As the summer draws to a close I’ve been counting up my home to-do list wins, like getting back to school supplies early enough before the ravages of parents crazed by complicated lists, or having checked off nearly all of the “Summer Wishes” activities board our family created in June. I’ve also been considering the near-wins and losses, like my yet still half full tub of kid art projects waiting to be photographed for a memory book and recycled, or this poor little blog still languishing with no fresh content. My one consolation was realizing I had posted once since my original Gone Writin’ piece about an epic battle with a stomach flu. (I promise more than infirmity has happened in the following months)

Here’s to all of us who take this season’s change as an opportunity to celebrate our successes, confront our misses, and update our goals.

Field Notes From the Front Lines of the Stomach Flu

[below is the original post from January this year]

It’s ironic that the last post on Niche Envy was about being committed to practicing one’s craft (for me writing) with consistency, and then 11 months pass with nary a keystroke uploaded. The imaginary sign I’ve hung on this humble little blog’s front door reads Gone Writin’, as opposed to Fishin’ or whatever other activity one departs to engage in for any given set of time. It’s also ironic that the absence of words here has meant the sprinkling of words elsewhere. Given the limitations of my time, had I posted on Niche Envy I wouldn’t have been able to submit other pieces.

Perhaps to prove to myself that I’m keeping to Ira Glass’ encouragement, I wanted to round up the various stories I’ve told in the past year or so. I hope you enjoy them!

Finding Our Eye of the Parenting Storm

My thoughts on how having four children in four years has shaped my husband and I as parents and a couple. I hope other parents of young children find encouragement from our experience.

3 Starting Points for Raising Do-Good Kids

Some ideas on how to leverage our kids’ world, talent, and interests to encourage a lifestyle of giving.

How Being a Mountain Guide Prepared Me to Be a Parent

I spend the better part of three summers as a mountain guide. I learned so much more than I was able to teach – and much of it applies to my perspective on how I parent my children.

How We Survived Survival Mode

A small list of not so obvious ways that helped us survive the early days of parenting.

Gratitude in Our Brief Visit to the Pediatric ICU

A look back to when we almost lost our then toddler to a killer virus.

3 Ways to Give Back During the Holidays For and With Our Kids

Exploring how we can make the giving season mean even more for the children in our lives.

My (too) Close Encounter with Virtual Reality and How it Sparked Imagining VR for Good

Putting on a cardboard VR viewer changed the way I think about doing good forever.