This is me {in Hawaii}, holding my sweet granddaughter, Lucie!
May 2022
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Hello, and welcome to our family blog!
I started this blog in 2007 at the encouragement of my family, who mostly lived far away, and wanted to keep up with the day-to-day "adventures" of us with our five kids. I was one of the last of my seven siblings to start blogging, but am now one of the few who still keeps it up on a regular basis. This blog has been my sanity through good and bad times, and I daresay that without it that I'd be a puddle on the floor right about now.
Although the ultimate purpose of this blog is still simply to keep a record of our lives, I really have enjoyed sharing and connecting with other people in this way as well. I am not a superstar at either, but I love photography and writing, and especially how I can use both together to tell a story! I also occasionally think I'm wildly funny and you will see my silly humor shining through.
I am thankful to all of you who have stuck with me through the years, or those who are just joining in. I love my family and I love blogging, and I'm glad you're here!
See below for random facts about me and some blogposts to help you explore this blog!
UPDATED APRIL 2025
1. I have been married to Glen for 31-1/2-years.
2. I grew up in Minnesota, Glen grew up in Colorado. We met at BYU.
3. We have five kids, ages 20-30, and two grandbabies that live way too far away
4. We lived in the DC area (1997-2019), Pennsylvania (2019-2021), and now in Utah (2021-current).
5. We are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
6. This blog is 18-years old now, which makes me feel old, but also grateful to have had nearly two decades of our stories collected into one place.
7. I am pretty low-maintenance and actually enjoy grocery shopping better than clothes shopping.
8. I homeschooled all of my kids for at least a year--my oldest two only for a year in middle school and my youngest three for several years. I was reluctant to begin, but embraced the homeschooling lifestyle full force after we got started and now have two college graduates! Have questions about how to make it work for your family? Feel free to reach out!
9. I love to read and find that book groups are where I find "my people".
10. After suffering through some mid-life health issues, I have spent the last several years trying to find my healthy balance. It's a journey far more than maintaining a healthy weight and honestly I've never felt better!
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Some links
UPDATED 2015
Why I blog?What this blog means to me?
10 Random Facts About Me
Gratitude
About Spencer's leukemia:
Diagnosis
Telling Spencer
Glen losing his job the same week as Spence's diagnosis
The process of why we chose for Spencer not to receive a bone marrow transplant
Capturing leukemia in pictures
Trusting in the Lord
Removing the central line
Leaving the hospital
Cancer's effect on our family (3 years later)
About Ellie's epilepsy:
Diagnosis
Seizure first aid
Difficulties at school
Ellie's heartbreak
Unstoppable
Homeschool
Why we homeschool all of our kids in 8th grade
Why I decided to homeschool
Some Favorites:
My kids' favorite blog story
Life with Teenagers
Favorite picture I've ever taken
Top Ten Best-Loved Children's Books
My husband's least favorite blogpost
How to plan a birthday party (Lara style)
Our family's list of recommended books
My wonderful family
A few of my favorite products
Fun things to do in DC with kids
One of my kids writes a song
Things I've been accused of
Things I've never been accused of
Top Ten Best-Loved Children's Books
My husband's least favorite blogpost
How to plan a birthday party (Lara style)
Our family's list of recommended books
My wonderful family
A few of my favorite products
Fun things to do in DC with kids
One of my kids writes a song
Things I've been accused of
Things I've never been accused of
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May 2022
