Children bring a lot of things into a home: laughter, joy, energy….dirt. Peace isnt something that usually makes the cut for that list. It’s hard to imagine a peaceful home with 3 kids aged 6 months, 2 years and 30 years. Ok, the last one is my husband but let’s be honest, he’s the biggest kid of them all. Having peace in my house isn’t a want, it’s a need. I need for my house to be a sanctuary of relaxation and safety. While keeping peace in your home takes intentionality it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are 15 simple ways we keep peace in our home. First and foremost, putting down the ..read more

Once a person becomes a parent, only then they can understand that 24 hours is not enough in a day. Everything becomes tougher having kids around the house, especially for the mothers. Whether a mother is working outside the home or not, the mom-duties never seem to end.  Ask any mother around the block, everyone will have the same answer that with kids around, multitasking becomes a must. Becoming a mother is one of the best feelings for a woman. But as great as that is, it comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility that can weigh on your physical and mental state. From ..read more

Mother’s Day is around the corner and you may be thinking of how you can show your appreciation for the special women in your life. I’ll speak for all moms and say the number one thing we want is to be treated with love ALL day long on Mother’s Day. But with that said, “love” looks a little different for each of us. Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, founded the concept that everyone has a primary love language. This is the way that we receive love best. Your mom, grandma, mother in law, or the mother of your children, is bound to love a gift that speaks directly to her l ..read more

Maybe it’s just because I am a boy mom, a picky boy mom at that, that it seems like it is so much easier to shop for little girls clothing than boys.  Girls seem to have a much larger, much cuter selection to choose from. There are a handful of online boy boutiques who have great clothes, but sometimes you just can’t justify paying $38 for a plain white t-shirt. Thankfully I have rounded up several stores that have similar trendy clothing options, while not breaking the bank. When I am shopping for my boys I tend to lean towards the basics. Basics are a great way to get more for your money bec ..read more

I started listening to podcasts several years back when I was working at a job that called for a 3+ hour daily commute. Podcasts were a great way to distract me from just how long of a drive I had each day. Nowadays I still listen to them while driving, but also when I am getting dressed in the mornings and sometimes while I am exercising. If you are looking for the perfect way to add value to your commute or just to fill some spare time, a podcast can do just that. Or maybe you’re already a podcast junkie like myself and want to freshen up your playlist. I have compiled a list of my favori ..read more

When you have a hospital birth all you have to worry about is packing a small bag of comfy clothes and your phone charger. A home birth requires a little more preparation, including purchasing an assortment of essential items that would typically be provided for you in the hospital setting.  From chux pads to extra towels, I want to give you a breakdown of all the things you will need to have ready for your home birth. Many midwives have custom birth kits already put together for you to purchase from websites like In His Hands Birth Supply or Precious Arrows. These kits include mos ..read more

Some experts suggest that the happiest couples spend one night a week dedicated solely to their spouses. Now don’t freak out…We’re just like you and have had basically one date night this year. Kids bring a lot of joy but they also require a lot of attention. And I know I’m not alone when I say that we dedicate so much time to our children that we neglect this important piece of our marriage. Valentine’s day is right around the corner and I have been brainstorming some date ideas. Having a 3 week old has pretty much eliminated our likelihood of leaving the house alone. But just because you ..read more

We’ve survived our first two weeks as parents of two under two! To say our lives have changed is an understatement. But it’s not like the change I was anticipating, it hasn’t really been a drastic experience, or nearly as scary or overwhelming as I thought it would be. It’s more so just been a big adjustment in priorities and our schedule. The days have been full. Full of nursing, making snacks, wiping faces…and butts, kisses, burping the baby, starting laundry, neglecting that laundry, disciplining the toddler, settling the baby, playing with the toddler, bathing the above two and mysel ..read more

Monday, January 20, 2020 Sebastian Michael Marks was born, making us a family of 4! His birth was totally life changing for me and I am so excited to share it with y’all. If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that we decided Sebastian would be born at home around 20 weeks pregnant. This decision was originally made due to financial reasons but quickly turned into an eye-opening experience. I never could have imagined how much this little (ish) baby would teach me about birth, faith and strength. So, let’s jump into it. Wednesday January 15th – I had my weekly a ..read more

I am a sucker for the holiday season. I love the lights and decorations, the get-togethers, the traditions, all of it. However, sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle of the shopping, cooking and parties that you lose the joy in it. Family traditions are a way you can focus on the important things, and regain the lost joy. They are an easy way to get your family together, as well as give you and your kids something not only to look forward to, but to cherish forever. I wanted to share with y’all a list of fun and easy, unique traditions, which include ways to give back to ..read more