Amber
Amber is wife to her elementary school crush and mother to three kiddos, ages 10, 7, and 4. Having recently moved to Portland from California, Amber is embracing her “new normal” as she navigates parks in the rain (bring a towel), the line outside Pip’s Donuts (it’s worth it), and where to find good Mexican food (still searching). As bio mom to her two oldest and adoptive mom to her youngest, special needs child, Amber understands and appreciates the importance of “mommy-time." Amber is also a grad student and soon-to-be Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapist. She shares the highlights and gems of what she's learning on her Instagram: @learnandliveproject.
How Getting a Nose Ring in My 30’s Made Me a Better Human
I blame it on my nose ring. I always wanted one but never had the guts to pull the trigger and do it. By...
Dear Mom: Please Don’t Walk Away From Social Media
I recently overheard a group of mom's having a conversation about social media. It went something like this:
“I’m so over Facebook. I’m deleting my...
Ghosting? Nope. It’s Called “Motherhood”
A few weeks ago, I sent a text message to a friend with a few questions about an upcoming gathering. A couple of days...
Santa, Sex, and Other Big Conversations I’ve Had in My Minivan
My oldest will be eleven this year and I’m finding the “behavior modification” parts of parenting are happening less and less. We’ve moved into...
My Daughter and I Are Different and It’s Going to Be Okay
It’s crazy to me how I literally grow a human being, and yet she turns out to be so different from me. We look...
Swipe Right: One Mom’s Experience Using a Find-a-Friend App
It's been two years since we moved from California to Portland and I'm still working on building a community. Motherhood is hard and lonely...
This is Not That: Honest Thoughts From a Special Needs Mom
Last week, I missed my oldest son’s first piano recital because my youngest son wouldn’t go into the auditorium. It wasn’t the first time...
Our Plan to Beat the Mean Girls and Get Famous
My daughter had her first legit encounter with mean girls last week. Apparently, there was a group of girls talking about her in the bathroom....
Active Shooter Drills, Walk-Outs, and My Nine-Year-Old
We try not to have the news on when our kids are around. They have enough to think about without adding sex scandals, kidnappings,...
My Daughter Knows the F-Word (And Apparently A Bunch of Other Swear Words!)
So apparently my daughter knows the F-word. Come to find out, she also knows a lot of other swear words as well. She’s not...