My oldest child, my son and my firstborn, is about to turn seven years old. I say this every year, but I can’t believe it! Time is flying and my heart is about to burst with pride and emotion. Every year I write a little love letter to my children on their birthdays, as I reflect on their birth and how our lives have changed, the person they are and the person they will become. Here is Happy Birthday to My Son as he turns seven. Enjoy.
Continue readingTag: love (Page 1 of 3)
We have upgraded to a new chicken coop for Jurasschic Park 2.0! While we deliberated for a few months on whether to build one ourselves from scratch, hire/pay someone to do it, or get another coop kit, we found the Omaha Chicken Coop by Rugged Ranch online. I thought it was cute and well-designed but we weren’t crazy about the price.
Imagine our surprise when we find a local antique shop selling one, still in its box, for almost half the price!
So now we bring the review to you here at Real Simple Mama. We’re paying customers and want to share all the stats, loves, and hates with the Omaha Chicken Coop Kit from Rugged Ranch.
Continue readingAs our kids get older, bedtime changes. Our four and six year old still share a room and we all do bedtime together, and we’ve recently started having a conversation as we all sit in their bed. My husband and I ask our kids five questions – we help the kids fall asleep full of pride and self love, we learn more about our children, and it’s a great screen-free way for them to get ready for rest! Read on for our prompts of five questions to ask your kids at bedtime.
Continue readingMy kids, aged six and almost four years old, have gotten a lot of strange toys over the years. We’ve had talking dinosaurs and funny baby dolls, demented-looking ponies and books with creepy bedtime stories. But there’s one toy that tops the list of the weirdest toy they’ve ever gotten… And they love it, years later! Read on for this hilarious and unique review, complete with a short video demo.
Continue readingFor the most part, I love living in a small house. It keeps our life more simple, and our family closer. And it certainly affects how we raise our kids. From the things I love to the things I loathe, here’s what it’s really like raising kids in a small house.
Continue readingMy daughter, my second and my last child, is turning three. As is tradition, I’m writing a letter which will go in her journal. She’s a brilliant, creative, hilarious, and fiery little soul and I adore her. Please read my letter to my daughter on her third birthday. Continue reading
Autism is a very real condition which affects so many families that you’ve probably heard of it at least once. It’s life changing and eye opening. But not enough people really understand it, or know what it’s like to have a loved one with autism.
I interviewed my friend Brienne who has a son with autism. I wanted to know what their daily life is like, what it was like to get that diagnosis, and what a mom has to say about life with autism. My hope is that we can reach more people so that they understand that having autism does not make you less capable, less lovable, less worthy of love and respect. People with autism are people too, and they deserve to be loved and respected like everyone else! So have hope and be kind, always. Continue reading
I like to call myself a runner. I’ve been working hard but it’s nearly impossible to go on a run alone when you have two young kids. So my little freeloader gets to lounge in her BabyTrend Expedition jogging stroller while I do all the work! Here’s my honest review of this lifesaving product, complete with lots of photos and a video demo at the end! Continue reading
There is so much that I want to teach my children. I’m not talking about specific facts, though those certainly have their place. I mean big worldly concepts, abstract things, life lessons that I want to lock into their minds and hearts while I’m still around. In mulling over this the other day, I came up with the three most valuable, most essential concepts that I want to pass on to my children. So here they are for my readers: three big life lessons I am teaching my kids. Continue reading
Today is my mom’s birthday! Hooray Mommee! She is an incredible person, the perfect combination of selflessness and sarcasm. And it’s pretty damn amazing to see your mom turn into a grandma. I wanted to make a short tribute to how awesome she is and show you why we say “Thank goodness for Grandma!”