One of my favorite things I love about our house is the yard. It’s large, with a lot of beautiful, mature trees, lush, green grass and for once in our lives we’re not situated on or near a busy street. In fact we’re tucked away in the middle of a quiet neighborhood, at the end...
First, I feel like I need to post this t-shirt both as an explanation and an apology for my title. And it’s a clear segue into my post… You know when something–an idea, a quote, a piece of art, a song–just hits you upside the head and maybe even upside the hart, and you just...
how funny, my husband and i have been talking about this very topic this week after a talk that was given in our ward last sunday. we came to the same conclusion as elder cook, we need to be careful about talking about perfection because we have no idea what that actually looks like. i feel better knowing that a general authority said something along the same lines. i tend to think about becoming whole or complete, instead, for some reasons those words jive better with my brain.
one of my favorite quotes, attributed to voltaire, is "perfect is the enemy of good."ReplyCancel
I love this post ! I can so relate……..to all of it. I hate judging people, but find me doing it even though I hate it. I've enjoyed your blog, we are at such totally different spots in life, and I bounce around different blogs on my favorite list, but yours remains…… I'm a swearer too. I want to quit, but I guess not bad enough, since I'm still here with my s*&t, d#@n and h*@l……..I think I need that shirt ! I'd love to quote you on my blog, AND I guess I need to read East of Eden…….for the first time. ReplyCancel
I love this post. Especially because I can relate on the cussing bit. About 2 years ago I started swearing (before that I would swear out loud maybe once a year if I hurt myself really bad). Am I proud of this? Do I think it's ideal? No and no. But I'm kinda letting it go for now, because my life circumstances require me to put a lot of my energy in other places that have much more to do with my overall "goodness" (providing for my children financially and otherwise, teaching professionally, and increasing my capacity to tap into the Lord's store of patience, charity, and forgiveness. So yes, I swear now, whereas before I didn't. But I'm still a much better person than I was 2 years ago, even when you factor in the swearing (plus all my other faults).ReplyCancel
I've commented a few times through the years, today I'll "delurk." I so related to this. We are very different. I'm Jewish. I just got in engaged and I'm in my mid-30s. I probably won't have children (but I'm an educator and work with kiddos!) Anyway. I can relate to this on another level especially when it comes to relationships and my career. Oh trying to be perfect at a job and pleasing all the people … such a hamster wheel. And just ends up berating yourself for being human. This was just what I needed to read this morning! Thank you!ReplyCancel
So I love this post & your whole blog – I always enjoy reading your posts because even when your perspective differs from mine, it is always so thoughtful.
But I HAD to comment because that is the exact same thought I had when I got glasses in elementary school – "you mean trees have leaves from far away?!?!" It is the first time I can remember really being aware that people's perspectives could be very different from mineReplyCancel
I always struggled with cussing (not personally cussing, understanding cuss words), I, as a young teen never understood how a formation of certain letters could make a word a "cuss" word and certain formations make non cuss words. I felt like "a word is a word" How do cuss words get such power? Random, I know. Anyway, I do cuss on occasion (and feel total guilt)…..and what I realized about cuss words? Cuss words get results! Doesn't make us bad, I can think of way worse things that make people bad! ReplyCancel
I wear my "I'm a cusser!" badge with pride! I, too, feel that words are just words…it's how they are said that makes them what they are. So many people never cuss but can cut you down with everything they say. I would rather cuss in a lighthearted manner than hurt someone with regular old words any day. (I do believe there is a time and place for cussing, though, and wince when I hear certain words in certain locations…)ReplyCancel
Listen up Special Needs Families! I was so grateful to the Land of Nod for helping us ‘design with special needs in mind‘ that we are teaming up to do a $500 giveaway for a Land of Nod gift card just for all you special needs families out there. Whoop whoop! One thing that kinda...
What a cool giveaway! Our middle child (is awesome and) has special needs (autistic plus other challenges). We could use storage help, baskets and what not to hold his 'stretching boots' (night time braces that he hates) and homeschool materials (we took him out of school after a disastrous kindergarten experience). Or lego storage (he is 12, so it's like the law that he is obsessed with lego!).I could see him loving one of land of nods awesome tents, or some toy or something to get him moving more. I wish they made swings like in OT! ?ReplyCancel
This is such an awesome giveaway! My daughter is 2 1/2 and is a stroke survivor! Her entire right side is weekend due to the effects of the stroke and it makes getting around difficult. She wears an AFO during the day and starting this summer will be wearing a brace at night to combat her spasticity. Climbing in and out of bed us very hard for her, so currently she sleeps on a mattress on the floor in her shared room with her siblings. A bed that's low to the ground or has steps to climb would be wonderful! It would continue her journey to full independence! Thank you for this giveaway! I really hope we win! ReplyCancel
What beautiful things! My daughter is 2 and has a metabolic disorder called MCADD. Because she needs a drink in her bed so she doesn't go into a metabolic crisis at night, I would choose the Jenny Lind nightstand in azure. It would be much easier to find her sippy in the middle of the night than having to feel all around her blankets and sheets!ReplyCancel
What a generous giveaway! I have 2 special needs children. My oldest has Asperger's and ADHD. My 2nd child has apraxia of speech, and problems with fine motor skills. I am expecting my 4th child in September and my favorite Land of Nod item is the Change It Up Changing Table. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
I commented on IG already but I wanted a 2nd entry! Our 6 yr old is cognitively 10-12months…had brain surgery to remove 1/2 of his brain. He has a lot of behavior issues, non-verbal, epilepsy, west syndrome etc. he is currently using my husbands old bed & it squeaks like CRAZY…waking him up at night (we've tried to fix it!) and he's using my husbands old mattress from when he was little too…yikes…I know but medical bills come first! We also have a HUGE problem with holes in the wall…he likes to head bang so he's got gigantic holes in the wall…we will probably put up some sort of board &batten to fix the problem. My FAVORITE land of nod item is the Jenny Lind Bed…I {ADORE} it! Love your girls room by the way…it's perfect!!! ReplyCancel
I love what you've done with your girls' room! I have two boys ages 6 and almost 4. They share a room and though they have completely different personalities, needs and interests; they really are great brothers to each other and I feel like sharing a bedroom helps that bond so much (plus we have 3 kids and a 3 bedroom house. Baby sis has her own room). My almost 4 year old was born with a rare birth condition affecting his abdomen and spine. He is paralyzed from the waist down and uses a colostomy bag. Their room is not very big and my biggest challenge is very similar to Miggy's; Finding a way to make everything accessible for my non walker and also have good space for my oldest. I love all of the surplus wall shelves. They would be great for hiding my little guy's colostomy and medical supplies, but still allowing them to be accessible. I also really like the cubby wall shelf collection. It would a great way to store their toys and create an accessible desk for my little guy's wheelchair. Thank you for considering us! I think this is a great giveaway!- Jill ReplyCancel
Having a re-decorated (or decorated at all, as I'm challenged in that area) room for my son would be awesome! He is 3 (almost 4), and has a chromosomal disorder. He does not yet walk, and rolling is his primary mode of transportation, outside of the gait trainer. For almost two years he slept directly on the floor because we could not find an appropriate bed that had railings on all sides but wasn't a medical bed or too small. We just recently found one, so actually being able to provide storage options for all of the therapy equipment, plus a fun rug and curtains to brighten up the room to look appropriate for his age would be wonderful! Before, we had to keep everything off of the floor so it was safe for him to sleep, but then he could not easily access the items himself because he cannot pull up. He also recently started sleeping through the night (hooray!), so I would love to change his room to be able to make good memories there, instead of remembering the countless sleepless nights staring at the walls at 2:00 am; this would be a great celebration of the gift of sleep he is now giving my husband and I!ReplyCancel
LOVE the room! Our biggest dilemma is making everything in our daughters bedroom "low" so that she can access it without having to climb. Her acquired brain injury has impacted her fine/gross motor skills. We spend a lot of time making sure that there are no items that she can easily trip over. So streamlined furniture with no tripod legs, etc. ReplyCancel
What a neat contest. thank you for the opportunity to enter. My daughter Alicen Jane Wooley was featured on your SNSL a while back. Since then she had to have a Tracheostomy placement and with that comes a ton of medical supplies. Why does a child with disability have to have a room that doesn't look like a little girls room. With each new diagnosis comes a host of new supplies, and that means I need to find more ways to store those supplies yet still be able to get to them easily. Right now we are using an old office desk with a foam cover as a changing table so that we can reach her, changing her on the floor is not an option for us. I would love to have some awesome baskets to keep her "stuff" in and she would love to have some new curtains and maybe a rug to put near her bed. A new shelving unit would work wonders as well. I just got the recent Land of Nod catalog in the mail this past week and have already started a wish list for Alicen, then I see your contest this morning, maybe a sign? Hope so. Again thank you, Miggy
Christina Wooley, proud momma to Alicen Jane WooleyReplyCancel
I would like for Brantley's room to feel more homey, right now his medical equipment is strung about and I think it all needs a "special" home so it won't be as scary for me and my family. It won't be so cold walking in there being reminded of all his extra needs. I want each piece of equipment to have it's own spot just like Brantley!ReplyCancel
I've hesitated to enter because our needs aren't as significant as some children I've read about. I'm entering more to bring awareness to special needs that aren't visible, but still require modifications and special consideration at home and school spaces. I have four children. So far, three have special needs. Two have ADHD, one also has learning disabilities and behavioral outbursts, and the last has life threatening food allergies.
The world outside our home can be extremely stressful for all my children. Whether they're negotiating the stress of school, reading, social situations, or deciding if the food my youngest eats will land her in the ER, and necessitate the use of her EPI pen. I need them to feel safety and comfort when they're home and try to forget about their special needs and differences when they're home. I'd love to use the Land of Nod gift certificate to create a peaceful getaway for my kiddos to create happy memories. I love the LAnd of Nod Bean bags. ReplyCancel
I'd love to win for my special needs son. He shares a room with his older brother. He has Cerebral palsy, osteogensis imperfecta (brittle bones) and epilepsy. We could use different dressers since he can't open the drawers since he has left side weakness and for him to have a safer bed since during seizures he can fall out. It would be a blessing to do their room so they both can enjoy it and be able to function at their highest capacities.ReplyCancel
I love what you had to say about the "ugly world of adaptive equipment." My daughter is missing her arm from just below the elbow. We haven't got into having a prosthetic made yet but I am always gathering articles and information on what is out there and ideas that are being tested. I want her to see it as a cool accessory or tool that she can use. I don't want her to believe that she needs it to try and match her other arm and hand to fit in or be normal. I have a Masters degree in architecture and impressed by how much my little one has opened my eyes and made me a much better designer. I don't post often but I think you are pretty great and a wonderful example to me ReplyCancel
Our sweet Daughter Eva was born with Down Syndrome and heart defect and she has been such a great blessing to our family. We are so grateful to be given such a beautiful gift and she is an amazing big sister. We have been on a very tight budget since she was born (she has just turned 3) and although our situation is getting better with each year, we have a lot of passed down furniture that is in need of repair, or relatively cheap furniture that may not be the best for her ….but we make it work. I hate to admit it but I am sure she would sleep better if the black out curtains we got actually covered the whole window for when she sleeps. That was all we could budget for. We try to stimulate Eva with a lot of arts and crafts (I am an Art Teacher) and books are her favorite. We are in desperate need of organization solutions for all of Eva's hobbies that help her learn and grow. I've been getting the "Land of Nod" catalog for years for inspiration and in hopes of actually being able to purchase my favorite items someday. I know there are families that could use this money more than us, but as things are sometimes difficult as a special needs parent, I thought I would enter as I think we all are deserving as strong parents of these beautiful children. I am grateful to the Land of Nod for doing such this awesome giveaway and for recognizing our families. Thank you for the opportunity!ReplyCancel
The stories are all so compelling and touching to read. I feel honored to be among a group of amazing special needs families. We have 4 children ages 3-7, two boys and then two girls. Our oldest son has Autism and is such an amazing gift to us. Our youngest daughter was born with an extremely rare genetic syndrome called Koolen Syndrome. It effects every cell in her body and she has had 24 surgeries before the age of 3. But rather focusing solely on her, I'd like to tell you about her older 4 year old sister. Because of space constraints in our house, our two daughters share a room. At the age of 4, by her own choosing and asking, our daughter learned how to work her disabled sisters feeding pump, so when it beeps at night she knows how to turn it off and press run. When her little sister has seizures at night and wakes up screaming, her sister can be seen and heard on the video monitor singing twinkle, twinkle little star and other songs to calm her sister down. It works every time, so well in fact, that while we are in the hospital during surgeries we face time with our older daughter to help sing and calm her little sister down. We've asked if she wants to continue to share a room and that she can move into her brothers room, but she refuses and says I'm her big sister and I have to be with my baby sister to love her and be with her forever. Often special needs children get so much attention, but I'd love to receive this gift card to help share it with her amazing older sister to help make their room into the organized princess room of their dreams, which she has been begging me for. Of course, finances are always tight and buying bedding and a new bed are last on the list of things to do, but this would be an amazing gift to both of my daughters who are so deserving of such a present from Land of Nod who we love. Thank you for this opportunity!ReplyCancel
We have three girls who share the same room. Our youngest who is 3 has Down syndrome and our middle girl who is 5 years old is deaf. They all like to sleep together but it would be nice to have the twin bed over the full bed bunk. 🙂 So many great comments above me. Grateful for all these Mama who love their littles!ReplyCancel
I'm so glad that this giveaway led me to your blog and IG! Being a special needs parent and be lonely and isolating at times, and I love how many people I am able to relate to when 'hanging out' online!
I'd love the chance to get a new bed for Elise, my 14 month old daughter. She has pretty extreme hypertonia, and is very floppy. It's getting really hard to get her in and out of the crib, and my back is ready for a break. I'd love to switch over to a low to the ground toddler bed, and of course one from Land of Nod would be extra adorable!ReplyCancel
My 14 year old daughter has been diagnosed with a mild case of Asperbergers combined with ADD and a Sensory disorder. She was diagnosed when she was about 8 after a lot of trouble in school and now she actually seems to be getting a little better gradually. She will be entering High School in the fall and we are hoping we can take her off the meds soon, or at least cut back on them.
I think she would love the Twin Equestrian Print Sheet Set and other items in this collection! She loves horses!ReplyCancel
aving a diversified range of outdoor furniture and decorations that come as an accompaniment http://www.gardenarteu.com of the patio furniture, it can be hard to decide on the color of the furniture that you will use. Before coming up with any decision you should always ask yourself the following questions. aluminum pool furniture Bright colors or natural materials? Sleek and _ modern or _ traditional? _ Oversized or _ subtle and refined? Color is brought about by various factors the first being consumer tastes, style and fashion. Color may differ for different patio furniture. condo balcony furniture Picking important pieces such as tables, chairs, storage and barbeques is a great step but also there are diminutive items and ornamental flourishes like cushions, umbrellas, plant pots and heaters. Depending on _ the state _ of the furniture be it new wood, _ old plastic _ painted metal, _ painted wood and also the type _ of paint _ chosen a _ variety of factors to need to be considered.
ReplyCancel
aving a diversified range of outdoor furniture and decorations that come as an accompaniment http://www.gardenarteu.com of the patio furniture, it can be hard to decide on the color of the furniture that you will use. Before coming up with any decision you should always ask yourself the following questions. aluminum pool furniture Bright colors or natural materials? Sleek and _ modern or _ traditional? _ Oversized or _ subtle and refined? Color is brought about by various factors the first being consumer tastes, style and fashion. Color may differ for different patio furniture. condo balcony furniture Picking important pieces such as tables, chairs, storage and barbeques is a great step but also there are diminutive items and ornamental flourishes like cushions, umbrellas, plant pots and heaters. Depending on _ the state _ of the furniture be it new wood, _ old plastic _ painted metal, _ painted wood and also the type _ of paint _ chosen a _ variety of factors to need to be considered.
ReplyCancel
I love the Land of Nod! My daughter is almost 5 and has Down syndrome. We have the beanbags from Land of Nod and we love them. I would say the top blackout curtains are always in need of good storage and organization items at our house. And I have yet to find the perfect step stool for my petite girlReplyCancel
Thank so much to everyone for all your kind words on my Land of Nod collaboration. It was so exciting for me as both a mom and a blogger. Also, special needs moms stay tuned… I’ve got a nice little surprise for your next week. I’m excited! I just wanted to pop in and share...
This post is sponsored by The Land of Nod. Thanks for supporting partnerships here on TLM. We’ve been in Cincinnati for almost a year and I’d say we’re about 80% moved in. But one of the rooms that I can now cross off my checklist is PSP and Lamp’s bedroom. I was lucky enough...
I LOVE their room and I love even more that the girls share a room! My tough guy and his brother share a room and this totally inspired me to get cracking on finishing their room (we've been in our house for a year in august and I still haven't completed their room!) ~ Jill @sniggleness.blogspot.comReplyCancel
I love their room and it looks like all 3 of your daughters think it is great!!! marsha@tubbslanefarm.comReplyCancel
I wrote a couple years ago titled I’m Prejudiced. And So Are You and it’s being featured over on The Mighty. It’s an edited version but you can read it here. For those of you who don’t know, The Mighty is a site dedicated to sharing stories and ultimately improving the lives of those with...
I've only been reading your blog since 2013, so I missed this entry. I went back and read the one on Mighty and I so relate. I used to be scared of Japanese people because my uncle served there after WWII and had some stories and I've read too many books on kamikaze fighters. Then my son went to Japan for two years as a missionary and some of his friends came to the states and stayed with us and now I'm not afraid. For me, when I get to know a group of people I'm prejudiced against, I then can relate and love them. Time to meet some people from Iraq or Afghanistan so I'm not afraid of them and prejudiced. ReplyCancel
Hi My name is Bron and together with Andrew we are the proud and often exhausted parents of three children. Cooper is 10, Pepper is 6 and Woody is 3. We live in Melbourne, Australia by the beach. We travel near and far whenever we get the chance and we love challenging ourselves, learning about...
Hey, I'm Amy!
I'm an author, artist, and disability advocate. I live with my handsome husband and three beautiful daughters in Cincinnati, Ohio.
categories
purchase when charley met emma
Let's be friends!
© 2025 This Little Miggy|ProPhoto Photo Blog|Designed by Hirschi Creative
My rule, during warm months, is, if they don't stink at the end of the day, they didn't play outside enough! Utah is wonderful for that although I don't have enough beautiful tall trees in my neighborhood!