Meaningful Mama

I want to start this newsletter to you with some parenting reflections and then end with some important parenting posts. Raising kids is one of the most important jobs in this world. This morning I was on a MomCo parenting panel, which gave me time to reflect on this journey. Man, it's hard. It's been a roller coaster. As I saw all these faces of young moms in the thick of it, I think back to those times. Watching videos and seeing pictures of my family brings back sweet memories. That said,...

Candy. Candy. Candy. Are you a candy person? Licorice is my favorite. What's yours? I can handle less candy as I age, but it is still a temptation. Whenever I travel, I have to wander into the local candy stores and explore. I thought it would be fun and whimsical to provide some candy-centered posts. Fun with Candy Edible Perler Bead Art with Twizzlers Candy Chemistry: Exploring Diffusion with Skittles Free Chocolate Unit Study & DIY Bars Candy STEM Challenge Dollar Tree 5 Minute Candy Jar...

...It's about love in general. We love our family. We love our friends. We are called to love others. Our church's motto is "Love God. Love Others. Love the World." Valentine's Day should celebrate just that - LOVE. Valentine's Day Today's post is probably coming later than it should, but you do still have four more days to prepare for Valentine's Day, and I want to help. I have loads of ideas for Valentine's Day. You can just click on my Valentine's Day tab to see everything. However, I...

Winter storm warnings across the United States. Did it hit you? We got a layer of frost a couple mornings, but overall, it's been a very mild winter. Knowing that there was a layer of ice that hit many, I thought I'd lighten the mood with a little penguin fun. When I was doing my student teaching (ages ago now), we did a wonderful unit on penguins, and I remember my 4th graders painting all the different types of penguins in the window. So fun. I hope you enjoy the penguin offerings I have...

We all have busy lives. I want these messages to be a helpful blessing and not a burden. I'm going to do it a bit different today by keeping it short and sweet. There are a couple new posts on my site to share. I'll share some fun helpful links to other sites next week, but this week I'm going to keep it simple for you. New & Recently Updated I shared a version of this graph last week as I was in personal reflection time. After sharing the graph with you, it stimulated a new post for me. I...

Happy New Year! As 2026 began, I, like so many, started to consider resolutions. I had a hair appointment on Monday, and my hair dresser said, "Why is it that we are asked to consider our New Year's goals in the dead of winter when we are supposed to be hibernating? I like to start afresh in April." It was a super interesting point, tempting me to postpone my journey, and yet, here I am with a new gym membership and new goals. It also reminded me of a TikTok I saw on January 1st. Ticksax1...

If you can complete the line from the subject of this email, we may be the same age. 2025 rung in 50 for me. It is cold here in the Pacific Northwest but no snow in the lowlands yet. Here's to hoping! Winter Weather Crafts and Activities Snowman Crafts On my site, I have a collection of 20 great snowman crafts for kids. I hope these are helpful as you look for activities for you kids this winter season. Here are some more winter weather ideas for kids: Weather Activities for Early Years...

No matter what your last year held for you, I pray this year you embrace the new year with great anticipation, looking for good, growth, and grace. I have found that in life when I choose to focus on the good (and trust me that this isn't always my go to), I see it. I learn to be thankful and positive. I hope 2026 brings this to you. I also mentioned growth. Growth is the acknowledgement that even in our struggles, we learn to rejoice, trusting that these challenges lead to perseverance,...

Winter is upon us. For some that means snow. For others that means sun. For us, in the pacific northwest, it means rain, rain, rain. School was cancelled the other day for my daughter because of flooding. We are fine, but please keep people affected in your prayers. As we consider the snow component of winter, I thought it would be fun to share some cute crafts and activities that involve arctic animals. I hope you enjoy this collection. Arctic Animals Crafts and Activities Adorable Penguin...