Life as a working parent can feel like a whirlwind—managing family, work, school responsibilities, and the unexpected curveballs life throws our way. Some days, it feels like I’m thriving, and other days, I’m just trying to keep my head above water. Sound familiar? I’m Rachel, a married mom of two […]
How to Manage Kids & Work When Your Partner Is Away
Before diving into this post, I want to take a moment to shout out the single parents out there—you are the real MVPs! My perspective comes from my unique life situation, but I hope these tips will be helpful for anyone juggling parenting and life when flying solo. The Reality […]
Seeing the Light Through the Trees
Last month, I was in one of those chapters. The kind where everything feels heavy and never-ending. Work was busy, with my boss on leave and me applying for a director position. PTO was intense, with the end of year wrap-up. The house needed attention. Summer camps needed planning. And […]
Planning a Family Trip to the Florida Keys (Or Anywhere Really): Behind-the-Scenes Tips Travel Blogs Don’t Always Tell You
Thinking of planning a family vacation? There are so many great travel blogs that can give you ideas on where to go and what to do. Today, I want to talk a little about the mechanics of planning—the behind-the-scenes steps that help make those dreamy trips actually happen. Last Christmas […]
How I Prepped for a Family Road Trip to the Keys (Without Losing My Mind)
A road trip to the Florida Keys. Two families. Four adults. Four elementary-aged kids. A 7-hour journey to a rental house in paradise—complete with a pool, a dock, and plenty of sunshine. It sounds like a dream, right? It was—but getting there took some serious prep. Because behind that dreamy […]
Joining the PTO: Why I Said Yes—and Why You Might Too
It’s that time of year again—school’s winding down, summer plans are starting to take shape, and if you have a child in school, your inbox might be filling with notices about PTO elections and volunteer sign-ups. When my oldest started kindergarten, I joined the PTO and went to a few […]
Our First Look at Epic Universe!
Last week, I shared how I prepped for a full day at Universal’s newest park, Epic Universe—with two kids, gear, snacks, and ready to go! This weekend, we finally made it! From softball fields to Super Nintendo World, here’s how the day went, what worked, and what I’d do differently […]
How We’re Prepping for the Epic Universe Passholder Preview (with Two Kids in Tow!)
We are so excited that we have the opportunity to attend the Passholder Preview at Universal Orlando’s brand-new park, Epic Universe, tomorrow! From what we’ve seen, the park looks absolutely incredible, and we can’t wait to explore it for ourselves. As many of you know, we’re frequent visitors to Universal […]
What’s In My “Always Ready” Bag?
I have a backpack that’s always packed and ready to roll—whether we’re heading to sports practice, spending a full day at the ball fields, enjoying a park adventure, or hopping on the boat for a little fun in the sun. Whether you call it a “go bag,” a “mom bag,” […]
Making the Most of Spring Break – Even When You’re Working
Spring Break is officially here, and today, we’re talking about a different kind of balance and fulfillment. If you’ve read my posts on fun money and maximizing PTO, you know I love finding ways to make the most of our resources—our time together and the money we use to fund […]
Frantic to Fulfilled: Delegation – You Don’t Have to Do It All!
Delegation: Scary or Refreshing? When you hear the word “delegation,” does it make you cringe, or do you feel like an expert? For me, it’s a little bit of both! According to Merrium-Webster, delegation is defined as “the act of empowering to act for another.” We’re not talking about dumping […]