A few weeks ago, I received this message from a precious fellow mama I’ve known since we were both little girls, and who now reads my blog: Hi Stephanie! I have a funny question to ask you. I know you were planning on returning to work after Emerson was born, but then you decided to stay home after all. I'm curious how you told your boss? I feel like staying home is what God has for me now. But I'm TERRIFIED of ... View Post
Trader Joe’s Trick #4: Pumpkin Product Round-Up!
Okay, so this post is technically a whole bag of tricks! Has anyone else noticed that Trader Joe’s has gone completely and utterly pumpkin happy come fall in the past several years? Septemberish hits and I walk into what I think is my usual neighborhood grocery store but really I’ve wandered straight into a legitimate pumpkin. Not only are actual pumpkins of all sizes and species barreling out of wagons, but around ... View Post
Mom on the Move: Top 10 Lessons in Relocation
EXHALE. At last!!! At last all our stuff is moved into our new house. At last I am (mostly) unpacked. At last I have internet and cable again, after 10 long days in the dark. It’s been such a wild two months of transitioning, traveling, task-accomplishing and toddler-managing that this rare moment of stopping to soak in my new surroundings feels like a small retreat. As much I’ve loved our recent adventures, it feels ... View Post
Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle!
In the spirit of full disclosure, I would like to document the recent moment when I realized, suddenly and officially, that it was time to start being a parent. Of course, I’ve been a parent for months. But not so much a parent telling anyone what to do or how to be, so much as a parent keeping the kid alive. Protecting, cherishing, cuddling, diaper-changing, of course, but more tending to physical needs and ... View Post
Trader Joe’s Trick #3: Salsa Chicken & Cilantro-Lime Rice
I get REALLY excited when I find a recipe that’s easy, healthy, and cheap enough to put on my more-or-less permanent rotation of recipes. This one instantly made the cut, from the first time I tried it last month. My good mama friend shared it with me, and I will thank her forever and make it for years to come. The salsa chicken is full of flavor, while the delicious cilantro-lime rice is just the perfect amount of ... View Post
Bumpy Skies & Jesus Eyes
There are some lifey-type things I just kind of hate: packing to move, waiting in lines, and as I learned this week, flying with a one-and-a-half-year-old. Oh, heavens. Flying with a one-and-a-half-year-old. You’d think that after seven days on the shores of Hawaii, I’d have at least a hint of some mystic aloha aura to ward against stress for a bit. Preferably smelling of Kona Coffee, sunscreen and coconut. Not ... View Post