Hilary
Quarantine {Lessons in Resilience}
My family has not ventured beyond our driveway or our dead-end street since March 12, with the exception of my husband's trips to procure food. I am sure many of you reading this have...
Our First {and Failed} Valentine’s Day: Lessons in Communication
My husband and I have been together for fifteen years. In many ways, we have grown up together.
Valentine's Day of 2006 was our very first Valentine's Day together. I never was (and continue to...
Tough Decisions: When You Don’t Let Your Kid Keep a Holiday Gift
We’ve all been there.
Someone buys your child a gift that you aren’t so thrilled about. A baby toy that plays the same song over and over again. A craft kit that includes way too...
Please Don’t Tell Me to Relax {I Have Anxiety}
I have always been sure of myself in two crystal clear ways:
I am a perfectionist and I am introverted.
Despite being the butt of some jokes over the years, these characteristics have served me well, and I...
The Day the Principal Called
A few weeks ago, my phone rang in the middle of the day. To my surprise and horror, on the other end of the line was the familiar voice of my first-grade daughter's principal....
Same, but Different {Raising Children with Different Personalities}
Different kid. Different struggles. Different personalities.
When my first child was born, I had no idea what I was doing. No parenting book could have prepared me for sleepless nights, cluster feeding, and leaky boobs....
Starting Over {Again}: When My Daughter’s Best Friend Moved Away
Exactly one year ago, I took my daughter to Kindergarten school bus orientation. We had moved to a new town in the late Spring and had spent the Summer entertaining ourselves since we knew...
No-Pressure Summer and Lowered Expectations {thoughts from a mom who is bad at summer}
Summer.
I am not good at summer and am not the summer mom of my kids' dreams.
I love the structure of the school year, to-do lists, color-coordinated planning, blocks of time to work, and designated...
I’ve Never Hired a Babysitter {But I Wish I Had}
Growing up, my parents never once hired a babysitter. If they needed to go out together, for date night or otherwise, my grandmothers or aunts were always the ones to stay with me.
When I...
A Million Dreams: How My Daughter’s Love for Dance Taught Me to be Present
This year, my children turned six and four years old. I need to be more present.
I am sure that many of you reading this think that my kids are still very small. And I...