Why I no longer volunteer

What's really happening ... is not always obvious on the surface. I was recently asked to volunteer for something, and when I declined, I quickly felt the judgmental stares and gossiping whispers from the group directed toward me. I don't volunteer anymore. At least not in the way most people want me to. I don't...

Mission Sunflower Festival

We stumbled upon a cute little festival this past weekend. It was the first-ever Mission Sunflower Festival in Mission, KS. It was our last weekend of having my husband around again until graduation, so we were looking for something different and fun to help entertain our kids. We weren't sure what to expect since this...

I’d rather be laughed at like Noah

Hurricane Harvey has reminded me, yet again, how important it is to be prepared. Most of the time, things happen when we least expect it. Tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, power outages. Even with warnings like Harvey, and at least some time to prepare, those not in the direct path of the hurricane were still affected. The...

Two brothers and a total eclipse

As awe-inspiring and amazing as the Total Solar Eclipse was on Monday (and it truly was here in Missouri in the path of totality), I'd like to tell another story of the eclipse. It's the story of my husband and his brother who hadn't seen each other in nearly a decade. But let me back...

Local Gem: Macey’s Kong Kone

Soccer season has started up again for us and this week was the first practice for my seven-year-old's team, which I'm lucky enough to coach this fall. We didn't start until later in the evening, and it was so miserably hot and humid that I was really craving one of these Kong Kone's on the...

Road tripping with the kids to Arches National Park

Utah is one of my favorite states ever! Not just because it is home to my alma mater, BYU. And not just because of all of those beautiful mountains. It is also home to several national parks. On our summer road trip this year, we had the chance to visit Arches National Park in eastern...

Roadtripping with the kids to see the castle on the hill

Castle on the hill ... No, not the Ed Sheeran song ... We’re talking about the castle on the hill near Sedalia, Missouri, which can be seen from Highway 65. Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site features a 31-room, 12,000-square-foot summer home sitting atop a 120-foot bluff and two natural caves. The “castle” was built for...

I threw out my expectations and saw my bipolar son become an Eagle Scout

Before my oldest child finished his first basketball practice at the age of five, I knew I needed to re-evaluate the expectations I had as a parent. More specifically, the ones where I hoped he’d follow in my footsteps. There was little more important to me than basketball growing up. It taught me a multitude...