When Celebration and Grief Collide
My daughter’s birthday is in November. As any mom, I get excited as her birthday gets near. But for me, her birthday is a time when celebration and grief collide.…
The 2022 Formula Shortage: My Journey and What You Need to Know
It is hard to know where to begin with what I have learned about formula feeding since April 2021. See that was the month that I launched a local nonprofit…
Sharing Your Life Story With Your Kids: Tell It Like It Was!
As much as we may love being mothers, there is so much more to all of us. We all have a story to tell. And because our children play such…
Honoring Your Path Through Human Design
There was a time in which I felt really lost. When I didn’t know which direction to turn. When I wasn’t sure which way was up and which way was…
I’m Not Biting My Tongue Anymore! Speaking My Truth: Learned From Kids
Speaking my truth, I'm a GenX'er and that comes with many things I'm proud of. We didn't get trophies much but the ribbons I earned from track are cherished memories.…
I Hate Parenting My Kids: The Honest Truth
I recently read a blog where a mom shared her feelings about the difficulties of being a mom. She was raw and brutally honest. I related to her feelings on a…
Done Trying to Be perfect: Allowing myself to be a B+ Mom
With the New Year upon us, the pressure to improve ourselves as a human and especially as a mom is constantly in our faces. However, I need to be honest…
Did You Really Lose Yourself as a Mom? Or Were You Lost Long Before?
We hear moms say it all the time… “I had children and I lost myself”. I get it. I’ve seen so many women in therapy who feel this exact same…
Seeing Christmas Magic Through My Daughter’s Eyes
Christmas magic has always been prevalent in my family. My mother was a bit of a Christmas fanatic. She believed and I mean truly believed, in Santa. She swore the…
How Do We Safeguard Our Kids From Toxic Relationships?
It's in the media. It's on so many episodes of crime shows. Toxic relationships turned into domestic abuse. Families are ripped apart by the grief of domestic violence. How do…
The Lies and Truth of Marriage: Growing Together and Apart
The lies of marriage make it difficult to have a "happy" or "thriving marriage, the truth is we grow together and apart. Here I am learning how to let go…
Self Sabotage: How I Learned to Break the Cycles of Bad Habits
Self sabotage showed up big in 2020 for many of us. Food and alcohol and all the other things we tend to "over" do are quick easy soothers for hard…
My Daughter Is Getting Married and This Girl Mom Is Getting a Son
The milestones of being a girl mom and raising daughters is priceless. Parenting comes with surprises every turn. Imagine my new delight at the engagement of my daughter. A feeling…
How Body Neutrality Taught Me to Appreciate a Body I Don’t Like
Every body is different. And yet I know I'm not alone in having this image of how my body should look. For years I've worked to love my body. For…
In Praise of Boredom: 5 ways boredom is good
Boredom: the state of feeling wearied by dullness, tedious repetition, and apathy. Synonyms include apathy, indifference, disgust, lethargy, and monotony. Thanks, dictionary people. What a downer. How can any of…
Deleting Social Media: How it’s Improved my Mental Health and Productivity
I finally had had enough. I deleted social media from my phone. The mindless scrolling was taking a toll on my mental health and my productivity. We read all about…
Mama, Never Give up. Keep Trying, Keep Going.
I sat down on the steps, exhausted, ready to give up believing things could get better, ready to give up trying. The feeling of fatigue covering my whole body. Wondering…
Parenting Adult Kids is Hard: 4 Lessons I’ve Learned
It's been two years since my twins moved into college dorms and began "adulting" as they describe it. These years of empty-nesting were supposed to be relaxing and stress-free. I…
When Are You Going To Have Kids? Sensitive Topic Most People Don’t Understand
We recently flew to Minnesota and being a family of four we had one row with the girls and me, then my husband across the aisle. A seemingly nice woman…
Seeing Double: From My Baby Girl to Adult. 11 Things I Want You to Know.
"When we look at our big kids, we still see our babies, too. This double vision is one of the most profound privileges of parenthood. We gratefully turn to fresh…
To the Village-less Mom – I see you. I am you.
To the mom parenting without a village, I see you. I want you to know, I long for that close circle of support too. My husband and I are raising…
10 Things My Toddler Has Taught Me About Life
I never expected to be sitting here writing this blog article. I knew being a mom would push and mold me but I did not expect to learn such profound,…
Kindergarten Is Calling: The Bittersweet Blessing of Letting Go
I’ve been counting down the years, watching them turn into months. Always keeping my eye on the proverbial clock that’s been ticking away since she was born. And now, according…
Tips How NOT to Pass Your New School Year Anxiety onto Your Kids
Were you one of those kids that couldn't wait to get the school supply list? Run to the store and gather all those clean crisp notebooks and markers? Well, I…
24 Favorite Inspirational Quotes for Women to Empower and Uplift
No matter what stage in life you are in, let these 24 inspirational quotes for women help you see and know your worth. Life can get hard sometimes and as…
Summer Reading Book Club Ideas for Women From The We Spot
As things are opening up and people are beginning to reconnect, why not start a new women's book club? Meet with your current circle of friends. Create new connections virtually…
7 Ways to Encourage Your White Children To Be Anti-Racist
My life is dedicated to working toward equity for all and speak, train and think about racism. I work to be anti-racist daily. I have been a parent for just…
Looking Back: A Letter To Share Some Mama Wisdom
Dear Mama, You are in such an intense season of your life with these precious babies. Diapers, sleepless nights, napless days, every bodily fluid imaginable. Juggling more than 1 person's…
Nine Things to Do When You Have an Empty-Nest
The day that all older women told me about arrived recently...my fourth and last baby has graduated from high school and will quickly be out on his own. While endlessly…
Where My Girls At? Cheers to the Low Maintenance Friends
This Is A Shout-Out to the Low Maintenance Friend. She’s been on my heart lately and I just wanted to take a minute to tell her how much she means…
Induction Birth Story — 5 Focuses To Turn Trauma Into Triumph
A year ago I went to my 40-week prenatal appointment alone, masked following pandemic protocols, but looking forward to the ultrasound to get to see my baby. I was not…
Have a Successful Summer With Your Kids With a Bucket List That Actually Works
Summer is here and while it's fun to make a bucket list of activities- most families get to the end of summer and forget it. We end up a little…
Stop Yelling at Your Kids: 5 Ways to Find Your Cool
A big struggle moms come to me with, as a mom mentor, is how to stop yelling at their kids. My answers and help always surprise them. It sounds like…
Life as a Stay-at-Home Mom in a Pandemic: Not What I Signed Up For
Let me start by saying I LOVE my children! Becoming a mom was not an easy journey for me and there were times I thought it might never happen. I love…
Our Teens Are Struggling; How Can We Help?
Our world is hurting right now. And I don’t mean just with everything with COVID the past year. We have been hurting for a while. One of the concerns that…
Excuses are Overrated – You are the Solution to all Your Problems
Here’s the thing I am most frustrated about as of late. Excuses. Excuses are overrated. When we complain about everything on social media, posting the houses you wish you had instead…
Three Pillars to Rebuild Confidence as a School-Age Parent
Admittedly, I’m lacking confidence as a parent at the end of this school year. Yes, school during a pandemic has been more than just confidence-shaking. But for me it has…
Empower Your Daughters: 7 Things I Learned The Hard Way
Everyone you will ever come in contact with knows something you don’t. You can learn from all of them, even if it’s only that they don’t belong in your life.
Redefining “Smart”: The Importance of Emotional Intelligence
“Emotional intelligence is learned and learnable by everyone; whereas intellectual intellect is not learnable. The daily practice of doing emotional labour is what develops emotional intelligences. In the beginning, the…
People Pleasing: Set Yourself Free From the Lies You Tell Yourself
It's subtle, people pleasing. The lies women are telling are often so close to the truth, so subtle that they go unseen, but they never go un-felt. Women are telling…
Give Voice to Maternal Exhaustion – A Story of Burnout, Betrayal and Fear
What does maternal exhaustion mean? Well, I knew that I needed to face this topic for the last six months. Instead of writing, maternal exhaustion has been where I’ve lived.…
World Autism Awareness Day: The Spectrum of Life
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain." Viviane Greene Today on April 2nd, 2021 World Autism Awareness Day,…
Hurry Up and Stop Growing: A Mom’s Clashing Feelings
Two of my husband's children are acting like a**holes. Sure, they're my kids too and right now I am shifting parental ownership to their father. I am sick of the…
Why Are Daughters Critical of Mothers? Generational Feminism
A long time ago I told my girls, "I'm definitely not perfect so I am definitely going to screw up at being a mom sometimes! All that I ask is…
Raise ’em Up with Respect and Kindness
Something happened this year at school with my daughter that got me thinking about respect among women and girls. The simple concept of respect is the admiration for someone’s abilities,…
Living Away from Fear, Not Into It: An Unexpected Lesson in Courage
Not long ago, we stuck a for sale sign in our front yard, packed up the contents of our home for the last seven years, and decided to live away…
Sarah Nicole Landry @thebirdspapaya
Body Image: How Birth Helped Me Heal After Abuse and a Lifetime at War with Myself and My Body
I was 20 when I lost my first pregnancy. I felt betrayed by my body, but at that point in my life, betrayal was all I knew towards her. My…
Top 7 Tips for Women Home Buyers: Real People Helping Real People
According to an article in U.S. News and World Report, women home ownership is on the rise. 18% of home buyers in 2017 were single women, compared to only 7%…
My High-Risk Pregnancy & Journey with a Chromosome Abnormality
For women with a known chance of a high-risk pregnancy, finding out you’re expecting can be a terrifying experience. I am one of those women. It's difficult to share such…
Extreme Self-Care: 3 Big Takeaways from 5 Days by Myself at the Beach
Due to a series of unexpected events at the beginning of the year, I had the opportunity to spend 5 days of extreme self-care by myself at the beach. I'd…
How Do You Raise Three Kids as a Single Mom? A Tribute to Wing Moms
I have been a divorced single mom now for 18 years. My three daughters are adults now. My former husband and father to my children lives out of state. Basically,…
Helping Little Humans Handle Big Feelings
The Blessing of Bonus Littles I’ve been blessed to be the auntie of two of the most loving, creative, kind, and unique kiddos (sure, I’m a little biased). My niece…
The Aftermath: Pressing Through the Pain to Find Healing After Trauma
Warning: traumatic birth story detailed below. Please read on with caution as the material or descriptions may be triggering. Every January, as his birthday draws near, I have a tightness…
Seeing My Daughter in a New Light: Through the Lens of COVID
I was 26 years old when I birthed my daughter, the final child we were to have...the icing on our cake. She was, like her older brothers, a joy to…
Photo Credit: U Shine Photography- Jill Skoglund
The Universe Gifted Me a Special Needs Son
The universe gifted me a special needs son. He has a presence about him and is a bright light on my darkest days. The days I have lost all hope,…
My Dear Daughters, Always Remember That I Love You!!
“There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” – Jill Churchill I am a proud mother of three beautiful young ladies. Having all girls,…
Detox and Recharge! Self Care Spa Recipes to Make at Home
The wintery days are upon on us, and we are very likely still somewhat limited in where we can go and what we can do, due to the pandemic. So,…
Give the Dance Moms a Break, Choose Acceptance Over Judgement
In 2016, I became a “girl mom.” But I was determined never to become one of those "Dance Moms." I was already mom to a little boy. He was innately a…
Distance Learning: Educating the Heart Through Self-Compassion
How to educate has entered pretty much every parent’s home this year in a new way. As I write this I am embracing our third month of facilitating online kindergarten…
Black Mothers Matter: Addressing Deadly Healthcare Disparities
I believe that it is important to continually educate ourselves on the prevalence of racism that plagues our society. Recent events have created a new awareness surrounding the treatment of…
Mom Burnout: Finding Balance in a Season that has us Burning at Both Ends
What do you think of when I say the word balance? Do you picture the perfect system or a schedule that FINALLY makes motherhood feel balanced? What we experience in…
I am Tired: Confessions of a Special Needs Mom
I am tired. There, I said it. It’s not like me to publicly admit such a thing. I am strong and independent and I do my best to soldier on…
Do it Your Way! Listen to Yourself and Start Living an Intuitive, Empowered Life.
Have you ever tried to follow an “expert’s” advice that just didn’t fit for you? Have you felt like a failure because their advice didn’t work as well for you…
Journaling About your Hobbies: How I Stay Connected
Journaling about your hobbies is a great way to stay connected to them when you may not have the time, space or money to actually do your hobby. One of…
Three Ways to Overcome The Challenges of Being a Caregiver
Being a caregiver can be very challenging and sometimes difficult to overcome but it can be done. On January 31, 2017, the rest of mine and my mother's lives changed…
Embracing the Beauty in the Ordinary
I am once again reminded that there is beauty in the every day moments as I watch the sunrise while holding our 8 week old. It is the ordinary, every…
Preparing for Your Fall Family Photos: Advice From Photographers
I absolutely love having family photos taken, especially in the Fall when the weather starts to change and I start thinking about Christmas card photos. My husband would probably even…
Tips for Nurturing Your Special Needs Child’s Self Esteem
As parents we want to do everything we can to help our children grow and these tips for nurturing your special needs child's self esteem plays a huge role in…
A Pandemic, Natural Disasters, and Politics, Oh My! 10 Things Keeping Me Sane Right Now…
The past 6 months have been unquestionably the strangest time in my life. It has been an unprecedented, unpredictable, and challenging time for the entire world. Not only have we…
Before You Break His Heart: A Letter to the First to Break My Son’s Heart
Dear First, Before you break his heart, will you hear me out? As I write this, there is a precious, 8-year-old boy asleep in the other room. He has a…
A Warrior Heart: Her Birth Story
It is 3:42 in the morning and I can feel her warrior heart beating against mine. I am exhausted and my body aches. It’s been less than 24 hours since…
This is What we Want for Her: A Few Parting Words for my College Freshman
In one week we will move my only child into her college freshman dorm room. We will unpack, joke, arrange, laugh, bicker and organize. We will make sure she is…
Surviving School: Practical Advice for In-Person or Remote Learning
Parents are in an impossible situation when it comes to deciding what their children should do for school this year. There truly is no good answer. But we all have…
Dear White Parents of Black Children: Our Love is Not Enough
When I was in college I got pregnant with my daughter. I gave birth to her at the beginning of my senior year of undergrad. From that moment on my…
Daycare: The Importance of Keeping a Sleep Routine
One of the biggest obstacles my clients face is what to do when they send their little ones to daycare. They are often found wondering how they are going to…
The Valuable Lesson I Learned From my Autistic Son
"A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might…
The Memories that Get Lost in the Hustle and Bustle of Life
The memories that get lost in the hustle and bustle of life. I can feel them slipping away. The tiny, every day moments that make being a mom, a wife,…
When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned: We Adjust and Move Forward
The doctor glanced up at me after examining my daughter and gently explained, “We’re going to go ahead and make an appointment for her at the children’s hospital downtown.” Well,…
The Best Thing We Can Do for Our Children: Allow Them to be Themselves
“When you parent, it’s critical you realize you aren’t raising a “mini me,” but a spirit throbbing with its own signature. For this reason, it’s important to separate who you…
The Challenge for Moms and the Childless Woman to be in Community
Moms and the childless in community? All of us crave the fulfillment of whatever we assume is missing in our lives. Otherwise, life would be practically perfect. But the challenge for…
What my Failed Tampon Experience Taught me About Period Poverty
I stood there waiting for the airport terminal train, breathing slowly in and out, squeezing my legs together so tightly my muscles were shaking. I was trying to hold back…
Separation Anxiety in Children: How You Can Help
Raising kids is a high-stakes responsibility and in this age of social media and easy access to information about anything and everything, parents are easily overwhelmed with feelings of guilt…
I’ll Never Sleep Again: Finding the Humor in a Sleepless Phase of Life
Ahh, sleep deprivation. A sleepless state of existence that is near and not-so-dear to my heart. As a matter of fact, I don’t know that I’ve met many individuals who…
Just One Child? Why People’s Family Sizes Are None of Your Business
In a New Year’s quest to declutter, my husband and I decided to sell our piano that had been sitting in our house collecting dust for more than a decade.…
Parenting a Tween Daughter: What She Needs Most
Parent of a Tween Girl! I’ve recently entered a new phase in mum-life. Becoming the parent of my very own tween daughter! Of course I’ve been there once upon a…
Telling Your Story Can Be a Survival Guide for Special Needs Parents
“One day you’ll tell your story of how you’ve overcome what you’re going through now and it will become part of someone else’s survival guide.” -Unknown This quote resonated with…
Mommy Guilt: If You Are Giving it to Yourself, Stop it
Before I was a mom, I knew that mommy guilt was a thing. I knew to be careful if I experienced this. One thing I didn’t expect was to give…
You Reap What You Sow: How This Phrase Affected My Mindset.
There is an old proverb that mentions the idea of you reap what you sow. If you've ever heard this growing up, how did you decern it? When I heard,…
Celebrating the Lives and Legacy of Childless Women
The Lives of Childless Women I often struggle in celebrating the lives of growing families around me. Counting myself among childless women I feel like an anomaly. Although maybe more…
Losing My Voice, Gaining Perspective: Two Lessons I Learned from Staying Quiet
The quieter you become, the more you can hear.Ram Dass Losing My Voice; Literally Last week, I lost my voice. And I mean that in the literal sense. I went…
Love and Kindness Go Together: A Relationship Reminder
Love and kindness go together. They really do. In my 20 years as a counselor, I've been astounded at how many people say and do the most unkind things in…
Sleep Deprivation: Affecting Your Daily Function, Relationship and Sex Life
What is it about you having a lousy night’s sleep that makes everyone else seem so awful? Sleep deprivation is no joke when it comes to having children and the…
There is Nothing Wrong With Having Postpartum Depression: It is Okay
The reality is, Postpartum Depression is a very real thing. According to the CDC, 1 in 9 women experience symptoms of Postpartum Depression. And there is nothing wrong with having…
Finding Those Raw, Real, Authentic Connections
Raw, real, and authentic can be hard to find Moving. We’ve all done it. Maybe it was for that dream job or maybe it was to be closer to family.…
Sleep Training: A Gift To Our Family
When our daughter was little we started doing all the things to get her to sleep and it wasn't working. That is when we decided to teach our daughter independent sleep skills.
To Give or Not to Give: Showing My Kids the Real Meaning of Christmas
I wrestle with the best way to make Christmas magical while not going overboard. Every year I struggle: To give or not to give.
When Seasons Change- Deciding to Take a Break From Social Media
I was fairly young when I had my son, and none of my girlfriends were in this season of their lives. So they always seemed well put together, on time,…
A Letter to the Mama Who Didn’t Cry at School Drop Off
Dear Mama, I see you. Talking with your mama friends about your kiddos starting school this year. Them telling you how much they cried and didn’t know what to do…
Oh Lordy I’m Turning 40! Embracing the Other Side of the Hill
Today I turned 40 years old. I am now what is considered "mid-life," "middle aged," and "over the hill." All joking aside, It stops me in my tracks to think…
Stop the Meal Plan Mayhem! 3 Ways to Make Meal Planning Do-able Even With a Busy Schedule
Raise your hand if you have a busy schedule and you find it challenging to get healthy meals on the table every night—especially ones your kids will actually eat! My…
The First Time Kindergarten Mama: A New Season in Motherhood
My daughter started Kindergarten this year and it really caught this Kindergarten Mama off guard. Not the typical feeling of how much I will miss her or how hard it…
Happy Gut, Happy Life: My Journey to Good Gut-Health
Gut Health? Gut-health. Is it just another ‘buzz-word’ or ‘fad’ that's recently hit the world stage? I put my ‘curious hat’ on when I first heard about it. I’ve always…
The Secret to Doing It All: Don’t! And Five tips to help you look like you Do!
People often ask me how I “do it all” or how I “keep it all together," and I’m just going to be honest from the start and tell you my…
When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned: Healing after Having a Baby at Twenty-Three Weeks
We are coming up on five years since having a baby at twenty-three weeks gestation. Every year, my processing takes off another layer from the pain of that situation. My…
Summer Fun or Summer Bummer? 5 Steps to Help Summer Overwhelm
It’s summer! Does that mean it’s time for lots of fun in the sun or time to find a million ways to entertain your kids who are bouncing off the…
6 Tips for Traveling with Young Children- Be Prepared, Bring the Fun!
No doubt, traveling with young children can be stressful and even overwhelming. However, over the last few times we have traveled, I have found a few tips that truly helped…
The Evolution of my (S)Heroes
Every kid wants a hero. Someone who is bigger, stronger, and more powerful, who will defeat the bad guy, and inspire them to be more. Often it is quoted that…
Military Wife Life: Tools to Survive the Constant Transition of His Career
The same day I chose this blog topic, I received a “heads up” that my husband’s name was at the top of a list for a deployment next year. He…
How I Conquered Mount Laundsuvius: Practical Laundry Tips For The Overwhelmed Mama
Mom life is laundry life, right? For the seven years I’ve been a mom, I have had a constant pile of laundry that needs to be washed, folded and put…
Natural Cleaning Solutions For Your Home | The We Spot
As the weather warms up, windows are flung open to allow that fresh air to flow throughout the house. For me, I start to look at my house, and notice…
Ten Confessions of a Boy Mom- Defecting at it’s finest
I've made a list of my ten confessions as a boy mom, but I think it is important to note that I grew up in a family of all boys,…
Hey, I know you! New Phase…Same Family
Hello! It started innocently enough. We were two 19-year-old college freshman, and we only had eyes for each other. And, we had it badly. We could talk for hours about…
Attention All Self-Proclaimed Control Freaks, It’s Time to Let it Go!
At the end of March, my husband and I took our kids on a two-day getaway to Legoland. The park is only about 40 minutes from our home, so this…
Slow Down: 4 Reasons it’s OK to Slow Down and Ask for Help
We all have times of overwhelm, exhaustion, sickness, and just plain frustration. I'm here to remind you that you have a choice of how to handle those times. Many times…
I No Longer Show Up For My Family
This one shift has helped me love those around me better. I am able to accept the humanity of those around me and allow that they are doing their best.
A Letter to my Daughter for her 18th Birthday
Instead of purchasing a card off the shelf, I felt like I could best honor her by writing a love note. A list of memories or things that came to…
Surviving Summer With Your Kiddos – Four Tips To Help You Thrive!
Spring is now in full swing, and summer time is knocking at the door. Soon the doors of school will fly open - and a flood of children will pour…
Royalty free photo by Josh Willink
Military Brat Parenting: Five Things I Tell My Kids in Hopes They’ll Be Better Humans
My dad was an Air Force colonel, a fighter pilot and a Vietnam veteran. In addition to being a proud (and dutiful) daughter, my upbringing in a military household shaped…
Sacrifice: Not Just a Dirty Word
SACRIFICE is not just a dirty word. Or is it? What does this word conjure up for you? Perhaps its sadness or heartbreak. Maybe it brings with it, a sense…
A Penny’s Worth of Thoughts: Collecting Valuable Moments with your Children
The glimmer of sweet, sweet coins Nothing makes me happier during a run or a walk than catching a small glimmer in the street. A small glimmer that is of…
Learning to Love the Hard Times- A Lesson From my Children
Hard times. Are they fun? Do we like them? No! Never! We normally don’t even want to talk about them! They make us cringe and tuck our tails and run!…
The Day I Cried Over Spilled Milk: My Journey of Self-Care and Embracing my “Enoughness”
In 2012 I began my self-care journey and it changed my life in ways I'd never imagined. Sharing this story has become part of my mission because every time I…
Live a Life You Love: 4 Simple Ways to Have Fun as a Mom
Time for fun? What moms have time for that? If you're like me, you're thinking about the million things on your to do list that are occupying your brain space…
Cambodia – The Journey to Visit my Daughter and Myself
An unexpected work trip to China opened the door of opportunity for me to visit my daughter in Cambodia in March, for 5 days. What were the chances that during…
Discover Your Piece to Create Peace in your Home.
Finding the pieces to create a peaceful spot in your home for you to rest and recover. I’m a sucker for all things that make me feel organized or peaceful.…
The Big G and how it nearly wrecked me- Finding myself at thirty-eight
Nearly two years ago, I took the biggest trip of a lifetime. I flew to Bolivia in search for my brother who was left abandoned and homeless in the streets…
My Dear Child Thank You. You Made Me Human.
As long as I can remember I had always heard the stories you will never be the same after becoming a mother. I would always nod in approval and give…