When Jaclynn Kreider was a young girl, her father, Jack Kriegl, was her hero. They enjoyed many of the same things – playing sports, Green Bay Packers football, skiing, hunting, trapping, and spending time outdoors.
At three years old, my middle son Reed is the family comedian. He is high-energy and chatty, with green eyes that shine.
Reed has always loved getting filthy.
Hello, my fabulous readers!
I’m excited to announce that I have become a contributor to Her View From Home, a lifestyle magazine that shares daily articles about family, kids, fashion and health, recipes and faith. The website is made up of views from women across the country who share one common theme; a passion for their view from home. Continue reading
Hello, Friends!
Here’s a little sunshine for your Monday…
In November, I shared the Sternhagen family’s journey through a sad and bewildering time as their infant son Blake was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a condition that could dramatically shorten a child’s life (full story here). Continue reading
Last Saturday, my oldest son came down with a stomach virus that only lasted a couple hours. On Tuesday, the middle one had it; he bounced back quickly too. On Thursday, the youngest was a bit off–not much appetite, a few bad diapers–that whole thing. Continue reading
As I watched the Always #LikeAGirl commercial during Superbowl XLIX, scenes from decades past flooded my mind; scenes that shaped my self-image and defined what it meant for me to act like a girl, to live like a girl– scenes revealing why that definition changed over the course of my life. Continue reading
My dad had hip replacement surgery last Friday. The procedure went well, and he was discharged on Sunday, with physical therapy scheduled for Monday. My mom got sick on Sunday night, and couldn’t bring him to his appointment. I volunteered to transport him to and from therapy. He called that morning and explained that he really needed bathing. Could I pick him up early and bring him to my Nana’s house so he could use her walk-in shower? An hour later, we were standing in her bathroom, unloading my dad’s Pert Plus and Irish Spring from a ratty blue duffle bag. Continue reading
Dear Friends,
The following post addresses mixed emotions that some pregnant mommas experience about having a boy or a girl, when they hoped, perhaps even secretly, for the other gender.
I’ve hesitated writing this post, because I have some cherished friends in my life who have struggled with infertility or have experienced the loss of a baby. I have been too afraid they would read the post and think how insensitive the subject matter is, or that they would wonder “How could someone be disappointed with the gender of their baby when I can’t even have a baby?” Continue reading
Hello, Friends!
I hope your Christmas was meaningful and merry, and that you’ve had a little time this weekend to recoup from the excitement.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the decision to give my 21-month-old son a doll for Christmas. You can read the original post here: Guys and Dolls
I promised an after-Christmas update on how the doll was received by a family of three boys. Here it is… Continue reading
One of my favorite times of the day is when I first hear my 22-month-old son Miles talking in his crib in the morning. Sometimes it’s earlier than I want it to be, and I know that when I step out of bed and walk past the balcony door, my ankles will be hit with a cold draft. I know that as soon as we go downstairs, I’ll be filling cups and cutting toast and refereeing squabbles and gathering gear for outings. Continue reading
REVISIONS OF GRANDEUR 