Mental illnesses are not dependent upon any outside life conditions or events. Somehow I let that lesson slip after the birth of my daughter, despite having dealt with depression and anxiety for most of my life. Knowing I was susceptible and thinking that I knew what to look out for still didn’t keep me from […]
Parenting
The Meaning of a Bike Ride

Summer is here, well spring, but in Minnesota we just seem to say summer because really it’s either winter or it’s not in which case it’s summer. Anyway, it’s here and in typical form it’s a mad dash to pack in as much fun as possible while sitting back and soaking it all in. Dash, […]
Mindfulness Tips From Someone Who Sucks at Mindfulness

May is Mental Health Awareness Month y’all! Is a month of awareness adequate for a nation of people who are getting sadder and more disconnected every year? Of course not, but it’s a fine excuse to check in with yourself and others if you wouldn’t otherwise. I’m choosing to focus on mindfulness today because I’m […]
Do’s and Don’ts of Camping With a Baby

I have to camp. At least a few times every year or my brain and body ache. You know how some people get hangry when they haven’t eaten? I get like that when I haven’t camped. Campangry? Cangry? Having a baby and ending my school and work lives for the foreseeable future a few months […]
Raising My Daughter, Not Myself

I decided what kind of mom I was going to be before I decided whether I liked slides or swings better. I knew how I was going to treat my daughter before I knew how to care for a pet. I even knew how I would teach my kids to ride a bike before I […]