I saw a post on Facebook the other day and had a vivid memory of our time in seminary. We were in Dr. Wellum's Sunday school class and someone's baby started to fuss. Before I had kids I was never around them and had NO experience. Not a clue. So this baby started to fuss (in her car seat and the parents weren't right there) and I froze, totally inadequate to the task. Emily crouched down and soothed the baby like it was nothing, because to her, it was: she already had a baby. I remember talking with Dan afterwards about how I just didn't know what to do, and was kind of freaked out about my future parenting endeavors. Remembering this has been really encouraging to me this week. As now a mother of five, soothing a baby is no longer a daunting task. I'm no baby whisperer, but parenting little people IS my skill set now and though it was a process when we had our first baby, we figured it out. Are you getting ready to have your first baby? Start a new job? Go back to school? Do a new thing? Or just parent an ...

Here I am at 38 weeks pregnant HACing my face! Part 1: Part 2: ...

I realized a week or so ago that I desperately needed to make a list of things to do before baby comes.  Here it is.  Share it with anyone getting ready to have a baby! My husband is smart and savvy and entirely capable of handling the home and the kids, but we have a LOT of kids and being REALLY ready will make life a little more doable.

• Empty the vacuum(s)

Why?  Because vacuuming is chore enough, let alone if it's super full and the trash is too full to dump it.  So having this done avoids all that.

• Top off all the soap dispensers

I make my own foaming handsoap (1 oz Castille soap + water=Done!), which my husband has never done.  Let's just not have to deal with that for a few weeks (we have 2-3 spares).

• Make sure you're stocked on toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, tissues, shampoo and soap, etc.

Because the things you buy less often are easier to forget about and no one enjoys running out of TP.

• Make disposable cleaning wipes

Having a lot of kids means you're cleaning up stuff CONSTANTLY.  And having ...

A friend recently posted on Facebook her trials with seasonal clothing transition for her four children.  I was a little surprised at how similar I and the other commenters view this task: We all seem to LOATHE it. This has been an area of major growth for me.  One thing I've done has made a HUGE difference and I thought I'd share it.  Several days ago, I had to paw through my 2T tub and it was an ordeal--because I hadn't worked the magic on it. Here's the MAGIC: I divide every size tub of clothes into seasons in trashbags that I can tie and untie.  So then I can open the tub, and open the trashbag I need (which I've labeled with a Sharpie) and find what I need or put stuff back. OK, that doesn't sound spectacular, does it?  We have winter (turtlenecks, longjohns, blanket-weight/fleece pjs, etc), summer (shorts, tank tops, etc), and spring/fall (a good mix of short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts, capris, and long pants). This cuts my "shopping" down to about a third of the work and frustration. Tips: View yourself as "shopping" in your available clothes.  NOT EVERYTHING has to go into the dresser. It's ...

These are some of my all-time favorite products.  You may not need them, but they might just be a game-changer for you, too!  (And c'mon, Christmas is right around the corner!) Hoover Linx I cannot adequately explain to you my undying love for this vacuum.  At $100, it's certainly more than an entry-level stick vac, but I guarantee that if you have a lot of hard floors, it will become entirely worth it!  I can vacuum my entire downstairs on one charge.  It handles hard floors like a dream.  The brush head is controlled with the power button and is super-convenient; it's a snap to use it in both modes (with brush head or without).  It also vacuums carpet, but not quite as well.  Because it's cordless, vacuuming is infinitely easier (no running around plugging in and unplugging).  It's much more convenient to tidy up occasional spills and those spots where dirt, hair, and grass accumulate.  It's lightweight and good opportunity to get kids involved in daily chores.  No bags to keep up with, just dump the canister when full.  And it only takes 3 hours to fully charge, so you can easily vacuum before and after guests. Rubbermaid Reveal ...