The Blog | Hold Loosely, Live Freely

March Madness

by Melissa Cheatham | Mar 20, 2019 | All The Things, Children, The Blog

Today is the first day of March Madness! For us, this might as well be a calendar established holiday, because we have created traditions behind it that make it unique and my family looks forward to it every year. March Madness for those of you who are not...

Vacation Tips for Families Traveling Together

by Kirstin Ricketts | Mar 20, 2019 | All The Things, The Blog

It’s spring break time! Let’s talk travel tips! Because my husband is a saint, we just took a trip with my parents, sister, and our combined seven kids. Below are my tips for actually enjoying each other on a large family vacation. To say we have a lot of...

Just One Thing

by Melissa Cheatham | Mar 18, 2019 | All The Things, Faith Matters, The Blog

Recently, I tried to burn the house down. Seriously. I was multitasking watering plants, teaching my kiddos math and making Easy-Mac in the microwave. To be completely transparent, it was the Cracker Barrel brand of Easy Mac. So it was slightly more gourmet with a...

Look For Love

by Kirstin Ricketts | Mar 17, 2019 | Faith Matters, Home Sweet Home, The Blog

Here is the truth about when I was pregnant with our first baby: I didn’t feel all of the warm connections…I felt like I was carrying an alien. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. This level of attachment lasted up until the day he was born. On the way to the...

Ten Things I Want My Kids To Know If They Give Something Up For Lent

by Kirstin Ricketts | Mar 15, 2019 | Home Sweet Home, The Blog

I want to capitalize on the tangible, on things my kids can hold in their hands and point back to. “Giving something up for Lent” is a concrete practice that gives shape to the particular period that is Lent. My family didn’t “give things up” for Lent when I was a...

Strawberry Pie

by Melissa Cheatham | Mar 13, 2019 | The Blog, The Feed

My mom won the title of Miss Betty Crocker of Nebraska when she was in high school. My sister is a registered dietician who knows how to blend chemistry with food to make amazing concoctions. Me… well… it’s taken a while to find my place in the cooking world. So when...