“There is something sacred about being in motion while surrounded by uncertainty. A flight through a storm strips life down to its essentials. I cannot steer. I cannot pause the wind. I cannot calm the rain clouds. All I can do is trust. In that surrender, I feel the beauty of God’s mercy. His love protects me when I am vulnerable, guides me when I cannot see, and renews me even when fear tries to take hold.”
“Believe the best in people. Or at least stop assuming the worst. Most people aren’t masterminds plotting against you. Nobody is spending that much time obsessing over how they can ruin your day. They’re just tired, flawed, normal humans trying to get through their own day.”
“I reminded myself that this ache is really just love with nowhere to go in that moment. That in a few days it will sound different. That the voices, the mess, the warmth will all come back.”
“I learned early that resilience isn’t loud. It doesn’t look like a highlight reel. Sometimes it looks like doing physical therapy alone after school. It looks like crutches at the state tournament. It looks like icing a knee and pretending you’re fine. It looks like showing up to practice even when you can’t play, just so you don’t disappear.”
“As this year comes to a close, I feel thankful. Not because it was perfect—but because it was real. Because we grew, loved hard, showed up for each other, and kept moving forward. I don’t know exactly what next year will bring, but if it holds even a little of what this year did, I know we’ll be just fine.”
“My hope is to let Him lead, to trust His timing, and to believe that the doors He opens are meant for me—and the ones He closes are for my protection, even when I don’t understand it. More than anything, I want to live in His light and His mercy every day, letting that shape how I love, how I show up, and how I move through the hard moments.”
“Music has a way of holding our memories gently, like a time capsule we can open when we’re ready. Today, it reminded me that even the hardest chapters can become the ones you look back on with pride—not because they were easy, but because you stayed yourself inside them.”
“So there I was, a grown woman needing the same affirmations I hand my five-year-old like little daily doses of courage. I used them as a lifeline. I borrowed from him just to push through, quietly telling myself, I am capable. I am present. I am resilient. I am loyal. At first, it felt a little ridiculous—like saying these things out should be unnecessary by now.”
“I’m not living a dramatic storyline, I’m not wildly remarkable, and I don’t have some extraordinary journey that begs to be broadcast. What I do have is a deeply lived life—a real one—and that alone feels meaningful enough to document. I write because the pieces most people tuck away matter. The transitions, the emotions, the failures, the breakthroughs, the quiet growth—those are the moments that shape us, and writing allows me to capture them before they fade.”
“There is a unique ache in co-parenting that shows itself most clearly on birthdays—the day that should feel simple and celebratory, the day that marks your becoming a mother, and yet it seems tangled in logistics”
Five years ago today, I met the little boy who would change the very structure of who I am. Five years ago today, I became… Read more: Five Years of Odin
“Running again feels awkward, humbling, and sweaty in ways that remind me that growth is earned—not entitled. But those miles meant something bigger than cardio. They represented forward motion—in health, in motherhood, in confidence, and in honoring the woman I want my kids to watch me become and the woman I want my husband to come home to.”
“When I look back, it’s a blur of busy calendars, muddy shoes, little boy laughter, wedding planning chaos, and freezer-filling Alaska days. But woven through all of it was this steady feeling of thankfulness.”
I’ve accepted it — I am that girl. The one who starts humming Christmas songs before Halloween candy wrappers hit the trash. The one who… Read more: Let There Be Light
Every fall, there’s this quiet shift you can feel in your bones — when the last long, bright evening fades, and Southeast Alaska exhales into… Read more: Into the Dark Season
We got some hard news last week. After Diesel’s foot surgery, the results came back: soft tissue sarcoma. Cancer. The vet felt good about the… Read more: My Soul Dog
“As his mama, I sit in awe of who he is becoming. He is kind, supportive, and so deeply loyal to his people. Watching him step into this next season of growth feels both tender and proud—like holding onto the little boy he still is while glimpsing the big-hearted person he is becoming.”
When I reflect on walking down the aisle, my heart swells with gratitude—not just for the man waiting at the altar, but for the incredible… Read more: The Girls Who Got Me Here
“Hiking a trail like this isn’t just about exercise. It’s about presence. It’s about the conversations you only have when you’ve been moving side by side for hours, when you’ve sweated, laughed, and sat in silence together. It’s about seeing the world peel back its layers—fog to sunshine, mist to view—and realizing that’s exactly what friendship does too.”
This Labor Day weekend was nothing short of soul-filling. Three days spent camping at Settlers Cove gave us just the right blend of relaxation, adventure,… Read more: A Labor Day Weekend to Remember
Does he have the space to be a boy? To break things, to build things, to wrestle, to climb, to create—and yes, even to destroy?… Read more: To be a boy
This season feels like a love letter written in dirt-under-the-nails cursive. I’m measuring life in jar lids and berry stains, in the soft thud of… Read more: Canning/Pickling/Harvesting Mom Era
When I think about my childhood, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t material possessions—it’s the feeling of being enjoyed. My parents genuinely loved… Read more: Enjoyment
If you didn’t grow up in Southeast Alaska running around in rain boots and eating snacks you found in the woods, did you even grow… Read more: Barefoot, Bruised, & Bossy
Some mornings start with hot coffee and a good book, relaxing on the couch in a quiet serene home. Others start with someone screaming “MOM!!!… Read more: Bless this Beautiful Chaos
The house rarely gets quiet. Not truly. There’s always some soft rustle—a dryer spinning, rain tapping against the windows, footsteps running up the hallway, a… Read more: When the House gets Quiet
Love stories often get told in big gestures—flowers, fancy dinners, surprise trips. But the truth is, the kind of love that carries our marriage is… Read more: The Little Things That Mean Everything
When I think about the legacy I want to leave, it’s not a list of accomplishments or perfectly checked boxes. It’s in the way I… Read more: Growing A Legacy
To my bonus baby— Fawkes, my sweet boy—you came into my life with this old-soul gentleness, like you’ve always carried a handful of wisdom tucked… Read more: Letters to my Sons
Being surrounded by all the people we love was such a beautiful and blessed gift. The sun shined over Ketchikan all week in preparation for… Read more: Newlywed Bliss
This morning, I came across a heartfelt post from a local mama reflecting on the sentimental value of hand-me-downs, and it sat in my mind… Read more: Hand Me Down Stories
It’s easy to think that the big milestones are what define parenthood — the first steps, the first day of school, the big achievements we… Read more: One Proud Mama
There’s a particular kind of magic that comes with being a bride — a mix of joy, anticipation, and yes, a little flutter of nerves.… Read more: calm wonderful excitement
I’m not the mom with a flawless morning routine or a perfectly organized pantry, but I am the mom who knows how to turn an… Read more: The Real-Life Mom
I try to make space to connect with Him every day. Whether it’s pausing to thank Him in the quiet moments, reflecting on grace during… Read more: “Dusty Bibles” Josiah Queen
I used to think life moved in synchronized stages—graduate, go to college, get the dream job, fall in love, big wedding, buy a house, and… Read more: Out of Sync but not Missing a Beat
Let’s not sugarcoat it: raising little kids is hard. Beautiful, yes. Meaningful, absolutely. But also really, really hard. Some mornings, it feels like I’m running… Read more: Raising Little Giants
Somewhere between the granola bars and the chicken nuggets, the nature hikes and the movie nights, the parenting books and the “I’m just winging it,”… Read more: The Mom in the Middle
There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda McGurk I first read this book when I was pregnant with Odin—when everything motherhood lived in… Read more: Book Recommendation!
For those of us raised here—and raising our kids here—this land isn’t just scenery. It’s salmon smoke on the deck in the fall. It’s venison,… Read more: So, what’re we going to do about it?
This week we hiked around at a beach and in the woods at a campsite we’ve been to a hundred times, and still—the boys stopped… Read more: Teaching Tiny Stewards
Side note before we dive into it: If you’re wondering what those dangly things are in the picture—yes, those are fishing hoochies. Odin has loved… Read more: Campsite Magic
As I sat at my bridal shower surrounded by my closest friends—women from different seasons of my life, childhood besties, motherhood confidantes, soul sisters I… Read more: The Power of a Few Strong Women
There was no loud revival or earth-shattering moment. Just quiet nudges. Gentle whispers. A slow rebuilding of trust and faith that came to me like… Read more: Where Grace Found Me
My Norwegian-Alaskan skin, practically translucent after months of rain, soaked up every golden ray of sun until the inevitable first sunburn of summer appeared—a bright… Read more: a sunshine love letter
There’s something magical about living in a place where ordinary moments turn into unforgettable memories. Tonight was one of those moments—a random Tuesday dinner on… Read more: Not your average Tuesday
Let’s be honest: hiking with kids is mayhem. You imagine peaceful trails and bonding… and you end up carrying a pocket full of rocks and… Read more: Bare Necessities
“And yes—there was shame. Not because I had done something wrong, but because society teaches women to internalize endings as personal failures.”
“There is something sacred about being in motion while surrounded by uncertainty. A flight through a storm strips life down to its essentials. I cannot steer. I cannot pause the wind. I cannot calm the rain clouds. All I can do is trust. In that surrender, I feel the beauty of God’s mercy. His love protects me when I am vulnerable, guides me when I cannot see, and renews me even when fear tries to take hold.”
“Believe the best in people. Or at least stop assuming the worst. Most people aren’t masterminds plotting against you. Nobody is spending that much time obsessing over how they can ruin your day. They’re just tired, flawed, normal humans trying to get through their own day.”
“I reminded myself that this ache is really just love with nowhere to go in that moment. That in a few days it will sound different. That the voices, the mess, the warmth will all come back.”
“I learned early that resilience isn’t loud. It doesn’t look like a highlight reel. Sometimes it looks like doing physical therapy alone after school. It looks like crutches at the state tournament. It looks like icing a knee and pretending you’re fine. It looks like showing up to practice even when you can’t play, just so you don’t disappear.”
“As this year comes to a close, I feel thankful. Not because it was perfect—but because it was real. Because we grew, loved hard, showed up for each other, and kept moving forward. I don’t know exactly what next year will bring, but if it holds even a little of what this year did, I know we’ll be just fine.”
“My hope is to let Him lead, to trust His timing, and to believe that the doors He opens are meant for me—and the ones He closes are for my protection, even when I don’t understand it. More than anything, I want to live in His light and His mercy every day, letting that shape how I love, how I show up, and how I move through the hard moments.”
“Music has a way of holding our memories gently, like a time capsule we can open when we’re ready. Today, it reminded me that even the hardest chapters can become the ones you look back on with pride—not because they were easy, but because you stayed yourself inside them.”
“So there I was, a grown woman needing the same affirmations I hand my five-year-old like little daily doses of courage. I used them as a lifeline. I borrowed from him just to push through, quietly telling myself, I am capable. I am present. I am resilient. I am loyal. At first, it felt a little ridiculous—like saying these things out should be unnecessary by now.”
“I’m not living a dramatic storyline, I’m not wildly remarkable, and I don’t have some extraordinary journey that begs to be broadcast. What I do have is a deeply lived life—a real one—and that alone feels meaningful enough to document. I write because the pieces most people tuck away matter. The transitions, the emotions, the failures, the breakthroughs, the quiet growth—those are the moments that shape us, and writing allows me to capture them before they fade.”
“There is a unique ache in co-parenting that shows itself most clearly on birthdays—the day that should feel simple and celebratory, the day that marks your becoming a mother, and yet it seems tangled in logistics”
Five years ago today, I met the little boy who would change the very structure of who I am. Five years ago today, I became… Read more: Five Years of Odin
“Running again feels awkward, humbling, and sweaty in ways that remind me that growth is earned—not entitled. But those miles meant something bigger than cardio. They represented forward motion—in health, in motherhood, in confidence, and in honoring the woman I want my kids to watch me become and the woman I want my husband to come home to.”
“When I look back, it’s a blur of busy calendars, muddy shoes, little boy laughter, wedding planning chaos, and freezer-filling Alaska days. But woven through all of it was this steady feeling of thankfulness.”
I’ve accepted it — I am that girl. The one who starts humming Christmas songs before Halloween candy wrappers hit the trash. The one who… Read more: Let There Be Light
Every fall, there’s this quiet shift you can feel in your bones — when the last long, bright evening fades, and Southeast Alaska exhales into… Read more: Into the Dark Season
We got some hard news last week. After Diesel’s foot surgery, the results came back: soft tissue sarcoma. Cancer. The vet felt good about the… Read more: My Soul Dog
“As his mama, I sit in awe of who he is becoming. He is kind, supportive, and so deeply loyal to his people. Watching him step into this next season of growth feels both tender and proud—like holding onto the little boy he still is while glimpsing the big-hearted person he is becoming.”
When I reflect on walking down the aisle, my heart swells with gratitude—not just for the man waiting at the altar, but for the incredible… Read more: The Girls Who Got Me Here
“Hiking a trail like this isn’t just about exercise. It’s about presence. It’s about the conversations you only have when you’ve been moving side by side for hours, when you’ve sweated, laughed, and sat in silence together. It’s about seeing the world peel back its layers—fog to sunshine, mist to view—and realizing that’s exactly what friendship does too.”
This Labor Day weekend was nothing short of soul-filling. Three days spent camping at Settlers Cove gave us just the right blend of relaxation, adventure,… Read more: A Labor Day Weekend to Remember
Does he have the space to be a boy? To break things, to build things, to wrestle, to climb, to create—and yes, even to destroy?… Read more: To be a boy
This season feels like a love letter written in dirt-under-the-nails cursive. I’m measuring life in jar lids and berry stains, in the soft thud of… Read more: Canning/Pickling/Harvesting Mom Era
When I think about my childhood, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t material possessions—it’s the feeling of being enjoyed. My parents genuinely loved… Read more: Enjoyment
It feels like five minutes ago my little brothers were using my hairbrush as a lightsaber, pranking each other, or trying to convince me that… Read more: My Little Brothers Went and Grew Up on Me (And Somehow, I’m Not Crying… Okay, I’m Crying)
Let’s just go ahead and say it: I don’t do it all. Not even close. I know how it can look from the outside—muddy boots… Read more: I Don’t Do It All
If you didn’t grow up in Southeast Alaska running around in rain boots and eating snacks you found in the woods, did you even grow… Read more: Barefoot, Bruised, & Bossy
Some mornings start with hot coffee and a good book, relaxing on the couch in a quiet serene home. Others start with someone screaming “MOM!!!… Read more: Bless this Beautiful Chaos
The house rarely gets quiet. Not truly. There’s always some soft rustle—a dryer spinning, rain tapping against the windows, footsteps running up the hallway, a… Read more: When the House gets Quiet
Love stories often get told in big gestures—flowers, fancy dinners, surprise trips. But the truth is, the kind of love that carries our marriage is… Read more: The Little Things That Mean Everything
When I think about the legacy I want to leave, it’s not a list of accomplishments or perfectly checked boxes. It’s in the way I… Read more: Growing A Legacy
To my bonus baby— Fawkes, my sweet boy—you came into my life with this old-soul gentleness, like you’ve always carried a handful of wisdom tucked… Read more: Letters to my Sons
Being surrounded by all the people we love was such a beautiful and blessed gift. The sun shined over Ketchikan all week in preparation for… Read more: Newlywed Bliss
This morning, I came across a heartfelt post from a local mama reflecting on the sentimental value of hand-me-downs, and it sat in my mind… Read more: Hand Me Down Stories
It’s easy to think that the big milestones are what define parenthood — the first steps, the first day of school, the big achievements we… Read more: One Proud Mama
There’s a particular kind of magic that comes with being a bride — a mix of joy, anticipation, and yes, a little flutter of nerves.… Read more: calm wonderful excitement
I’m not the mom with a flawless morning routine or a perfectly organized pantry, but I am the mom who knows how to turn an… Read more: The Real-Life Mom
I try to make space to connect with Him every day. Whether it’s pausing to thank Him in the quiet moments, reflecting on grace during… Read more: “Dusty Bibles” Josiah Queen
2022 wasn’t the easiest chapter of my story, but it was the chapter of grace, growth, and resilience. I never asked for the fear, the… Read more: How my 1-year-old Taught me Resilience
I used to think life moved in synchronized stages—graduate, go to college, get the dream job, fall in love, big wedding, buy a house, and… Read more: Out of Sync but not Missing a Beat
Let’s not sugarcoat it: raising little kids is hard. Beautiful, yes. Meaningful, absolutely. But also really, really hard. Some mornings, it feels like I’m running… Read more: Raising Little Giants
Somewhere between the granola bars and the chicken nuggets, the nature hikes and the movie nights, the parenting books and the “I’m just winging it,”… Read more: The Mom in the Middle
There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda McGurk I first read this book when I was pregnant with Odin—when everything motherhood lived in… Read more: Book Recommendation!
For those of us raised here—and raising our kids here—this land isn’t just scenery. It’s salmon smoke on the deck in the fall. It’s venison,… Read more: So, what’re we going to do about it?
This week we hiked around at a beach and in the woods at a campsite we’ve been to a hundred times, and still—the boys stopped… Read more: Teaching Tiny Stewards
Side note before we dive into it: If you’re wondering what those dangly things are in the picture—yes, those are fishing hoochies. Odin has loved… Read more: Campsite Magic
As I sat at my bridal shower surrounded by my closest friends—women from different seasons of my life, childhood besties, motherhood confidantes, soul sisters I… Read more: The Power of a Few Strong Women
Some days, I just stop and look around—really look and take it all in—and I can’t believe this is where I get to call home.… Read more: “If You’re Bored You’re Missing Something” -Alaska
There was no loud revival or earth-shattering moment. Just quiet nudges. Gentle whispers. A slow rebuilding of trust and faith that came to me like… Read more: Where Grace Found Me
My Norwegian-Alaskan skin, practically translucent after months of rain, soaked up every golden ray of sun until the inevitable first sunburn of summer appeared—a bright… Read more: a sunshine love letter
There’s something magical about living in a place where ordinary moments turn into unforgettable memories. Tonight was one of those moments—a random Tuesday dinner on… Read more: Not your average Tuesday
There’s a unique magic in raising boys who are adventurous and borderline feral. The ones who climb trees, collect rocks, and find twenty-seven different uses… Read more: climbing trees, collecting rocks, & confidence building
Let’s be honest: hiking with kids is mayhem. You imagine peaceful trails and bonding… and you end up carrying a pocket full of rocks and… Read more: Bare Necessities
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