Kaylee grew up in St. George, Utah, USA and is the second oldest of seven children. She lived in a tight-knit community where the children played night games together regularly and families supported each other. Kaylee has also lived elsewhere in Utah, California, Brazil, and North Carolina. In this season of her life, Kaylee is…
There certainly are times in my life when I have NOT felt free to choose. At times, when circumstances seemed bigger than me or when I felt like a victim, I have unfortunately reacted instead of choosing. I’m grateful for mentors and resources that have helped me learn and grow in ways that have empowered…
Last month we had a “sick day” at our house, and I snuggled on the couch with my son (and his pile of more than a dozen pillows) to watch the Disney movie Encanto. We had already watched that movie about as many times as there were pillows on the couch, but the great thing…
In the early morning hours of September 9, 1996, fierce contractions gripped my abdomen again and again, drawing my whole body, mind, and soul into the experience of becoming a mother. Though I had been warned it would come, I could not have fully understood the agony until I felt it for myself. These unrelenting birthing…
“We live and promote a life culture within the womb, the home, and our ecological environment.” Promote: (verb) To further the progress of something. To support or actively encourage. I am a promoter of raspberries. I’ve never thought of it that way before, but looking back on the past two decades of my life, the…
Solutions. Today many of the advanced solutions for societal problems come from developing innovative technology and accessing global resources. However, when it comes to fundamental concerns of the human heart, few things are as valuable and effective as the character, perspective, wisdom, and support of a mentor. While mentors often are found in our living…
“I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.” Albert Einstein In this quote, Einstein captures our tenet for the month, “We are each unique and innately worthy of respect.” From garbage man to university president, child to adult, neighbor to stranger, respect is…
On a recent trip with my son to visit grandparents in Arizona, an outing culminated in a visit to a new ice cream shop for a scoop of my favorite flavor, “Graham Canyon.” After enjoying the frozen goodness and some giggles from my son donning a five-gallon ice cream bucket as a stylish helmet, we wandered…
Thomas Edison never invented a compass. It was one of the few things, perhaps, that he didn’t invent or improve. By the time he died in 1931, Thomas Edison had acquired a record 1,093 patents for his amazing inventions. I wrote this article on a phone, which is powered by a battery, and the light…
I love puzzles and mysteries. There is such a thrill in the victory of finally figuring out the solution. Last fall our family participated in a tropical island plane crash themed “puzzle room.” In order to escape the imaginary island, we had to solve a series of puzzles with only the items we found in…