Outdoor Fun

I have always thrived on having a set schedule and routine. I like to mark things off of lists. I am a planner nerd, not in the planner (probably not going to happen). I feel like this characteristic has served me well; it has helped me be organized and goal-oriented in school and jobs alike.   As I joined the motherhood club, this characteristic was amplified. Very quickly, my firstborn established a pretty predictable routine of feeding, sleeping, and pooping. I loved that he slept for 12 hours every night. I loved that at 1 pm when he started fussing, I automatically knew that he was ready to eat.   Enter baby #2 three years later. The oldest is still on...

So we did a thing. My daughter and I moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee for the summer, and MAN was it a rollercoaster! I never thought I’d actually do something like pack my things and move to a completely different state, but the idea of it being temporary was very appealing to me. I didn’t know if I could do it. I’ve always wanted to, but I didn’t know if I could ACTUALLY pull it off. I am lucky enough to have summers off being a teacher, and also being a single mother, we had nothing holding us back! The opportunity presented itself on a shiny golden platter and it was impossible to say no! Here’s how it went down: The Job I...

My unexpected lesson in fostering leadership started as inconspicuously as any other busy weekday night, corralling the three kids for supper, a soccer game, baths, and bedtime. In the process of trying to hasten bedtime, I scooped up some uniform shorts from the floor and absentmindedly searched the pockets. I found some cryptic note containing our address and tossed it on the counter. I was certain it was another innocuous doodling from morning care. I was wrong. As we picked up my oldest from carpool the next day, my husband and I started the cursory “How was your day?” only to be enthusiastically interrupted. Carson couldn’t wait to inform us that he had started a club, and he sent out...

Do you like getting together with friends but feel intimidated by having them over? While I love looking forward to more elaborate events planned ahead of time, it's also fun to be spontaneous with impromptu gatherings. I love to plan dinners and parties, whether they are at my house or someone else's. I used to think that having people over took a lot of time and planning, but now I also like the freedom of getting something together just a day or two before. These days entertaining is about recharging and relaxing from a busy week, which lets me focus on having fun with other people instead of stressing about food or lots of preparation.  Here are some easy ways...

I was recently watching one of my Friday guilty pleasures, "What Would You Do?" when John Quinones presented a conundrum that was near to my heart: should parents decide what sports their children play? Here was the scenario: a kid would plead with his parent, begging to play football. The parent wouldn't allow it, citing safety reasons. The social scenario, then, was whether strangers would intervene, and, if so, whose side they would support. Although the show presents its scenes somewhat objectively, there is usually a response they're hoping to solicit. The shocker for me, though, was that they seemed to be in support of the pleading child, no matter how scientific or well-founded the parent's logic was. I was frustrated...