“Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.”—Sitting Bull (one of the quotes on the Honor Circle in the courtyard of our new middle school) This summer I started reading a favorite series from my childhood to my daughter, the Little House books. She knew we had Native … More Parenting in Harmony
I am absolutely floored by this review of The Denim Jungle I just received from the 24th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Books Awards. And it couldn’t come at a better time. Last week was the one-year anniversary of finally having my book (MY book!) in my hands, and tomorrow is the sixth anniversary of losing Sue, who inspired me … More WOW! Writer’s Digest Review of The Denim Jungle
One of the great joys of parenting (for me) is reading books aloud to my kids. It’s fun for us all and good for them, too. I remember long drives to Grandma’s house when I was a kid, my mom reading chapter books from the front passenger seat. Little House, Charlotte’s Web, The Lion, The … More Favorite Read-Aloud Picture Books
My birthday (the big 4-0!) has added an extra patina of sentimentality and reflection to this holiday. In honor of this milestone—punctuated by finally unlocking the “author” achievement—I’ve assembled my own 12 days of Christmas* Thankfulness. Day 1: Cathy Taylor Day 2: Sue LaGow Day 3: Ryan Hylland Day 4: Jackie Phillips Day 5: Szaba … More 12 Days of Christmas Thankfulness: Day 5
Parents have a conundrum. For every moment we spend doing our own thing, it feels inversely connected to our family’s care. We are the nurtures, the caregivers. If we’re caring for ourselves, isn’t that less time (and money) spent caring for our kids? We’re programmed to think it comes down to selfishness or selflessness. And have … More Hey Parents: Be More Selfish
Since I’ve traveled with kids a decent amount, people often ask me for tips. My most frequent advice is: You can do more than you think you can. The same holds true with many things in life actually.
Ready to play a game? Keep your eyes firmly planted on the screen. Then (without looking around) read the following question, close your eyes, and answer it:
At 8:00pm, the toddler turned to me and said, “You know, mom, there aren’t any other kids here.” And she was right. It was prime dinner time on a Friday night, in a Top Chef’s restaurant filled to bustling with people out on the town. Next to me, my mother-in-law Kristin rocked my sleepy five … More Jedi Mind Trick
How many of you parents out there can relate to this terrible, horrible, so good, very awesome day?
How do you prioritize between outside needs and internal inspiration? Well, to start with, you need to get back to the basics of the word need. For instance for the past three years, on top of my monetary and motherly contributions to my family, I felt I needed to blog 2-3 times a week, all … More How Do You Prioritize?
My Castle Heart Publications 