A Can Do Mom

  As a mom of two girls, I only had to go through the transition of adding a new child to our family once. But even that one time taught me so much. It was a beautiful, exciting time… but also a really tough one. In my case, my eldest daughter had begged for a sibling. During my pregnancy, she was so excited to meet her little sister but jealousy crept in too. And after I brought the baby home, that jealousy really came to the surface. Thankfully, after a few months, things started to settle down. But those first few months were rough. If I can help even one mom feel more prepared for this kind of transition, then I’d be so happy. So today I’m sharing some of the things that helped us through that big change and that might help you too. Start Making Adjustments During Pregnancy Bringing home a baby changes everything  so the more you can ease your older child into those changes beforehand , the smoother the transition might be. Ease them into independence : If your ...

Back in 2021, the Boppy Newborn Lounger was recalled due to a tragic and very real danger: the risk of suffocation . Parents were urged to stop using the pillow immediately. But heartbreakingly, two more babies have died using this lounger even after the recall . You might be wondering how this is still happening. After all, the product hasn’t been legally sold since the recall. The problem? Facebook Marketplace . Despite being a recalled item, nearly 1,000 Boppy Newborn Loungers are still being listed on Facebook Marketplace every month . Yes, every month . And while it's technically illegal to list or sell recalled products, many of these listings go live, get sold, and are only removed after someone reports them. But by then, the damage may already be done. And it’s not just the Boppy. The Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper , recalled in 2019 after being linked to over 100 infant deaths (including eight deaths since the recall ), continues to show up on resale platforms ...

Summer is here, and I’m in full cleaning mode. To be honest, I stay in some kind of cleaning mode year-round, but once the school year ends, I shift into declutter-and-refresh mode. Back when my kids were little and we homeschooled full-time, I’d deep clean and reorganize the schoolroom at the start of every summer. It helped me get ready for the new school year with a fresh space and clear mind. Even though those days are behind us now, I still use this season to reset our home—physically and mentally. If you’re homeschooling or still have younger kids at home, this is the perfect time to go through your shelves and closets. You might have books your kids have outgrown, clothes that don’t fit, or toys collecting dust. These kinds of items sell well on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or in local buy-sell groups. Not into online selling? No problem—host a yard sale, or consider renting a booth at a local flea market. The point is, what’s clutter to you might be exactly what someone else...

  Most of us have heard that too many carbs and too much sugar can be bad for us. But if you’re like me, that warning probably went in one ear and out the other for a long time. The truth is, we’re constantly bombarded with health advice so much so that it’s easy to tune it all out. Especially when the “bad guys” are things we actually enjoy, like bread, pasta, and sweets. But recently, I started paying more attention. I’d been dealing with a handful of minor health issues and just didn’t feel like myself. So I decided to try cutting back on carbs and sugar to see what would happen. The difference? Almost immediate. I felt better, more energized, less bloated, and more in control of my cravings. That experience inspired me to write this post. I want to share a few important things about what carbs and sugar actually do in the body and the impact they can have when we go overboard. What Role Do Carbs and Sugar Play in the Body? Let’s start with carbs. There are three main typ...

The minimalist movement has been gaining popularity for many years now. It has a lot of followers, but also plenty of people who question whether it’s a practical way to live. Personally, I find myself somewhere in the middle. I don’t think I could ever go fully minimalist like some people do, but I don’t disagree with a lot of their principles either. One question that’s always popped into my mind, especially as a mother, is this: how can you realistically pull off the minimalist lifestyle when you have children? It seems like it would be incredibly difficult. But does difficult mean impossible? Today I want to explore that question a little more by looking at the relationship between minimalism and parenting. We’ll talk about some of the benefits, the potential challenges, and a few practical tips that might help if you’re thinking about going minimalist with kids. Benefits of Minimalism for Kids As parents, we want to give our children the best start in life. We want to teach t...

  Self-care is important for everyone, but let’s be honest some of us have a much harder time making it a priority. And sometimes, when life feels heavy and full of responsibilities, it’s easy to forget about it altogether. That’s what happened to me when I became a mother. My kids’ well-being seemed so much more important than my own. And whenever I had a spare moment, I used it to care for others like my parents, my husband, my in-laws, or anyone else who needed me. But that wasn’t sustainable. It wasn’t healthy. And I’ve only recently started to fully realize that. So I wrote this post to remind other moms who feel the same way: taking care of yourself doesn’t become less important when you have kids. In fact, it becomes more important. Why Self-Care Is Actually Essential for Moms There are a million reasons why moms need self-care, but here’s the short version: You can’t pour from an empty cup. It’s hard to give your best to your family when you’re running on fumes. T...

I don’t know who needs to hear this (besides myself), but I’m going to say it anyway… If you’ve had a bad year—or even just some hard weeks or months in 2022 that doesn’t mean 2023 can’t be different. I know all too well how it can feel like nothing is ever going to change for the better. Like life is stuck in a downward spiral. Maybe you haven’t felt that low lately, but I think we all experience hard seasons that knock the wind out of us. So I suppose this post is just to remind you: you’re not alone . It’s so easy to feel isolated when things are falling apart, but you’re not as alone as you think. At any given moment, we’re all struggling with something . That’s why it’s so important to be part of something whether it’s a tight friend group, a supportive family circle, or a community that understands you. That’s also why I started this blog to reach out to other moms, so we can share our experiences and lift each other up. My experience this year hasn’t been the best. My oldest mov...

  My New Year’s Eve Goal-Setting Tradition The new year is coming fast, and that means there are lots of new opportunities on the horizon. I always get excited when New Year’s Eve rolls around even though, honestly, some years it’s harder than others to feel excited instead of anxious about what the future might bring. One thing that helps me get into the spirit is writing down my goals. It’s a tradition my daughters and I have had for a long time now, and it’s something I truly look forward to. I wanted to share my method for writing New Year’s goals in case you’d like to try it out or are just curious how someone else does it. I always love hearing different perspectives, so feel free to share yours in the comments! Step One – Divide the List into Sections I’ve always been a little particular about how my lists look when I’m finished. Whether it’s a to-do list or a goal sheet, I like to keep things neat and organized. So I divide my goals into categories. Usually, I’ll cre...

I have a complicated history with houseplants. In the past, I accidentally killed more than I care to admit. My kids even gave me the title “The Plant Killer” (complete with a dramatic theme song they made up just for me 😅). There was a stretch where I just gave up entirely. No plants. No guilt. Just fake greenery and silence. But something in me missed that little touch of life in the home so I gave it another go. And I’m happy to report… I’ve found my groove! I now have several healthy houseplants thriving around the house. It took a lot of trial and error (and a little humility), but the benefits? So worth it. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a certified plant assassin like I was, I truly believe that everyone should have at least one houseplant in their home. And here are 5 solid reasons why plus 5 beginner-friendly plants to check out at the end! Reason #1: They Can Reduce Stress I’m all for anything that helps me manage stress and houseplants do just that. Stu...

A Quick Note from Mom Before you dive into this post, I just wanted to share that it was written by my oldest daughter, Beth. With the holiday season officially upon us, I thought it would be fun to talk about some of our family traditions—but then I had an even better idea: let her share them instead. After all, holiday traditions are most meaningful through the eyes of a child, and nothing brought me more joy as a parent than seeing my kids light up with excitement as we made memories together. Thanksgiving Traditions Our Thanksgiving traditions have changed quite a bit over the years, but each version brought its own kind of joy. Here are a few of the ones that stand out the most to me. Tradition #1 – Eating Something Different Every Year When I was little, we’d go to both sets of grandparents for Thanksgiving. That meant two traditional turkey dinners… and then leftovers… followed by more traditional meals at Christmas. Eventually, we were all a little burned out. So when...