These German Christmas cookies are a very popular treat at our house. They come together quickly, and are grain free if that is something that is important to you.  You can find a printable version of the recipe here and a video here ..read more

Today, I wanted to share some advice and realistic expectations regarding having kids in the church service, based on my experience of 21 years as a mother to 12 kids, and 17 years as the pastor's wife at our family-integrated church.  Once babies outgrow sleeping through the service, and become more active and vocal, it is not realistic to expect them to sit through a church service. Unless they are the rare exception, or have developmental delays, kids that age are hard-wired to explore, move their large muscles, and never sit still. This is perfectly normal, and should not be "discipl ..read more

Sigh... I'm back at it - losing the baby weight. I think in the course of 12 full-term pregnancies, I have gained about 500 lbs and lost about 450 lbs of it. This is no small feat. I am sure there are moms out there who effortlessly lose the baby weight through breastfeeding or genetics without having to make an effort, but I think for most of us, this is not the case. As for breastfeeding, many of us moms GAIN weight while nursing. Ugh.  Obviously, a nursing infant's needs must come first, but for mom's physical and mental well-being, taking care of herself should also rank high on the l ..read more

I have added a Paypal "donate" button in the side bar on the right. I am choosing this approach as an  alternative to using a subscription such as Patreon to continue sharing content, because I want any resources I share online to remain free. At the same time, I would greatly appreciate any support that would allow me to not just produce more content, but also provide the funds to do fun things with my family.  If you have benefitted from the content I have shared here and elsewhere throughout the years, please consider supporting my time and efforts. My current goal is for all of u ..read more

 We are thrilled to announce the safe arrival of  Oliver Philip Anderson born on Tuesday, May 31st, at 6:58 p.m. weighing 7 lbs 7 oz. and measuring 20.75 inches.  Due to my advanced maternal age, I chose a hospital delivery this time around, even though the pregnancy was uneventful and free of any complications.  Little Ollie (or Olliephant, as Eva calls him) is turning out to be a super easy and mellow baby. He is nursing and sleeping very well, and has been smiling from birth. To say we are beyond thrilled is an understatement.  Ollie smiling as my midwife hol ..read more

Disclaimer: Please remember, I am not a medical doctor, or any sort of medical professional. This blog post is intended to provide food for thought, not to diagnose or treat anyone. The opinions expressed below are mine, gleaned from 11 natural pregnancies and deliveries (including 9 midwife-assisted home births), as well as my current 12th pregnancy at age 43. I have had five babies in my 20s, five babies in my 30s, and am currently on my second pregnancy in my 40s. While I was a lot younger and more energetic two decades ago when my oldest were babies, the benefits now are that I a) have old ..read more

 It's really easy to make your own sourdough starter. This is the method I use for making a starter using einkorn.  ..read more

If you send our family a card, we will send one back in return, along with a CD of Christmas music from our church.  Please mail your card to: Faithful Word Baptist Church  c/o The Anderson Family  2741 W Southern Ave, Suite 14  Tempe, AZ 85282  We can't wait to get your card ..read more

 I recorded a short video tour of our new home.  ..read more

 This is a super fast, super fun activity that the kids love. I would say it's best suited for ages 2 and up.  ..read more