Top 25 Family Blogs

About This Blog

We do a daily (as in everyday!) one minute video of our son Noah who was born with Down Syndrome. We show parents (and the world) what life is like raising a child with special needs. (Spoiler Alert - it's a lot more "normal" then "un-normal.")

My Favorite Family Activity

Our outings are usually not without stress (five kids under age seven), so probably our favorite thing to do is pizza night cuddled up watching a favorite movie — Cheaper by the Dozen or Nacho Libre. I really just enjoy making memories with my husband and kids, and going someplace extravagant and expensive is not what is important to us. A night at home will do just fine.

How Blogging Changed My Family Life

Blogging has changed the way I view things. I tend to look at all things as an opportunity to catch and record a moment. I get my blog printed into a book every year, so now we have three years of blog books that are so fun to look back on. Had I not been blogging, I would never have recorded so many of those moments.

A Unique Feature of My Family Blog

Every Thursday, I host a linky party called "Embrace the Camera." This all began when I was looking back through pictures one month and realized I was hardly in any of them. I then turned to pictures of when I was a child and realized that I hardly had any memories captured with MY parents. I wanted to change this for my kids. So, this challenges me to get in front of the camera at least once a week with one child or all of them.  I've been doing this consistently since May 2010 and I have so many memories recorded now. AND, my kids will never be able to say, "You're not in any of our pictures."  I realize most moms don't enjoy being in front of the camera, but when you think about doing it for your children, it changes things.  They don't think those awful adjectives that you think about yourself — those thoughts do not even cross their minds.  It's so important to record that we were actually here.  Because one day, we won't be, and what will your family have left of you?

Favorite Posts

1. We recently adopted a little girl from Ethiopia and this post is raw and honest about how hard it's been — Adoption and Love
2. I'm a bit OCD when it comes to organizing — Organization
3. A video of us telling the kids we are having baby #6 — Telling the Kids

My Favorite Family Activity

My favorite family activity is Friday night movie and pizza. We make yummy homemade pizzas, pick out a movie we've never seen or seen a thousand times, spread out blankets, and enjoy! We started doing this when my kids were little, but they still really enjoy it. Now I just have to make more pizzas! As they've gotten older and activities have increased, our pizza/movie nights have become less consistent which, fortunately, has increased the pleasure in our night together. We are learning to never take time together for granted!

How Blogging Changed My Family Life  

Blogging has changed my family life in a simple way. My kids often chime in on a funny story by saying, "Mom, you're going to have to blog about this." All four kids are faithful readers. It will be interesting when they are old enough to decide to start leaving comments. I can't wait to read what they have to say! 

A Unique Feature of My Family Blog

A unique feature of my family blog is that I am also the staff leader for the women's ministry of my church. I frequently blog about what I'm learning in my faith or what I desire to teach others which often includes the many good, difficult, and amazing lessons I learn about parenting. 

Favorite Posts

1. Fabulous Femininity
2. A Job Well Done
3. Significance as Small as a Seed