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.
7 Tips for Successful Doctors’ Visits
Cold and flu season is just around the corner and will no doubt demand a trip to the doctor's office. Raising two children with special health care needs has made me a professional Mom...
Special Needs Transportation and the Kansas Truck Mobility Rodeo
“I can’t concentrate in flats.” -Victoria Beckham
Mum’s the word when we talk about money right? Well, when you are a “mum” of a child with special needs, that doesn’t quite apply. The price of...
Un-Plugging Our Gamer
Technology.
Love it. Hate it. We all have a relationship with it. As with all of parenting and adulting, my relationship with technology is an example my son will learn from - and with this in...
4 Quick Getaways from Wichita for every Budget
We love vacation! Who doesn't? But when it comes time to planning, budgeting, packing and navigating, the excitement can easily turn to annoyance and frustration. Here are a few quick tips on the vacations...
Why I Hate Mother’s Day
Mother's Day (ideal): a clean, quiet, calm, good hair day where all my tiny humans live in harmony and celebrate motherhood and all things maternal. {Instagram equivalent=Mayfield filter}
Mother's Day (reality): a day we often give lackluster...
Bathroom Equality for All
When you have a child with a disability, your entire perception of the world shifts dramatically. Yes there are the obvious barriers, everything gets tighter and seems out of reach, but there are other...
How to Teach Your Kids to Clean Their Rooms
"Is your room clean?"
Ah, the age old question that leads to tantrums or to miraculously finding lost library books the day before they are due, or maybe unearthing dishes from the carpet and discovering the...
Honoring Our Heavenly Daughter During the Holiday Season
Three years ago, on Halloween, our beautiful thirteen year old daughter, Mia, went to heaven. Her loss is still difficult - it can be all-consuming, and insurmountable at times. Like many others who have...
The Journey Back to “Me”
"Hello. It's me. I've been wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet..."
When I was asked if I wanted to complete GoTimeTraining's 28-day challenge to lose weight, I practically elbowed myself to the...
Burning Your Candle At Both Ends :: 5 Tips for Time Management
Everything was chaos, and I was miserable. More noticeably, I was making everyone around me miserable, too. I was so busy putting out fires, that I couldn't prevent them.
I was burning my candle at...
A Simple Game for Teaching Kids Table Manners
I am exceptionally grateful for family dinners. I even get teary-eyed during grace sometimes when I think about how blessed I am. But then almost immediately, I am tested on the authenticity of my...
Wichita Fall Festival Guide
Who doesn’t love autumn in Kansas? Friday night football games, Saturday evenings around backyard fire pits, and of course, annual small town fall festivals! Fall festivals are a great way to support small towns...
Back to School :: Special Education Edition
Back to school (BTS) is an exciting time for moms, dads, and kids alike. For parents of kids with disabilities, there are a few “extras” such as IEPs, doctors notes, notes on doctors’ notes, therapy schedules...
Raising Good American Citizens Starts with Me
My mother taught me never to discuss politics, religion or money, and how desperately I wish that lesson was one I could pass down to my children. But we don’t live in that day...