Ditch old-fashioned photo albums and make a Blurb book instead
I’ve always been obsessed with photo albums — whether they were thrifted, vintage, or something I picked up from a craft store. I’ve spent many an hour filling dozens of them with photos. This was cool with me, until I discovered Blurb books
The ups and downs of step-and-biological parenting in tandem
Eight years ago I became a stepmother to two kids. We share their care with their biological mother — they’re half with us, half with her. At the time, my step-son was eight and my step-daughter was four. Step-parenting has by turns been the most awesome and the hardest shit I’ve done in my life — it is second only to having my “own” child. Here are a few of my positive (and negative) experiences.
Proudly displaying my boudoir photos without making them too in-your-face
I did these gorgeous boudoir photos as a gift to my wife. Despite my insecurities, I feel confident and awesome about these photos and would love to have one framed and displayed somewhere in our house… but I don’t want to shove my thighs down my guests’ throats!
You’re Doing it Right: what 18 years of weird parenting looks like
My good friend Alexander and his wife Nicole just celebrated the graduation of their oldest daughter from high school. I wanted to know what their tricks and tools for raising such stellar kids were, and what I can learn from their experiences. The following is an interview with Alexander.
Our “shit happens!” anniversary staycation
As our one year wedding anniversary drew closer it became apparent we had…no money. So we had to do the tried-and-true: staycation. Maybe because it was our first anniversary as married humans or because I can be a sour puss, but Mike, with his ultimate optimism when it comes to us, reassured me it would be fun.
Good things come in pairs: two mamas, two cupcakes, and two babies on the way
Monica is a labor and delivery nurse in Seattle who, as she puts it, “moonlights in photography.” I’m pretty sure she’s doing a hell of a lot more than moonlighting — if this session is anything to go by, she’s ROCKING photography.
Preschools and learning environments inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach
Jenny at Let the Children Play has been running a three-part series about Reggio-inspired preschools. This caught my eye for a few reasons: 1) I’d never heard of Reggio-inspired anything, 2) I’m always interested in different kinds of preschools, and 3) some of these are just really amazing to behold.
The supernatural powers of kisses
Finally, in the car with the child safely strapped in, pacifier negotiations resolved, and teddy bear crackers distributed, I realized: I have a superpower! For a very brief time of my life, as short lived as maybe one or two years, a beautiful little person with adoring and admiring eyes will look at me and from the bottom of his heart believe that Mamma in fact has the magical, supernatural ability to heal with a kiss.