Sure, it may still be summer, and it's still in the high 80s, but it feels like a new season when the kids go back to school. The house feels “empty.” Routines are changing… and I’m no longer able to wake up at 8 a.m. Just like the kids need a few days in the classroom to acclimate and get used to their new schedules, I need some adjustment time, too. My kids returned to school on … [Read more...]
My 10 Favorite Books From the 59 I Read in 2025
I almost hit my Goodreads reading challenge in 2025: 60 books read in 2025! (I was only one shy, and I blame the fact that I typically read two to three books at a time). Even so, as usual, I read a huge variety of books, from middle-grade fiction with my kids to lengthy fantasy books based on incredible worlds. So, out of these 59, which were my favorites? Keep reading for a round-up and why … [Read more...]
5 Gift Ideas to Encourage Creativity in Kids
One corner of our house is bursting with art supplies, the drawers full of colored pencils, markers, beads, pipe cleaners, construction paper, and oh so many odds and ends. The kids use all of our random art supplies when they just want to explore and experiment. That alone can be an incredible way to encourage creativity in kids. But sometimes kids just want a project to play with, or to test … [Read more...]
Work, Purpose, and Success Don’t Have to Be Linked
Is it society? How we were collectively raised? What’s portrayed in the movies and TV? I’m talking about the pressure we often put on ourselves to make money and find success in whatever way we can. This pressure often means we put the things that light us up or bring us joy to the wayside. Maybe it’s the age I’m at now, or the fact that I lost a job I loved due to the devastating cuts to … [Read more...]
