I assumed The Eras Tour concert would a once in a lifetime event, but I never imagined this trip would change my life forever.

I was also someone who never wanted kids. To me, they were synonymous with chaos, mess, and a serious drain on freedom and ambition. They seemed like expensive, noisy, life-altering creatures…

Believe it or not, it’s not the fruity cocktails or sunshine. It’s not the poolside chips and guacamole, nor the massages. It’s not the uninterrupted sleep, gourmet meals, or the lack of household chores (though those are all nice perks).

We tore apart my inlaws’ home. A three-bedroom, two-bath ranch farmhouse that my in-laws chose, designed and built in the late 80’s. They raised their three sons and built a legacy here: A third [and-a-half] generation farm operation.

When I walked in for my hair appointment, I traded my stylist- 20 ounce hot mocha for her 6 week old infant. The whole time, I thought to myself, “this”. Yes, this is the life I want.

So hear’s the deal (did you see what I did there?). I’m a mom, a nobody. I don’t make a habit to call legislators or do this type of thing on the regular. It’s out of my comfort zone. But- this one? This is a big one. Your voice matters. It matters now, and for the next 48-72 hours more than ever. Be LOUD.

There’s few things better than the smell of dough rising or homemade bread fresh out of the oven, and while I do have a bread machine (thanks to a $5 thrift store find!) I like to pull out every now and then, I have a super simple recipe I love just a bit more!

I like routine. With all the decisions I have to make as a mom of four in a day, the more I can plan or prepare ahead and eliminate decision fatigue, the smoother our weeks go. [And the better my mental health is!]

Maybe it’s because I’m detail oriented, and it involves a bit of technology- both strengths of mine. But there was something about being able to capture an image, a memory of a single beautiful moment in time, to keep forever. To revisit whenever I wanted.

My savings hadn’t grown much from age 16 to 26. Ouch. Exhausted, and looking for a solution, I found an app that changed how I budgeted for our family of 6 and created a plan to save money that I’ve stuck to since 2016.

A year ago my therapist suggested I really lean into self-care and self-love. So I scheduled a mani/pedi.

I was in college when it was shared with me that an adult in the community had warned another parent about me- “Look out for that one, she has a mind of her own.”

is still some of the hands down best advice I’ve ever gotten. Allow me to explain.

The Great Purge

Latin, meaning, “into the midst of things.”

First- what’s a glimmer? Have you heard of this new trendy term yet? I first heard the term “glimmer” from a friend’s social media post. According to licensed social worker Deb Dana,