Redirect your children’s temper tantrums with gratitude. It really works! It’s amazing how entitled my kids can be sometimes. Shocking, really. Related: The Entitlement Trap Book Review I’m sure I acted that way as a kid, too, but I’m still surprised every time the entitlement rears its ugly head at my house. Don’t get me…
I have spent my entire 41 years trying to achieve a perfect balance in my life. That never ending quest is the entire reason I named this blog Overstuffed, in fact. I started the whole “full plate” thing long before I was ever a mom, simply because there was just so much that I wanted…
I compare myself to other moms a lot. This mom cooks wonderful, healthy meals for her kids every night. I rarely cook for my kids. That mom is so good at planning for the future and knowing exactly what is on her schedule and being completely prepared. I am always winging it. This mom is…
5 good reasons to give experience gifts instead of more toys. I love giving my children gifts, I really do. There’s something about seeing the excitement they have as they open their present to see what it is and knowing you chose just the right thing for them. It’s a little bit addicting, actually! I’m…
Saying “I love you” isn’t the only way to tell your kids you love them. These 50 ideas will help you show love to your kids in new and creative ways! At our house, we say “I love you” many times each day. In fact, we say it so much that sometimes it becomes a…
I have been blessed with an amazing husband who will literally do anything for me. I chose this photo because it illustrates how willing he is to serve me so well. We were in Chicago, waiting to get on a train to go into the city to watch the Chicago Symphony. I realized it was…
Every kid wants to feel super special on their birthday! Here are some great ways to make sure they do. This morning my husband and I dragged ourselves out of bed really, really early—like, before 6:00 am early—to give our newly minted 15-year-old breakfast in bed. She leaves to early morning seminary by 6:25 every…
You can’t pour water from an empty vessel. Moms need to practice self-care in order to take care of everyone else. I get pretty cranky with my kids around bedtime. I have even been known to tell them that I can’t be a mom after 9:00 pm because I’m off duty. Some days are worse…
Studying the scriptures with children can be difficult. Here are a few resources to make it easier. Tonight my two oldest daughters and I went on a teaching appointment with the missionaries. They are teaching a girl that is a year ahead of my oldest in high school, and it was such a great experience…
Looking for new and fun ways to engage with your kids? Try these fun conversation starters! I don’t know about you, but we spend an awful lot of time in our car. As soon as the kids get home from school we are jumping in the car to go to dance and music lessons, cross…
Looking for the best books to read aloud to your children? Try one of these timeless classics, beloved by all! This past summer I worked on getting back into the habit of reading out loud to my girls. I love reading to them. We have such great conversations and cuddles and it’s one of the…
I’ve written before about our budget, but what I did not write about is how we totally and completely fell off of the budgeting bandwagon last year. Life got crazy and stressful, and we slowly stopped entering in our expenditures and balancing the checkbook. We slowly stopped having budget planning meetings. We slowly stopped being…