Blog
Why We Built an Indoor Rock Climbing Wall (and Basically a Mini Gym) for Our Kids
This project came together for two reasons. Instagram ads kept serving us indoor climbing walls, and Idaho winters are long. Our kids have a lot of energy, and sitting still has never really been their thing.
Why We Built a DIY Backyard Sauna (and Why We’d Do It Again)
This sauna has been something I’ve wanted for a long time. It started with mental health and overall wellness. Over the last few years, I kept coming back to the idea of having a sauna at home. Add in the growing research around sauna use and long-term health benefits, and eventually it stopped feeling like a “someday” idea and started feeling necessary.
The Hunt of a Lifetime: Our Wyoming Super Tag Mule Deer Story
There are some hunts you dream about your whole life—tags you talk about around campfires, tags you hear about, tags you never expect to actually draw. And then one day, God sends you a miracle in the form of a phone call with caller ID “Government of Wyoming”.
Our 5-Day Lake Powell Family Trip
There are some trips that live in your mind for years before they ever make it to the calendar. For us, Lake Powell was one of those. We had talked about how we’d love to take a houseboat trip there when the time was right. We actually reserved a boat a couple years ago but the water levels were super low and we decided to bail at the last minute. This year, we finally made it happen and it turned into a family adventure we’ll never forget.
A Fairy Garden Birthday Party
When you’ve already done unicorns, princess, dinosaurs and mermaids, a mom’s gotta get creative. For Tinsley’s 6th birthday, I wanted something fresh but still fun, girly, and magical. A late-night Pinterest scroll landed me on the perfect idea: a fairy garden birthday party. I could already picture Tinsley loving it and bonus, it seemed easy enough to pull together without losing my mind.
Indie’s “Wild One” Cowgirl Birthday Party
When Indie turned one, we didn’t have a big plan in place — just a wild little girl, a love for horses, and the hope of making her birthday feel special. “Wild One” felt the most applicable for this cowgirl so we ran with it.
Under The Shooting Stars: Indie’s Birth Story
A year ago, under a sky full of shooting stars, a girl named Indie James came into the world.
South Africa with Kids: A Family Safari Adventure
Let me start by saying this: If you’ve ever dreamed about taking your kids on safari, do it. It’s not easy. It’s not convenient. But it’s unforgettable. And more than worth it.
Family Compound Living (And What It’s Really Like)
When we first started dreaming about land, animals, and a slower pace of life, the idea of a family compound wasn’t part of the plan. Not exactly. Back then, we were drawn to the practical side of sharing — splitting costs, pitching in on chores, and having more hands for projects like fencing or animal care.