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We're still feeling the heaviness of this past week, like so many of you. We're continuing to pray for our nation, turning inward to our families, squeezing our kids a little tighter, and having those extra difficult conversations while still trying to preserve their innocence. It feels like an impossible balance sometimes, this tension between protecting childhood wonder and preparing them for a complicated world.

This past week in a minute:

Art lessons I'm going to start doing art lessons with my girls, videoing much of the process. Definitely follow along on Instagram if you're interested learning. I get this question all the time from parents wanting to know how to get started with their kids, so I thought I'd share some behind-the-scenes and practical tips. I’ll have my 3-year-old and 9-year-old, so you’ll get to see a good balance of how I approach the different ages.

Here are the watercolors I purchased for them. They're not too cheap, not too expensive. It's a really solid set for beginners and also perfect for travel since they're compact and mess-contained.

Ranch Rodeo We gathered up the kids for our annual county ranch rodeo, and it was exactly what our hearts needed. The big professional rodeos have become such elaborate productions in our opinion. We still enjoy them, but our hearts are drawn much more to these smaller town events. It had us itching to pack the kids up and hit all the small town summer rodeos across Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

There's something so authentic about ranch rodeos. Real ranches, real cowboys and cowgirls doing what they actually do for a living. Getting to witness and appreciate the men and women who sacrifice so much for the difficult but honest life of ranching helps us remember where our food really comes from and not take any of it for granted.

I actually grew up in the Houston rodeo scene all throughout middle school and high school, competing in the art competitions. It holds such fond memories for me and my family, and being back in that atmosphere triggered so much nostalgia and warmth. There's something about the smell of leather, the sound of spurs, and the sight of worn cowboy hats that just feels like home to me.

Before everything started, we sampled some of the best country cooking I've ever had, bouncing around to about 10 different chuck wagons. Tender meat, creamy potatoes, perfectly seasoned green beans, fresh rolls, and some of the most incredible desserts you could imagine, all cooked over an open flame on well-seasoned cast iron. Every bite tasted like it was made with love and years of tradition.

Everything felt like a beautiful blast from the past. There was even a western art competition that had me itching to pick up my oil paints again and try my hand at a portrait or horse painting. Someday soon, I hope. It specifically reminded me of this colored pencil drawing I did years ago in middle school of my daddy making cowboy breakfast around the campfire.

Unfortunately, it got way too late (we wanted to make it to church the next morning), so we had to skip the last few events, including wild cow milking (yes, that's actually a thing) and the evening concert and dance. Our oldest was pretty disappointed about missing those, so maybe we'll have to get our own milk cow someday to make up for it. Just kidding... or am I?

The whole evening reminded me why I love this slower way of life, where people still value hard work, community, and keeping traditions alive. It felt like stepping back in time to when things were simpler, more connected, more real.

 — Tabitha Paige, Author/ Illustrator, Speech Therapist & Mom

Sometimes I make books & other pretty things…