Author Archives: Tristi Pinkston

Infidelity

Many marriages, but not all, experience infidelity at one time or another, either through the wife’s actions, the husband’s, or even possibly both. It can be overcome, but not accidentally, not by chance, not by wishing for it. The partner who cheated must feel true regret for what happened and make a sincere, solid decision that it will never happen again. They must break all ties with the person they cheated with, and never interact with them in any way again—otherwise, not only will the temptation be too great, but they will be reminded of the affair every time they … Continue reading →

Heading Back to School

Many of us, myself included, are heading back into our homeschool routines tomorrow. Some of us only took time off for the holidays – I’ve been in the Twilight Zone the last month because of a car accident, and so I’m having to reacclimatize myself to the whole thing. Whether you took a week off, two weeks off, or a month off from school, you’ll find the same challenges. 1. Motivation. It’s so easy to let school slide. If you’re tired or don’t feel well, school is one of the first things to go. And after time off, it’s really … Continue reading →

Do You and Your Spouse Compete?

We’re human, so it’s only natural that we have a little bit of a competitive streak in us, right? I have to admit, I do enjoy beating Matt at a game of Words with Friends or Phase 10. He would definitely beat me in any kind of physical race or competition, so it’s only fair that I hold my own with board games, right? See, I knew you’d understand. But what about the need some husbands and wives have to constantly one-up each other? I’ve seen this happen, and it’s not pretty. Husband: I have a headache. Wife: Me too! … Continue reading →

Those Darned Kids …

What is it with kids? One day, they’re sweet, loving, and teachable, and the next, they’re ornery, grumpy, and won’t do a thing you ask. It’s like living with an entirely different set of people every single day! Kids naturally do go through personality phases. Think for a minute about moms and PMS—that causes some personality changes, right? Kids go through changes as their bodies grow, long before they get to puberty. Sometimes as their brains go through a growth spurt, they’ll act up. Or if their legs are growing. Any time our bodies experience changes, it has an effect … Continue reading →

He Said, She Said: How We Met

Tristi: Matt and I were both attending the same ward (a congregation of our church), and I had a crush on someone else when I met Matt, so I didn’t really pay him a lot of attention at first. I just noticed that he made great comments in Sunday School, and that he had a really nice voice. Matt: I met Tristi outside the door of our bishop’s (pastor’s) office. I remember enjoying talking to her, and thinking what a great friend she was, and how attractive that was. Tristi: I stepped into the bishop’s office for a minute and … Continue reading →

What Do You Fight About?

It seems that every married couple has their hot button. I have one friend who disagrees with her husband on two specific topics, and as long as they never go there, they have the best marriage ever. Get them on those two topics, and … well, it’s not pretty. Have you identified your hot buttons, and do you avoid them, or do you try to work through them? I think it’s important that we take a look at our arguments and identify common threads. Are we always more argumentative after we visit Aunt Jane? What is it about the visit … Continue reading →

Making the Most Out of What You’ve Got

I was in a car accident on December 2nd, and I’m probably going to be under my doctor’s care for quite a while. Yesterday we started physical therapy. I’m grateful to be getting the care I need, but it’s taking so much time away from my family, and in particular, my husband. I see my kids during the day because we homeschool, but my husband is at work all day, and I’m starting to wonder if I’m even still married. I think I am, but sometimes, it is a question. He comes home and I’m gone, and then when I … Continue reading →

On This Day in History: December 13 – 17th

What fun things happened in history this week? Let’s take a look and get some ideas for how to incorporate these facts into your homeschool routine. December 13th – Today is St. Lucia’s Day. She was an Italian girl who lived in the 4th century and was persecuted and killed for her Christian beliefs. Today, she is celebrated by European families as they crown one of their daughters with a wreath of twisted leaves and she serves them a special breakfast. You can celebrate today by honoring each one of your children with a paper crown and talking about the … Continue reading →

Do You Shield Your Child?

Today is Pearl Harbor Day, the 70th anniversary of a sneak attack that devastated a nation. I’ve studied this event a bit in the past, and it’s pretty gruesome. I want my children to understand facets of history, and yet I worry about giving them too much information before they’re ready for it. This is one of the ways in which parents are uniquely qualified to teach their children—they understand their child’s maturity level and they know what that child can and cannot handle. I have a daughter who can’t hear any bad news on the radio or it distresses … Continue reading →

I Feel Guilty …

Last Friday night, I was the passenger in a car accident that involved getting slammed twice by a semi truck on black ice. I’m feeling so very blessed right now – I’m stiff and sore, my head hurts, and I have five ribs out, but it was my door that took the most impact, and by all logical standards, I should be dead. I have thanked God countless times in the last five days for my life. It’s been hard, though, to keep putting all this weight on my husband. My health this year has really been up and down, … Continue reading →