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Tasty Treats to Whip Up When a Friend Comes Over

By on September 18, 2017

*This is a contributed post. I only accept contributed posts when I feel they can be relevant to the readers of Sunshine and Holly.*

There’s nothing better than eating good food with good friends, am I right? Before kids, Josh and I were always entertaining! We loved throwing dinner parties, cocktail hours, and seasonal parties. One year, my best friend Lauren and I threw an epic scary movie night for Halloween. These days, I mostly just host play dates and small groups from church. But I still love planning out snacks for my guests. If you’re looking for a few good recipes that will show your friends you care, here are a few ideas for tasty treats to whip up when a friend comes over. 

Tasty Treats to Whip Up When a Friend Comes Over | sunshineandholly.com

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family | Family Fun | kids activities | motherhood | parenting | Uncategorized

A Tale of Two Temperaments

By on September 13, 2017

I’ve mentioned before how my children are so different. Complete opposites in a lot of respects. Graham can chow down on some food. Maddie eats like a bird. Graham isn’t affectionate at all. Maddie would crawl back inside of me if she could. Graham loves building things. Maddie loves active play. Graham loves super heros. Maddie loves princesses.

A Tale of Two Temperaments | sunshineandholly.com

They’re so different when it comes to discipline. Graham has so many wonderful traits, and he’s truly an amazing kid. But he is also the most stubborn, manipulative, and argumentative kid I’ve ever met! Needless to say, we’ve tried any and all discipline tactics with him and have finally settled on a few that work…most of the time. I am mentally exhausted every day trying to get him to do what he needs to do. Maddie is a people-pleaser, and already very empathetic. It doesn’t take much to get her to obey. 

A Tale of Two Temperaments | sunshineandholly.com

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family | happiness | motherhood | parenting | summer | Uncategorized

The Promise of September

By on August 23, 2017

August is always a difficult month for me.

Most of the public schools have started back, but our church-run preschool doesn’t start until after Labor Day. Usually by August, I’m burnt out, exhausted, and in desperate need of some kid-free time. Mama needs a break!

August days are long and hot (or rainy seems to be the case for this year). The kids are bored, I’m bored. By August, we’ve done all the fun summer activities so many times that they don’t seem fun anymore.  We’re over it and ready for school to start. I seem to loose my cool more often than not. And then there’s the cycle of yelling and guilt that seems to control me on my bad days.

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babies | baby | birth | blogging | family | friends | love | motherhood | parenting | pregnancy | Uncategorized

A Love Letter to My Village

By on July 24, 2017

Motherhood is tough. Motherhood is messy. Motherhood has kicked my booty. The first few years are some of the hardest. So much crying (both me and the babies!) and the never ending cycle of feed, burp, change diaper, rock to sleep, over and over and over and over. Then there’s the whining, the tantrums, the constant questions, the potty training, the messes…it’s enough to drive a person completely crazy or send them into a dark depression!

So what gets us through it? (Besides lots of coffee and wine.) What is the light, the breath of fresh air, the hope for all the lonely, tired, lost mamas out there?

It’s our village – the group of women and men surrounding us, lifting us up, encouraging us, and helping out during some of the most difficult years of our life. Every mom needs her village, and I’ve been so blessed with mine. There have been so many people over the years who’ve been a rock, a shoulder to cry on, an inspiration, a light.

And I just wanted to take a minute to thank them.

a love letter to my village | sunshineandholly.com | motherhood | it takes a village | mom friends

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