I could tell you that this was the plan all along. That I always knew that this is how we would raise our family. But that isn't how it happened. A series of choices led our family to this place, but underneath the practicalities and the logistics there was a feeling. A feeling of insecurity in my own childhood that I wanted to keep my own children from having. I've built my life around my kids' schedules. I put my sons on the bus in the morning and work from home while they are at … [Read more...] about The Real Reason I Stay At Home #10yearsaparent
authenticity
Writing Next Steps & Shingle Hanging
Sometimes you have to say things out loud, put them out in the world to test out how the words feel when you say them, and also to hold yourself accountable. I can still remember two years ago, I was at Oktoberfest and chatting with an acquaintance. She asked me what I was up to, and I told her, "I'm thinking about writing a book. A book about moving with kids." I was just dipping my toe in the water to see how it felt. It felt pretty good. I wrote the book and now people can buy it. … [Read more...] about Writing Next Steps & Shingle Hanging
Here We Go
Here we go. That was the feeling I had this morning as I put my sons on the school bus for third and fourth grades. That was the feeling as I transcribed their schedules into my online calendar that synchs with my smart phone that will more or less dictate the next nine months of my life. That was the feeling as I returned to my empty house with the mindset of tackling every project that I have let slide for the past two months. I've never been one to lament the passage of time. As … [Read more...] about Here We Go
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
This summer after moving into our new home, (albeit one block over from our old home but still a move nonetheless), it became increasingly clear as the days and weeks passed that I was having a hard time keeping up with the obligations and expectations of my regular routine. I could tell you that I made a deliberate decision to put things on hold during this time of transition, but that isn't exactly how it happened. It was more of a slow fade as I fell out of habits that I spent the better … [Read more...] about What I Did On My Summer Vacation
Announcing Let’s Get Real: Six Lessons in Designing a Connected Life
Recently as I've been out in the world talking about moving and relocation and getting the word out about my book Good Move, it occurred to me that yes, people and families move all of the time. There isn't anything inherently remarkable about that. It's an unpleasant hoop that we all jump through at some point or another because we all need a place to live. But when you strip away that top layer of inconvenience and massive to-do lists, what's left is a series of choices, decisions, and yes, … [Read more...] about Announcing Let’s Get Real: Six Lessons in Designing a Connected Life
Newton’s Second Law
If you know me personally, you might have heard me reference my penchant for throwing things when my kids were younger. I wrote a humorous take on the time I smashed a dozen eggs in the back of my car after a grocery trip gone awry that resonated with a lot of moms especially those who hate car carts as much as I do. But I wanted to go a little bit deeper. I wanted to understand how and why I turned to throwing things. I recently wrote this essay about my postpartum experiences and it was … [Read more...] about Newton’s Second Law
Lose the Cape #10yearsaparent
I recently read the new book Lose the Cape: Realities from Busy Modern Moms and Strategies to Survive by Alexa Bigwarfe and Kerry Rivera and was also a guest on Alexa's podcast (you'll hear more about that later). Reading this book made me think A LOT about letting go of the idea of Super Mom and doing it all. Because I have. I have completely let go of expectations and obligations and have really focused on only doing the things that work best for me and my family. I think there's a … [Read more...] about Lose the Cape #10yearsaparent
How to Fix A Clogged Brain
I have a clogged brain. It's packed so packed with stuff, I can't make room for flow. The flow that I need to feel like I'm accomplishing something, making progress, and moving forward. The flow that comes with momentum. Today, right now, there is no flow. I'm totally backed up. This makes me crabby. I can't clear away the crap. I've got a million things stuck in my head from baseball schedules to book launch strategies to Facebook insights to grocery lists to First Communion attire to … [Read more...] about How to Fix A Clogged Brain