Simply Craig

Sometimes the best family memories come from the most spontaneous decisions. Like loading up the kids on a school night and heading to the movie theater. Responsible? Probably not. Worth it? Absolutely. We practically had the entire theater to ourselves as we put on our 3D glasses and settled in to watch the X Games. The girls lasted... fairly well. The boys? They could have watched another three hours. Especially Mr. B.T.C. As I watched athletes launch themselves through the air, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat. Not because of the movie... But because it reminded me of another season in our lives. A season filled with dirt bikes. Motocross tracks. Saturday races. And more adrenaline than I ever cared for. I realized years ago that I married a certain breed of man. The kind who loves speed. Who isn't afraid of taking risks. Who actually enjoys the smell of race fuel. The kind who believes flying thirty feet through the air on a motorcycle sounds like a great way to sp...

If you were to ask a group of moms what household task they dread the most... I have a feeling one answer would rise to the top. "What's for dinner?" For years, that question followed me around like an annoying little voice that refused to go away. Every. Single. Day. I'd stand in front of the refrigerator hoping inspiration would magically appear. It rarely did. Most weeks, I'd head to the grocery store without much of a plan, buy whatever looked good, and somehow end up with a refrigerator full of food that spoiled before I had a chance to use it. Then, on the nights I actually knew what I wanted to make... I never had the ingredients. So back to the grocery store I'd go. For two or three items. And somehow leave with an entire shopping cart. Can anyone relate? Eventually, my sister and I decided there had to be a better way. Together we came up with a menu-planning system that has saved me time, money, and a whole lot of unnecessary stress. Here's how i...

If there's one thing I've learned as a mom, it's this... Getting children to consistently do their chores can be exhausting. They get bored with the routine. They complain. They forget. Or sometimes they simply decide they aren't going to do them. Sound familiar? After one too many frustrating days, I decided I needed a different approach. I wanted to spend less time nagging and more time noticing the good things my children were doing. So, after a little brainstorming (and a trip to Staples), I created a chore system that completely changed the atmosphere in our home. Instead of assigning chores each day, I made helping around the house a choice. Here's how it works. Every child has a laminated  Personal Responsibility Card  listing the things they're expected to do every day: make their bed, brush their teeth, keep their room picked up, complete their reading, and other age-appropriate responsibilities. These aren't considered chores. They're simply pa...

Every summer deserves a great ending. For us, that meant one last trip to the lake. The weekend was filled with sunshine, good food, boating, swimming, family, friends, and laughter. Our two biggest water lovers couldn't wait to get started. If there's a board, a tube, or a rope involved, they're first in line. While they tackled the water, Candice and I happily stayed behind the camera, capturing all the fun. The driver of the boat. B took a little time to teach Dawson the basics before strapping on a wakeboard for the first time. Everyone was encouraging... At least until Curtis decided it was time for swimming. His preferred method? Picking people up... And tossing them into the lake. One. By. One. Sometimes... Against their will. The girls needed a little extra encouragement before trying a few new adventures. One had to be talked into it. Maybe even bribed. Actually... She was pretty much forced. Fortunately, once everyone got out on the water, the smiles started ...