My Blessing in Disguise

Tomorrow would have marked my 4th anniversary with my ex-husband. It’s hard to remember what life was even like back then, it seems a lifetime ago. I remember feeling in the pit of my stomach that I was making the biggest mistake of my life as I walked down the aisle. My head knew things weren’t going to work, but my heart was too stubborn to listen and convinced me to go through with it. I so desperately wanted a “happily ever after family.” I wanted my son to grow up with both of his parents living under the same … Continue reading

Exercise: It’s Good for the Heart

Most of us have already failed miserably at keeping our New Year’s Resolutions, according to the radio this morning at least 80% of us have given up on them already. This is pretty typical after the first week or two, but even if you’ve struggled with them a little so far, you have a whole year to perfect them so don’t give up hope! This year one of my many resolutions was to start exercising again. I, like most people, put on a few extra pounds during the holidays. When you have kids around there seems to be an endless … Continue reading

Protecting Yourself

There are a lot of creeps out there. I know this because I’m pretty sure I’ve dated almost all of them. As a single mom, the stakes are a little higher than someone who hasn’t had children before. You’re not just dating for you; you’re dating for them as well. This means you have a lot of weight on your shoulders. It is your responsibility to protect both you and your children as you venture out into the dating world. Always meet in a public place and whether you trust them or not don’t give them your personal information. Be … Continue reading

Beating the Odds

Divorce has a wide array of effects on children. They are certainly faced with more hardships than your average child in a two parent home and have had to overcome things in their young life that they never should have had to endure. It can be difficult at times and affects all children differently. We’ve all heard the typical stereotypes of children from these broken homes. They don’t do as well in school, they are more likely to have behavior problems, they may struggle with their future relationships, and they are more likely to end up in jail. As a … Continue reading

One Change at a Time

I have a long list of resolutions this year. I have big plans for 2013 and know that there will be many life changes along the way. At first glance my list of resolutions might be a bit overwhelming. There are a lot of positive changes I want to make in my life, but instead of tackling them all at once, I am going to focus on them one at a time. First and most importantly, I am going to work on finding joy in the here and now. I have a lot to be grateful for and while I … Continue reading

Will It Ever End?

My little brother left on an LDS mission in November. I must admit I felt some relief at his departure because I had hoped that would mean that the drama with his father would at least decrease in his absence. Unfortunately that has been far from the case. My heart aches at what his father is putting him through in an already difficult situation. After seeing some of the things he has been saying since leaving on his mission I am appalled at the pure selfishness emanating in each letter. Coming from a divorced family there are so many difficult … Continue reading

Little Eyes Are Fast Asleep

It seems the only “me time” I get these days is when Logan is fast asleep, even then it’s a little touch and go. This is often when I am up working on all of the things that I couldn’t manage to get done with a 4 year old that day, but it is also a time that I can relax, even if only for a few moments. We’ve been out of school for a few weeks now. For some reason I thought this would mean I would have more time to get things done. Somehow our days were just … Continue reading

Here’s to New Beginnings!

As 2012 is coming to a close, I have had some time to reflect on the happenings of the year. It has been a year of many ups and downs. I’ve gained eternal friends, loved and lost, struggled and triumphed, and learned more about myself than I ever imagined possible. I am not the same woman I was at the beginning of the year. I have gained so much strength throughout the continuing trials of divorce. I have grown into a better woman and a better mother. While this may not have been a perfect year, it was certainly one … Continue reading

Love Makes a Family

Logan got a little spoiled with books this Christmas, thanks to Mommy’s thrift shop rummaging. I was tempted to be an indian giver when I fell in love with one of them, but luckily he is a good sharer. As we read the book I felt as if it was written just for us, so much so that it brought me to tears. It is about a single mother who is raising a little girl on her own. One day the little girl comes home from school and decides she wants a “real family,” and storms off next door. They … Continue reading

Making Room for New Toys

With the abundance of Christmas presents Logan gets from friends and family each and every year, I find myself wondering where in the world we are going to put everything. We’ve already got so much squished into our little basement bedroom that I’m not sure much else will fit. Luckily, this gives us a fabulous excuse to do some spring cleaning. That means Logan and I will be going through all of his toy boxes and setting aside the toys he doesn’t play with anymore to make room for the new ones. He has several toy boxes and has been … Continue reading