Stories & Thyme

making space for creativity

Menu
  • About
    • Amy’s Favorite Things
  • Connect
  • Eat
  • Motherhood
  • Move
  • Pray
  • Read
    • Amy’s Favorite Books
    • Children’s Picture Book Lists
    • Favorite Children’s Christmas Books
    • Favorite Christian Children’s Bibles & Books
    • Favorite Early Readers & First Chapter Books
    • Favorite Resources for the 3Rs – Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
    • Newbery Award Book Reviews
Menu

Category: Motherhood

An Ordinary November Day: Hour by Hour Pictures #onedayhh

Posted on November 9, 2021November 21, 2021 by Amy Rogers Hays

This is my 5th year of participating in the fun Instagram hashtag #onedayhh, where you take and post a picture an hour of your ordinary day. Thankfully, my kids still think me taking a ton of pictures of them is really fun, and they were pretty patient with my mommy paparazzi (more than my husband…

Read more

Encouragement for Early Potty Training Around Age Two

Posted on October 16, 2021October 17, 2021 by Amy Rogers Hays

Last week, I was chatting with a friend at the park about her upcoming second baby when she asked me to weigh in on whether to try and potty-train her first child who is about to turn two. Yes! I said, that’s the perfect time to potty-train. I gushed enthusiastically about how great it is…

Read more

Valuing A Mother’s Work: 7 Books that Helped Me See Motherhood in New Ways

Posted on September 2, 2021September 2, 2021 by Amy Rogers Hays

Dignity in motherhood can be hard to find. I clearly remember leaving a well-baby check-up for my fairly small baby daughter with myself covered in that mustard-brown baby poop of a nursing baby. Of course, she was in a new diaper and a fresh set of clothes because I had brought those with us, but…

Read more

Simple Home Church Service Resources and Ideas for Families with Young Children

Posted on February 7, 2021February 9, 2021 by Amy Rogers Hays

Over the past few months we’ve been developing our home church practice after Wisconsin’s weather made outdoor church services no longer possible. And while we miss church a lot, especially the eucharist, it’s been a sweet thing to do church together in a way that’s meaningful for each member of the family. I think it’ll…

Read more

Writing & Young Motherhood: What’s Working for Me Now

Posted on September 29, 2020September 29, 2020 by Amy Rogers Hays

For eight weeks now, I have been able to get up and write before 5 am. It’s been a longtime coming. Over the summer, we embarked on moving our newly two-year-old out of our room and into the room she shares with her big brother. My husband was absolutely key in this working, and now…

Read more

Learning to Soothe a Baby: a letter to a new mom

Posted on October 22, 2019October 22, 2019 by Amy Rogers Hays

A few months ago I was emailing with a dear friend, also named Amy, who was about to have her first baby.  (Here’s a picture of us when I was pregnant with Jackson.) Amy is wise and kind, an ennegram 1 with a 2 wing (like me!), organized, caring, and especially wants to be organized…

Read more

Sharing My Birth Stories: A Podcast Interview & Sermon

Posted on May 6, 2019September 21, 2019 by Amy Rogers Hays

I recently had two opportunities to share part of my birth stories. One was on the Christian Birth-Story Podcast “Birthing in God’s Presence” Episode 30 (You can listen to it here. Scroll to the bottom of this post for links to what I talked about.)  And the other was as part of our parish’s Good Friday service sermons:…

Read more

“You’ll Miss These Days” : Remembering the Joy, Delight, & Drudgery of Parenting Little Kids

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Amy Rogers Hays

  Last week, as the sun began to start warming up early April Wisconsin, I was walking with Lily (11 months) and Jackson (3 1/2) when two older women passed and called out, “We’re jealous of you. We miss that stage!”     I laughed and thanked them. But inside I thought, “Well, you wouldn’t…

Read more

What I Packed in My Hospital Bag for a Natural Birth

Posted on March 26, 2019March 27, 2019 by Amy Rogers Hays

  Going into the birth of our second child, my husband, Evan, was pretty adamant that we bring less stuff to the hospital than we did the first time around.  I’m a chronic over-packer, wanting to be prepared for any situation, but with dreams of being a minimalist. So for our daughter’s birth, I really…

Read more

Six Months into Mothering Two: An Ordinary Thursday in Pictures

Posted on November 24, 2018November 25, 2018 by Amy Rogers Hays

  A few weeks ago on the first Thursday of November, I documented our day by posting hourly pictures on Instagram. This is something that the wonderful Laura Tremaine (originally with her blog the Hollywood Housewife) started many years ago, but it’s only my second time participating. It’s lot of fun to look back on past…

Read more

Liliana June’s Baptism

Posted on September 1, 2018September 1, 2018 by Amy Rogers Hays

  Two weekends ago, family and friends gathered to celebrate the baptism of our little Liliana June. As someone who didn’t grow up seeing a lot of infant baptisms (I was baptized twice, neither time as an infant, incidentally) the beauty and grace of infant baptisms is so striking.  We had family and friends pour…

Read more

Two Months into Mothering Two

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Amy Rogers Hays

  Sweet Lily is 11 weeks old, and I am happy to say that we are adjusting well to being a family of four. For so much of Jackson’s infancy I could not imagine how I could do an infant and a toddler at once, but somehow we are doing it. As I reflect back…

Read more

Baby Lily’s Birth Story

Posted on June 18, 2018June 20, 2018 by Amy Rogers Hays

  Our little Lily arrived at 6:30 pm right smack on her due date May 12th. This was especially awesome since beginning at 37 weeks my blood pressure started to inch up, and words like preeclampsia and gestational hypertension started floating around my doctor’s office, both of which could mean, besides the obvious health risks,…

Read more

Jesus Hide & Seek : A Toddler’s Resurrection Theology

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Amy Rogers Hays

    Last month, I found a board book at the library about Easter for my two-year-old son Jackson. Honestly, he was most interested in the pictures of the spring bunnies and ducks, but when we got to the bit about everyone being sad that Jesus died, Jackson said “sad” in a solemn way. He’s been…

Read more

Preparing For Baby # 2

Posted on February 11, 2018February 16, 2018 by Amy Rogers Hays

  I’m about three months from my due date for baby number two, and I alternate between feeling that is a crazy short time or an incredibly long amount of time. It seems short when I think about my sweet newly 2-year-old Jackson, and long when I think about how much Wisconsin winter we have…

Read more
  • 1
  • 2
  • Next

Welcome!

PageLines- amyrogershays.JPG
I'm so glad you're here! I'm Amy - Anglican, mother of two, lover of trees, coffee, & fairy tales. Here's where I write about making space for creativity and filling our days with long walks, good food, morning prayers, and the reading and writing of good books. Drop me a line at AmyRogersHays (at) gmail.com.

follow us in feedly

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Instagram

instagram walk in snow

Follow Me on Instagram!

Recent Posts

  • Maundy Thursday: A Liturgy for Children and Families
  • Family Easter Basket Ideas: Books, Games, and Really Good Chocolate
  • Newbery Review #104 (The First State of Being, Kelly, 2025)
  • 40 Books for My 40th Birthday: A 2024 Reading List
  • Family Christmas Letter 2024

Twitter

spring robin outline on budding branches Follow me on Twitter!

Categories

  • Anxiety
  • baby
  • Board Games
  • Book Lists
  • Children's Spiritual Formation
  • Connect
  • Creativity
  • Eat
  • Family Stories
  • Fun with Kids
  • Liturgical year
  • Love & Marriage
  • Make
  • Motherhood
  • Move
  • Newbery Book Reviews
  • Order
  • paleo
  • Pray
  • pregnancy
  • Read
  • Reflections
  • Rest
  • Self-Care
  • simplify
  • Toddler
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • walks in the woods
  • Wisconsin Beauty
  • Write

Favorite Posts

natural haircare

Make Natural Hair Care: Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar & Vodka-Gelatin Hair Gel

  homemade deodorant

Make Homemade Deodorant For Sensitive Skin: Bentonite Clay and Baking Soda

  college advice

Advice to Future College Students: 10 Things I Wish I Had Done More

  belonging to a church

Belonging to A Church

  dyslexia

Reflections on Dyslexia: May B. A Novel by Caroline Starr Rose

  leaving grad school

A Defining Retreat: Deciding to Leave Grad School

  love story

The Beginning of a Love Story In Honor of Anniversary Weekend

  breakfast

Scramble Up A Simple Paleo Breakfast

  cake

Bake Up A Flourless Chocolate Cake

  comfortable and presentable

Organize Bookshelves by Color

  trees

My Life In Trees

  elimination diet

An Elimination Diet Figure Out What Foods Are Making You Sick

  goodbye letter

A Goodbye Letter to Our Church: Leaving Those You Love

  paleo blended chai recipe

Paleo Chai: A Blended Coconut Oil & Butter Recipe

  Prayer book

16 Online Resources: Liturgical Prayer Apps & Websites

 

Archives

Welcome!


I’m so glad you’re here! I’m Amy – Anglican, mother of two, lover of trees, coffee, & fairy tales. Here’s where I write about making space for creativity and filling our days with long walks, good food, morning prayers, and the reading and writing of good books. Drop me a line at AmyRogersHays (at) gmail.com.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 744 other subscribers

Instagram

instagram walk in snow

Follow Me on Instagram!

Search

Recent Posts

Maundy Thursday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Maundy Thursday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Family Easter Basket Ideas: Books, Games, and Really Good Chocolate

Family Easter Basket Ideas: Books, Games, and Really Good Chocolate

Newbery Review #104 (The First State of Being, Kelly, 2025)

Newbery Review #104 (The First State of Being, Kelly, 2025)

40 Books for My 40th Birthday: A 2024 Reading List

40 Books for My 40th Birthday: A 2024 Reading List

Family Christmas Letter 2024

Family Christmas Letter 2024

Recipe for a Birthday Hike

Recipe for a Birthday Hike

An Invitation to October Rest: A Devotional

An Invitation to October Rest: A Devotional

Fun for Two: 5 Date Night Board & Card Games

Fun for Two: 5 Date Night Board & Card Games

Our Board-Game Loving, Third Grade Son’s Top 5 List of Favorite Board Games

Our Board-Game Loving, Third Grade Son’s Top 5 List of Favorite Board Games

Our First Grader’s Top Board Games: 5 No-Reading-Required, Travel Friendly, Family Card Games

Our First Grader’s Top Board Games: 5 No-Reading-Required, Travel Friendly, Family Card Games

5 Games to Start a Board Game Collection

5 Games to Start a Board Game Collection

5 Tips for Family Board Gaming

5 Tips for Family Board Gaming

40 of the Best Picture Books for 5 Year Olds

40 of the Best Picture Books for 5 Year Olds

Newbery Review #103 (The Eyes and the Impossible, Egger, 2024)

Newbery Review #103 (The Eyes and the Impossible, Egger, 2024)

Ash Wednesday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Ash Wednesday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Ways to Feel a Little Better or a Little More Peaceful

Ways to Feel a Little Better or a Little More Peaceful

How to Find Great Children’s Books: 20 Guide Books, Books Lists, and Web Resources

How to Find Great Children’s Books: 20 Guide Books, Books Lists, and Web Resources

39 Books for my 39th Birthday: A 2023 Reading List

39 Books for my 39th Birthday: A 2023 Reading List

Family Christmas Letter 2023

Family Christmas Letter 2023

A Simple Home Christmas Pageant Script

A Simple Home Christmas Pageant Script

Books & Boots for Saint Nicholas Day: A List of our Family’s Favorite Christmas Picture and Read Aloud Books

Books & Boots for Saint Nicholas Day: A List of our Family’s Favorite Christmas Picture and Read Aloud Books

40 Great Picture Books for 4 Year Olds

40 Great Picture Books for 4 Year Olds

Newbery Review #102 (Freewater, Luqman-Dawson, 2023)

Newbery Review #102 (Freewater, Luqman-Dawson, 2023)

The Best Children’s Bibles: 30+ suggestions from Board Book Bibles to Illustrated Study Bibles

The Best Children’s Bibles: 30+ suggestions from Board Book Bibles to Illustrated Study Bibles

An Epiphany Liturgy for Children and Families

An Epiphany Liturgy for Children and Families

Categories

  • Anxiety
  • baby
  • Board Games
  • Book Lists
  • Children's Spiritual Formation
  • Connect
  • Creativity
  • Eat
  • Family Stories
  • Fun with Kids
  • Liturgical year
  • Love & Marriage
  • Make
  • Motherhood
  • Move
  • Newbery Book Reviews
  • Order
  • paleo
  • Pray
  • pregnancy
  • Read
  • Reflections
  • Rest
  • Self-Care
  • simplify
  • Toddler
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • walks in the woods
  • Wisconsin Beauty
  • Write

Favorite Posts

natural haircare

Make
Natural Hair Care: Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar & Vodka-Gelatin Hair Gel

 

homemade deodorant

Make
Homemade Deodorant For Sensitive Skin: Bentonite Clay and Baking Soda

 

college advice

Advice to Future College Students: 10 Things I Wish I Had Done More

 

belonging to a church

Belonging to A Church

 

dyslexia

Reflections on Dyslexia:
May B. A Novel by Caroline Starr Rose

 

leaving grad school

A Defining Retreat: Deciding to Leave Grad School

 

love story

The Beginning of a Love Story In Honor of Anniversary Weekend

 

breakfast

Scramble Up A Simple Paleo Breakfast

 

cake

Bake Up A Flourless Chocolate Cake

 

comfortable and presentable

Organize Bookshelves by Color

 

trees

My Life In Trees

 

elimination diet

An Elimination Diet Figure Out What Foods Are Making You Sick

 

goodbye letter

A Goodbye Letter to Our Church: Leaving Those You Love

 

paleo blended chai recipe

Paleo Chai: A Blended Coconut Oil & Butter Recipe

 

Prayer book

16 Online Resources: Liturgical Prayer Apps & Websites

 

© 2025 Stories & Thyme | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme