Midwest Mimi

  • The Kind of Strength That Holds a Family Together

    Disabled motherhood builds a kind of strength people rarely talk about. From crisis moments to chronic illness days, this is what it looks like to love a family fiercely while carrying more than most people will ever know.

  • 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.

  • 🌿 Building Something Together

    🌿 Building Something Together

    Midwest Mimi has grown into more than a blog. It’s a community built on real stories, real people, and the beauty of everyday life. Come connect across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube as we keep building something honest, hopeful, and human. 💚

  • 8 Myths About Homeschooling (And What It’s Actually Like)

    Homeschooling is messy, flexible, and real. Not denim jumpers and isolation. Let’s bust the biggest myths and talk about what homeschooling actually looks like.

  • 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.

  • When I Became Her Mother

    In that first moment of motherhood, something in me shifted. Every scar I carried started to look like a map I didn’t want her to follow. As she grew, I saw pieces of myself in her, and glimpses of who she might become, all at once. Motherhood slowly, sometimes painfully, made me relearn softness. She…

  • The Legacy of Reading: How Books Build Connection and Resilience for Kids and Adults

    I grew up surrounded by books. Both of my parents were avid readers, and the legacy of their love of reading shaped who I am and how I see the world to this day. My mom, Elaine, was both our homeschool teacher and our church’s librarian. She chose a literature-based curriculum that placed stories at…

  • 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…

  • How a Four-Day School Week Makes Homeschooling with Chronic Illness Possible

    Some days, parenting while living with chronic illness feels like climbing uphill with no end in sight. The body aches, the migraine fog, the nausea all show up uninvited, but parenting does not stop when my energy does. And because I homeschool my kids, teaching does not stop either. But over the last two years,…

  • Supporting Your Child’s Creativity Means Letting Them Dress Themselves

    When Raeleigh was little, I thought I was the one choosing her clothes. Picking out tops and bottoms that matched, adding bows, and making sure everything looked “put together.” But even then, she had opinions. She’d reach for patterns that clashed in my eyes but sparkled in hers. She wanted the necklace, the sunglasses, AND…

  • How to Homeschool on a Budget: Making the Most of What You Have

    Homeschooling can feel intimidating when you start looking at the price tags on full boxed curriculums, endless supply lists, and glossy catalogs promising the “perfect” education. The truth is, you don’t need to spend a fortune to give your kids a meaningful education at home. In fact, some of the richest learning happens with free…

  • What My Toddler Taught Me About Slowing Down in Nature

    When my toddler and I head outside, it’s rarely about covering ground. We’re not hiking trails or racking up miles. For us, it’s usually the walk to the beach, wandering through a grassy field, or time spent playing at the park. These little adventures are where I’ve learned the most about slowing down. Toddlers Notice…

  • How to Talk to Kids About Invisible Illness

    Recently, my fifteen-year-old daughter Raeleigh asked me if we could go to the mall. Makes sense—she’s a teenager with her first job and a few dollars she was excited to spend. But that particular day, I was in pain and running on empty. My answer had to be, “Not today.” Her face shifted with disappointment,…