All The Posts Archives - Page 12 of 16

My Heart Today: The Orphans

Photo Courtesy of Courtney Lorenz Photography. My family and I drove home from church today in our Town and Country van. We bought it new, had it custom-fit for our family, and delivered to the same dealership where we had bought our last minivan, just a couple years before that. When we got ...

Happiest Pumpkin in the Patch

My husband agreed to let me bring home the prettiest pumpkin today. He loves me so well, and honestly, he makes me the happiest pumpkin in the patch. It makes me smile to think that my teenage-self found him early on, so I could have all these years to love him, learn from him, and be spoiled by ...

Stop Comparing! Start Encouraging!

I'm feasting on cage free brown eggs with organic garden fresh onions, and sipping a cup of Oolong tea from the cutest Asian Market around all of Minneapolis. & that Hobby Lobby mug, totes adorbs, right? ~BUT WAIT {seriously} ~ Dear Sisters in Christ, PLEASE don't let this snapshot of one meal ...

2015-2016 Curriculum Choices! 7th Grade, 2nd Grade, and Pre-Pre-School

2015-2016 Curriculum Choices! The Fashionista- 7th Grade My oldest daughter has dyslexia, which we see as such a blessing. It means she is so much more inventive than the rest of us; she has an eye for art, and is a lover of all things that take any amount of creativity. Dyslexia is not a curse, ...

One Skillet Green Bean Goodness

I spy a little boy's hand, swiping some bacon. Thanks to my backyard hobby farmer & the amazing God we serve, our refrigerator has been filled with an over abundance of GREEN BEANS! To put this in perspective, I had a whole shelf dedicated to only gallon Ziploc bags that were stuffed full ...

Where Can I Improve?

During the Passion Pursuit Bible Study, I asked my husband a meaningful question: "Where do you think I can improve, or what can I do to be better for you?" Now, you might be expecting something spicy, but this is 100% PG! 😉 Let me tell you, that study is AMAZING, so practical and so ...

An Open Letter To My Adventure Boy, As He’s Turning 8!

Dear Buddy, Just a couple more sleeps and you’ll be 8 years old. 8! I remember when I was pregnant with you, and your daddy and I went to the gender ultrasound. When the ultrasound tech told us you were a boy, we cried tears of happiness. Then we called to tell your great grandpa, Carl (dad‘s ...

The Random Reasons Why We Love Church (And You Should, Too!)

We all have our reasons why we attend church, or don’t. Sometimes I struggle hard with not wanting to attend and be fully present there; other times I don’t struggle at all, I just get in the van and go. This is just a random post, folks. I do have some deep feelings about church, religion, and God, ...

5+1 Car Survival Tips for Parents of Littles

Always keep a bag in the van (because moms don’t drive cars- ha!). Include a spare set of clothes for each kid, cheap t-shirts and shorts work perfectly. If you have a kid in diapers, toss in about five diapers and a pack of wipes. Keep this stash separate from your diaper bag. Trust me: one ...

My 29th Birthday

Yesterday, I turned 29. When I was in 5th grade, I invited every girl in my grade to my birthday party. I hand-wrote the invitations, and my mom drove me all around town to drop them in mailboxes. Back then, RSVPs were practically legally binding… but I got exactly zero in return. I called each ...

One of the Most Overlooked Essentials in the Parenting Tool Bag

Parents of littles, if you don’t own an otoscope yet, I highly suggest you order one now. Trust me, you’ll want it before it’s 11 p.m. on a Friday night and you suddenly need to check your 2-year-old’s nose to:A) Figure out which nostril the popcorn kernel is hiding in.B) Make sure she didn’t sneak ...

What’s on my heart today? Unity

What’s on my heart today? Unity. I see so much division over denominations, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Catholic… the list goes on. But at the end of the day, aren’t we all children of God? If we were truly living as Christians, striving to be Christ-like, I think we’d take this verse to ...

Godly Sex? For Real? Yes!

God has given us clear guidelines for intimacy in marriage. Who knew? 😉 I continue to be amazed at how many verses encourage me in my role as a wife and friend to my husband. One thing I love is how Scripture makes it clear that the husband’s and wife’s needs and desires matter equally. That’s such ...

Rain, Remembrance, and Peace

It rained all day yesterday. My husband took the day off work to take me to a doctor’s appointment, the one I've been dreading, for my breast exam. I told him I could have gone on my own, but he knew better. He knew I needed him with me. My mom watched the kids, and I was so thankful, since the ...

All Are Welcome

Last weekend we hosted a birthday party celebrating another year of Mr. Awesome’s life. We closed off the bedrooms, opened every other door in our 1,500 sq. ft. home, swept the garage, moved a few things, and welcomed in over 90 friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members. A few guests we ...

Siblings Day 2015

This morning my dad sent me an email with an old picture attached. He said, “You can use this for Siblings Day.” Siblings Day? I’ll admit, I had to look it up. Turns out, April 10th is the official day, and I hadn’t planned for it at all. No cards, no gifts, just this sweet picture and a whole lot ...

Grandma Dorothy’s Special K Bars

I shared on Facebook that Special K Bars are *the* most loved treat on my husband's side, at extended family gatherings. We've been together almost 11 years, and for the first time ever... I was asked to bring them to one of their big shindigs! Say what!? I was worried they’d be rock hard, ...

Homeschooling at the Grocery Store

Hello, friends!Today I want to share some quick tips for turning your grocery store trip into a homeschool opportunity. The store can be a place for more than just errands — it’s full of hands-on lessons for every age. Toddlers & Preschoolers Colors: “What color is this apple?” “Can you ...

DIY: Convert a Standard Kid’s Bike Into a Balance Bike

Not to brag, but I love teaching kids how to ride their bikes, and thankfully, most of them love learning too! One of the quickest ways to help them ride without training wheels is to first focus on balance. 👉 Tip #1: Bike Size MattersIn order to learn balance, kids need to be able to put their ...

Choosing Patience in the Parking Lot

There we were, a family of five, hustling through the parking lot so I could squeeze in a quick stop at the shoe store and still get all my errands done. Our little circus looked something like this: A dad strutting confidently with his fresh haircut. A preteen with her eyes glued to a ...