Parenting
Capsule wardrobes for four year olds? Two year old girls? Babies? Done and so happy with them! How about for me? I am not going to stick hard & fast to the super minimalism, but I did want to cull through and pick out clothing that would feel good on me this summer. Anyone who has experienced motherhood, physically growing children or heart-growing children has most likely also experienced the changes that come along with for our bodies. Stress and lack of sleep lead to weight retention. Multiple pregnancies lead to a soft belly. We wear scars most can’t see. And this is OKAY! I’ve written about embracing your postpartum body and I needed to re-read it the other day. None of my jeans were fitting right. Tooooo tight. I complained on fb. You guys were so supportive. Obviously I need to ditch them and buy a fabulous pair that actually fit. Eat less sugar, too? Sure. Workout more? Absolutely. But this is my body today. This is my body now. And I love the heck out of it. So I’ve made a summer capsule wardrobe for my amazing baby-making bod. For what flatters it and loves it and doesn’t shame it. And that I can easily nurse in! My wardrobe is always such a battle after a baby and this summer I want to dress stress free. Baby PhotoBOMB! Tell me what your summer staples are. I’ll dish my others in a new post soon.
Read More
The years of having small dependent children bring with them the joys and the sufferings for our relationships with our spouses. I can safely say, having these three kids has been the single best thing that could have happened as a result of our relationship (because of it? due to it? oh whatever) AND the single hardest thing to endure when sometimes you just want to be with the other adult, or even better (not always, but sometimes) ALONE. Young children are black holes of need for adult attention. Even if your kid is the most sleep-trained, autonomous creature ever. When they’re babies, they need diaper changes and feeding. When they’re toddlers, they need reassurances and food prepared. When they’re prek, they need constant and continual reminders that bedtime is not when you throw baseballs against the wall. I’m the worst at not bringing my best self to the table. My husband is very patient, hardworking, light-hearted, a great and involved dad, yahda yahda. We don’t often fight fight. But I do harbor ill-will, if you will. I smolder with resentment. I take my long day out on him. I complain far too often and loudly in all-caps texting. Tell me you don’t allcaps. It’s really so obnoxious of me! The year I’ve been trying (and failing) to be more kind to my husband following these seven steps. Maybe they can help you, or if you’re the nicer spouse, you can discretely leave this link open on your communal screen. HA! 1)…
Read More
I wanna start your week out right. By pointing you to some of my newfound favorite readeries on the Internet to park and scroll. Before I do, let me tell you that there is nothing that says I love you, mama, like hot cocoa (extra whip), donuts (Granny’s in West St. Paul, obvi), and a ton of manure compost. We tackled the garden and you can follow our eclectic urban farmerness on Instagram #wholeparentinggarden And due to the babysitting gods being in our favor, we may have also escaped for a late night steak. Thanks to my dad (and bribing the big kids to stay in their respective floor beds with the oath of a sliver of donut each)!! I overloaded on sugar today and am back on the bandwagon that is dubitably named #nosugar30 With all the wonderful and heartfelt Mother’s Day posts out there, including the darker and harder side my friend Laura offered, I found this gem from a few years back. Its focus is on the needs of the motherless children and why they get less attention than mommy-wars. Really made me stop and think. And speaking of thinking, last week I had a week with lots of over-worrying. I’m sure you’re a better partner than I am and never ever get in that downward spiral of being convinced more and more that you’re the ONLY person who worries about the kids socks being dry, toys being picked up, and poor-me, poor-me. We did have a few insanely hard nights…
Read More
Inspired by my girl Lyz. Don’t read her? You’re crazy. I’m also over at Blessed is She today talking about firing up your love neurons and overcoming my tendency to judge & loathe rather than love. True stories. How much do you like being a mother? Well, it’s a little late to switch occupations. What the biggest surprise when you first became a mother? How overwhelming it was. The responsibilities and the love. Do you have a favorite child? No. Everyone was my favorite for their age. Did you have a favorite age of child? Truly. This is true to me: every age had its negatives and positives. I think the positives always were so much farther ahead than the negatives. This is a really boring interview. I’m not a jokester. I’m not a Jon Stewart. You’re not gonna get some clever little phrase from me. But you’re clever and you can take and twist any of my statements into some “haha hohoh heheh” thing. Was it different raising your son versus your daughters? Definitely. Girls love to talk. Boys don’t want to be talked at//to//with. They just want to be left alone. The girls all wanted to talk and visit and share all their ideas and just have a cuppa hot cocoa and chit chat. “Did you hear that, Peter?” “Are you done with your lecture now? I wanna go play.” Too many words! They’re both wonderful. Was it hard when your mom died and you were still raising small kids? I miss my…
Read More
Don’t tell me I never did anything for you. I know. Another holiday with Nell telling you what to buy. I just love gifts! They’re a major love language for me so I love impressing my gift thoughts onto you. Or foisting. Or forcing? Don’t answer that. It’s rhetorical. 1) Blessed Is She tee {coupon: BiSlovesWP for 25% off!) 2) Hatch Prints My girlfriend Katrina just opened it and I got this one for my mom. But I also really love this one. Because she has told it to her five children about a bazillion times. 3) Noise cancellation headphones I am Not Joking. 4) the new Scythian albums We listen to Old Tin Can and Jump at the Sun everyday. Not kidding. And sometimes we take in the children’s album they made. But my kids really love the non-kid music too. We must dance to “Same old Man” as well as “Fields of St. James” during breakfast. And even when they’re asleep, I love to listen to them. Music for the whole family. 5) Bath salt scrub by Brooklyn Herborium Yes. Use it every bath. I feel like I just was in the ocean. Or a full body facial. 6) Blue Apron meal They don’t operate in Minnesota but Grace has talked about how much she loves this. They deliver you all the ingredients for a fresh meal and you just follow directions. It’s deluxe meal planning. 7) A cleaning service {even just once} Deep clean. Deeply clean. Maybe…
Read More
If everything were picked up and put away and all the closets organized and the pantry immaculate, I would be happier. True or false? Deep down. I wanna scream TRUE and run away until someone comes and either does this to my house permanently or whisks my kids away so I can do it for the hot second they’re not in that room. But really? Maybe it’s my acceptance of lowered expectations as a mom of three, but it actually is possible to be at peace when your house is in disarray. I mean, like truly, at peace. Not furtively making lists on any available writable-ish surface about all the ways to make it under your control. 1) identify emergency areas and address them first Soggy dish cloths on the floor of the pantry must be laundered by the end of the day. Where their basket grew legs and hobbled off to I have no idea. But I do know that if I don’t run that laundry, the mildew and mold and little toddlers who attack said murky cloths will come. Dishes have to be cleaned. I try to never go to sleep with crusty dishes. Wiped countertops & clean sink are a must for me. I cannot bear that morning breakfast whilst parenting solo with the kids if I’m facing last night’s lasagna pan. Cloth diapers must be tended to. If I’ve stacked a few poopies on the back of the toilet for AA to flush and it’s day 2, I…
Read More