From a young age, my dream was to have the "Walton" family. The icon of the perfect American family shown on a popular TV series in the 1970's. I dreamed of fun family devotions. Going camping. Serving neighbors and those in need. I envisioned our family of six sitting down to meals while everyone talked about their day and laughed over the ...
Visiting Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyon with Kids Part 1
The closer to summer one gets, the more often small talk centers around vacation plans. Are you taking a vacation this summer? Where are you going? As I answered these questions from people I came in contact with, I found many responded with longing in their voice when they heard our plans. They shared that visiting Zion, Bryce (pictured ...
Photography 101
I have a love affair with still photography. Since a child, I have loved looking at the photographs entered in the county and state fairs. The emotions portrayed in photos from historical events always move me. It’s been a goal of mine to learn how to take quality photos of our family and activities that we do together. For my birthday, my ...
Creating a Travel Journal with Your Family
Several months ago we began planning a dream family vacation to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. Some of God's most beautiful creation...or so I have heard. While I am super excited to start this vacation, there is a great deal of anxiety as this vacation involves a lot of travel and hotel time. For Little Man, ...
How to Train a Child
Ask parents for a Bible verse about parenting and many will quote Proverbs 22:6. Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. With focus on the last part of the verse, Proverbs 22:6 brings great comfort to parents raising challenging children. But I wonder if we put so much emphasis on the end that we ...
Are Constant Interruptions Frustrating You?
How many times has this happened? You fill the sink full of hot soapy water and dirty dishes. You get four dishes cleaned, rinsed, and placed in the drainer only to hear, "MOOOOMMMMM!" You step away to take care of the issue. After multiple interruptions you remember the original task at hand - the dishes. Entering the kitchen you drain the cold, ...
Simple Ways to Provide Sensory Input When Away From Home
Several times on this blog, I have talked about the amazing transformation that occurs when my boys jump on a trampoline. From complete meltdown to controlled behavior and focus. Something happens in their brains while jumping to help them regain control and obey. Sometimes I wish I owned a portable trampoline. One that would fit in my purse ...
Teaching Money Management to Children
According to the booklet entitled "Making Marriage Last," problems relating to financial matters are a major reason why marriages break down.1 In my research this was confirmed multiple times. Money is a huge cause of divorce! Because of this, my husband and I are diligently teaching our children the value of money, giving them a work ethic, and ...
Guest Post: The Unexpected Journey Part 2
Her 13-month-old daughter refused to eat any solid foods and was not growing. For all moms, this statement takes our breath away. But this is exactly where Cindy found herself two months ago. Did you read her story? Today Cindy is returning to update us on her Unexpected Journey. To make a long story short, something "clicked" for my baby ...
Explaining Easter to Children of all Ages
The question was asked on the ABC Jesus Loves Me Facebook Group, "How do I explain Easter to a child?" Great question because parts of the Easter story are brutal and could be scary if not presented in an age-appropriate manner. The last thing we want is for a child to be scared of a Bible story - especially the story of salvation. Instead ...