The launch. Sending our precious kids off - whether to college or the military, a new job, or any other adventure, is a huge milestone in our parenting journey. Just the mention of the launch can put a lump in a mom's throat and a knot in her stomach, no matter how old her kids are. Funny how our children can drive us crazy all day long, but the simple mention of them ever leaving us can turn us into a puddle of emotions in a heartbeat.And really: the whole idea of launching our kids
Miscellaneous
Coffee Date: Back to School, My Son is Going to College, and I-could-use-a-hug-Edition.
Aloha Friends!Man, did summer fly by or what!?And how are you? Refreshed? Worn out? Ready for a new season ahead? I want to hear, so please don't forget to make it to the bottom and leave me a little update! (That's part of the deal with coffee dates! )I'm excited to catch up on things...So grab a seat (and your favorite beverage!) and let's dive in! First, let's get the painful exciting part over with: By the time this goes live I will be in California, getting Josiah
Helping Our Kids Through Lonely Seasons
I'll never forget a certain car ride when my boys were much younger. One of my sons was asking me a series of questions that I honestly wasn't following well. Obviously I wasn't giving him very good responses, because finally, with a very teary voice he just blurted out: "I guess I just wanted some advice on how to make friends, but never mind!"Oh...my heart. We've all been lonely at one time or another. And we can all agree loneliness is brutal. Yet there is one thing that may be
On Family, Work, and Pursuing Passions…
One of my favorite things about blogging has been getting to know such a variety of people from all over the world who are doing life in a thousand different ways: Young singles who are chasing their dreams, moms who juggle work and home life, amazing homeschooling families, as well as awesome grandmas, and even a few cool guys who work hard and love their families.When it comes to work and family, I just love that we live in a time when there are so many options! With a bit of intentional
Swanson Boys: Homeschool Updates, and Books they’ve been Loving
I don't know about you, but my boys go back to school tomorrow. (Tomorrow!!)I hope you enjoyed the last post about Homeschooling High School. (I remember being so nervous about the idea of homeschooling high school, but it has turned out to be a blast!)As promised, I am back today to give some quick updates on the homeschool curriculum my boys are using this year, and also to share some of the books they've been enjoying.^^My 4, yesterday -- at a Hawaiian Rodeo! :) I'm
On Homeschooling High School
Homeschooling High School....I am so happy to be sharing an awesome post by Jen McDonald today. I've been meaning to put some words together to share a homeschool post for a while now, and when I came across this post I was like "She said it better than I could!" I wanted to highlight all over my computer screen. :) I think you'll enjoy this! Quick note -- Curriculum updates? Every year I do try to do a curriculum update for my family, (though I don't think I got to that last
Cookie Dough Balls {inspired by Oh She Glows Everyday.}
I don't know about the rest of you, but in the heat of summer, cooking is just not high on my priority list. Who wants to think about a hot stove when you feel like you live in a hot stove? We've been eating a lot of quinoa salads, yummy burrito bowls, and anything that can go on the grill. Oh, and ice cream. Obviously. But kids still need snacks, right? So I've been trying out some new recipes for snacks that: A) kids like, and B) have some nutritional value. :) You might remember that I
Five Ways to Build Bridges When There is Distance in Your Marriage
Recently, my husband and I were running some errands in downtown Honolulu. It was just the two of us, and we were enjoying a little time away from our rowdy boys. But we were both distracted: Dave was getting many calls from the hospital, and thinking about the work waiting for him there…I was going over my mental to-do list, and calculating where and when I needed to pick up our boys.Suddenly, just as we neared a corner where we waited to cross the street, the scene brought me back in
