I’m sitting in the school parking lot right now, watching the chaos of another Dallas cold snap unfold. Temperatures plummeted from literally 85–90 degrees down to 40–45. Overnight, it felt like we went from summer straight into winter. Parents are bustling, kids are bundled in coats, scarves, and hats. Everyone is moving fast, trying to get into the warm. And here’s me, realizing I was in a hurry this morning. I told the boys to get in the car. It’s the third or fourth day o

I sat down today intending to write something beautiful. I was using text to speech because my hands were busy, my brain was tired, and honestly, it felt efficient. The day was stunning. The sky was bright blue, clouds drifting lazily overhead. The temperature had finally dropped from its usual unbearable 104 to a comfortable 75. Ducks were swimming peacefully in the pond. Trees swayed in the breeze. Birds chirped in the distance. It was the kind of day that makes you pause a

I was going to write a brag post about my two-year-old today because honestly, he is pretty amazing. He is home sick, and I told him it was time for a nap. He had me walk upstairs with him, climbed into his bed, laid down, and looked like he was actually going to go to sleep. All was well. And that tracks for him. He is usually pretty good about going to bed. Meanwhile, my five-year-old is the complete opposite. He will stay up later than we do if given the chance. We put him

This whole job search thing has been daunting. I have officially landed a new position with a company that I am hopeful will be really great. What I did not expect, though, was how upsetting the ending would feel. I have spent the last stretch of time wrapping up my role with my current boss. I like him well enough. We have always had a fine, professional working relationship. But if I am honest, I have never quite been able to get his number. We worked together for years, go

There is something to be said about being a mom, working a full-time job, and also running your own business. Today was one of those days where all three collided at once. I had stepped away earlier in the afternoon to photograph a client. She was absolutely wonderful, but the session went a little longer than I had expected. By the time I wrapped up, I realized I had not eaten since breakfast, and it was already close to 4:30. I grabbed something quick to eat and jumped stra

I was reminded today of something that happened about six or seven years ago while I was working as a program manager for a optics shop. At the time, I was working in a factory environment doing some genuinely fascinating work. We were making advanced optics. Think telescope lenses, but far more complex and precise. These were not mass-produced items. Instead of making five hundred or a thousand units, we were making ten at most. Sometimes fewer. These were emerging technolog

Today I did something I have come close to doing before, but have never actually one. \ I finally turned in my resignation from the company I have worked for for seventeen years. Seventeen years is a long time. It is a significant portion of a life. My boss’s response was completely transactional. One sentence. Sorry to see you go, here is your checklist of things you need to do now. I sent an email to the team, I'll send a better one later. That was it. Before he even sent

The irony of being unhealthy in your late 30s is that it is not a heart attack. It is not even a little extra weight. Apparently, it is waking up one day with a stabbing pain in your butt for absolutely no dramatic reason. I think I officially reached the epitome of being unhealthy this week. Last night, my husband and I were watching a show we have gotten into after putting the kids to bed. Everything was normal. Then I stood up and felt a searing pain in my rear. It came on

If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one in your house who cares about clean, welcome—you’ve found your people. This series, Messy Monday -> Makeover Monday , is my honest (and sometimes hilarious) take on life with kids, chaos, and the never-ending battle against mess. I hope it makes you feel a little less alone in the battle to have a clean house. Over ten posts, I’ve shared everything from the magic of closets (or lack thereof), the myth of a sacred bedroom, the weeke

With text-to-talk, I can be in the car with my littles asleep in the backseat, on the way to pick someone up, or even taking a quick five-minute break from work, and just start dictating a draft.

Breaking the cycle isn’t about cleaning less or giving up—it’s about being strategic, realistic, and a little playful. It’s about knowing that a few organized corners, a weekend chore plan (even if imperfect), and a healthy dose of humor go a lot further than trying to achieve Pinterest perfection.

I tried a big mom-hug strategy, telling him how much I appreciated his help that day and that he would enjoy the steak once we got there. Teenager mode activated, but the hug seemed to melt some of the hard edges.

Last night was really wholesome. We went to King’s Buffet for my son’s very belated birthday dinner. Everybody ate way too much, but it was so much fun. My mother-in-law and my sister-in-law came along, and we just hung out, enjoyed good food, and spent time together. After dinner, we headed home in our Ford Transit. It was just my husband, me, and the six kids, so eight people total. Our seven-seater Sienna is a little cramped for that many people, but the kids really enjoy

Sometimes the job itself is worth more than the pay.

Teaching our kids to give gifts is one of those lessons that sneaks up on you, but it’s so worth it. In the past, I’d give each child $20...

As parents we often just have to do the best we can.

We recently decided to move three of our children into a really massive room on top of our garage. The plan is to split the room into four quadrants—one for each child and the fourth as a playroom. We are also taking a smaller room for our office. So far, so good . Except what we discovered is that moving has to be a one-for-one process. I have to take out a bookcase and bring in a bed. There is no option to just pack up a room and move everything at once. There is literally

It’s not passive-aggressive. It’s self-preservation. A little moment of freedom in the constant battle against clutter. I’m not saying it solves the problem—obviously, it doesn’t. But it’s a reminder that I don’t have to be perfect, that a little imperfection won’t ruin our home, and that sometimes, letting go a bit actually helps me keep my sanity.

Is it a masterpiece or a flop? I may never known because I'm FIA - Frozen In Action

I am actually proud of this one. We bought a Ford Transit earlier this year and it was underpriced for the year and mileage, but we knew it needed a few fixes. One of those fixes was the passenger side sun visor. I ordered the part and spent way too much time trying to figure out how to install it. The visor screws into a section called the headliner, which is basically a shelf attached to the fabric roof. I tried everything. I studied it, poked at it, pushed it, twisted it,