The Peony Principles

I love flowers. Each spring I wait expectantly for my perennials to bloom and for my annuals to grow. All summer long, I watch and gather hope and courage from their beauty and hardy existence. When pounding rains come, I find myself hoping that my little flowery...

Redefining Beauty

“Mom, what are those lines on your tummy?” I paused slightly at my daughter’s words, knowing my reaction in this moment was important. “Oh, those? Those are called stretchmarks, honey.” And as I finished changing my shirt (without...

Swimsuit Therapy

I made my first trip to the pool this week since the baby was born.  Jeff has Mondays off, so we loaded up everyone and headed out for a day of fun in the sun. I am a little overwhelmed by the amount of gear it takes to get four kids and two grown ups...