Endless Adventures

  Sweaty, Sun-Kissed, and Surrounded by Feathers This summer has been hot —the kind of heat that makes your shirt stick to your back, your hair cling to your forehead, and your water bottle your constant companion. But honestly? I’m loving every sweaty, messy, joy-filled moment with our chickens. Our little flock has found their summer groove—scratching, pecking, dust-bathing, and giving us the occasional judgmental side-eye when their treats don’t come fast enough. The boys have become my trusty chicken helpers, eager to hold their favorites and help with feed time. Even Jeremiah, who’s never been much of an animal lover, is the first to run out and scoop up Sunny or Justine. Watching their confidence grow around the chickens (and the chickens’ trust grow in return) has been one of my favorite parts of this whole adventure. They’re not laying eggs yet—though we’re patiently waiting!—but this season has already given us something more. It’s about giving the boys something to look f...

Small Good Things Add Up Too Sometimes the big stuff feels like too much — the to-do lists, the worries, the things we can’t control or even name. On those days, I call my mom. Because sometimes, all we really need is our mom. She’d tell me to stop, get up, and walk around the house touching the things I’m grateful for, one by one. I mostly roll my eyes or feel resistance rise in me, but it helped more than I care to admit. So today, I’m doing just that. I’m pressing pause on the noise and focusing on what’s holding me together — the little joys that matter more than they let on. Because if small bad things can pile up and snowball into a really hard day, then maybe the small good things can too. So this week, I’m holding onto: The sound of my boys laughing — that wild, full-bellied kind of laugh that bounces off the walls and somehow makes the chaos feel like home. Our growing garden! — I just planted pumpkins a few days ago and they’re already sprouting! I have no idea what I’m doi...

What Healing Looks Like This isn’t a picture-perfect story about healing. It’s a real one. One that is still in progress. The kind with messy days, aching bodies, and small wins that feel big. I turned 30 this year. And honestly, I was excited about it. I wasn’t one of those people dreading the number. I had a plan for healing, a new surge of energy, and a roadmap for chasing down my goals and dreams. This was supposed to be the year I focused on my health and finally gave myself permission to move forward with the things that mattered most. I have a beautiful life — a husband I adore, two little boys who keep my days loud and full, and chickens in a backyard coop my husband built just for me. I’m giving my sons a sliver of the farm life I grew up with, and for that, I’m endlessly grateful. But instead of ringing in my 30s with celebration, I spent my birthday at a funeral. A sudden and tragic death in the family, far too familiar and far too soon. It stirred up old wounds from a loss ...

There’s a moment that splits your life into two parts—before and after. For me, that moment was losing my father-in-law, Dwayne. He wasn’t just family by marriage; he felt like a second dad. He made you feel welcome and loved, always ready with a smile or a joke. He was full of joy and laughter, so much like Josh. And now, as time goes on, I see more and more of Dwayne in him. When I met Dwayne, his family had already come close to losing him once. I never knew the version of him before that moment. I only ever knew the man who had been given a second chance and chose not to take it for granted. He understood that God had spared him, and he didn’t waste that gift. He embraced every day with gratitude and lightness. He bought the truck he had always wanted. He spent every spare moment with his family. He laughed loudly, hugged tightly, and lived fully. Looking back, I can say without hesitation that Dwayne lived his best life. But his death still came out of nowhere. He was young. It wa...

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...

Autumn is my favorite season. The chill in the air, the crunch of leaves, the vibrant change in colors. Today there was running, smiling and laughing. Jumping, falling and getting back up. This is what we all needed.  My little sister, who's my closest friend, joined me and the boys on the spur of the moment park day and it was a blast. We went to Rock Springs to enjoy what Jeremiah calls, the tall green park! It’s one of my favorite places to be, it’s quiet there and peaceful which is what we need in life right now.  This was the first time that I actually went to the playground itself, usually I’d walk the path through the woods. It’s also my mom's favorite walking place, no surprise there, I am my mothers daughter.  But so the three of them ran around on the playground and yes I said three of them. Josiah, my youngest, insisted Rachel go up with him to help get to the third level. That little boy has everyone wrapped around his little finger and knows how to get what h...

A chilly, gloomy day turned out to be a perfect day for the pumpkin patch though the pumpkin patch itself was not so perfect. But we enjoyed our walk through the Christmas trees after realizing the pumpkins were all nearly rotten and smashed out in the field. But the funny thing is, that didn't matter because this is still one of my best memories with some of my favorite people.  This happened in the midst of Covid-19 and we didn't let that stop us from doing the things we wanted to. The boys had so much fun with their mama and aunty out in the muddy field and riding around on a tracker. Though in most of the pictures Jeremiah's face would have you thinking otherwise, I promise it's true. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and at the end of the trip the boys found two small pumpkins inside the shop to take home and paint.   I am blessed with this family and never want to take it for granted. My boys are beyond luck to have someone who loves them as much as their mama and a...

  The holidays are right around the corner. Which means the gift giving season is upon us and it has me thinking back on past holidays of what was given and loved and this is the conclusion I came to. Experiences are hands down better than material things.  Memories like these are never forgotten. Time spent together as a family is something I will never be able to get enough of.  I was fortunate to have been both born into and married into incredible families. Most aren't as lucky as I am. Which is more reason to embrace experiences and make memories. Board and Brush was one of those things I will forever cherish. It was a gift given to us by Grandma Linda and I will always be thankful for. This was over two years ago and I still remember it so fondly.  In this case, her gift gave us both and experience and a material item. We all made our own sign or crate whatever it was we choose and was able to bring it home. I still have my sign to this day and I imagine I will...

  Today was absolutely  perfect and  I couldn't ask for anything  better .  It was a blazing sun with scorching heat, but it was beautiful. Emotional, mentally and sorta physically! First thing this morning I woke up and got the boys and myself ready. I did my hair,  I even put makeup on ! That never happens any more. This momma doesn't have time for that. But I spent the most wonderful, quality time with my mom and sister.  We were on the search for sunflowers over on the other side of Missouri, in what it felt like was 100 degrees out. The first patch we came across, there had to be at least 10 cars parked and you had to walk a good amount just to get to the flowers. At first that idea did  not  appeal to me, nor did it to my mom and sister, at least I don't imagine it did! We continued on to see if there were any more sunflower patches that were a closer walk. I'd gone last year with Lindsey and we had found one that was right on the side ...

We are back home in St. Louis, near family which is actually what we wanted. It just happened a little differently than we thought. Josh no longer works for Drury, thank god. That company worked my husband to death and kept expecting more and more from him. Since he left he is a completely different man, in the best way possible. He is home way more, he doesn’t answer several calls in the middle of the night, he doesn't bring home work. It’s been a blessing. He now works in construction and is a Realtor. He actually comes home when he is supposed to be off, which alone is one of the best changes in our life since leaving Drury.  The other incredible change is I’m all of a sudden a mom of two and that is why we ended up back in St. Louis so quickly. Having another baby on the way I needed to be home, I couldn’t go through postpartum by myself again feeling so isolated.  I need my family and support.   And that’s exactly what we did, Josh got us back here. There was a ...