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.