Joy Phenix's Blog

Parenting is a humbling experience. Pardon my surprise, but I didn’t realize how much I needed to change grow to do this job well.  I figured since I had my kids “later” in life, I had a better handle on my emotions and better control of my tongue…which would make parenting much easier.  How hard [...]

I’ve rewritten this opening paragraph half a dozen times, each time feeling that I should start this post with a GIANT disclaimer.  I love my mom. I love my mother-in-law. I love being a mom.  I love the work that moms do, and I am a HUGE believer that their work and their position in [...]

If you’ve ever read a book to a kid, you know how the favorites get into rotation and how difficult it can be to break in something new.  However, for the love of every person who is tired of reading Green Eggs & Ham for the gazillionth time, here are some new books that will [...]

If you read any parenting advice about how to make your kids love reading, you’ll discover the most common advice is to read with your children. Fair enough, but where do you begin? “The classics” is a broad term that, with kids literature, could rightfully include everything from Dr. Seuss to Aesop Fables.  I’m not [...]

One Sunday afternoon, my seven year-old son was building Legos at the kitchen table with his back to me. I was cooking dinner, minding my own business, and then it happened. Out of the silence, he asked a question… “Mom, is f**k a word?” he mumbled. (insert record scratch sound) “Excuse me?” I said as [...]

Three days ago, Nirvan Mullick posted this video online, and, if you’ve been on the web at all this week, chances are you’ve seen it. The story is perfect for “going viral” (which is why it has).  If you haven’t seen it or you want another shot of inspiration, take a look now. It’s definitely [...]

Ten years ago my friend Bobbi told me about a birthday tradition called “The Birthday String” that sounded like so much fun I immediately glommed onto it and incorporated it into a Team Phenix activity.  It seemed like a much more creative and fun way to celebrate a birthday morning than simply running downstairs and [...]

This week Mack, our Labrador Retriever, turns one. That’s good news because all of us survived the “puppy year” (notice that I’m banking on the puppy stage remaining a single year.)  While our landscaping, carpet, book collection,and wardrobes are considerably the worse for wear, as a family we are grateful for all that this smart, [...]

I’ve been reading the Harry Potter books to my kids, and it’s getting a little emotional for them.  I  knew the intensity of the stories would be a stretch for my 7 and 9-year-old, but I knew they’d love the story.  True enough, there’s no turning back now, so we’re knee-deep into them, emotions and [...]

“Happiness is an attitude.  We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong.  The amount of work is the same.”  – Francesca Reigler Last year our family spent our spring break volunteering at Lighthouse Family Retreat.  The retreat gave us the opportunity to serve a family who has a child battling cancer.   Our “chores”  included [...]