Rachel Banning
Originally from the Wichita area, Rachel’s greatest adventure began 20 years ago when she married her husband. Together, they have one living child with Asperger’s (Dylan, ‘03) and one heavenly daughter with cerebral palsy (Mia, 2000-2013). She is a homeschool mom and business owner. Rachel is an unapologetic advocate for children of all abilities, a bookworm, and she will find any excuse to use her Kitchen Aid and wear Junior League red.
Wichita Family Day Trip: Things to Do in Hutchinson KS with Kids
With gas prices soaring and air travel less reliable, our family is getting a little more creative but no less adventurous with our family vacations. This month we didn't have to go far at...
Special Needs Resources for Kids and Families in Wichita
The day after our daughter’s traumatic entrance into this world, we learned she had cerebral palsy. On top of midnight feedings and dirty diapers, those first years for us were also filled with surgeries,...
Going Back to Work After Taking a Break to Raise Your Kids
When the pandemic shutdown the world in March 2020, not much changed in my life. We had already been homeschooling for nine years, and I had worked from home for four years. Then in...
5 Advent Calendar Ideas for Families to Enjoy Together (No Matter the Distance Between...
Last holiday season may be a distant memory even if it was spent at a distance, but for our family, this was not foreign. Over the years we have hosted several exchange students and...
The Question Every Mom of A Child with Special Needs Hates to Be Asked
Over the years, I’ve answered a lot of questions about our kids with special needs. I don’t mind, I’m a big believer that knowledge is power and questions usually mean genuine interest. But as...
You Can’t Wear That: Fashion Advice for Parents Raising Teens
Without fail, the only time when we are in a hurry to get out the door for a day full of appointments and errands, my teenage son comes upstairs ready for the day looking...
5 Quick and Easy Ways to Crush National Hydration Day Every Day
While having access to clean water is considered a basic human right, according to UNICEF, 884 million people around the work do not have access to clean drinking water. Women--mothers especially--are fierce advocates for...
6 Places to Get Your Hands on the Best Burgers in Wichita
Best Burgers in Wichita, KS
Any time, any place, you cannot go wrong with an All-American classic (unless, of course, you don’t use real beef). I’d have hamburgers everyday if I could, and pizza on...
How to Have a Difficult or Potentially Awkward Conversation with Your Spouse, Child, or...
I don’t think I became a good communicator until our son was 6 years old. At that point, I had been married for about 10 years, I was fluent in avoidance and passive aggression.
Our...
Write It Down! 5 Easy Ways to Organize Your Thoughts (and Life) in 2021
One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is, “I don’t need to write that down, I’ll remember it.” - only to discover 2 hours later, we cannot remember what we were suppose to...
How to Balance Online Shopping While Supporting Local (from A Small Business Owner)
Last year I saw a small business our family loved close its doors. It was heart-wrenching for the owner, and for me as I watched her dream fizzle. She couldn’t compete with online competition....
3 Ways I Stay Informed in a World Filled with Misinformation
With all of the noise I've allowed into our home to help us safely navigate COVID19 and along with the last few election cycles, my head is spinning, and my ears are ringing, and...
Favorite Fall Drink Menu: 4 Sips You’ll Love!
Fall is my favorite season. Even with all of the excessiveness this season brings like smokey hair scent on my pillow from sitting to close to a fire pit the night before, endless raking...
Accidentally Developing Signature Style (and How You Can Do It Too)
Disclaimer: I am not to be confused with Rachel Zoe, nor am I a style icon. But I am a mom, wife, and woman who values comfort over style, and recognize that image is...