Marriage Monday: Scheduling Sex

Mark teases that Is There Really Sex After Kids? is the book he’s most astonished that I wrote.  He has reason to feel that way because our physical relationship was at the core of much of our marriage conflict and frustration for the first 10 years of our...

Are we coming to your neck of the woods?

Mark and I have several events on the calendar over the next few months.  We might even be coming to your area!  If you live in Central Florida, the St. Louis area, or in Central Illinois, we’d love to meet you!  If you don’t live near these...

Living With Less…Homemade Costs Less

At the beginning of the year I shared with you the ministry transition that Mark and I felt God leading us to make.  Mark resigned from his pastoral ministry and we are now speaking, writing, and encouraging families through Hearts at Home full-time….with a...

Marriage Monday: Love and Respect

Several years ago Mark and I were introduced to a great marriage book by Emerson Eggerichs called Love and Respect.  This book transformed our thinking in many ways. The book Love and Respect is based upon the Bible verse from Ephesians 5:33 which says,...

Living With Less…Decorating for Less!

About a month before little Rilyn was born, I spent the weekend with Anne with the goal of helping her finish up the nursery.  Once we had everything in it’s place, she looked at the white walls and said, “Mom, we can’t spend a dime making this room look warm and...

Marriage Monday: Date Your Mate

When Mark and I found ourselves sitting in a counselor’s office around year 7, we found that we’d made a very big mistake.  We’d put our kids before our marriage.  We also learned this was no more healthy for our marriage than it was for...

I’m gonna be a Grandma…hopefully today!

Happy Monday morning!  Today should be Marriage Monday, but I’m a little busy today… becoming a Grandma!  Anne had a sonogram on Saturday and it showed that her amniotic fluid is too low.  They have decided to induce her this morning. ...

Do I have any Florida Blog Friends?

Mark and I are excited to be part of the Focus on the Family “Celebrate Family” Tour.  We’ll be at the Orlando, Florida, event on Wednesday, May 19. If you live close enough to come to the Orlando event, we’d love to meet you! ...

Marriage Monday: Making It Through Tough Times

When Mark and I speak together on marriage, we introduce ourselves as being married “27 years…17 of them happily.”  It’s a description we wish weren’t true, but unfortunately it is.  Our marriage has had plenty of ups and downs....

Marriage Monday: We’re wonderfully incompatible!

Today I’m starting what I hope to be a weekly feature on my blog: Marriage Monday.  Mark and I speak and write together about marriage.  Each Monday we’ll share about a common marriage struggle and how we’ve learned to handle it.  You...

Living With Less…Book Excerpt

Sacrifice: Forfeit to WinToday I’m featuring an excerpt from Living with Less So Your Family Has More over on the Guideposts Blog.  Click here to read!

Living With Less Contest on Hearts at Home Blog!

I am excited to share a fun opportunity with you!To celebrate the release of Hearts at Home’s newest book: Living With Less So Your Family Has More, the Hearts at Home blog is launching the Living with Less Contest.Email Hearts at Home a story or money-saving tip that...

Am I coming to your area?

I’ve got some upcoming speaking engagements…and I just might be coming to your area!  Each of these are open to the public.Note the Feb 6 parenting event….if you’ve ever wanted your husband to experience a little bit of Hearts at Home, or...

Our Hot Tub Surprise

I’m posting today about our hot tub surprise over at our ABC’s of a Healthy Marriage blog. You can join the conversation here!

Our Hot Tub Surprise

A year ago I spoke for a church retreat. The retreat planners gave me a beautiful gift basket of goodies. Inside the gift basket was one of the most unique gifts. It was a gift certificate for a free rental of a hot tub for one week! I couldn’t believe it! I...