A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I reached a new milestone in our lives as parents: We purchased a minivan. Many couples shudder at the thought of driving a minivan. In fact, just a couple of days before we purchased our van, I saw this bumper sticker on a minivan parked in the grocery store parking lot. I’ll concede that they … [Read more...] about Why Minivans are Really Cool Vehicles
just for fun
6 Things that Stifle Creativity
We tend to associate creativity with certain people or roles. For example, artists and musicians need creativity for their work. However, we don’t often consider how creativity benefits the rest of us. I’m a stay-at-home mom, yet creativity is incredibly beneficial in my work. When I’m creative, I’m better able to plan menus, better … [Read more...] about 6 Things that Stifle Creativity
Differences Between Hymns and Contemporary Worship Songs
My husband and I began discussing hymns and contemporary worship music a few weeks ago after we heard some radio personalities discussing what they considered to be some of the greatest worship songs of all time. As we debated the songs they mentioned, we began to wonder what makes one song a hymn and another song a worship song. I’m a … [Read more...] about Differences Between Hymns and Contemporary Worship Songs
Celebrating Five Years of Blogging at Of The Hearth!
Last weekend marked five years since I began blogging here at Of The Hearth. Five years! It seems like just yesterday that I stumbled through the process of creating this website. It wasn’t just yesterday, though. Since starting the site, I have shared 606 blog posts! Today’s post is going to be a little walk down memory lane. The … [Read more...] about Celebrating Five Years of Blogging at Of The Hearth!
25 Ways to Make Your Husband Smile Today
We all know how good it feels to smile and how having something about which to smile can brighten our days. Unfortunately, my family has had a lot weighing on our hearts and minds lately, so we haven’t been smiling as much as we usually do. I want to bring cheer to my husband, so I’ve come up with some ideas for bringing a smile to his … [Read more...] about 25 Ways to Make Your Husband Smile Today
10 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Grandparents Day
National Grandparents Day, celebrated annually on the first Sunday after Labor Day, is a day set aside to (1) honor grandparents, (2) give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and (3) help children become aware of the strength, information, and guidance older people can offer (source). Though National … [Read more...] about 10 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Grandparents Day
Why I’m a Singing Mom
If you were to eavesdrop on my household at random times throughout the day, it’s likely you would hear me singing more than once. This isn’t because I’m particularly fond of singing and it’s certainly not because I’m gifted at it. I began singing to my children before they were born. When I was pregnant with my first, I would sit in … [Read more...] about Why I’m a Singing Mom
50 Fun Activities for Fathers and Their Toddlers
According to the Pew Research Center, mothers spend about twice as much time with their children as fathers do. Regardless of the reasons for this statistic, one consequence is that many fathers feel uncertain about what sort of activities to share with their toddlers—curious creatures who are notorious for their mercurial moods, short … [Read more...] about 50 Fun Activities for Fathers and Their Toddlers













