Darth Vader and son: a new book about that special father-son relationship
Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown has released a new book called Darth Vader and Son that’s going to melt the hearts of Star Wars fans everywhere…
Turn a baby gate into a laundry drying rack
Over on Home Talk, blogger Erica showed off her great idea for a DIY wall-mounted clothes drying rack…
Finding freedom in infertility
I got married at eighteen (as a lot of women from my culture do). A husband and two kids by twenty-one was the only path that women I know were ever expected to walk. I, however, shunned the cultural expectation for me to get pregnant. Fast forward three years later and you would find me on an operating table having my lady organs snipped and burned and moved about. For me, infertility means freedom. Beneath the hurt, the fear, the hope and the confusion about why THIS thing happened to me… there is freedom to choose.
Relationship hack: remind each other you’re still in love even during fights
When that guy I married and I get into fights we decided long ago to not forget that love each other, even when we feel like killing each other. So we made a deal and came up with a little sign we could give each other that says “I’m mad at you, but don’t forget I still love you.”
How do we celebrate ALL holidays this season?
My family of three is still very young, but we’re trying to beat our own path as best we can. We’ve recently (gently) let go of our religious upbringings, and we’re trying to see things through a broader scope. With the holidays coming up, I’d like celebrate with a more open mind. How do other “offbeat” families out there incorporate other cultures into their holiday festivities to form their own traditions?
A response: why we’re saying yes to a third foster child
On saying no to a second foster child showed up on Offbeat Mama precisely as we were struggling to make a decision on taking an additional foster placement, and I am hoping that we will be able to say the same thing about our decision that I have to say about hers: “I’m glad you did what is right for y’all.”
4 ways to make extra cash that’ll make you say “why didn’t I think of that!?”
Sometimes saving money doesn’t feel like enough when household emergencies happen or there’s a big ticket item on your calendar, and your regular income isn’t going to cut it. When we were first discussing our new budget, a friend who was preparing to move suggested, “Why not sell some of your old stuff?” I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t thought of it myself. Here are some things I’ve sold, considered selling and how it’s worked out for us…
Upcycle your old t shirts into baby bibs
When my son was born, I had the biggest distaste for baby bibs. I hated how “babyish” they looked, yet I knew how functional they were for drool, food, and so on. So, I came up with an alternative: bibs made out of upcycled shirts! So much better. You can make these with either adult graphic tees or toddler button-down shirts.