Tag Archives: family

Why You Need to Plan Family Nights (Plus Ideas!)

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These days, families are really busy. So busy sometimes that family time doesn’t get to just happen organically. That’s why it’s so important to plan family nights regularly. Whether it’s because mom works late, the kids have sports events, or Dad works the night shift, there are tons of things that interfere with our time together as a family. And that time together is critical! Plan family nights to create memories and bonds that last a lifetime. The days are long, but the years are short. I don’t know who said this, but damn is that true. Who among us hasn’t spent the day praying for bedtime to come swiftly so we can put the monsters we love to bed … More…

10 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day as a Family

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I love celebrating the holidays with family. There is no better way to celebrate the holidays than with the people I love. That’s why today I’m sharing 10 fun ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a family! Previously I shared 5 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with kids as well as 7 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your spouse. But this time, I thought it’d be fun to give family friendly ways to celebrate all together! It’s great to spend a little time alone as a couple, as well as a little one on one time with the kids for holidays like Valentine’s Day. The day is all about love and one on one time allows us to give … More…

5 Reasons You Need a Family Mission Statement

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Have you ever heard of a family mission statement? You probably have. Have you ever wondered why on earth having one is necessary? When I first hear “family mission statement” it seemed like some new age, unnecessary nonsense. (Not that I’m opposed to all things new age!) I couldn’t have been more wrong! After digging a little deeper, I found them to actually be super useful. Not only a great idea, but one that can completely revolutionize the way a family functions and become the bedrock foundation for a healthy family. If you find yourself struggling to find time with family because your family is over-committed and overwhelmed, then a family mission statement might be just what you’re looking for! … More…

Create quality family time with one simple change

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We all know family time is important. Everyone struggles to find a balance in life between work and home, personal time and couple time, and time with the kids. There’s no one that is immune from this struggle! Most of us respond by trying to increase the quantity of family time. But what we would all benefit most from is ensuring that the time we spend together is quality family time. There are lots of ways to increase the quality of our family time. One way is to find engaging activities to do together. Another is to use our time together to connect with others through special projects. The best way is to remove what distracts us from our family … More…

18 Indoor Family Activities for Winter

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Winter in the Midwest isn’t fun. Having grown up and lived in Wisconsin my entire life, I get that winter really, really suck. Sure, some days it’s actually nice to play outside in the brisk air and snow. I can admit that. And there is something to be said for making snowmen or sledding. But then there are those other days where it’s just TOO cold, TOO snowy….or you just don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of bundling everyone up in preparation to go outside. Aside from all of the cold and snow it comes with all sorts of other lovely things that can make it a terrible, anxiety producing season that makes you want to hole up at … More…

How to make time with family a top priority

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Family is important. It’s one of the most important things in life. Yet we constantly find ourselves wishing we had more time because we don’t spend enough time with our families. Why is that? It sometimes seems like everything urgent in life rushes in and crowds out the important stuff. We struggle to make time with family a top priority. That’s why we have to schedule family time in order to protect it as one of our core priorities. I’ve always been very family focused. Even as a little girl, I could never imagine moving too far away from my close-knit community of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Anything less than twice weekly visits just seemed wrong. But as I … More…

I am Tired – A letter to my spirited child

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You, my dear boy, who are turning three today, are a force to be reckoned with. I just wish it wasn’t me that had to be the one doing the reckoning. You are a spirited child combined with a wicked array of genetic “gifts” that never seem to stop giving. You wear me and your daddy out. To be completely honest, there are some days that our first stress-free, relaxed breath of the day is when we confirm you have fallen asleep for the night. The only energy we have left is enough to maybe watch an old episode of The Office before taking a bedtime almost as early as you. You have big emotions in that little body; your … More…