Melissa Oftedahl

I aspire to be a minimalist. I have watched documentaries, read books and follow people who live this way on Facebook.   My only problem?  I like stuff. Yes, the same stuff that makes me want...

My loves, I cannot believe this day has come. I remember the day I found out that both of you were growing inside me and wondering how I would be able to take care of you...

In most important aspects of our lives, we receive formal training. We need to learn to read and write? We go to school. We need to learn to drive? We go to drivers ed....

In the past three years, I have completely changed how I eat and how I feed my family. My husband and I recently completed the Whole30 (an elimination diet) for the first time too,...

I don’t claim to be overly experienced at many things, but when it comes to bed rest, I can confidently say that I feel experienced. Five and a half years ago I was pregnant...

About a month ago, I went with some girlfriends to hear Kimberly Zahasky of The Professional Optimist speak about loving ourselves. Part of the talk was spent on how we spend our time. She...

Spouse… kids… work… pets… meetings… meals… laundry… grocery shopping… activities… friends… hobbies (that are kind of like work)… exercise... cleaning… bills… *repeat* Is this your life too? This is my life on repeat. Sometimes when...

I love baking and I love desserts, but I also love being healthy and feeling good. A few years ago, I never would have thought that healthy and dessert could be part of the...

Growing up in Green Bay, my mom and I used to head up to Door County a lot when I was a kid. I always enjoyed going, but it wasn’t until I was an...

Dear Mom, It’s hard to put into words how much you mean to me, but I’m going to try because you deserve it. For all those years of not appreciating you or thanking you for...

Let me start by saying that this is a very personal topic for me, as it is for everyone. In this article, I’m simply stating my truth and feelings as I know that everyone feels...

About two months ago, the school I work for (I’m a high school Spanish teacher) had everyone watch a TED talk about something called “growth mindset”. To be completely honest, when we were first...