Emily
I am mom to two boys, born June 2017 and December 2019. I grew up in the Dayton area before living in Kentucky and recently moved back home. I was in broadcast journalism for a decade before going back to school. I am now a special education teacher. I enjoy reading, running, hiking, camping, and exploring new places with my family.
From Neighbors to Friends
When we first moved back to the Dayton area, we found a home on a quiet street in Centerville. We knew the people who lived next door, but a few months after we moved...
Back to Dayton {Raising My Family Where I Grew Up}
I grew up in “the warm and cheerful.” And to be honest, I often found it boring. There wasn’t a lot to do. My friends and I took turns hanging out at other people’s...
Why Bedtime Is the Worst
My absolute least favorite part about parenting? Bedtime. At my house, it’s not an enjoyable time of chatting with kids about their day, reading bedtime stories and giving kisses before tucking them in as...
Lessons Learned from Encanto
Has your family watched Encanto yet? If you haven’t, it’s simply amazing. It’s got a great story. The characters are relatable. The music is perfect to sing and dance to (as my husband says,...
To My Last Baby on His First Birthday
Dear sweet baby boy,
Tomorrow you will be one. ONE! Your first 365 days on earth have been, at the same time, the longest and shortest year of our lives. We all experienced our first...
Don’t Stress Over Holiday Traditions
When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first son, we began dreaming of all the new holiday traditions we’d create together. We had so many wonderful ideas that we were...
The Easiest Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done
Last night, I nursed my last baby for the very last time. It was a very bittersweet moment. It was also a time for reflection about my experience.
Breastfeeding my boys has been the easiest,...
Celebrating Sweetest Day {The History Behind the Day}
Sweetest Day is always the third Saturday in October. It has a sweet story: a candy maker in Cleveland started the tradition in 1922, taking treats to orphans and others who he felt were...
Buy Nothing {More Than Just Free Stuff}
There are so many groups on Facebook. But there's one that if you haven't joined yet, you're missing out! Have you found your local "Buy Nothing" group yet?
A neighbor invited me to join the...
Tired of Cleaning Up Toys? {Try This Trick}
How is it possible to get so many toys? We rarely buy them for our kids, but seem to end up with hundreds. (Slight exaggeration but I know you know what I mean!)
If your...
Happy Father’s Day to all the Super Dads
I'm not sure how my husband does it.
He works third shift, then he's responsible for our two toddler boys until I get home from school. He can usually squeeze in a couple hours of...
When Letting Go Is Hard to Do
I’m not an overly sentimental person when it comes to things.
My husband and I knew from the time I was pregnant with our second child, he would be our last. So as he outgrew...
The Ultimate Birthday Gift: Summer Camp!
Toys are fun for a few days, a week… maybe a month. Then, they’re often forgotten as kids move on to the next thing. But wouldn’t you rather give your child a gift that...
Raising a (Mostly) Screen-Free Toddler
When my husband or I tell other parents we don’t let our 3-year-old watch much TV, we get a lot of weird looks. I don’t blame them. In this world of technology, it’s definitely...