party ideas

Fewer Choices, Less Stress for the Holiday Season

~ Rachel Schmoyer ~ 2 Comments

When my youngest child, Molly, was 5 years old, an elderly friend took our family to the Dollar Store. For Christmas, she wanted to treat each of our children to five things from the store; five things of their choice. The day we met at the store, it was crowded with people getting ready for … Continue reading Fewer Choices, Less Stress for the Holiday Season

Easy Thanksgiving Journal for the Whole Family

~ Rachel Schmoyer ~ 3 Comments

Packed away in my tote of fall decorations is a little brown blank book that came from the dollar store. Warmth spreads through my heart when I flip open the cover and see handprints, doodles, and scrawled words inside. Each year for the past 11 years our family has taken some time on Thanksgiving Day to … Continue reading Easy Thanksgiving Journal for the Whole Family

Trick or Treat Gospel Tract

~ Rachel Schmoyer ~ 5 Comments

Halloween is coming soon! In our family, my husband, Tim, takes the kids around to Trick or Treat in the neighborhood. I gladly stay home and hand out candy. A lot of the kids know me since I stand at the school bus stop with my kids and try to be a friendly face for all … Continue reading Trick or Treat Gospel Tract

We Stopped Giving our Kids Birthday Presents

Aside ~ ~ Rachel Schmoyer ~ 4 Comments

I was tired of tripping over toys! My four kids had so many. Some they had outgrown but nostalgia had prevented them from passing the toys along. Some were only played with when I held it up and said “are we done with this toy yet?” followed by a chorus of “oh, no, that’s our … Continue reading We Stopped Giving our Kids Birthday Presents

Because of Winn-Dixie

~ Rachel Schmoyer ~ Leave a comment

For the past nine years, our family has had a tradition of Friday pizza and movie night. Usually, the pizza is homemade and we watch a movie that everyone will enjoy. It’s tough to all agree with the mix of ages and genders and interests in our home, but such a joy when we find … Continue reading Because of Winn-Dixie