Moving Tips!

A couple of months ago, my family and I moved cross-country with our three kids. 2300 miles in the car over about five days made for some interesting moments...and memories! We got to see parts of the country that we wouldn't have otherwise. Starting off in Ca and ending up in WV, we are now full of tips and tricks on how to stay sane and happy while traveling. Here are a few things I learned along the way! - Keep expectations low! From the food, to the attitudes of your kids to the conditions of the weather, keep it all in perspective. You may not have the most beautiful instagram worthy pictures in the end and you may not have been able to try that amazing diner you hoped to, but if you all make it in one piece, let THAT be the goal! - Have plenty for the kids to do. My kids range from 3-14 so they have very different needs. But pack that bag of tricks! From books and devices, to coloring and craft supplies, keep your supplies handy! Nothing ruins a road trip faster than a whiny baby or teenager! - Plan for naps- or quiet time. Every hour or so, encourage your kids to rest their eyes and maybe even take a quick snooze. Again, cranky and tired kids make for a miserable trip. - Snacks! Be sure to have plenty of snacks, some healthy and some just for fun. You never know when you'll be able to stop next so have several options and lots of bottles of water! - Potty breaks! Whether kids say they have to go or not, MAKE THEM TRY! Nothing is worse than pulling out of a rest stop or gas break only to have kids announce that they have to pee ten minutes later! And because you'll never know the condition of bathrooms on the road, keep plenty of paper towels and sanitizing wipes in the car. I hope this helps and I hope you enjoy your time on the road. Remember, there WILL be unexpected issues and you'll have a few messes on the way, but the memories you make will far outweight the negative. Happy trails!

Is Breast Really Best??

My son is going on three years old and still attached at the...mammary gland. He loves nursing. Loves it. At about two years, I was thinking he "should" stop, "should" wean, and "should not" be so attached. But then..why? I mean, what's wrong with him still wanting my milk? We adults still drink milk so why wouldn't he still want milk? Aside from social norms, why would he need to stop? And so this journey of gentle weaning has begun. I want to sleep better and so he must sleep better for that to happen so for that reason, I've weaned him off the nightime feedings. But aside from that, I've decided there's just no good reason to stop until he's ready. My breastmilk has literally grown his brain, his bones, his BODY from his infancy and I just can't see how it can hurt. So what do you think? Have you felt pressure from society?? Let me know your thoughts!

Homeschool!

Today I began my homeschooling journey and while it is a scary ride, I'm excited that God has granted me the opportunity and freedom to educate my children the way my hubby and I feel is best! There are many reasons one might choose homeschooling and for mu husband and me, the list looks like this: - More control over our schedule. My hubby can teach the kiddos on his day off and share the burden with me. - Less driving back and forth for drop off and pick up. We also have a toddler so this one is tough! - More flexibility in what we teach. - Ability to pray, have bible time, and teach our kids what God's word says about the world. - Less exposure to bad influences. Look, teachers with thirty kids just can't monitor what kids are doing, saying, seeing...period. So with all that being said, we jumped in today, all the way into the deep end! I'm getting organized and planning the year as we go and honestly, I'm so excited! I never thought I would say that since I'm a mama who needs peace and quiet, time to myself and love to work on my blog, YouTube channel, and food business but all that will have to be worked in. My kids are the most important job I have and I want to do the best I can with the resources God has given us. Pray for me and feel free to ask questions if you are on the homeschool path yourself! Also, I can use all the tips I can get :)