Midwest Mimi

  • Neurodivergent Conflict Styles, Part One

    I wasn’t arguing as a child. I was explaining. But explaining myself was often mistaken for defiance, and being misunderstood didn’t just hurt emotionally, it dysregulated my nervous system. This piece explores how neurodivergent conflict styles form early, and why the need to be understood can follow us into adulthood, shaping how we handle conflict…

  • TRUTHS I LEARNED THE HARD WAY — PART THREE

    A reflection on healing, identity, chronic illness, and the quiet, grounded work of becoming someone I no longer have to recover from. A softer, steadier way of living after survival.

  • TRUTHS I LEARNED THE HARD WAY — PART TWO

    Healing is not speed. Healing is honesty. This is the quiet, slow, lonely kind of recovery that chronic illness and midlife force you to learn. A reflection on rest, boundaries, and becoming someone you no longer abandon.

  • TRUTHS I LEARNED THE HARD WAY — PART ONE

    A midlife reckoning, identity grief, chronic illness, and the quiet truth of becoming someone I can live with now. A soft, honest look at survival, motherhood, and the parts of ourselves we outgrow.

  • Being Thankful in the Middle of the Mess

    Thanksgiving doesn’t pause for real life. Chronic pain, grief, overwhelm, and sensory struggle still show up at the table. This is an honest look at how gratitude can sit beside the hard things, without pretending the hard things don’t exist.

  • Royce and the Mystery Bolt of Doom

    Royce and the Mystery Bolt of Doom

    Royce handed me a random bolt today, and I had no idea what in our home it belonged to. Moments like this are the perfect mix of chaos and comedy in a neurodivergent household, and they remind me how curious and creative my kids truly are.

  • The Real Rhythm of a Disabled Household

    Some people assume disabled households cannot function, but the truth is far more nuanced. In our home, each of us has needs, rhythms, and strengths, and together we have built a life that works. This is the real rhythm of our disabled and neurodivergent family.

  • The Hidden Cost of Being Strong

    Behind the calm I show the world is a body fighting to regulate itself. This is the hidden cost of strength for those of us living with disability and sensory overwhelm.

  • The World Looks Purple To Me

    A journey from innocence, to hustling for survival, to rebuilding life after chronic illness. Motherhood, queerness, and the purple lens that reveals what is worth fighting for.

  • Lessons from Wonderland: What Alice Still Teaches Me About Life, Parenting, and Growing Up

    Lessons from Wonderland: What Alice Still Teaches Me About Life, Parenting, and Growing Up

    During a fall evening photo shoot turned Wonderland adventure, I realized how much Alice still has to teach us. Through curiosity, slowing down, difference, imagination, and growth, I found reflections of motherhood, healing, and becoming — lessons tucked inside the golden light of an ordinary day.

  • 🌿 The Lives That Built Me – Grace in the Grit

    I rebuilt from rock bottom, not because life got easier, but because I learned to make peace with the life I can live. That’s grace in the grit: surviving, rebuilding, and loving every version of me that made it here.

  • 🌿 Life Is About Experiencing Moments

    🌿 Life Is About Experiencing Moments

    There was a time I thought life was measured in milestones like graduations, promotions, birthdays, and the next big thing on the calendar. Then one day I woke up sick and never got well. Chronic illness has a way of stripping life down to its bones. It slows everything until you can’t help but notice…

  • The Real Heart of Midwest Mimi

    This blog started as a place for accessible nature reviews and homeschooling resources. But it’s become something bigger: a story about resilience, family, and belonging, with nature, books, and art still at the heart. From Accessible Nature and Homeschooling to Something Bigger When I first started Midwest Mimi, my focus was clear. I wanted to…

  • Family Adventures on a Budget: Free Museums, Library Passes, and Hidden Discounts (Part 2)

    In Part One, I shared how parks and nature are some of the best places for budget-friendly family adventures. Camping, hiking, swimming, and exploring caves can fill your weekends without draining your wallet. But affordable adventures don’t just stop at the park gates. Especially if you’re traveling outside your local area, you might find museums,…

  • Family Adventures on a Budget: Affordable Ways to Make Memories Outdoors (Part 1)

    I don’t know about you, but my family operates on a shoestring budget. We have what we need, but there isn’t always a lot left over for extras. With a little creativity and planning, though, it’s still possible to have some amazing family adventures. As a disabled mom, my family of five survives on Social…