Midwest Mimi

  • The Same Girl Either Way

    A personal essay about homeschool culture, girlhood, faith, rebellion, and learning that someone else’s narrow idea of a “godly girl” did not get to define who I was.

  • I’m Not Trying to Go Viral. I’m Trying to Build My Way Out.

    I’m Not Trying to Go Viral. I’m Trying to Build My Way Out.

    I am not trying to go viral. I am trying to build my way out. A personal essay about building Midwest Mimi, Sunny Day Farm, books, art, and a future from the margins of chronic illness, poverty, motherhood, and stubborn hope.

  • 🌿 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…

  • 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,…

  • Homeschooling in Nature’s Classroom

    Introduction: Learning Beyond the Books When people picture homeschooling, they often imagine stacks of workbooks and long kitchen tables covered in flashcards. In our house, the classroom looks a little different: it’s the trail where my son pauses to listen for bird calls, the lake where my daughter learns patience with a fishing pole, and…