My life goals in four words: live real, love hard.

Here’s what this means to me: living simply and nourishing the relationships that matter; feeding my mind and soul and strengthening my body in order to be ready for whatever life brings; being brave enough to be vulnerable, and appreciating the beautiful even in the midst of the hard. Sometimes I get it right; other times, not so much. I’m a work in progress, and I’ll bet you are too.

I’m mom to five via birth, marriage, and foster-adoption. Three kids (and two rescued mutts) are still under our roof; the older two kids are out on their own and have even given us grandchildren.

As a quiet-loving, highly sensitive introvert, I’ve had to learn how to find peace in the midst of motherhood and homeschooling. Fitness was (and is) such a big part of the process that I became a strength coach in order to pass on that good to others. Simplifying life has also been key; our family made a big change in this direction when we moved from the hustle and bustle of metro Atlanta to small-town life in coastal North Carolina, significantly downsizing our home in the process.

I write about homeschooling, mom-life, healthy living, DIY projects, books we adore, introvert life, and whatever else is on my heart.

A few posts to get to know me:

• Becoming a Fun Mama
• When Mom Struggles with Bonding in Adoption
• How to be Friends with an Introvert
• Real Mom

And, just for fun: 41 random facts about me.

If you’re interested in health and fitness, I invite you to sign up for my Shine Strong newsletter, which goes out once or twice a month.

I’m a bit sad I haven’t figured out how to offer you a cup of tea through the wonders of the interweb. Until then, I invite you to subscribe to updates; they’ll be delivered straight to your inbox.

Let’s encourage each other to live real, love hard, and look for the joy in life.

Feel free to email me anytime.

---