Black igneous rocks jutted out of the sand, and though I thoughtlessly considered them just a harsh contrast against the ocean landscape … the children thoughtfully considered them an adventure. Barefoot and brave, they began their ascent. They didn’t mind the sharp corners or the [...]

On a Sunday afternoon I found myself in rare circumstances: alone. The sun was shining and after hours of church I was done sitting, so off I tromped to the woods. We’ve trekked the woodsy trails near our home many times, but it’s been a while – and everything looked different. The overgrown [...]

On the day my little boy turned 5 years old, we met Milo … and it was love at first snuggle. Milo is a petite golden doodle (golden retriever/poodle mix). We took him to his first vet appointment recently, and he weighs just less than 5 lbs right now – and he’ll likely be around […]

Back in high school, my seminary teacher taught that if we pray for patience, we’ll receive opportunities to be patient. That didn’t sound too appealing to me, so I made a mental note not to pray for patience. Well, Heavenly Father knows I’m in need of this virtue even if I’m not going to seek [...]

Is it just me, or do we all dream of a picture-perfect summer full of laughter, relaxing, memories and adventures? I have that mental image of what looks like a blissful summer … and then my schedule fills up and brings me to a rushed reality. Between summer camps, family reunions, swim [...]

  Make summer reading sacred (+summer book report freebie!) One of my favorite childhood summertime memories involves lying under a willow tree and inhaling fresh air and fascinating books. Though I was present physically, my mind and heart soared through stories and it was challenging to snap [...]

Grandfathers, father figures, fathers-in-law, fathers of our church family, fathers of our children, fathers of our bodies and the Father of our spirit … they are all teaching us about the role of fatherhood – whether they teach consciously or not. “Every day you are teaching … what it means to [...]

I’m in Costco – kidless. That’s a holiday for me, so I take time strolling aisles. I even pick up one lone sample – which feels awesome. I always feel too guilty to grab myself a sample after I’ve fed my littles, so usually I just snag three and then live vicariously through my children […]

Her little hand unfurls to reveal a tiny, perfect bloom. “Look what I found!” her cuteness bubbling over. The delicate petals are just as petite as she is – and as pure white too. I give her a quick, “Oh yeah, that’s cute…” and continue in my conversation. She lingers near, cradling her [...]

Christ commands us to be as little children … and oh, how often the little children around me exemplify exactly why! We traveled to some dear forever friends of ours; and even though it had been a while since the last visit, our kiddos meshed and loved each other instantly. To see the six [...]