Aprons, Heels, and Yoga Pants

Sometimes We Have To Change.

This morning I woke up my 10 year old daughter. Need I say more? I’ll explain for those of you who don’t have kids in double digits. Waking a child who doesn’t like to get up, is a frightening experience. Maybe you can imagine waking a momma bear sleeping with her baby cubs as you…

Melissa

February 6, 2020

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blogging, chances, changes, childhood memories, choosing, confidence, encouragement, family, feelings, growth, home, inspiration, life, middle age, midlife, midlife crisis, mom, mommy, moms, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, patience, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, single dad, single mom, single parenting, thoughts, writing
Stop Empowering Me

On my quest to live my life my way, with little concern for what others think about it, I hit speed bumps daily. This learning to love oneself isn’t as easy as it sounds. It has to be more than just a nice little love. It’s got to be an in your face, you are mine and…

Melissa

February 5, 2020

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blogging, career, change, changes, empowerment, encouragement, family, feelings, having it all, home, inspiration, life, life decisions, life goals, life lessons, middle age, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, quotes, raising children, raising teenagers, relationships, rest, self care, simplify, stay at home mom, stay at home moms, strength, thoughts, working mom, working mother
We Need Our Circle

I think there should be a lifeline for mothers…. You’ve been up since the crack of dawn, worked all day, picked up children, picked up groceries, made dinner, helped with long division, convinced teenagers that algebra IS necessary because you said so, worked out, cleaned up dinner, emptied gross lunch boxes, picked up a lot…

Melissa

January 31, 2020

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blogging, changes, exhausted, family, feelings, friends, friendship, inspiration, life, love, middle age, midlife, motherhood, our circle, parenting, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, single dad, single mom, single parenting, trust
Quiet Rebellion

It’s funny how we use the “ending” of a year to mark our lives. The truth is, December or January, we are just living life. Each day is life and an opportunity to start something new. Really, it is all running together. I do it too. I see the finish line. A new year begins,…

Melissa

December 31, 2019

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acceptance, changes, defiance, expectations, family, friendship, growing up, happy new year, home, honesty, hope, inspiration, life, love, middle age, midlife, midlife crisis, motherhood, new beginning, new year, rebellion, self care, self discovery, selfish, single mom, womanhood, writing
Less Pressure. More Oreos.

Something struck me as funny last night, as I was hurrying my children out of the house and into the minivan. I thought…..I’m not as good as I used to be. Yet, I also think I am better. We were heading for the school Christmas program. My 13 year old son wore his shirt untucked,…

Melissa

December 19, 2019

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adult children, blogging, changes, children, choosing, cool, family, feelings, grandchildren, growing up, home, inspiration, kids, laid back, life, middle age, motherhood, mothering, parenting, pressure, raise them well, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, relax, relaxing, school, single dad, single mom, single parenting, thoughts, working mom, writing
Be Careful

My morning started with a bang, literally, as the garage door hit the front of my car on its way down. My son was in the driver’s seat and all I could muster out of my very sleepy mouth was, “Careful!” In his defense…careful of what? The poor guy probably felt helpless trying to assess…

Melissa

November 26, 2019

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adult children, babies, blogging, changes, children, family, fear, feelings, happiness, heartache, home, inspiration, joy, letting go, life, middle age, motherhood, mothering, parenthood, parenting, raise them well, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, sacrifice, single parenting, strength, thoughts, toddlers, tweens, wisdom, worry, writing
Motherhood…The Greatest Comedy Show

Want to stay humble? Have a boatload of kids. One minute you’re cool and feel like you’ve got it all together….then suddenly you’re sopping up toilet water or stripping your child in front of a plane full of strangers, due to a diarrhea incident. I had a really great day. Life is good and I…

Melissa

November 13, 2019

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babies, blog, changes, children, comedy, encouragement, family, feelings, fun, home, humble, humility, humor, inspiration, laughter, life, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, preschool, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, single dad, single mom, single parenting, teenagers, thoughts, toddlers, tweens, writing
The Sweetest Things

It has been a rough week. As much as I fight it and try to make life perfect, I have to accept the good with the bad. I am going through some tough lessons, and I’d really like to stomp my feet like a child and refuse to listen. But lo and behold…I am a…

Melissa

October 24, 2019

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changes, emotions, empath, empathy, encouragement, family, feelings, good job, happiness, high school, home, homeschool, homeschooling, inspiration, joy, lessons, life, life decisions, life lessons, love, love of my life, mom, mommies, mommy, moms, mother, motherhood, mothering, parenthood, parenting, passion, passionate, perfection, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, sacrifice, sadness, school, single mom, single parenting, stay at home mom, strength, teenage boys, teenage years, teenagers, teens, working mother, writing
I just Want To Clean The Toilet

Every once in a while I get an entire day at home. When this rare occasion happens, I can’t contain my excitement as I think…..”I get to clean the house!” I just didn’t see this strange love of domestication phase coming. I’ll never forget a day in counseling many years ago, (nothing big – just working out…

Melissa

October 23, 2019

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blog, blogging, career, changes, domestic goddess, family, fatherhood, fathers, feelings, growing up, home, house keeping, housecleaning, inspiration, life, messy house, middle age, mother, motherhood, mothering, parenthood, parenting, raising children, relationships, sentimental, single dad, single mom, single parenting, stay at home mom, thoughts, time, women, working mom, working mother, working mothers
Adoption and What It Taught Me

Lil Beans is 17 now. That is what I call her, and her birthday was yesterday. Well, we will never know her real birthday. October 1st is the birthday given to all abandoned children in China, as that day is a national holiday, commemorating the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Lily is my adopted…

Melissa

October 2, 2019

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adopted, adoption, adoptive parents, changes, china, daughters, family, feelings, home, inspiration, life, love, middle age, mom, moms, motherhood, overseas, overseas adoption, parenthood, parenting, patience, relationships, self discovery, travel