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Monica Swanson
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Monica Swanson
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parenting+ marriage

I love to help you build strong families, beginning with a healthy marriage, and purposeful parenting.

faith

Every good thing comes from God and healthy families are built on a firm foundation of faith.

homeschool

After 15+ years of homeschooling, my family agrees it’s the best choice we have made!

healthy mind+body

With a background in sports medicine and fitness, I am passionate to encourage women to embrace a healthy mindset and lifestyle.

Latest bit of encouragement

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal {The Perfect Fall Breakfast}

Post-publish note: This was a post from (quite a few) years ago, but I wanted to pop it up to the top of the blog…

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CTC Math review
Home School

CTC Math review

Homeschool curriculum review Hi Friends! Since I have been sharing about CTC Math on my podcast recently, a lot of people have been asking me…

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Summer Coffee Date {with FUN Giveaway!} 2023
Encouragement and faith | Miscellaneous | Parenting and Family

Summer Coffee Date {with FUN Giveaway!} 2023

Alooooha friend!! I’m so happy to see you! Got time for a coffee?! This is my quarterly chance to check in, swap updates, photos and…

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Summer Chicken Veggie Pasta Salad
Lunches and Dinners

Summer Chicken Veggie Pasta Salad

Ok friends: I’m back with a recipe! And I think it’s worth telling the story behind it: I have always promised to share recipes that…

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Kids, The Internet, & Social Media:  Seven Steps that might Save your Kid (this summer)
Parenting and Family

Kids, The Internet, & Social Media: Seven Steps that might Save your Kid (this summer)

Timely announcement! — June 5-9th 2023 the doors to the Raising Tech-Smart Kids Mini-Course are OPEN!! It is everything you need and nothing that you…

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Spring Kick-Off Coffee Date {with a giveaway!}
Encouragement and faith | Home & Country | Miscellaneous

Spring Kick-Off Coffee Date {with a giveaway!}

Hey friends…We made it to the middle of March and Alexa just told me that winter ends…tomorrow! — Wow what timing! Congratulations! You’ve made it…

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You cannot visit the Willamette Valley, Oregon on You cannot visit the Willamette Valley, Oregon on the last day of September 🍂🍁🍃and not spend a day lunching, wine-tasting, and shopping with your dear friend. 
✨✨✨ One more day of big smiles and “Thank you God!”’s  from the depths of this fall-loving girl’s heart!!
One of the greatest gifts we can give our kids is One of the greatest gifts we can give our kids is good examples of people throughout history who have modeled strength of character in good and bad times. I want my kids to know that when times get hard (because they will 😌) - or if, heaven forbid, they face something tragic one day, they might recall others who have been in their shoes and made it through. 🙏🙌🏼.

❤️One of my favorite ways to do this is through sharing great stories (in books, movies, or audio drama) with them! 

I have a FREE download available on my website: “40 Character-inspiring movies, books, quotes and verses”… it’s a great start to this process! 👏🏼👍🏼.

If you don’t have the list yer, you can use the link in my bio to get it (or just go to monicaswanson.com/40resources to get it!) 

Also! Don’t miss this week’s podcast episode 🎤  all about the POWER 💪🏼 of influences in our kids’ lives! “The best weapon or the greatest danger”. 💥 then get a copy of #raisingamazing to read more! 🤓👍🏼

#cslewisquotes #parenting #christianparenting #kidsbooks #christianbooksforkids #charactertraining
Just 48 hours but my cup is full! 🥰🙌🏼. B Just 48 hours but my cup is full! 🥰🙌🏼. 
Before going to visit his family in McMinnville, Dave and I slipped in 2 nights in Hood River, Oregon where we spent a lotttt of time when we were first married. 🥰 (Dave was an avid windsurfer then and I tried my best to learn/keep up 😉) 

It all has felt like a gift from God.  As soon as we arrived: 
The rain stopped. 
The sun came out. 
There was a fall chill in the air. 🙌🏼 
Leaves seemed to be changing colors right in front of our eyes. 🍃 🍁 🍂 
During our short stay:
We ran trails. 
We drank fall coffee drinks at our favorite shops. 
We visited an incredible orchard (and happened upon a multi-course lunch while we were there ☺️🤷🏼‍♀️). 
PS they grow over 100 varieties of apples! 😲🍏🍎
We walked and talked and bought new hats 😂 and planned the next season and prayed together and watched windsurfers (actually now it’s mostly wing-foilers!?) and we ate so much good food. (Including Mikes ice cream— see 6th slide. 🍦it’s still here and still so good!)

Living in Hawaii is wonderful but one honest drawback is that we don’t get to take many “vacations”- especially to unique places (not just Waikiki, haha!) 

These couple days filled my cup and blessed our marriage exponentially. Thank you Dave. Thank you Lord. 🥰🙌🏼🙏

😍 Married friends: How often do you get away with your spouse? Where do you love to go together? 
🍎 Everyone:  what do you think is the BEST variety of apple!? (Do we all agree it’s still Golden Delicious!? 🥰🤷🏼‍♀️)
Spotted in the Scottsdale @barnesandnoble (Shea st Spotted in the Scottsdale @barnesandnoble (Shea street 🥰). There is only one copy left and it is (now☺️) a signed copy! Who’s gonna grab it?!

Somehow this is the first time I remembered to stop in a real book store to look for #raisingamazing so it was fun to spot it, alongside so many other great titles by awesome authors! (I see you up there @karikampakis !🥰) 

If you find either of my books at a bookstore I’d LOVE for you to post or send me a photo! ❤️🙏 - and of course wherever you live you can get a copy on Amazon (link in my bio! 👍🏼💛❤️) 

PS Today!! — I’m covering highlights and nuggets from Ch 6 on this week’s podcast episode! 🥳. And I’m just gonna say: it’s an important one!! Hope you can listen 🥰

Book and podcast are all linked up in my IG bio! ⬆️ 👍🏼
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Recent Popular Posts

  • Your Best Weapon or the Greatest Danger: Ch. 6 from Raising Amazing
  • How a Youtube Golf Sensation is Using His Influence for Good (Good), with Matt Scharff
  • Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal {The Perfect Fall Breakfast}
  • CTC Math review
  • Losing Their Home (but not Their Perspective) in the Maui Fire, with my friend Jes Claydon

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© 2023 Monica Swanson · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy

  • Start Here
    • About
    • Speaking
    • Subscribe
    • All Things Kids and Technology
    • All Things Homeschooling
    • All of the Boy Posts
  • Blog
    • Parenting and Family
    • Health/Fitness
    • Encouragement and faith
    • Home School
    • Surf
  • Recipes
    • Breakfasts
    • Snacks and Smoothies
    • Lunches and Dinners
    • Desserts
    • Gluten Free
  • Books
    • Raising Amazing
    • Boy Mom
  • Podcast
  • Contact
Character Course
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