Rachel DeAngelis
I am a Florida girl who has lived all over the map (including overseas in China!), but for the past several years I've been putting down roots in Knoxville, Tennessee. Besides being the mother of the cutest two little boys in the world (it's true...check Guinness), I am also a cat-whisperer, a Dollywood Insider, and a high-school English teacher. You can read about all of my latest shenanigans on my blog.
Keeping Our Kids Tech Safe
My five-year-old and seven-year-old are big fans of video games and YouTube. Whenever they get some screen time, they spend it watching videos of boys playing Minecraft or screenshot walkthroughs of Super Mario Odyssey....
Finding a Therapist for Your Child
Navigating the arena of mental health can be frustrating and confusing, and those challenges are often magnified when you are searching for a therapist to help your child. Sometimes it's hard to determine whether...
The Legacy of a Blanket
When I was a child, I carried around a ragged old blanket with me wherever I went. Although it was a lovely gift given to me when I was a baby, the years were...
Laurel is the New Waco: A Visit to Ben and Erin Napier’s Hometown
It seems like every other woman I meet has made the pilgrimage to the holy mecca: the Silos in Waco, Texas. I mean, is there anyone at this point who hasn't heard of Joanna...
Celebrating Chinese New Year With Your Family
Almost ten years ago, two crazy kids decided to sell off a bunch of their belongings and move to China to live and work there for a year. Most people thought we were crazy....
Concord Christian School: Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence
I believe we can all agree that 2020 was a tough year for education.
A global pandemic, nationwide school closures, quarantine, and virtual learning were not on anyone’s radar last January. As frustrated families...
Three Quick and Easy Recipes for Moms Who Hate Cooking
Do you enjoy baking your own bread from scratch? Whipping up a roux on the fly? Are your friends always complimenting your culinary prowess at potluck parties?
If so, then congratulations! (But this post is...
An Homage to Homemade Halloween Costumes
I have a September birthday, but I often wish that I had been born just one month later. In my opinion, October is the most magical month of the year. Mother Nature dresses in...
He’s My Little Firecracker
You are loud and sassy.
You're not afraid to take risks or make a scene.
You have a lot of BIG emotions, and you wear your heart on your sleeve.
You dance every time you hear music,...
A Teacher’s Goodbye Letter to Her Seniors
Our last day of English class together was a blur. I was full of anxiety. I was collecting essays from upwards of 50 students, and thinking about how my spring break was going to...
As It Turns Out, My Kids Are Couch Potatoes
The sun is shining down brilliantly through the clouds. There is a slight, comfortable breeze making the leaves rustle and whisper in the trees. There is the distant familiar sound of dogs barking and...
If You Ever Get the Opportunity to Host an Exchange Student, DO IT!
When the school where I work sent an email plea asking for "host families" for a group of middle-school-aged Chinese students coming to visit our campus, I felt nervous and hesitant.
What will the student...