Even though they are hard to talk about. — I am self conscious. I am a little heavier than I would like to be. My laugh is a little too loud. I am clingy with certain people. Sometimes I am needy. I have terrible anxiety. These are some of my vulnerabilities that I don’t like talking about with others. …

And why I waited until I was 35 to do it. — I have always loved tattoos. They are beautiful expressions of individuality. People can get whatever they want emblazoned on to their skin for the whole world to see. So why did I wait until I was 35 to get one? I have many reasons for waiting, some are super personal…

Challenging myself to write everyday for 30 days. — I have been absent from Medium for quite a long time. I haven’t had the opportunity to hit that “publish button” in about 6 months. It hasn’t been from lack of motivation, or even lack of ideas. It has been because of fear. Fear has a way of ruling our…

Where to look, and what to use. — WHERE DO I LOOK? When we started our homeschooling journey I was overwhelmed by the amount of curriculum there was to choose from. How was I supposed to pinpoint exactly what my kids needed to learn, and then effectively teach it to them if I couldn’t nail down a good curriculum? …

And how they’ve helped us. — How we talk to our kids has as much effect on them as what we say to them. They learn from the way we speak to them, by our tone of voice, and our intentions. Kids who are spoken to with respect are usually the kids who know how to…

And How to Have One — WHAT EXACTLY IS A “RELAXED HOMESCHOOL”? “Relaxed homeschooling” was first coined by Dr. Mary Hood. She says that “relaxed homeschooling” is the schooling that happens between unschooling and regular school at home.” According to Dr. Mary Hood, “Relaxed homeschooling is a mindset that embraces these four tenets: you are a family, not a school; you are…

But, it didn’t. — It was April of 2013. I was a newly pregnant 27 year old. My husband and I had been married for 3 years, and we were right in the middle of moving from New Mexico back to Utah. …

The four steps that have helped me out the most. — “You wanted someone to understand without your having to tell them, but you didn’t really believe anyone could. You had to learn to keep your feelings to yourself, perhaps not even acknowledging them yourself.” -Adult Children of Alcoholics, Janet Geringer Woititz I do not feel like your average 34-year-old, mom…

The art of living purposefully. — A couple of weeks ago my cousin Luke Rowley called me, telling me that he had found over 35 monarch caterpillars. He asked if my kids would like to raise a couple. An emphatic “Yes!” came from the back seat of our Tahoe as I mentioned it to Curtis. …