Since all people have to take in some form of nourishment to live, wouldn’t it make sense that fulfilling this most basic human need should be as easy as breathing? Why must family mealtime be so challenging? All I want to do is bring my beautiful family together for a healthy, happy meal. And yet it sometimes feels like I've gone out in the wilderness and brought back kids who've been raised by wolverines. Look, some nights everything goes alright—nights when my precious family should grace the cover of Look at This Perfect Family Eat Dinner magazine. But then there are the dinners I’m convinced need to be ...Read More
Archives for 2018
Get Off the Hamster Wheel: How Christian parents can make every day count
A little something you should know about me: I really don't like to read parenting blogs. Not even a little bit. Sufficient for the day is my own trouble. I really don't need to compound my life with the banality and frustrations of other people. "What gives?" you say. "Don't you write for a blog about Christian parenting?" Yup. And I suppose the reason I typically avoid Christian parenting blogs is because it's hard to steer clear of the your-best-life-now kind of rubbish, not to mention the glib look-at-my-annoyingly-relatable-authentic-life exposés. I say this because, with a subtitle like, "How ...Read More
Foods 3-Ingredient Paleo Strawberry Granita
With only three ingredients, and no fancy equipment required, you're sure to enjoy this melt-in-your-mouth paleo Strawberry Granita! Strawberry season. Through the fall and winter seasons, my family is happy to enjoy apples and other late-in-the-year fruits. But there is one thing that we all miss. When spring comes along we all start dreaming of strawberry season. Every late spring/summer I try hard to keep strawberries hidden so I can turn them into something special. Our favorites being strawberry shortcake (of course), strawberry popsicles, and strawberry fruit snacks. Usually it's a battle to keep any around, ...Read More
5 Things Every Good Christian Mom Does
Before I got married, I knew exactly what life would look like in my home when I started having babies. Visions of the perfect family swirled in my head... The kids awaken cheerfully to get ready for the day (and never miss doing their morning chores). Everyone would peacefully sit down at the dinner table, cordially pass dishes, while chatting about their day. Devotions would be easy and the kids—peaceful and engaged. But somewhere between my dreams of having children and the reality of life-with-5-crazy-boys, my definition of what a "good mom" underwent an overhaul. My dreams looked something like a Normal ...Read More
God or Country? A Biblical Perspective of Patriotism for Families
The summer is fast approaching, and with it we can expect backyard barbecues, swimming pools, and multiple holidays honoring our country. Our nation's birthday is smack dab in the middle of summer, after all; is it any wonder summer feels like the most patriotic season? Merriam-Webster defines patriotism as "love for or devotion to one's country." Seems simple enough, right? But it's not always easy to know what this looks like in practical, everyday life. How can we display patriotism when we're less than happy with what's happening in our government? When leaders dissatisfy us? When fellow countrymen disappoint ...Read More
4 Easy Steps to Add Fermented Foods to Your Diet
New to fermented foods? Here's 4 easy steps to add fermented foods to your diet. Foods that are infested with bacteria? Yikes...sounds a little scary doesn't it! They're actually very good for you. Fermented foods have been preserved by a controlled exposure to bacteria or yeast. The bacteria breaks down sugars and carbohydrates and creates acids, gases, and/or alcohols that preserve the food for longer periods of time. Fermented dairy is usually referred to as cultured. While it may sound a little scary (or even gross)...guess what. You're probably already eating some! Did you know that coffee, chocolate, ...Read More
Get started gardening with kids! (+ free printables)
I love gardening and I love the idea of getting kids in the garden. Here are my tips for how to get started gardening with kids. I included some free printables, too. I am a firm believer that everyone, including our kids should at least try gardening a few times in their life. No, I don't think it's easy or that everyone will love it. Heck, I don't even like it sometimes, but I know it's important. Taking an active role in our food chain gives a new appreciation to those who dedicate their lives to providing our world with food. But it's more than that. Above that is our Creator. God created our bodies, He knows ...Read More
Homeschooling 10 Exciting Astronomy Videos to Use in Your Homeschool
I love astronomy—and as a homeschooling dad, I love getting my kids excited about astronomy, too. I've taught astronomy to kids in our local homeschool co-op at all different grade levels, and I've taught over a thousand kids astronomy in my online courses. Because astronomy is a visual discipline, I use a lot of astronomy videos when I teach. If you're looking to teach your kids astronomy, these astronomy videos were some of my students' favorites over the years. Under each astronomy video I've put a quiz question. Watch these videos with your kids and see if they know the answers to the questions! (Answers ...Read More
