This week, we’re on our annual lake vacation. There’s limited internet and no cellular service at all. Without all that connectivity, I’ve had hours of time to read, reflect and plan out the rest of the year. One of the things I’ve been reflecting upon is the amount of time I must spend passively using technology for no real purpose!…
We’re on vacation! Every year, we rent a cabin at the lake I spent my summers as a child. In fact, the cabin is directly across the lake from the lakehouse my grandparents owned. The cabin is part of a small, family-owned resort.There’s no tv and no cell phone service. Wifi only really works if you get up really early.…
School let out in a whirlwind. It seemed like every day was either a school event or an appointment that required at least an hour’s drive. It’s amazing how much can get crammed in those last days of school! Since then, we’ve been enjoying relaxing, sleeping in and having fun together! Ha! Ha! None of that is true… We’re up…
I’m embarrassed about the state of my pantry. Earlier this weekend, I was attempting to find a packet of sauce mix… and couldn’t. Confession time. I am not a natural organizer. And pantry organization is something I struggle with, along with junk drawer organization, laundry room organization and so on. Yes, those are full bags of sugar that I bought…
If you’re on the hunt for summer activities for tweens that don’t involve a screen, you’re in the right place. School’s out, and while we’re not jetting off on a grand summer adventure, we are making the most of what’s close to home—like our backyard chickens and the local library. Luckily, our library is a goldmine of summer fun: magicians,…
This past week has been a busy one! Graduation at the local high school means lots of preparations, events, and parties! During the graduation ceremony, all I could think about was how much closer I’ve gotten to being there as a parent. Ok, it’s 7 years away. But I have a feeling that those seven years will go by faster…
Almost two months ago, I read about the LanternFest. It’s an event where everyone gets to send up their own floating lantern into the sky with a few thousand other people. I’ve seen them in movies and documentaries, but the idea of attending one myself was too much to resist. We had to have this LaternFest experience! One quick search…
Every Memorial Day Weekend, we drive across the state to my mother’s hometown and spend the weekend with family and friends doing all the Memorial Day activities. We decorate all the graves at the cemetery (some are over 100 years old!), tell the stories of our family history and honor all those family members who have served in the military. It’s…
Every morning I wake up with a to-do list on my mind. Some days the list is done and some days, it’s forgotten two minutes after I’ve walked out the door. That’s just the way it works sometimes. The end of this month has been a busy one. We’ve traveled across the state twice – once with massive amounts of…
If you’re a new gardener, welcome to the wild and wonderful world of dirt, sunlight, and the occasional slug. It might feel overwhelming at first—especially when people start tossing around terms like “soil composition” or “growing zones” like you’re supposed to know what that means. One minute you’re thinking, Hey, I kept a bean plant alive in second grade, and…