three hours away, but is full of fun stuff to do and great places to eat and stay. And it’s far enough to […]

I may have bribed him. We were going to the doctor for his four year well-child check, and our nurse had said that the “kindergarten shots” could be given at any time between ages four and six. I was already feeling so very behind, like a completely unprepared preschool […]

I was invited to review a photo editing software and app set with a brand new graphic design function, and with a name like BeFunky, I could. not. refuse.

I’ve tried several photo editing programs before, some I’ve never used again and some I use occasionally. This one was really easy, though, […]

I took this picture at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo last week, in the aquarium. I’m digging the faded, ethereal, rainbow-like quality. Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison and I are doing this year (again!). Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share […]

I’m sitting in a quiet office while my big three get used to their new classes on the first day of school and Ervin sleeps or plays with his grandpa. He stayed at their house last night so he wouldn’t have to take the big kids to school and then […]

It’s just after 9 am on the first day back after our last summer trip, which means it’s the first day of our back to school “retraining,” since school starts next Thursday and these kids are a good three hours off of their school schedule. Here we go. […]

The kids got their new glasses, shoes, and haircuts for school (starting in just less than two weeks). Don’t they look sharp? This was way overexposed, but I thought it looked kind of cool.   Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison […]

Or, as I’m calling it “Self Portrait with Child” Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison and I are doing this year (again!). Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your own posts if you’d like to follow along and work on […]

We received tickets to the Starlight Broadway shows for review purposes. The air was sweltering last night. You know when it’s the middle of the summer, and a storm is somewhere in the near future, and the air is perfectly still and heavy and so, so hot? That was last […]

My mom kept several of my old dresses, and because they’re in the closet by our attic, the girls see them and like to try them on. I could be wrong, but I believe my great-grandma may have made them for me. Through The Lens Thursday […]

DRESS (with an expert twirl): FOUR (misfits): And FOUR (years old): Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison and I are doing this year (again!). Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your own posts if you’d like […]

Motherhood is tough. Motherhood during the age of Facebook, Instagram, and social media in general is FRIGGIN’ HARD. As a mother, it’s not easy giving yourself grace, or remembering that other people, no matter what their status updates read or their perfectly filtered pictures show, are just like you and […]

This is totally late, and next week’s (DRESS) will be, too. Moving on. I’m completely failing as a gardener this year. Even though my dad and I made the vegetable garden a third the size that it was, with all of the rain and my lack of gardening skills, only […]

Despite a forecast that said the rain would clear by 8pm, or at the very least, the second act, we sat in a heavy-to-moderate drizzle for the entire production of Cinderella last night. The two girls, my mom and I went, but no one complained (even me…the complainer). We bought […]

  I’m going to be honest…I googled Pippin a couple of times before going to the show and read the press release, and I still wasn’t able to say what it was about or know what to expect. I knew that it was about a prince who’s trying to find […]

I know next to nothing about parenting tweens or teens. I’m not ready for my kids to grow up to be adults. BUT, I do feel like a seasoned mother in general. You know, like a stone pan that cooks a great loaf of bread but will still burn a […]

Everyone’s favorite redheaded orphan is on her way to Starlight Theatre, and she’s bringing her orphan friends, rescued pup Sandy and LOTS of fun family entertainment with her! The national touring production of ANNIE is in town for only three nights as it plays a special Broadway weekend engagement at […]

  Swimming lessons have begun. Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison and I are doing this year (again!). Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your own posts if you’d like to follow along and work on your own photography! And […]

I totally missed last week. Not only we were deep in the trenches of bible school every day, but I’m still kind of getting used to being on summer break again (yes, even after two weeks). There is absolutely nothing serene about four kids being home every day, but […]

The second show in Starlight’s 65th Broadway series is Camelot! I took Henry with me for this one, because not only does he like the big musical productions (though he won’t readily admit it), he also is a boy that loooooves fight scenes. I thought this would be perfect. We […]

Before I tell you all about our Day Out With Thomas, I need to let you know that I’ve got a SUPER QUICK giveaway for a set of four tickets for next Sunday, June 7! Read on and see below for how to enter. I’ve seen people talking about their […]

I thought about taking a picture of something patterned this week, but then I thought…no, it would be kind of fun to make a pattern out of pictures. We dropped the big two off at overnight church camp yesterday and headed to the playground. Truck, plane, plane, truck, plane, […]

My family loves chili. Who doesn’t? When I make it for my kids and husband, I keep it simple so I know everyone will eat it. But when I’m looking for appetizers for a party, I use the most convenient, most stress-less recipes I know.

My mom recently told me about […]

I’m so excited to get to experience the Broadway shows at Kansas City’s Starlight Theatre again this summer and review them for you. So. Excited. And it’s already time for the first show!!

Starlight’s 65th season opens this Memorial Day weekend with the national touring production of Million Dollar Quartet.

Featuring the electrifying […]

I love using negative space. Love it. Since there’s very little blank wall in our house, Ivy and I went outside to the neighbor’s shed and had a little fun. Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing […]

The weather has been warming up and the week before school gets out I go out to meet the kids off of the bus. As they run down the driveway, I see something hopping on the rocks right in front of them. I tell them to stop, hold up!, see what […]

As of this Friday we will officially be on summer break and summer break will go by entirely too fast. This is the last school year that I will have a child at home with me all day every day.

In the fall, even the baby will be in preschool three […]

I am a woman first.
I wonder if I’ll always feel like a teenager.
I hear EVERYTHING.
I see the feelings in little faces.
I want to not lose that.
I am a proud mom.

I pretend upon request.
I feel (too) deeply.
I touch the curls, the sweat, the little toes.
I worry about everything,
I cry less than […]

I’m milking my New York trip for all it’s worth. We had an afternoon with nothing planned, so we went to the far edge of Central Park to visit the American Museum of Natural History. I was silly excited to be visiting the site of a movie my kids love […]

All I want for Mother’s Day is to not have to change any sheets. Just kidding! I’d love breakfast in bed, to get taken out to lunch and possibly see a movie by myself, maybe get a homemade present that my husband made with the kids in my office […]

This was the perfect prompt for our house right now. When Ivy decided to learn to play the mandolin, T. started playing along with her. Then they got out an old guitar my grandpa had given me years ago, fixed the strings, and started playing that. Then Essie wanted to […]

This was a fun prompt. It was a beautiful day, and I told the kids I needed some upside down pictures.   I was under the tree branch looking up in this one:   For this one, Ivy and I were both lying down in the grass, and […]

Sometimes I feel like social media is out to get me. Like, if my own kids don’t drive me crazy one day, Facebook will. Or I see a blog post that blasts moms doing a certain thing, making them feel “less than,” or beautiful Pinterest-inspired parties that make me think […]

What’s that you say? GRETA. It’s Friday, not Thursday. You post ONCE a week, and you can’t even post on the right day? All you’ve done in MONTHS is the photo project and you can’t even be bothered to do that on time?! WHAT. IS. UP. I’ll tell you what’s […]

There’s a lot of yellow in our yard, so I took my camera out to find it. Look mom, no training wheels! Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year (again!). Don’t […]

I’m not much of a baker. I don’t have a beautiful baked good photo to share. But I did realize that I haven’t yet shared my New York photos. (Geeeez. Busy, much?) So, here is the Brooklyn Bridge, baked in the sun. Through The Lens Thursday is a […]

It’s been a crazy busy week (in a good way!) and I almost forgot what day it was (for the second week in a row. Ahem.) On Sunday, we celebrated my grandpa’s 90th birthday and my grandparents’ 63rd wedding anniversary in the community room after their church service. My […]

So, maybe this should be called “On my plate” because I have a lot. Instead, this is a series of pictures, to illustrate that, using cups? Or something. In My Cup I finally unpacked from my New York trip. We got these fabulous reusable cups from Cabaret, and the […]

I know it’s not Thursday anymore. I got home yesterday from New York City (which was AMAZING) after a very long, very screwed up flight situation (long story). I have so many pictures to share later, but I wanted to go ahead and share one for this week now so […]

As you read this, I’ll be close to leaving for or landing in NYC with my mom and meeting up with my uncle for a special spring break trip. Yay!! I’ve never been, but we intend to fill our time with Broadway shows, lots of food and walking, and whatever […]

I told myself that I would not, under any circumstances, post a bunch of pictures of my dog again. I did that already (a few times). It doesn’t matter how cute she is, I would. not. do. it. So I had to figure something else out. My youngest is going […]

You guys know I’ve been reading a ton lately, gobbling up all of the recommended books my library could give me, and I was intrigued by the chance to read and review a book being released this March.

The Unraveling of Mercy Louis is about Mercy, a small town basketball star, […]

I love mango. LOVE. IT. It’s the only fruit that five out of the six members of my family will eat. One of my favorite snacks is a bowl of frozen blueberries and mango chunks with just a little dollop of whipped cream or Greek yogurt on top. It’s delicious, […]

I don’t make my bed. And I pile books on my puppy’s bed crate. But the words? The words have been next to me constantly the past few months, always being traded and returned and checked out and discussed and downloaded and wish-listed. Through The Lens Thursday is […]

I realize you’re all sick of seeing my dog. I know that. But I have had a long week and my creativity for the prompt was nonexistent, so you get action shots of a tug of war game with Louise’s twisted rope toy (she’s all better from the surgery and […]

How do I know that I’m getting older but still need some baby love sometimes? Louise went to the vet to get “fixed” last week, and I missed her like crazy, and also worried about her like a mom taking her child in for a procedure would. Okay, not quite […]

Dating and love has changed drastically for me in the last ten years. I used to go to concerts or long lunches or stay out late with a special someone, but now I’m perfectly content to get out of the house for a few hours while someone else watches the […]

It’s Valentines week, and I recently introduced my kids to Swedish Fish, so…. Happy Valentine’s Day, friends!   Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year (again!). Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share […]

I’m as comfortable saying I read 13 books in January as I am saying I read 3 books in 2011 (that’s just an estimate of 2011).

I’m comfortable with my evolving style and getting in front of the camera.

As long as my pants fit, I’m comfortable now as I was 15 […]

I’m eating my breakfast now, the breakfast that I forced myself to finish cooking before I sat down to write this. I’ve had a super annoying habit lately of burning my food when I get even the slightest bit distracted, so while I cooked it, I thought of all of […]

Ivy has gotten a lot of craft books from the library lately, and the last couple have been on how to make felt crafts. I love that she can do most of them herself, and she loves to be able to make a cute little project in an hour or […]

Every year, during the week of Kansas’ birthday (today, January 29!), the kids’ school lets the kids bring guests to eat lunch with them. Erv and I went this year (yesterday), to sit with the girls during the first lunch and Henry during the second. These are some views from […]

A sign: A sign that, after a week or so of nice weather, winter is returning: A sign that I’m in denial about that: A sign that my friends love and know me well: A sign that my kids will do anything to delay getting ready […]

I’m not a foodie, or a baker, and I don’t take particularly good photos of food or baked goods.

But, I think I’ve grown into a pretty good daughter (if you don’t count my high school years against me).

Today is my mom’s birthday, and it’s a pretty big milestone. The kids […]

The weather has been really cold this week, but the sunsets and sunrises have been amazing and full of vibrant colors (maybe that’s the consolation prize for how miserable it is to be outside?).

I always see the best skies when I’m driving though, and by the time I get home […]

Yeah. This is late. Motivation around the holidays is tough. I’m just going to finish up there year here, kay? Dec. 21 Christmas celebration #1, with our family in AR. Dec. 22 We went to see a movie with my good friend and her kids, Aunt Ginny and […]

Ah, 2014. I think it was a good year. It was often uneventful, but challenging. I had some failures, and some accomplishments, and hopefully, they balanced each other out. 2014 was the year I sent another kid off to school all day, every day, when Essie went to kindergarten, and […]

Happy New Year! I drank Moscato Spumanti Champagne (or something) last night and was asleep by 11. So I’m just assuming it’s 2015 now!

Christmas, new presents, new new new.

I have a lot to say about the new year, and the old one. But I’m also the old one and headed […]

Merry Christmas! I can’t believe this is the last TTLT of the year….we made it! Without further ado…LIGHTS. We went to see family this weekend and T and I stayed with my brother and sister-in-law. This was from below the light fixture in their kitchen. And these were after […]

I can’t believe the year is almost over. Dec. 14 We went to see a local production the Nutcracker, infused with Kansas history. Dec. 15 Christmas program day (with a  cowboy theme), and the day my son and daughter took their first selfie together. Dec. 16 […]

At the beginning of this year, I wrote this: I want to be confident each time I pick up my Nikon, and use my brand new Lightroom software to edit smartly, thoughtfully, easily. In 2014, I want to be better at photography. I want to pick up my camera and […]

Dec. 7 I just can’t even with the Build A Bear vest and the sleeping puppy face. Dec. 8 I don’t seem to have taken a picture, but I did share this one of Erv at 8 months old. Dec. 9 Reading some bedtime stories in the morning. […]

I told the kids that they could yell and scream this week, specifically for this prompt, and I think the results show a little bit of the chaos that is our house. And this is totally fuzzy, but I love it because basically, this is my […]

This past weekend, we paired Christmas music on the radio with a Playmobil Santa’s workshop set* (when I ordered it, I thought it was an advent calendar, but it turned out to be just a kit you build…which was good, because I was about four days late getting it out). […]

My kids don’t need more stuff for Christmas, but I’m always buying them new books. They’re the perfect gift really….you can always find one to suit a child, and there’s one for every age and stage.

If we hadn’t already gotten This House Needs A Mouse, it’d be on my list […]

We’re so close to the end of the year, I can’t believe it. Nov. 30 We had lunch with my in-laws on Sunday, and my MIL headed home from her weekend with us. Dec. 1 December! December is for fancy stuffed animal clothes, I guess. Dec. 2 I […]

It feels strange to not have written anything this week after posting every day in November. But also, I’ve not had any inclination to write here this week. Moving on. Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I […]

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if I broke my NaBloPoMo streak on the last day by forgetting to do the past I’ve already done 47 times this year. Ha. Ha ha ha.

I almost did that.

Nov. 23
I don’t really know, except I was done with solo parenting. DO-NE.

Nov. 24
Stu- stu- studious.

Nov. 25
Ivy […]

Y’all. This was a long month. But. BUT! I will have finished NaBloPoMo tomorrow when I do my Project 365 post, and even managed to write all of the posts the night before (or sooner). I feel accomplished, and totally exhausted. I did learn a few things along the way, […]

The holiday week, NaBloPoMo, and the stress of hosting Thanksgiving had me all messed up, so this is a day late. It’s clear that my kids have VERY different Christmas wish list styles. The girls’ (AKA start in October, cutting out all of the things we want and tape them […]

I was a scrooge yesterday about Thanksgiving,  I know. But like I said, I do have a lot to be thankful for (and I know it). The things I’m thankful for now, though, are much different than the things I was thankful for growing up.

Then: Baking pumpkin pies with my […]

Okay, I don’t hate all of Thanksgiving. I hate what Thanksgiving has become for me. I love talking about what I’m thankful for, I love hearing my kids talk about what they’re thankful for. I love that Thanksgiving day has become the day we stay home and decorate for […]

I often feel completely inadequate as a mother. I try my best, I do, but sometimes it just doesn’t feel good enough. I yell too much. I can’t keep a clean house. I don’t play with them. I lose my temper far too quickly. I love my kids fiercely, but […]

I’m gonna be real with y’all. Like, really, really real. I’ve been solo parenting for two solid weeks now, and Thanksgiving is stressing me out. I just lost my mind on my kids as I put them to bed, with like, an adult style tantrum. I threw toys down the […]

Nov. 16 Even after the kids go to bed, I’ve still got somebody wanting thisclose to me. Nov. 17 I love bloggy friends, and I super love when they send me lovely things in the mail, like this stripey hand-painted card from Clare of Girl Fifteen, who has been […]

I’m a sucker for family pictures, and with NaBloPoMo making me all nostalgic and this year’s photo session looming, I took a little look back.

(Sorry for the pictures of pictures with the first few….posting every day makes me lazy)

Single momming it (the first year):

And the second:

Our first family photo […]

As a mom of four (three in school), it’s not always easy to insist on healthy foods, physical activity and healthy habits. Most days, it’s hard to get all four kids out of bed, eating breakfast and out the door in time for school. It takes some creativity to find […]

One morning, when I went into the kitchen to make breakfast, I saw this foreboding scene of doom and gloom: Lego guy on the edge of the counter, seconds from falling off. I did what any concerned citizen would do and got out my camera. Lego guy is now safely […]

I dare you, defy! You can’t argue forever Or maybe you can.   The demands don’t end. Up at dawn and down too late. You are exhausting.   Real: bedtime struggles when dealing with threenagers. They want what they want.   Oh, you look so sweet. You finally closed your […]

So, I’ve been solo parenting for a week now, and it’s not going to end any time soon (relatively….you know, for a mom of four young kids in the beginning of winter….another week and a half feels like FOREVER), but the hardest part this time around isn’t just the lack […]

I remember a lot about those last couple of months of 2006. I remember our last Halloween, the first trick-or-treating. I remember visiting my grandparents and Henry playing with our old toys and running in the leaf-filled yard on a beautiful, warm fall day. I remember that night. […]

This was not an exciting week, but it was a cold one.

Nov. 9 Hub’s birthday! It was low-key, like he likes it. And then we slept.

Nov. 10
I really shouldn’t take him anywhere close to lunch time without feeding him first.

Nov. 11
He took four baths that day. FOUR. […]

School mornings are hard. We’re late getting out the door a lot, and there are a lot of fights about whether the youngest needs to go with us (obviously he does) or if he needs to wear shoes or if another one came home with both gloves and a hat […]

Gluten free folks! Don’t forget that I’m giving away FIVE boxes of gluten free corn dogs! Go, Enter!

My husband’s birthday was last weekend, and he’s a guy that knows what he likes. Since he was little, he got cheesecake from a box. But forget the crust that came with it…he […]

It was a sun-shiny day, and I had plans to try to capture my favorite swing photos, but from another angle to try to change it up. I ended up with very different pictures, though. The dog and two kids trying to shoot […]

I’ve never done a “what I wore” post (I don’t think) but I thought NaBloPoMo would be as good a time as any. I love fall, and the fall to winter transition, because I get to layer all of my cozy clothes and find new favorites. I did that […]

After talking with some friends last week about messes and how much crap we have in our houses, I got the gumption to clean and purge over the weekend. I don’t normally go through toys with my kids at home, because OHMYGOODNESS EVERYTHING IS EXCITING AND NEW AGAIN, but there […]

If you have any kind of dietary restrictions (doctor- or self-imposed) you know what it’s like to want something you can’t have. You might even dream about it sometimes, or get a little tear in your eye when you see someone else eating it, or smell it cooking. And maybe […]

Today’s my husband’s birthday! He’s so old! Happy birthday, babe!! Wait, seriously, only seven weeks left. IN THE YEAR?? Gosh…I wonder if I’ll do this for the third (fourth?) year in a row. Nov. 2 Ivy begged and begged to get an easel, and grandma obliged. Nov. 3 […]

So, you may have noticed that I’ve been posting a lot here this week….once a day, in fact. This is strange, I know….but I decided last weekend to take part in NaBloPoMo. It’s National Blog Posting Month, which is basically where you post on your blog every day in the […]

She watched him dip his long, thin, blond hair in the red liquid, waiting to see what would happen when he pulled it out. They’d been friends since she saw him in 7th period art class in the 9th grade, sitting next to a smaller guy in a black hoodie. […]

For this week’s prompt, “Stripes,” I wanted to challenge myself. I haven’t taken any self-portraits in a while (none this year, I think) with my real camera. My husband found the remote thing that plugs into the top of the camera so I had a plan to use it with […]

My house is messy. Try as I might, I can’t keep up with the little wrappers, the random toys, the dirty clothes my kids have strewn about. I hope that one day (oh dear God, PLEASE, someday) that my kids will automatically pick up their stuff and put it away […]

Yeah, I’m still writing about Halloween. Because you know what? I think it’s super adorable to see my kids dressed up through the years and when I post one, I start thinking about them all.

Of course, I can’t find them all because my photo organization is nonexistent.

But I can share […]

While Friday morning was a bit of a disaster, with costume elements missing all over the place and everyone getting to school late, we made it and it turned out to be a pretty awesome day.

I actually loved the kids’ costume choices this year. It would’ve been awesome for them […]

This week led up to Halloween plus Drug-free week activities, and then POOF! November. Oct. 26 I actually did something spontaneous with the whole family on Sunday! (that never happens) I looked up a local city guide, saw that there was a ballet/dance Halloween production going on that afternoon, bought […]

Six! Six years of being married to this guy. Six years of butting heads and putting our heads together. Loving and learning and a whole lot of kid wrangling. I wouldn’t change a thing. Happy anniversary, babe. I love you to the moon and back and all the places […]

Tomorrow is Halloween, as you are aware. And if your school is anything like ours, your kids will be celebrating with more parties and treats than they know what to do with. This was one of the reasons I was nervous about sending my gluten free daughters to school. […]

When the girls were performing at the high school football game for their spirit clinic, I took the opportunity to take some pictures. The sun was quickly setting and I was having fun trying some shots. I took this while a few band members were playing the National Anthem. […]

Henry started telling me about Sarah, Plain and Tall a few days ago. He asked me if I had read it, and I told him I hadn’t.

He started describing it to me, but couldn’t quite find the words. He brought it up a few more times…not saying much, but […]

We’re gearing up for Halloween, but not as much as everybody else, I guess…we went to the pumpkin patch this weekend, but nobody dressed up for parties or anything. And is it weird that I’m sad that I won’t be dressing up? I mean, I guess I could, but we’re […]

My sweet photo is two-fold this week: Do you see those shelves on the wall behind my boy there? A few weeks ago, I moved the two cat litter boxes out of this room, my “office.” Basically, since we moved here several years ago, I’ve called it that and […]

We only have ten weeks left in the year. Whaaaaat. Oct. 12 This was my Sunday, basically. We both enjoyed it. Oct. 13 It was cold and rainy, so I baked. (This week is started out pretty exciting, eh?) Oct. 14 Henry turned nine. I….had a bit of […]

I’ve been really busy and worn out lately, and haven’t had much time or energy to write here. But, Elaine has some Old School Blogging questions that looked super easy and wouldn’t take much (highly sought after) brain space, so here goes:
A Few Of My Favorite Things.
Sit down restaurant
Choices are […]

So, I missed last week. I wasn’t feeling it. (And yes, I did come up with the prompt “deception” because I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING). I did take a picture or two, so I’ll just do them both here. Okey dokey? Deception Fall around here looks pretty bleak. […]

The oldest is nine today. NINE. One more year to double digits. He’s a boy of extraordinary creativity. Spectacular spelling skills. Big brother patience. Overflowing kind-heartedness. A thirst for knowledge, especially history (in his words “wars and disasters”). Freckles, super soft cheeks and big, blue eyes. […]

Oct. 5 I made my way home from LA on Sunday afternoon, and it seemed as though some creatures missed me….this one showed it the most, though. Oct. 6 We had beautiful weather….good for trying new swing tricks. Oct. 7 I had a dentist appointment, and for […]

Sept. 28 The baby is growing up. Sept. 29 This was a late night for he-who-occasionally-falls-asleep-late-in-the-day. Sept. 30 Fall has definitely arrived here. Oct. 1 I arrived in Los Angeles to help work ShiftCon, and it was a long day. This is when I finally made […]

I have absolutely lost all motivation.

Not just for running,  which I’ve done twice in the last three months, but for all physical activity apparently.

I’m kind of an all or nothing gal. In order to keep up with a program, I need to do it several times a week and hold […]

Today’s my 34th birthday. If you had asked me a month ago, I would have told you I was 34 already…I guess 33 was one of those “skip it” years. Do you have those? Anyway, because I don’t want to do real work right this very minute, instead I’ll share […]

As you’re reading this, I’m probably in California at ShiftCon. I’m writing this Tuesday night, and have a lot to do before I leave Wednesday morning, so this is going to be short. There’s a lot of sparkle in this house, so it wasn’t hard to find something to shoot. […]

As far as weeks go, this one was pretty slow. Sept. 21 I hadn’t run in, like, two months or some nonsense. So I ran. And I haven’t run since. Sigh. It felt good, though. Sept. 22 Vet appointment with two dogs and one toddler. It was a riot. […]

Essie and I spent the day together on Saturday, away from the rest of the family, and we had so much fun. For Christmas last year, we gave all of the kids cards, good for one date with mom and one date with dad. So far, none of them had […]

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions, images, and real-life potty training successes and failures are my own.
I’m a firm believer in not trying to force potty training. So what if your kid isn’t ready when his cousins are, or your friends’ kids? Trying to potty train a child […]

We’re well into September, y’all. I mean, it’s almost over. WHAAAT. Sept. 14 The last day on Lake Erie for Bloggy Con. Sept. 15 Three is a hard age. Three is a HARD. AGE. Sept. 16 Orthodontist appointment for Henry’s first adjustment. When we were at the front […]

I was in Cleveland last weekend for Bloggy Conference, and I think I’m finally recovered. Sept. 7 My lunch notes are not Pinterest-worthy. (But my kids like them?) Sept. 8 Kansas in the fall. Sept. 9 Sept. 10 Can you see his expression? That’s called The Toddler […]

Before I get into this week’s prompt, I just wanted to make sure that everyone knew my co-TTLTer’s news…Alison had her babies! She delivered her twins this week at 34 weeks, and they’re doing great. Still in the NICU but growing and feeding and getting stronger every day. Go show […]

I think I discovered Anna’s blog, An Inch of Gray, after the freak accident that took her son. At least. that’s when I dug deep and read all I could, heartbroken for her and wondering how in the world she could find the words to talk about that horrible day […]

This post is sponsored by the Mamavation community but all opinions are 100% my own (as if you ever doubted). Fun fact about me: I didn’t declare my major in college until either the end of my sophomore year or beginning of my junior year. As in, the last […]

I was inspired by Alison’s “golden” photos last week, to do something a little different this week for “black.” I used to sell Premier jewelry, and I have a…shall we say….extensive collection. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to capture the shimmer AND black color of this necklace, so I […]

We continued Labor Day weekend and ended the week having fun with some friends that came to visit. And you know what? I realized that on the last post, I ended the week with Sunday, so um….this one will be shorter. Heh. September! Sept 1 Bitty baby did SO well […]

Labor Day threw a wrench in my posting on time streak of…one week. Aug. 24 We had a pretty lazy day a couple of Sundays ago. Apparently, Louise and I were waiting on Erv to finish his hour-long breakfast. Aug. 25 Falling asleep on the ten minute drive home […]

I went outside to take these pictures this morning as soon as I saw the sun coming up. I meant to just take a picture of the sunrise, since the long weekend threw me off and I had forgotten about this post until last night. When I got to the […]

The kids have been back to school for about two and a half weeks. I’m exhausted, frankly, and so is the toddler that’s not yet in school. But the kids that ARE in school? They’ve got energy.

I don’t know where it comes from. They work hard all day, they have […]

Just like last week, this was a fun prompt. I with I could do more macro shots, but my 50 or 35mm lens don’t really allow me to get super close.

But, I played around and this is what I ended up with.

Ivy’s new backpack is covered with different textures….metallic shimmery […]

Last Tuesday night, on a school night (yes, yes it was), my mom and I took my two daughters to see Katy Perry at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. I had bought tickets months ago, thinking that it would be a really good birthday present for them (they both […]

WHAT?! This post is on time? *pats myself on back* Aug. 17 The only pictures I took last Sunday were of the green stuff covered in dew. Ha. Aug. 18 Waiting for a turn on grandpa’s mower. This is what happens when you speak in a high-pitched […]

I really liked this prompt, and if I wanted to, I could share fifteen different photos for it. As it is, I’ll narrow it down to, like…seven.

The weather this past couple of weeks has been really nice and mild, and we’ve had a few days of rain storms. So, the […]

My kids went back to school last Wednesday, and it was the most uneventful first few days of school in my (albeit short) back to school history.

There were no tears. Essie and I walked the big two into the gym and found their classes grouped together, lining up, and then […]

We’ve all been there. You’re in the grocery store bathroom, trying to keep your toddler from opening the stall door and showing everybody which pair of underwear you chose to wear that day (plus, well…everything it covers up), when you look over and see that there’s no more toilet paper.

Or […]

School started in the middle of this week (!!!) and we survived. That’s all I have to say about that. Aug. 10 It was my niece’s birthday and she was baptized at church, so I took my four to celebrate her. Aug. 11 It was as gorgeous day for […]

Seriously, how did I forget about last week’s post? Oh yeah….recovering from BlogHer, solo parenting, dealing with a brand new puppy and getting ready for the first week of school! That’ll do it. Aug. 3 In just a couple of weeks, Henry’s braces had moved his front teeth…a lot. […]

I use the prompt “lemon” loosely this week. Big surprise, eh?

There was an amazing moon this week (was it a super moon? People on Facebook seem to think so). And the moon, for me, was really difficult to capture. I don’t have a zoom lens, so the pictures look so […]

This post is sponsored by Angel Soft® , but keep reading because you can enter an awesome giveaway at the bottom! I haven’t written much about BlogHer, and I already told you that I didn’t take many pictures. What kind of blogger am I, anyway?!

I’m the kind of blogger that sometimes […]

Hey, if you’re a runner and local to Kansas, go enter my giveaway!

There are so many ways I could’ve gone with this. But, I’m solo parenting this week and it’s the last full week before school starts, which means my kids haven’t been wearing clothes much and I’m just trying […]

Last year, I ran my very first half marathon. It was relaxed, and laid-back, full of supportive women of all shapes and sizes. And, at the finish line, I was greeted by a medal, chocolates, and a glass of champagne.

It wasn’t easy, by any means. Though the course was flat […]

July 27 I had to leave lovely San Jose and get back home. Unfortunately, the “getting back home” involved a four hour delay in Denver, but fortunately, one of my very best friends from college (and in general) lives very close to the airport and came to see me with […]

It has been so busy around here, which is funny, because we’re pretty much done with all of the summer plans we had. But braces, doctor’s appointments, eye appointments, conferences, school supply shopping, and a new puppy, it feels like there’s something to do every day. And school starts in […]

My parents have done a ton of work on their house in the last year, and still have a ways to go on their whole-house renovation. They have pretty much finished the upstairs, though, with three bedrooms and a bathroom, and my mom has been decorating the “grandkid room”, where […]

If we’re friends on Facebook, it’d be impossible for you not to know that we got a new puppy this week. My friend’s dog had a litter of them, and when we dropped by her house recently, we fell in love. (Thanks, Nikki!)

Yes, I already have my hands full with […]

Ivy turns seven on Friday. SEVEN YEARS OLD. She’s so ready for second grade. She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s goofy, she’s protective. She tells me to be careful every time I climb up to the top bunk to give her a hug good night. She’s thoughtful, she’s […]

I know this is a day early, but I’m headed to the BlogHer conference tomorrow afternoon, and have some fun BlogHer news coming up tomorrow!

We had the girls’ double birthday party on Sunday, and they had chosen to go to a gymnastics place nearby. It was especially exciting (for all […]

I’m heading to my first ever Blogher conference tomorrow, in San Jose California. I can’t really tell you how nervous I am, and I definitely can’t tell you how excited I am. I’m going to be meeting a lot of online friends that I’ve become close to, but only “in […]

This week was busy, even without many plans! July 13 We went out to eat for my dad’s birthday and my parents’ 40th anniversary, then came home and put up the girls’ early birthday present. July 14 I don’t really have words for this. He’s definitely got his own […]

“Cozy” during the summer is “Cold From Air-Conditioning”

Or Sick.

I like the picture of the girls because it’s kind of three layers….their “audience” of the Furbie and the Talking Penguin thing, then the girls snuggled up together, and finally, the leftover birthday balloons in the window (one of which you can […]

Today, our youngest girl turned five. FIVE. She is funny. She’s frustrating. She’s lovable and helpful, smart and sassy. She’s difficult, she’s SMART. She’s friendly and fierce. And she’s FIVE. Happy birthday, EB. We love you, Miss Sass.

The oldest had his first orthodontist appointment this past week (other than the consultation a couple of weeks ago) for the first phase of his braces, the second this week, and his third (and last) next week. He’s only 8 (will be 9 in October) but his top front teeth […]

It was a busy week! The kids had swimming lessons every morning, plus a couple of birthday parties and other things thrown in. July 6 I got to meet a long-time bloggy friend, Tara, on Sunday. It was so nice chatting with her over coffee…we had a million things to […]

I had a date last night. Don’t tell my husband, but he was pretty handsome. And sweet, and charming.

I took my oldest to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, the third in this summer’s Broadway series. The show runs through Sunday, July 13, and […]

I enjoyed this prompt. I only wish that my camera lens (a 30mm) would let me get just alittlebit closer to the baby blues that I snapped away at all week.

I have blue eyes (both of my parents do, too) and all four kids have them, too…although, the shades vary […]

Our 4th is always verrrrrry TAME. We live in the country, so we can look across a field in every direction and see other people’s huge displays, and we can light 72 sparklers and 97 smoke balls in our own yard while we make s’mores and eat too many Bomb […]

Back from our road trip, and mostly recovered. June 29 I was not, however, recovered on Sunday. I think I even took a nap. But, I did not take a picture. June 30 It was cloudy, but that didn’t stop us from swimming (it even sprinkled on us some). But […]

Continuing on our road trip…. June 22 A day with my best AR girl friend (and no kids!) June 23 Then we hit the road again, leaving AR and heading to SE Texas. Once again, the kids wasted no time once we got there, and went fishing on […]

I’m so far behind, it’s ridiculous. Moving on. June 15 Father’s Day, and T was still out of town (because apparently, working on Father’s Day several hours from home is perfectly acceptable to a company. Ahem) So, video chat. June 16 Ivy took a picture of Skeeter, and we […]

Ever since my oldest got a new loft bed to sleepon, and I spent several hours cleaning the room so they could build it, I’ve been pretty strict about trying to keep it clean (he shares it with his sisters). I’m not always successful, but it’s not a pig sty […]

Sometimes a child’s imagination manifests itself in ways that adults just don’t understand.

Why would you play in a sprinkler, but block the water with an umbrella?

Does that make any sense?

To me, it’s an imperfect execution of water play. To them, it’s a whole lotta fun.

Ah, summer. I heart you.

Through The […]

Smooth, silky coat.

Smooth new haircut.

Through The Lens Thursday is meant for self-improvement, so please….constructive criticism is welcome!

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year.

Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your own posts if you’d like […]

I grew up on classic rock….Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Tom Petty, Queen. My dad made sure I had an appreciation for the music, quizzing me about band members as we drove down the road, turning up the songs on the radio as loud as was acceptable.

I also grew up a […]

Do you remember the song Babylon by David Gray? Are you singing it in your head now? Can you hear that smooth voice of his? Yeah, I could listen to that voice all day.

Lucky for me, he has a brand new album out now called Mutineers (released today, June 17). […]

This was a down week…only one or two things planned. I like having things to do and places to go during the summer, but I definitely like to have some relaxed, take it easy, do whatever we feel like doing time, too. It never got above 80 degrees, though, so […]

Due to crappy work circumstances, my husband can’t be home for Father’s Day and we don’t know when we’ll be able to see him again. But, we didn’t want to miss a chance to celebrate our favorite man of the house, daddy, hubs. I asked the kids to let me […]

So, it’s summer break, and it’s been raining (and kind of chilly) on and off all week. Last week was bible school, so there wasn’t much cabin fever happening. But this week, other than The Wizard of Oz, we didn’t have much to do.

Cue closet exploration and the trying on […]

Growing up in Kansas, you can’t escape it. Go to a conference and tell people where you’re from, and more often than not, you’ll hear “I don’t think you’re in Kansas anymore.” It’s one of those jokes that was funny the first ten times and not so much after that.

Leading […]

It’s June! Already! June 1 Batman marathon on BBC. All. Day. Long. June 2 First day of bible school! All four kids were old enough to go (yay!), so I had three whole hours to myself every morning this week. Swimming. Erv wasn’t too thrilled, so basically I […]

May 25 Toddlers have style, yo. And big imaginations. May 26 On Memorial Day morning, my mom and I got up and did a 5K. May 27 The big two went to a two-night camp! It was Henry’s second year and Ivy’s first. And because the big […]

I wasn’t sure the sun would shine at all today, but it came out after a big storm this morning (which kind of perfectly describes my day and if I was writing things these days, I’d probably try to explain it more).

Through The Lens Thursday is meant for self-improvement, so […]

We dropped them off two days ago, right after lunch. I scrambled to get them to their aunt and uncle’s on time, so they wouldn’t be waiting on my kids to go on to the camp grounds.

I had packed a whole cooler full of gluten free food for the younger […]

My husband thinks I’m addicted to car seats. I’m not, I swear. But I might be addicted to not having to switch car seats around to a different car in the morning when we’re trying to leave for school, or to replacing old ones that you can no longer adjust […]

Summer break has started! I’m both excited and scared! But really, we have a lot of fun things planned, plus plenty of down time, so it should be good. May 18 I finished the weekend with the Mamavation 5K (and ended the #2weekchallenge). I tried really, really hard to get […]

We live just off a rural highway. We have a false sense of secrecy, almost, with the canopy of leaves and trees.

We hear birds chirping and farm equipment rumbling as often as we hear the cars go by.

Though the sense of alone-ness is vague and all-encompassing, the sense of danger […]

The preschooler (kindergartner now?) has been done with school since last Friday, and the big two finish up early tomorrow afternoon. There are a lot of things that I look forward to when summer break starts, and some things….I could do without.

1. Sleeping in. I use the term loosely, of […]

May 11

Mother’s Day. We went out for lunch, as is our “tradition” (going on three years now), and I made the kids take a picture with me. It wasn’t the most successful photo shoot we’ve ever had…

(This picture is an optical illusion…I am NOT pregnant. Thanks, Ivy, for the belly […]

The days are gone when I have to worry when I leave the house about the possibility of a hidden spit-up glob on the back of my shirt or a surprise, explosive poopy diaper on a ten minute trip to the post office. We’ve successfully maneuvered out of the baby […]

I drive the road to my kids’ school twice a day, past a lot of fields and this old barn. I’ve taken pictures of it several times with my phone. I don’t know why I love it so much….but I especially love it when there are birds sitting on top […]

The big two have less than 2 weeks of school left and the preschool is done on Friday. !!!! That’s the advantage of going back earlier than everybody else in the country, in August….we get out earlier, too. But seriously, I can’t believe it’s almost summer. May 4 I finally […]

Yeah, so I’m behind again. Let me just dust the cobwebs off the ol’ blog and catch up. April 27 We did the Warrior Dash for the hat. Obviously. April 28 Apparently, the only picture I took on this day was of my teeth for the giveaway. I’m not […]

As long as I’ve been driving, I’ve had hand-me-down cars, used cars, always close to ten year old cars.

But. Today, with the help of a car-dealership-working father in law and because of the slow demise of the family-car-that-seats-all-six-and-all-of-our-stuff, we upgraded. Today, for the first time ever, we bought a car […]

These three. These pictures sum up their relationships nicely, I think.

Through The Lens Thursday is meant for self-improvement, so please….constructive criticism is welcome!

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year.

Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or […]

April 20 Easter Sunday. The kids saw a bunny in the yard, asked me to take a picture of it, and then saw pictures on my phone of their Easter baskets (which were still waiting downstairs for them). We went to a dinner and egg hunt at my brother’s […]

I’m getting really bad at this “timely post” thing. April 13 Wearing my awesome new Coffee Break shirt from bloggingconcentrated.com (and getting ready for a LTYM reunion lunch). April 14 I was still low from missing the half, I guess, and the hubs left to go out of town […]

You know my son is obsessed with Lego (Legos? LEGO?). He’s been to Legoland in Kansas City twice now, and asks to go again as often as possible.

You also know that we have four kids and going to places like Legoland is…erm….PRICEY.

BUT. We’re going again. Soon. Know why? Because I […]

The Easter bunny brought rain boots for my kids on Sunday, and three of them have worn them every day since. And then today, it actually rained.

These pictures were taken Sunday evening…it was cloudy and I had such a hard time getting the settings right. But, I think I did […]

Angela of Jumping With My Fingers Crossed (who is co-hosting iPPP now, and you should go link up!) asked me if I’d like to share my writing process. (My writing process? What? Who writes? Not me anymore. Ahem.) She’s one of my very favorite people in the whole world, so […]

Or, as they toddler says “too-gedduh”.

I made some gluten free popcorn party mix for the girls’ Easter parties at school tomorrow. (It’s super easy, but if you want the recipe, check it out on Today’s Work At Home Mom…and feel free to take a look around while you’re there).

Food photography […]

Well, shoot. I haven’t been able to publish this on time in several weeks, have I? I’m sure there’s a reason for that? Anyway, once again, if you’re looking for #iPPP (which you should be linking up to, you guys), head over to Angela Y’s or Angela A’s places. April […]

This Saturday morning*, I’ll be running my third half marathon, and the one for which I have a specific time goal in mind (before now, it’s been “to finish” and “to take pictures with Disney characters and then finish.”

I’ve been training almost nonstop for months. I’m ready for this race/really […]

We went to St. Louis this past weekend, and while I was at Bloggy Boot Camp, my kids, husband, and mom went to the City Museum and other fun stuff. While they were there, they got to pick out a souvenir, and the girls both chose crystal growing kits.

I, being […]

If you’re looking for #iPPP, it’s still happening. Just not here for a couple of weeks. I need a break, yo. So head on over to Angela YBlood’s or Angela A’s places and link up there!

March 30

Erv’s 3rd birthday party.

March 31

Last day of March. And the day Erv sang “carrots […]

I had planned to take a picture of myself yesterday, when I had my hair done and makeup on. We were going to celebrate my niece’s birthday, so I had visions of setting up the camera and using the remote to get a few captures of me getting ready to […]

The eight year old has been talking about April Fool’s Day all week. He’s been plotting, planning, and reading up on it.

Specifically, from April Fool’s Day From the Black Lagoon*.

He asked me last night if they could have muffins for breakfast, so he could stick Lego guys (that he didn’t like […]

I’m glad this week is over. The end.

March 23

I cried on Sunday morning when I finished the Book Thief. Then I cried some more thinking about Erv’s birthday the next day and the week to come.

March 24

Erv’s third birthday! And for “I” week, the preschooler brought the first grader in […]

We’re knee deep in big changes around here.

Namely, big boy beds and potty training.

When I took down the crib this morning, there was a huge tantrum with crying and yelling (from both of us). A lot of it stemmed from the fact that there was a bedtime battle about climbing […]

I stand over his high chair as he tentatively takes a finger scoop of red icing, poised with my camera to capture the first taste. I see the look of pleasant surprise, and the twinkle in his eye as he digs further into the small circular cake each time, finally […]

My sweet boy, the BABY of the family, is THREE today.

He’ll always be my baby…as much as I moaned and groaned about my little brother and his “eternal baby” status in our family, I now know why.

I also know that the bigger he gets, the harder it can be sometimes.

This […]

Yeah, so it’s been spring break and I’ve been a touch burned out/busy/overwhelmed, so I didn’t really feel like doing this last weekend. But, of course, now I have twice as much to share. Woo!

March 9

What’s this? A quiet evening AND the kids getting along? Unheard of.

March 10

Little thug. Watch […]

This kid. He’ll be THREE in a matter of days. The baby. The big boy! He’s always on the move, so I tried to capture that this week. Plus, it was really sunny out, and it’s hard for me to get the settings right, so I needed some practice there, […]

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Waterpik.

I have always hated flossing. ALWAYS.

I have the trifecta of bad flossing situation:

1. Small mouth

2. Crowded teeth

3. Gag reflex

It’s hard for me to floss, truly. Though the gag reflex has gotten better over the years, my teeth have not […]

I’ve been following @SuburbanHaiku on Twitter FOR.EVER. I’m pretty sure she was one of my first follows there, and every time I saw one of the haikus come through my stream, I laughed out loud and retweeted it.

Fast forward a few years, and I “liked” Suburban Haiku on Facebook, and […]

It was a dark and stormy night…

No, really, it was. After a couple of positively gorgeous days, a cold front came through, bringing gusty winds and lots of rain.

This one was a challenge, but that’s what we’re here for, right? My camera (a Nikon D3100) only goes up to an […]

It’s safe to say that I’m burned out on training for a half marathon. It just is….no one will argue.

I started training for the Disney World Half back in September, and while I was training for that, I signed up for another one here in Kansas CIty in April. I […]

My littlest guy is our last one, and the last one in diapers. While I should probably be celebrating, it’s possible that I’m not really looking forward to potty training him, because that means he’s one step closer to leaving the baby behind.

He doesn’t make it easy, though. I’m not […]

March 2 I went from running the Disney World half to training for another half marathon in April, and I’m not gonna lie….I’m getting a little burnt out. I’ve still got almost five weeks until the next one, and I just want to get it over with at this point. […]

This fun weekly link up is hosted by Penny of The Real Housewife Of Caroline Country and Amber from Bold Fab Mom. For Ask Away Friday, bloggers pair up, swap 10 questions, and answer them on their blogs. It’s such a great way to get to know someone better!

This week, I’m swapping questions and […]

I mentioned before that I try to reduce the sugar in the sweets and meals that we eat. When I get a craving for something sweet, I hope there’s fruit in the fridge…otherwise, I tend to grab whatever leftover cake or whatever is in the fridge at the moment. I’m […]

Once again, the prompt this week is a challenge….there’s nothing hot about the beginning of March in Kansas this year. It made me think outside the box a little, just like flower did.

I mentioned yesterday that we did some baking, and I also tried to work on some food photography. […]

I think this winter has done me in. I woke up Sunday in a foul, foul mood and never came out of it. Even after sending everyone upstairs and getting on the treadmill (which usually turns a woke up on the wrong side of the bed day around), I still […]

It’s March now, but you can’t tell from looking outside. Feb. 23 I honestly have no idea what we did last Sunday. I have a feeling it wasn’t much. This was the one and only picture I took, apparently, while Ivy and I were hanging out on the couch. […]

It’s no secret that I’m a sugar-holic. I’m addicted to sweets. I crave the sweet stuff.

Lately, I’ve been drinking three cups of coffee a day, and no, they’re never black.

And yes, I do still really, really like the whipped cream on top, but for one of those three, I try […]

This fun weekly link up is hosted by Penny of The Real Housewife Of Caroline Country and Amber from Bold Fab Mom. For Ask Away Friday, bloggers pair up, swap 10 questions, and answer them on their blogs. It’s such a great way to get to know someone better!

This week I’m swapping with Katie […]

Four sets of hands. I love these hands.

Through The Lens Thursday is meant for self-improvement, so please….constructive criticism is welcome!

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year.

Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your own […]

Things the Toddler Doctor says:

I have to bam her.

I need to check your bwod (blood).

That wooks vewy good.

Say ahhhh (and shoves the tool down my throat).

Around these parts, we call it the “Super Market” (thanks, Nick Jr.), and we loooove going.

It was haircut time.

After Flock of Seagulls, I was still […]

I’m honored to be co-hosting the Moms Reading Facebook chat this Wednesday with Laura of Mommy Miracles!

I chose this month’s book, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, after hearing excellent reviews of it by friends.

And for good reason…it really is an excellent book. I don’t have a lot of time […]

We had five full days of school this week, with no parties, and it felt like the longest. week. ever. Feb. 16 After all of the fun we had on Friday and Saturday, we took it easy on Sunday (when I say “took it easy”, I mean, I did […]

The eye is the window to the soul, right?

Through The Lens Thursday is meant for self-improvement, so please….constructive criticism is welcome!

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year.

Don’t forget to join our Flickr group or share your […]

We actually paid babysitters on Valentine’s Day (because my parents live so close to us, we’ve never had to before), and we had close to four whole hours by ourselves.

We had sushi (well, I had sushi and T had sushi and steak)! And I got sushi to take home for […]

We actually did some fun stuff this week! Feb. 9 The big kids went with daddy to see the Lego movie while I stayed home with the little one. But the first showing sold out, so they hung out at the library for a while until the next one. (Photo […]

In case you weren’t aware, Valentine’s Day is Friday. So, in honor of that, I thought I’d share how I show my love.

(Every mom is different. I do things that other moms wouldn’t dream of doing, and vice versa. No judgment.)

1. Superhero surgery.

2. Hugs and kisses before bed.

3. Love notes […]

I bought some Citi Blocks for the kids and I love the colors. I also love the light that comes in the kitchen windows early in the day. Also, the pink bag was from my January trip to Disney. It’s still not put away, but it’s unpacked, so….progress? Also, the […]

The longer I do this during the winter the less interesting my life feels.

Feb. 2

We sort of watched the Super Bowl, but when the halftime show came on, some of us were really, really interested.

Feb. 3

I didn’t get to my long run last weekend (I usually do it on Sundays), […]

It’s unfortunate that this prompt came the first week of February. I haven’t seen a flower for months!

So, I made Ivy put a flower in her hair (she chose neon orange) and stand in the cold for a minute and a half while I took her picture.

Through The Lens Thursday […]

The snow started while the kids ate breakfast, and continued while we drove to school. I took them inside, got them settled in the warm, lively building and shielded my ears and eyes as I walked back out to the car.

I sat with the warm air blowing at my feet […]

So, it’s February already. I kind of feel there wasn’t much happening in January, except cold. And cold. And some more cold.

Jan. 26

A nice afternoon called for a long run outside.

Jan. 27

Watching the trash truck.

Jan. 28

The end of a long day called for hot chocolate and a movie (The Perks […]

I’m pleased to have Katie Clemons here today, blogger at Making This Home  and owner of the Gadanke shop. I’ve talked about Katie’s Gadanke journals before, and had the pleasure of meeting her at Blissdom last year. Her journals and accessories are whimsical, interesting, beautiful….SPECIAL. 

Thank you, Katie, for sharing with […]

Yesterday on Facebook, I saw a friend’s status update about someone that had passed away that day or the day before. She seemed shocked by the news, and curiosity got the better of me, so I clicked on the deceased person’s name and went to her wall.

It was a blogger […]

Some days seem like weeks, some weeks like months. A Friday after a week of long days is both a respite and form of torture.

A Friday like this calls for the raising of the white flag. The wave, the surrender. The gesture that means you will do anything in your […]

So, on January 27th, 2010, I published my very first blog post. Back then I had a blogspot.com address and had no idea what I was doing. Sometimes I still don’t feel like I know what I’m doing, but I’ve gotten a little better at this blogging thing (maybe?).

A lot […]

This week was kind of uneventful…I actually don’t remember much about it. We didn’t do much (again). But I took pictures of us not doing much, so… Jan. 19 Erv protected our house, valiantly. Jan. 20 Since it was MLK Jr Day and the kids didn’t have school, we […]

This fun weekly link up is hosted by Penny of The Real Housewife Of Caroline Country and Amber from Bold Fab Mom. Bloggers pair up, swap 10 questions, answer them on their blogs, and link up their posts with Penny and Amber. Fun, right? And a great way to get to know another blogger.

I’m […]

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year. See the bottom of the post for ways to join in!

The prompt this week is White, but I’d like to give an alternate title to this post: Leftovers.

This is a […]

We went to my cousin’s wedding this weekend. The girls are FASCINATED by weddings, and brides, and fancy dresses. And a reception with a dance floor and free-flowing sweets is the perfect Saturday night for the 2-8 age range.

I’ve never heard of tossing sprinkles before, but Erv thought it was […]

Jan. 12

Sunday was spent at Magic Kingdom with Laura, then I managed to get an extra ticket and sneak my way into a marathon weekend “after party” for TNT with some lovely Canadians (the Kansans went elsewhere). There were also some native Floridians there:

Jan. 13

I left for the airport on […]

Jennie Goutet lives just outside of Paris with her three children. Just reading her blog, a Lady in France, you come to know her as a graceful, thoughtful presence and friend. Her memoir serves as a glimpse into her extraordinary life, while simultaneously prompting a very real desire to sit […]

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year. See the bottom of the post for ways to join in!

I was so excited that the prompt for this week was “movement” while I was in Disney World. Could that […]

It’s hard to put my Disney World experience into one, reasonably-sized blog post.

So, I’ll break it into three parts.

1) The Race.

Because of my location, I trained on my own while the rest of the Kansas chapter trained together. Needless to say, they were pretty in sync when it came to […]

This has been a super exciting week! After four months of training and fundraising, I finally got to go to Disney World and run the half marathon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Jan. 5
It was snowy and very cold Sunday. We didn’t do much.

Jan. 6
After two weeks of school, the […]

Through The Lens Thursday is a self-improvement photography project that Alison of Writing, Wishing and I are doing this year.

The windchill on the first (scheduled) day back to school Monday was somewhere around –20 degrees. So, the kids had a day off from school….on the “first day back.”

Thankfully, we […]

I’ve completed my training (save for a few low-mile runs this week), printed off my information sheets and schedules, chosen outfits for all of the kids to wear while I’m gone, applied my purple Jamberry nail wraps, gathered my running necessities.

I’ve printed off my list of Who I’m Running For, […]

So, we officially ended 2013 and began 2014! I started (with Alison of Writing, Wishing) a photography self-improvement project, and if you’d like to join in a work on your skills with us, we have a flickr group! It’s very casual, just a place to post photos based on the […]

I read a lot of blogs and see A LOT of pictures every day. Some are amazing, and leave me with a little twinge of…jealousy? Or perhaps wanting? Wistfulness? I want to learn how to take pictures that people think are amazing, that make someone stop scrolling through Facebook and […]

Through The Lens Thursday is a weekly exercise in our quest to improve our photography skills, based on a prompt we choose.

We’ve had Skeeter for about a year and a half, I think, and he and Essie have a special relationship. She loves him, and he loves her elephant […]

Exactly one year ago, I published a post that had me anxious, my heart beating a little faster, just a little bit scared, and raring to go.

Back then, I was in a place of feeling sluggish and ready to be active again. And, I met all of my goals…officially running […]

It’s been a very holiday week around here! Lots and lots of Christmas celebrating. Lots.

Dec 22

Sunday was Christmas at Nana and Papa’s house, with most of the relatives in Arkansas.

Dec 23

On Monday, I had lunch with my AR BFF (and didn’t take a picture, sheesh), then we went to Nana’s […]

It’s almost Christmas, and the kids are on break! We didn’t waste any time, and already had one celebration. Many more to come! Dec 15 Our tree. With toddlers and cats and falling ornaments and toys. Dec 16 The big two had their Christmas program at school. It was […]

Hey, everybody, welcome to #iPPP! My post today is all about the holidays and I’m joining Elaine and Kir for Old School Blogging as well. I hope you’ll join us this week, because we’re going to be taking a short holiday break after this week, and we’ll see you back […]

How’s your Christmas shopping coming? Do you have YOUR wish list? I do. I have one on Amazon, and it includes running shoes (you can never have enough, right?), a whole array of the Just Dance games for Wii, a tablet that is for me and not the kids, and […]

Dec. 8

We’re in a bad stage with Erv….if he naps, he wants to stay up longer than I even do (like in this picture, taken at 10 pm). If he doesn’t, the whining and crying start at 4pm and last until he goes to bed. I don’t like it. He […]