Do you have a definition for success in your motherhood? Do we even have an answer for this question? Especially during the holidays.  Think about it. Successful motherhood is ... Home cooked meals? Maybe any meal at all? Is it clean clothes? Maybe folded laundry that actually gets put away? Lots of presents?  Swept floors? A day with no yelling? Or maybe: No one … [Read more...]

“Mooommm!  There are men outside with funny looking skid loaders that AREN’T ours!” my six-year-old exploded. If we lived in the city, I’d think we were having road construction. On the farm, mystery skid steers in the front yard are a different story. “What are they doing?” I questioned from the oth­er side of the house where I was working. “They’re driving into the … [Read more...]

Have you ever written a list of what you did not want your family to look like? What would make your list? Cluttered home? Hurried? Impatient? Overworked? Overbooked? Over committed? Tired? Fighting parents? Sassy kids? What would you not want? I recently attended an online homeschool planning boot camp in which we wrote down our family vision, non-negotiables, and the … [Read more...]

Mr. Google says it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit, but I reckon’ he ain’t never seen nothin’ stick faster than a cowboy drawl, if’n you practice frum sun up to sun down fer just a few days! Google oughta been warnin’ me to mind what I’m practicin’ – ‘cause once it sets in, it’ll stick like a tick on a hound dog! How’s this ol’ cowboy twang sittin’ with ya? … [Read more...]

Everyone knows I’m crazy about kefir, but I heard something this week and I had to share: Did you know kefir can act as a natural antidepressant? I always heard kefir could help your mood, but I didn’t really believe it until this week! A new farm guest was picking up raw milk from our farm store and told me that when he regularly drinks kefir made with raw milk, he can tell … [Read more...]

Long before the current AI craze, farmers were knee-deep in “AI” every single day – but this was a whole different kind of artificial intelligence. It wasn’t the kind of thing that could run algorithms to predict the stock market, or write you a Shakespearean sonnet on demand. Nope, this was the real deal: Artificial Insemination. And I’ll tell you what, if they’re giving out … [Read more...]

“It feels like we’ve been sick most of the cold and flu season,” she sighed.  Forced to skip two of their favorite weekly activities, she stayed home with sick kiddos while being sick herself. Personally, I vote that moms shouldn’t be allowed to take care of sick kids while being sick themselves, but colds don’t care to listen to me. Seems like everyone needs mom even … [Read more...]

I do not want to write this article. I mean … usually I do … but not today. Today is much too busy, with more “to-dos” than I can count. I’ll probably even add more things to the list as I’m doing them throughout the day so I can bask in the twisted mental high of running my pen through those burdensome beasts. (I know I’m not the only one who does this!) Trouble is, I … [Read more...]

I stopped in my tracks as I read the sobering words; “It’s habits that can imprison you and it’s habits that can free you,”  declared author Ann Voskamp. Which is it for me, I wondered. Both options are pretty extreme in my opinion. Imprisonment or freedom? And the choice lies within my habits? Could it be true? During my 12-year-old family Christmas, my 19-year-old cousin … [Read more...]

I wish you could have been in my silo farm store with one of my milk-moms the other day because she asked the most brilliant question that we all need. She had just finished an overnight nursing shift in the ICU (can we just say WOW?!) and came to pick up milk before she even went to bed (can we say WOW again?!).  As we talked, it’s like she read my mind. I’m wondering if … [Read more...]