A number of years back we found ourselves sitting together on New Years and having this conversation about how we wanted to raise our family. What things did we want to do with our three small kids? What things did we want to teach them? What kind of character did we want to nurture in … Read more
It started with a text conversation I had with a mombestie. She sent me pics of something they were doing that day and I told her that I admired the culture she was building in her family. What I mean by this is the special lifestyle, traditions, stories, practices, beliefs that are unique to this … Read more
We just spent the week talking about gift giving. We talked about ways to make your gifts more thoughtful and ways to give kids gifts without it feeling like you are overrun with toys. There are still some ways you can make your gift giving simpler. Here are some tips to make gift-giving simpler this … Read more
Last Christmas I was strolling on Instagram and came across a post by a mom. She had created a ‘choose your own adventure’ book for her kids to do just that, choose what they wanted to do as an adventure. This free ticket to family escapades was in place of a tree skirt full of … Read more
So we have a new tradition this year. Adventing (oh yes, in this house it’s a verb). This year I had felt overcome by the meaning of Advent. Suddenly the weeks leading to Christmas seem so precious to me. Give me ten years max and I will become ‘that weird Christmas lady’ because I am … Read more
Traditions are the bonding goop in families. They are ‘understood’ by the family, like an inside joke or secret handshake. They are a constant to rely on, a marker for special events. Traditions are a display of family pride, like team colours or an anthem. And the BEST thing about traditions is that they can be aaaaannnnything … Read more
If you are already plotting how to escape the frigid drudgery of Winter, perhaps you need to make a list of all the ways to add some HYGGE into these cold weather months! To recap: Hygge is the Danish word for that feeling you get when you are cozy, safe, seen, connected, relaxed, grateful. It … Read more
I know she loved tea…..And chain smoking in her house smock….. And barking at her husband. I imagine her delicately-flowered teapot with a gradation of brown rings inside, marking days upon weeks upon years of drinking orange pekoe. These stains, a reminder that you don’t do something every single day unless it means something. I … Read more
We are that dorky family that does family meetings. And I am ok with it because sometimes cool things happen when you do dorky things like have family meetings, or keep a lot of lists, or wear matching tracksuits as your husband when you are in your senior years! SOMETIMES! We don’t do them at … Read more
From the very first time I let my young adult self be sweetly soaked in liquid courage, I rocked my ish on the dance floor. Even if this was the sober reality: You can call me the whitest Carlton you’ve ever met, I don’t care. There’s song in my heart and I just gotta dance. … Read more