We blinked and it's November. Anybody else feel like that?! As hard as the last couple of years have been, I still see so much good in the world. For the last four years I have loved putting together a small gift guide for y'all (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020). It's my hope that these little ideas spark big love in your gift giving this season. I'm sharing mine a little earlier knowing that many folks are closing shops earlier ...

Clare is another year into the teenager gig and we're all still alive. Ha! But seriously, with each passing day she looks more and more like her older sister. It's fun to see that budding relationship. Let's get to that birthday letter. It's a busy week around here! Dear Clare Bear, I just can't quit that nickname. Hope that it doesn't make you cringe. This past year, one thing has really stuck out to me: your heart. When your older ...

If you've been around here for a little bit, you know that I write letters to my kids on their birthdays and share them here. A few years ago, a priest friend of the family encouraged me to do the same, for myself. So, at the suggestion of Fr. Tom, here's this year's birthday letter! Happy birthday to me!! I am such a birthday super fan, so enjoying every last minute of today won't be hard for me. Pretty sure ...

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, we did the only reasonable thing... We packed our bags, cooked our food, iced down the beer coolers and hit the road for wide, open spaces and almost no people. It was glorious! So many people have asked about our trip and just how we did it, so buckle up for a serious dish on national parks and roadtripping with a big family. And in about 6 weeks, I'll share this year's ...

This post is about three weeks overdue. May, am I right? On May 16, our sweet Anna-Laura was confirmed in the Catholic Church, on her birthday, by her Godfather. I'm not sure it gets any sweeter than that. Bishop David Konderla, or Fr. David to us (old habits die hard), was a priest in our diocese for many years. He worked at the diocese with Scott as the Director of Vocations and then as the pastor at St. Mary's in ...

Seven. The baby of the family is seven. There was a day when I never thought we'd be out of diapers, or naptime or all the million other things that come with having an itty bitty. And, here we are. Babies really don't keep. So instead of wishing for the time back, I'm gonna be oh-so-grateful for the minutes God gave me today with my kids. It's all we've got, y'all. To Gianna, happy seventh birthday sweetheart. We'll party soon ...