Endless Adventures

We don’t live on a farm. There are no rolling fields or red barns in sight— just a small city lot and a heart full of dreams. But we’ve come to learn something pretty amazing: homesteading doesn’t have to start with land. It starts with what you have, where you are, and a little faith that it’s worth beginning anyway. For us, it started with a garden. Seven tomato plants, a few peppers, one tomatillo, and four cucumber plants took root. We added an herb bed filled with basil, cilantro, oregano, and chives—plus two blueberry bushes and one little strawberry plant. That alone felt like a big win. But then… we decided to try something new. Chickens. I’ve always wanted chickens. For years, I’d asked Josh if we could build a coop. Each time, he gently turned me down with the same line: “We can’t have chickens in the city.” So, I let the idea go. That is—until his friend (who lives just down the road, I might add) did get chickens… and a coop. And surprise, surprise—we could have them a...

Manifesting the Stories in My Mind Storytelling is my gift, my heart’s calling—but writing? That’s a different challenge. A million scenarios float around in my mind, cluttered and foggy, begging to be set free. The only way to do that, I’m convinced, is by bringing these stories to life on the page. It’s been my lifelong dream to share my worlds with others, and the characters I imagine are as real to me as any friend. Each night, they come alive in my mind—the magic, the gut-wrenching love stories, the mysteries that twist and unfold. They’re all there, waiting. But there are so many stories. So many ideas, all unfinished and untold. Recently, as I dug through old notebooks, I rediscovered some of my worlds. Mason and Sophia, for instance, on their hunt for a legendary treasure; Amelia Novak, her long-lost sister, and their family’s long-awaited reunion; and then there’s Maisie and her gang in the magical Aradella Valley, a world rich with magic, betrayal, and heartbreak. They’re all...

The world moves on, but we don’t. Our hearts still ache—some days more than others. People say it gets easier, but it hasn’t. Instead, each day seems to pull us deeper into the reality that he’s gone, that he’s not just “away.” There’s no moment when you suddenly hear that laugh you loved so much or enjoy those jokes he always seemed to have that would brighten your day. Our little boys can’t run to their papa for one of those bear hugs only he could give, hugs that made them feel like the safest place in the world was right there in his arms. For my husband, he wasn’t just a dad—he was a friend. He was there to ease the tension between hard moments, but he was also the one good for a laugh and a stupid joke when you needed it most. My husband doesn’t get to call him anymore, can’t share his victories or complain to him after the annoying days at work. He was always there with a listening ear, sometimes wisdom, but often with just the right amount of nonsense to lift the weight off you...

 "If you asked me why I read so much, I'd say it's because I simply enjoy it. But on a deeper level, I'd tell you that a book never takes from me; it only gives. As a full-time mom and wife, I'm always pouring into others, constantly giving more to everyone and everything around me. But when I read, I can simply be. It’s a rare and precious kind of peace, the kind I desperately need in my life right now."  In the crazy of daily life, it can be easy to lose ourselves in the demands of being a full-time mom and wife. We give so much of ourselves to others that sometimes it feels like there's little left for us. But amidst the chaos, I've found a refuge—a place where I can simply be . That place is within the pages of a book. On the surface, I read because I simply enjoy it. There’s something magical about getting lost in a story, exploring new worlds, and meeting characters who feel like old friends. But if I dig deeper, there’s more to it than just enjo...

As I sit down to write, the sound of my children's laughter echoes from the doorway, filling our home with warmth and joy. Being a stay-at-home mom isn't just something I stumbled into—it's been my dream for as long as I can remember. Today, I want to share a glimpse into my world, a world where I'm living out a lifelong dream with all its highs, lows, and everything in between. From the moment I first held my baby in my arms, I knew that I was stepping into the life I had always longed for. While others might have dreamed of becoming doctors or dancers, my heart was set on one thing: motherhood. Each smile, each milestone my children reach, fills me with a sense of purpose and fulfillment I never knew was possible. Being a stay-at-home mom isn't about giving up a career; it's about embracing my true calling. I have the privilege of shaping and nurturing my children’s lives, of witnessing their growth and discoveries firsthand. In a world that often measures suc...

There's been an unknown heaviness on my heart these past couple days I've struggled with and all it took was a simple kind gesture of a friend to gift me a beautiful cookie as a reminder of the baby I lost in pregnancy, not once but twice. It struck me in that moment just what I've been struggling with all week.  I'm not even sure my friend knew exactly what this would have meant to me, that the timing of her gift would hit me so hard, but I spent the next 30 minutes bawling alone in my car. I'm sitting here this morning sharing this cookie with my boys, remembering the babies I've lost, thinking of the newborn I would be holding in my arms this very moment if God had planned it otherwise.  I think it's particularly hard this week because exactly a year ago today I sat by this same old fireplace on a Monday morning watching my two year old and three year old run around playing and screaming, asking myself if this was really possible, could I be pregnant agai...