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Which Way's Up?

Navigating life as a Wife, (Step)Mom, and Armchair Psychologist.

Tag: marriage

Being a (Step)Mom. It must be so Easy.

This is why I cringe when people look at me with a suspicious eye roll when they hear I am a stepmom. Only a stepmom. It must be so easy to only be a stepmom. Oh yes. Bonbons and fancy wines. What I want to say is, “You think you have emotional fallout? Try life as a stepmom. So easy.”

Jyl Barlow Biological mother, Daughters, family, marriage, ocd, parenting, sons, teens Leave a comment July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 6 Minutes

Powering down PowerSchool

Between Zack getting his driver’s license, a lifeguard certification, a real summer job.... WHY IS THIS CHILD TESTING ME??

Jyl Barlow aging, Class of 2024, Daughters, family, marriage, parenting, Retirement, sons, stepmom, teens Leave a comment June 27, 2022 7 Minutes

Take My Money. But only 75%.

I will price shop for actual months before pulling the trigger on just about any purchase, big or small. My husband, on the other hand, is a different story. His story starts with “Once upon a time OH MY GOD ENOUGH WITH THE PRICE SHOPPING JUST BUY IT ALREADY!!!!” 

Jyl Barlow competitive, family, marriage, ocd, Romance Leave a comment May 23, 2022 4 Minutes

Parenting: The Humble Brag

Parenting is hard. Why do we do this? No, really. I mean, I know the Hallmark answer...but, really, why?

Jyl Barlow Anxiety, Blogging, competitive, Daughters, family, marriage, Mental Health, ocd, parenting, sons, stepkids, stepmom, teens Leave a comment May 16, 2022 3 Minutes

(Step)Mother’s Day

Being a stepmom is a choice, not the fulfillment of a childhood dream.

Jyl Barlow marriage, parenting, stepkids, stepmom Leave a comment May 9, 2022 3 Minutes

Holy Sauce Packets.

Ah yes, that explained why the sauce packets were lined up like little soldiers waiting for battle on his leg.

Jyl Barlow family, marriage, stepmom Leave a comment April 18, 2022 6 Minutes

Lent Me Your Ears

It’s always about this time, during the Lenten season, that I start checking the calendar for an end date. Is it over yet? Am I done? You’d think I was an actual Catholic.

Jyl Barlow marriage, ocd, parenting, stepmom, teens Leave a comment March 28, 2022March 28, 2022 4 Minutes

My (2nd) First Gymnastics Meet

I’ve been to endless gymnastics meets as a competitor and a coach, but as a normal person? Why wasn't I expecting the circus like atmosphere? And what had I put my parents through?

Jyl Barlow competitive, Gymnastics, marriage Leave a comment March 21, 2022 8 Minutes

(Bio)Mom on the Move

If you’d asked me eight years ago how I’d react to hearing that our kids’ (bio)mom was moving out of state, I’d probably have answered with something along the lines of, “oh, thank you six pound baby Jesus.” But that was then.

Jyl Barlow Anxiety, Blogging, ex wives, family, marriage, Mental Health, parenting, sons, stepkids, stepmom, teens Leave a comment March 7, 2022March 7, 2022 6 Minutes

The Happily in Ever After

Kids are a bit of a relational buzzkill. No, it's fine. We can all admit it.

Jyl Barlow Blogging, family, marriage, Mental Health, parenting, Romance Leave a comment February 28, 2022 7 Minutes

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Love this Blog? Me too. So much so that I thought, "Why not write a book?" Coming soon, essays on mom-ming from the most unqualified (step)mom ever.

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