Rage Against The Minivan

  • Home
  • About
  • Categories
    • Home + Style
      • Renovation
      • Products
      • Style
      • DIY
      • Gift Guides
    • Travel
      • Travel Tips
      • Disney
      • Cruising
      • North America
        • Mexico
        • Florida
        • California
        • Caribbean
      • Central America
        • Costa Rica
      • South America
        • Peru
      • Africa
        • Tanzania
      • Europe
        • Paris
        • Amsterdram
      • Asia
        • Tokyo
    • parenting
      • Adoption
      • Autism
      • Fostercare
      • Internet Safety
      • Special Needs
    • Social Justice
      • Black Lives Matter
      • White Privilege
      • Politics
      • Race
      • Faith
    • Humor
      • Pop Culture
      • TV Recaps
      • Mama Said
      • Sarcasm
    • Family Life
      • Life Lately
      • Relationships
      • Marriage & Divorce
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Submit

what I learned about motherhood by being an adoptive parent

May 13, 2012

I wrote a guest post for the Huffington Post this weekend.  They are doing a Mother’s Day series, and asked me to write about what I’ve learned by being an adoptive mom.  Here’s an excerpt: My family has been formed in many ways. My first child was adopted from the foster-care system as an infant. My second two children came the old-fashioned way. My last child was adopted at nearly 4 years old from an orphanage in Haiti.  I've been blessed to experience the beauty of . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

where is the mommy-war for the motherless child?

May 11, 2012

If you watch the trends of media, whether it be print, internet, or tv, you’ve probably noticed that every couple of months there is a new version of the “mommy war” being played out.  Last month’s battle du jour was surrounding moms who work vs. moms who stay at home. Today, a firestorm has ignited over a provocative photo and article in Time magazine about extended breastfeeding and attachment parenting.  These manufactured mommy wars are predictable because they tend to provoke . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

what I want you to know: coping with miscarriage

May 10, 2012

What I Want You to Know is a series of reader submissions. It is an attempt to allow people to tell their personal stories, in the hopes of bringing greater compassion to the unique issues each of us face. If you would like to submit a story to this series, click here. Today’s post is by Melody. For nine short weeks, a tiny thread drew my focus into the future. A tiny life connected the thread to me and extended it beyond my view, beyond my lifetime. From the moment I became aware, every . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

go big and go home (disney days 5 & 6)

May 8, 2012

After our night of staying at the Magic Kingdom until 2am, you might think we would have taken a break from going back to the parks for a day. But we had 7-Day Park Hoppers, and we were going to milk those suckers for all they were worth. On Monday we hit Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is similar in feel to Disney’s California Adventure over in our neck of the woods.  It’s a quieter, gentler park, and we spent our time there taking in several shows.  We watched the Pixar parade, . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

the time the kids and I drank beer at Target

May 8, 2012

I’m a little bit Amish when it comes to soda and the kids. As a general rule, we don’t drink it.  A couple weeks ago, we did an Eli’s Lid shoot and these adorable little vintage Coca Cola bottles were one of the props.  After the shoot, we let the kids drink them.  Somehow, it slipped my attention that the kids thought what they were drinking was beer.  I guess they assumed so because beer is the only beverage they’ve seen Mark drink out of a glass bottle.  I can see how . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

friday finds

May 5, 2012

Here are a couple discoveries from this week: I’m continuing to love Zulily as a source for quality educational toys and eco-friendly clothes.  Last week I ordered the Smart Tray system from Zulily and the kids are loving it. It’s a self-checking system where kids answer questions related to spelling or math. Very Montessori-esque. (If you aren’t on Zulily yet, click here for an invitation.)   There is a new salon in Orange County called The Lash Spot, and they invited me to come . . .

Read More

· Products, Style

the agony and the ecstasy of disney world (social media moms day 3 and 4)

May 4, 2012

Saturday morning we had a big family talk about trying to have a more positive day at the parks. The kids, on their own, decided they needed to have a little meditative time.  Then India broke into spontaneous prayer.  It was pretty cute.  And it totally changed them into perfectly behaved and non-whiny children for the rest of the day.  (HAHAHAHA. No it didn’t. But it made for a cute picture). I’m not sure what came over me on this trip, because I am typically the mom who . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

the avengers: a review for parents

May 2, 2012

If you have a child who is a fan of superheroes, you’ve probably been hearing all about the new Marvel: Avengers movie coming out. And with good reason: Avengers features an all-star cast of superheroes.  It’s the first time that Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, and Thor have all teamed up for a feature film.  Jafta has been talking about it nonstop, and so when I was given a chance to see an early screening of the film a few weeks ago, I decided to take him along. Aside from . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

what I want you to know: life after rape

May 1, 2012

What I Want You to Know is a series of reader submissions. It is an attempt to allow people to tell their personal stories, in the hopes of bringing greater compassion to the unique issues each of us face. If you would like to submit a story to this series, click here. Today’s guest post is by an anonymous reader. I miss my life before I was a victim of rape. I don't want people to feel bad for me. I don't want people to think I'm weak. Because I am not weak. I am broken. I also hate being . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

kristen likes grey likes baby

May 1, 2012

We are still away on our Disney World binge, taking a “Good Big or Go Home” approach to the greater Orlando area.  Last night we stayed at the Magic Kingdom until 2am, riding every single ride that these kids were tall enough to go on.  Here’s how that ended: I’ve got a camera full of pictures and a head full of stories to share, but we’ve still got two days to go.  In the meantime, check out my post over at Grey Likes Baby.  I’ve been a long-tme fan of Grey Likes Baby for . . .

Read More

· Uncategorized

  • Newer Posts
  • 1
  • …
  • 275
  • 276
  • 277
  • 278
  • 279
  • …
  • 401
  • Older Posts
.AmazonBARNES AND NOBLE TARGET POWELLS PEGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
Traveling Fams is a lifestyle blog dedicated to accessible travel for all kinds of families. Join us as we explore the world!

 

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube


  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Hi, I’m Kristen. I’m a mom of four kids via birth and adoption and a writer living in Southern California. Read More.

Side Hustles


more partner contact

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Rage Against the Minivan sometimes earns revenue through sponsored posts, which are clearly labeled, and occasional affiliate links to recommended products. I only feature products that I truly like, and my opinions are always my own.

  • Home + Style
  • Humor
  • Family
  • Parenting
  • Social Justice
  • Travel
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2026 · Simply Pro site design by Kristen Howerton.