An ‘Experiences Not Things’ Holiday Guide for TEENS

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 25, 2022November 25, 2022 motherhood colt, experiences not things, gifting, holiday Leave a comment

We adopted this perspective on gifting years ago and it has truly served our family well. I get asked about it all year long — and finally decided to capture ideas to get people started….

An ‘Experiences Not Things’ Holiday Guide for Kids – Pandemic Edition

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 27, 2020November 27, 2020 motherhood colt, experiences not things, gifting, holiday Leave a comment

For the past three years, I’ve shared a gift guide for parents and families looking for a holiday season with less STUFF. We adopted this perspective on gifting years ago and it has truly served…

Helicopter Parenting! Am I Doing This Right?

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 11, 2019 active lifestyle, adventure travel, motherhood, travel, travel with kids air maui, colt, hawaii, helicopter, maui, spring break, spring break 2019 Leave a comment

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2019 Spring Break adventure in Hawaii. Click here for all posts. I wish you could’ve seen the look on Colt’s face when I suggested…

The Road to Hana: The Road Less Traveled

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 8, 2019December 12, 2021 active lifestyle, motherhood, travel, travel with kids colt, hawaii, maui, spring break, spring break 2019, waterfall Leave a comment

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2019 Spring Break adventure in Hawaii. Click here for all posts. Driving The Road to Hana was one of the first things I put…

A Friendly Holiday Reminder for Busy Parents Everywhere

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 27, 2018November 28, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections christmas, holiday Leave a comment

You do not have to do all the things. Seriously. You don’t. I heard this from a fellow busy mom today: Busy Mom: Yeah, my friend C was asking about my Christmas decorations today….

Team Hood

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 4, 2018 motherhood colt, football Leave a comment

Buddy, we made it. This weekend was the final game of your first season of tackle football — and we made it. Almost three months ago I sat through your first practice and knew it…

4 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Storytelling

By Sarah Martin HoodOctober 8, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections colt, storytelling Leave a comment

I believe in storytelling. I believe it’s powerful and rewarding and beautiful and entertaining and illuminating and therapeutic. And I believe it’s a skill that can be learned. Even those of us who found and…

A Science and History Weekend in St. Louis

By Sarah Martin HoodAugust 5, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood, travel with kids colt, daniel boone, gateway arch, missouri, national park, st. louis 2 Comments

“Mommy, can we make sure my NASA shirt is clean this weekend? I need it.” Weeks before, we’d seen friends share photos of a summer trip to St. Louis including a stop at the St….

Trying New Things: Robotics Edition

By Sarah Martin HoodJune 29, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood colt, engineering, first lego league, robotics, summer camp Leave a comment

Welp. Today’s the day. I knew this day would come, but I wasn’t prepared for it to happen 11 days after his 10th birthday. Yep. The kid is smarter than me. It’s official. But let’s…

Double Digits

By Sarah Martin HoodJune 18, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood birthday, colt Leave a comment

Well, Buddy. You went and turned 10. We knew it was coming. YOU certainly knew it was coming. And we all seemed to feel the gravity of this milestone, double-digit birthday. And today was the…

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument: Slot Canyons and Blue Skies

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 10, 2018November 4, 2018 active lifestyle, hiking, motherhood, travel with kids colt, junior ranger, kasha-katuwe, national park, new mexico, spring break, spring break 2018, tent rocks 2 Comments

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2018 Spring Break road trip across New Mexico. Click here for all posts. Early in the trip planning, Susan texted me a photo she…

Bandelier National Monument: An Unexpected Gem

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 8, 2018November 4, 2018 active lifestyle, hiking, motherhood, travel with kids bandelier national monument, colt, junior ranger, national park, new mexico, spring break, spring break 2018 1 Comment

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2018 Spring Break road trip across New Mexico. Click here for all posts. My friend Jackie once told me about a study she read…

UP! Hot Air Ballooning in New Mexico

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 4, 2018November 4, 2018 active lifestyle, motherhood, travel with kids albuquerque, colt, hot air balloon, new mexico, rainbow ryders, spring break, spring break 2018 Leave a comment

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2018 Spring Break road trip across New Mexico. Click here for all posts. I have a well-documented history of getting talked into trying things…

3 Lessons I Learned in Albuquerque

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 3, 2018November 4, 2018 active lifestyle, motherhood, travel with kids albuquerque, colt, new mexico, spring break, spring break 2018 Leave a comment

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2018 Spring Break road trip across New Mexico. Click here for all posts. By midweek, we were headed north on our loop through New…

White Sands National Monument: A Playground Like You’ve Never Seen

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 2, 2018November 4, 2018 active lifestyle, motherhood, travel with kids colt, junior ranger, national park, new mexico, spring break, spring break 2018, white sands Leave a comment

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2018 Spring Break road trip across New Mexico. Click here for all posts. We got into town late Monday night but woke up Tuesday…

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Journey to the Center of the Earth

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 1, 2018November 4, 2018 active lifestyle, motherhood, travel with kids carlsbad caverns, colt, junior ranger, national park, new mexico, spring break, spring break 2018 1 Comment

This post is part of a series of stories from our 2018 Spring Break road trip across New Mexico. Click here for all posts. One of the biggest reasons we headed to New Mexico for…

All the books

By Sarah Martin HoodFebruary 25, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood books, colt, reading 4 Comments

Late last fall (post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas), we got a note from school. The 4th grade teachers were sending an SOS to parents: your kids are restless and acting like goobers! We’re allllllmost to winter break, but…

2017, it’s been real.

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 7, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections colt, jeff, year in review Leave a comment

I’ve been back at work for a week now, but working from home with Colt until he’s back in school — and it all goes back to “normal” tomorrow. Yes, our beloved routine will hit…

An ‘Experiences Not Things’ Holiday Guide for Kids

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 12, 2017December 1, 2019 motherhood colt, experiences not things, gifting, holiday 2 Comments

This article was originally published in November 2017. It was most recently updated in November 2019. Ask your kids what they got for Christmas last year. Do they remember? Now ask them about the last…

Back to School Thoughts from a 2017 Mama

By Sarah Martin HoodAugust 13, 2017November 4, 2018 motherhood first day of school Leave a comment

Tomorrow is the first day of school and we’re mostly ready. We fought the crowds to buy the school supplies and we got the haircut and we met the teacher and we picked out the…