I‘m at (in)courage today, reflecting on our upcoming holiday where we say thanks—and how it’s best if we say thanks all the time, as we wash dishes, fold clothes, reply to emails, and run errands. From the post:

“And I admit that when I’m reading evening devotions with my daughter just before I kiss her goodnight, my eyes fade and my mind checks out a bit. It’s not that I don’t want her to imbibe all these good words into her heart—it’s that I’m about to pass out, I’m so tired from the day’s work.

It’s times like these that I remember the necessity of thanking God as we work. Yes, we should be still and commune with God. But there are seasons in life—such as parenting little ones—that make it challenging to grab more than a few minutes of stillness before God.”

Read the rest and share the practical ways you say thanks here.

Wanna know what’s one of my most frustrating questions? No, it’s not how on earth I earn money as a blogger (though I get asked that frequently). Nope, it’s not how on earth I “do it all,” (which we all know is a hilarious joke, because the correct answer is nowhere near the asker’s assumption). It’s this one:

What are your favorite blogs?

Here’s why I dislike this question: because I love tons of blogs. I read them seasonally and in fits and spurts, depending on my work load and what’s going on in my life. I don’t have a “top ten list”—I don’t even have any list, really. I just love all sorts of writers and all sorts of blogs. There are too many to organize into a nice neat list.

In fact, aside from the freedom and flexibility, my favorite thing about this writing gig is all the amazing people with whom I’ve worked with, chatted with at conferences, and laughed with over coffee. Good glory, THE PEOPLE who make beauty on the Internet. Too many to count.

So to whet your appetite for what I’m reading and who I’m admiring, I thought I’d start a new monthly series here—Somebody You Should Know. Around once per month, I’ll highlight one of my favorite writers or artists, tell you why I love them, and convince you that you should, too. They’ll each embody the spirit and message behind Simple Mom—living intentionally and thoughtfully, and pursuing their work as a message of encouragement. The myriad voices, styles, and purposes behind each person are many. I love variety in my life.

And also? I hope with this series title that this song is now in your head. You’re welcome.

[Read more...]

Hooray—it’s time for another podcast! This week I’m on with Hayley Morgan of The Tiny Twig. I first met Hayley about a year ago, and instantly I was drawn to her down-to-earth yet bubbly personality.

She’s my style guru, so the podcast actually takes a slightly different turn in this episode—we talk fashion, swimsuits, and the oh-so-important heavy bangs issue.

Pour your cup of whatever and start listening!

The photo above? Yeah… That’s our new kitchen as of this afternoon. This is what it was like last week:

We didn’t waste any time. And needless to say, we’re very much in that it-gets-worse-before-it-gets-better phase. So grateful for a husband who knows what he’s doing. Or at least pretend to know what he’s doing.

So our physical home is pretty much a mess right now, but this online home of ours? It just got a little facelift. It might actually not look that terribly different to you—that’s sorta the point, actually—but I’d love for you to let me know if you find any snafus or design weirdness as you poke around the site. And in the next few weeks, we’ll migrate all the other SLM sites as well.

We just switched over to Genesis, thanks to the genius work of Brian Gardner. So very thankful for his creativity!

I’ve got some exciting news come Thursday, and something special I know you’ll love come Friday. Be looking for it!