Anger in parenting is a topic that I love/hate to talk about. I love it because I believe with all of my heart that talking about this sort of thing is important. As moms, we need each other. We need to know we're not alone We need support, and we desperately need encouragement.I hate it because it brings up a part of my parenting life that I'm ashamed of. It's uncomfortable to talk about these things.You see, I never thought of myself as an angry person before. I have always been
Parenting and Family
8 Things Teenagers Will Appreciate (even if they don’t admit it)
Dearest parents of teenagers:Let's begin with a big deep breath, shall we? (I sensed we needed that.) (Or was it just me?)I hear from a lot of you, and I know it isn't always easy...Your teens may do everything in their power to make you believe that they do not want/need/enjoy you much at all these days. Your teen may pull away, push away, or just walk away. I mean, it's not always that bad (I am happy to say that I have two very respectful teens...and I'm holding on
Dear Husband, In This Busy Season of Raising Kids…
To my blog readers: Hey guys! So I'm doing something a little different here. I am sharing a letter that I really drafted to give to my husband. I didn't plan for it to go on the blog at first, but after I wrote it I wondered if it might resonate with the heart of other women as well. I made a few minor edits to share here, but this is mostly the original note. I do have an idea for those of you reading it though, so meet me at the bottom of the post to hear about that, ok? Thanks.
3 of the Most Important Parts of Parenting (That aren’t Really about “Parenting”)
We like to talk about parenting around here. There's something satisfying about learning new tips and tricks and adding fresh methods to our parenting tool box.But there are a few other things that I believe are really foundational to raising good kids. These things are a little trickier though, because they are...well, more personal. In fact, they're all about us. The list could be long, but I am breaking it down into three main categories. I know I'm hitting on a few touchy subjects
The Good and the Better During the Holidays
Hey Friends!We are back from the most amazing snowy Sun Valley Thanksgiving, and I can't wait to share photos and stories from our travels. (Did you see my snowy header, above? :) ) I also have a few other posts just about ready to publish...But then I stumbled upon this post from last year and decided I am going to repost it again first. Last year I shared it just days before Christmas, and some of the feedback I got was "I wish you had posted this weeks ago!" Haha. So this year, I'm
Happy Thanksgiving {and Brrrrr!}
Happy Thanksgiving Friends! I'm just checking in from the half-way point of our #swansonthanksgivingtravels. (you can follow that hashtag on instagram, of course. :))It's been an amazing trip so far. And cold too, which I faintly remember is just what we were hoping for. ? We spent the first few days in my hometown of Gig Harbor, Washington ^^ in a whirlwind of visiting, and shopping, and packing, and visiting, shopping and re-packing and...Well, we had a lot to cover getting these
5 Ways to Keep Your Life Balance in Check
We all want to live a balanced life, right? But how do we even know if we're balanced? Sometimes it's hard to see the proverbial forest for our own little trees.Today I am sharing five things I have found helpful in keeping my life-balance in check. I hope a few of these are helpful to you, too!{Click to catch up on: the intro and part one of this mini-series.}1. Know your priorities. We can't do it all. We know that. But we can do a few things. And I think we can all
A Golden Rule to Simplify Decision Making
Last week I announced that I would be sharing a little series on the topic of LIFE BALANCE... You know, that elusive ideal that we all talk about but never seem to get a grip on. The metaphorical pot of gold at the end of the crazy rainbow.But the concept of life balance is a worthwhile pursuit, and while we may never master it, I do think we can find some strategies to help us move closer to the center. (or let me believe anyways.)To kick things off I thought I would share a little