Call us crazy but last year, my husband and I decided it was finally time to get serious and get our license to be Foster Parents.  It was something we had discussed before getting married over 13 years ago but the timing just never worked out.  Now that we don't plan to have any more biological children, it just made sense to us to finally take this leap.  In the past 6 months, we've learned several things about how foster care works.  So if you're considering this path, I'd love to share a Read more [...]

This is a sponsored guest post. Self-confidence ebbs and flows. Some days you may feel like royalty, and other days you may feel like a weird little lizard. Fostering innate confidence can feel like a mysterious lifelong battle. But it doesn’t always have to be so nebulous. In this article, we’ll showcase the ways in which taking care of your teeth can lead to a more confident you. With this in mind, hopefully you’ll spend more days in a confidence crown than you do wandering the desert Read more [...]

For two years, my husband and I were foster parents.  Sadly, we recently closed our home though.  At some point, I may go into all the reasons behind that decision.  But I'm not quite ready to yet.  For now, I'll just say that it's a very broken system.  I know life isn't fair but these poor kiddos are getting the short end of the deal at every turn.  There needs to be change. Six months into our fostering journey, I wrote this post about What To Expect When Expecting That Call.  So that's Read more [...]

Candlewick press sent me books for inclusion in my holiday gift guide. All opinions are my own. I love giving books with holiday gifts. For the kids in my life, I usually give them a toy and a book that is related to some interest of theirs. Too often, kids are made to read books in school that they find boring. This can result in kids forgetting that reading can be really fun if you find books that suit your interests. So, I try to gift books that kids will be excited about as a subtle way of Read more [...]

This 'California Beach Co. Pop 'N Go Playpen + Accessories post' is sponsored by California Beach Company.  As always, all opinions are my own. If you're on the hunt for a last minute gift idea for a little one or new parents in your life, the California Beach Co. has a WOW gift they will love!  They're the creators of the BEST playpen, lovingly named the Pop N' Go Playpen.  Plus, they offer a variety of accessories to go with it as well. We're expecting baby number six after Read more [...]