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We haul the box that held our Christmas tree for the last 10 months of its hibernation up the basement stairs and slit the tape holding it closed with a butter knife. My kids unpack one section of pre-lit bunched artificial greenery after another, and we plug each section into the one below until we reach the top. She’s a lopsided cone now, standing in the corner by the living room window. When we straighten her out and plug her in to the outlet on the wall, she looks like sh

These double chocolate peppermint cookies have earned a permanent spot in our family's holiday baking rotation. They’re simple but festive — perfect for munching on during tree trimming or a favorite holiday movie, or for bringing to a cookie swap. With no mixer required, these cookies are also an excellent baking project for kids of varying ages. My older ones love measuring out everything, melting the butter, and reading through the instructions, while the younger ones enth

A decade ago, not long before my husband and I made the decision to homeschool (and when I was somewhere in between “I will never homeschool!” and “Well, maybe we could do this”), I had a dream about a beautiful homeschool room. In this dream, I was shopping for a new house, and I woke up after viewing one with what I thought of at the time as a perfect homeschool space. It was bright and airy. Shelves lined the walls, begging to be filled with books. Large and open, there wa

"A new personal best. Yes! " Since I first became involved in fitness and health 24 years ago, I have been setting new goals each time. And now with my three children, I want to be able to teach them the same principles. Whether it be running, lifting a new weight, or preparing for a race or sport, one thing I found I always needed was strength . I do admit that when I was younger, it became about self reliance. I thought I could do things like parenting, being a teacher, or