I have wanted to take my boys to Great Wolf Lodge for the longest time.  Every time my friends got back from their stay I would grill them with questions and ask if they found it worth the cost. Last fall I finally found a deal online that matched my budget and we booked a last minute trip to one of their locations.  Here is my unofficial, unasked for review and some tips and tricks! ​ Overall we were very pleased with our stay.  The boys loved the novelty of the lodge down to every last detail.  There were plenty of activities to participate in and our one ..read more

As a former fabric store employee, I have always thought using fabric in the classroom is underrated!  Fabric just tends to add a softness to the classroom atmosphere and it is long lasting and easy to store!   I recently got connected with FWD: Fabric Wholesale Direct and I was so excited to learn that now I can purchase my fabric online and get it shipped to my house, which is a huge bonus when I'm working late and everyone has practice. To share my love for fabric I wanted to share 9 simple ideas for using fabric in the classroom and a simple tutorial for my favorite garla ..read more

​ •Students need a safe learning space where they know what is expected of them instead of a long list of things they can't do. •Students need learning opportunities that are developmentally appropriate and teach more than what one can find on a test such has how to be a kind, motivated human. •Students need structure and repetition to learn. •​Students not only need information and knowledge, but also the skills needed to be lifelong learners. •Students need Maslow before Bloom’s. •Students do not need the latest buzz words, but instead a teacher that is a purposeful, reflective,  life l ..read more

​I was a normal summer morning in 2020. We were in a quarantine rut and I had decided to shake things up by reading my latest Magnolia Journal.  It had a whole section on road trips and I mentioned casually to my husband that I had always wanted to travel along Route 66 again (as much as possible).  In college I did a summer program in El Paso and most of our trip out west was parallel to Route 66 and I had always wanted to check it out again!     My husband responded by saying ‘lets do it!’   I asked him when and he shrugged and replied “why not now ..read more

This year more than ever it matters that we remember our small, local businesses this holiday season.  As a former boutique owner myself, I know that it takes your community to keep you going.  Here are nine of my favorite small, Indiana based businesses and my favorite Christmas gift ideas from each one!   1. Abboo Candle Company -  Abboo's clean burning soy candles are my favorite! They burn so well, are hand poured with love by a momma of two, and the neutral colored wax matches any space you want to put your candles in.  Use code TEACHERMOMLIFE for 15% off ..read more

​A year of loss… Three years ago I was pregnant for the fourth time in six months.   Those six months of losses followed nearly a year of trying to conceive.   However, I was there. I was chugging along and made it past five weeks (before you ask, I always got positives a week before my missed period and I was notorious for low progesterone.  This cycle caused me to be a crazy test-driven person).  So here I was claiming to avoid wine because I was driving for my husband, keeping my secret, and in pain.  Pain I didn’t allow myself to believe. Pain that caused me to ..read more

 eLearning is back or here to stay for so many families.  It is hard, it can be frustrating, and sometimes it can be the least of your worries.  Teachers and parents are all asking one thing: how do we make this work?   Sadly I do not have a magic wand, but I do have 12 years experience in virtual education and I am now at school where we are in the heart of eLearning.  ​Virtual education is very different than eLearning in many ways (online school programs, resources sent to homes for families, everyone has the tools they need, platforms designed for parents to ..read more

We cannot create observers by saying 'observe', but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of the senses. – Dr. Maria Montessori Lately, my favorite tiny humans and I have been exploring life up close with the IQCREW by AmScope 120X – 1200X Kid’s 85+ piece Premium Microscope, Color Camera and Interactive Kid’s Friendly Software. Thankfully, the kit comes in a carrying case so I can bring it between school and home. My favorite part of this microscope is that while it is geared towards kids, it is not a toy. Instead, it i ..read more

Friends, I did it.  After not coloring my hair since August in 2019, I decided to color my hair again.  It was growing out and much healthier than it was before, but I didn't like the uneven color.  Now my new goal is to take better care of my hair and I have pledged to invest in better color and stick to one color so I can just updated my roots as it grows out.   However, I'm going to confess something that has made many stylists in my life post rants upon rants on Facebook: I color my hair at home.  I don't have the time or money to see a stylist.  I respect sty ..read more

Confession: Changing a light fixture to update a room never crossed my mind as a task I was willing to take on. It seemed to tick two boxes that landed it on my Nope List: complicated and expensive. Then I fell in love with LNC Home Farmhouse Chandeliers and I just knew I had to find a way to make this happen; so I did the first thing I always do when I am about to take on a big goal: I asked my husband to give me a push. Did he think I could do it? Would he be willing to help only if I really needed it? Would he still love me if I messed up and caused us to lose electricity throughout t ..read more