parenting

Books & Book Reviews My Top 10 Books of 2021

December 18, 2021 KimHarms

Books are one of my favorite things in the world. I’m finishing up #37 of the year right now, and I’ve listed my Top 10 below in no particular order. (Well, okay, if I’m honest the last one on the list might be my favorite.) Maybe you can find some to add to your 2022 reading list. (Click on the book cover to go buy the book.) MODERN FICTION: This one is very character driven and not generally the type of book that I read, but I thought it was fantastic. Eleanor’s character is quirky, socially awkward and completely likeable….

Life Lightbulb Moments

September 25, 2019 KimHarms

I didn’t know it at the time, but the day I met Jolene Philo in 2011 was the beginning of a long writing journey that ultimately led to a contract with a literary agent and most recently a contract with a publishing house for my first book. Jolene and I meet at Panera to eat yummy food, drink yummy drinks and talk all things writing. She has been an invaluable mentor in my life, and I am thrilled that she agreed to write a guest post here at Life Reconstructed. My body was physically reconstructed which led to a life…

Parenting These Feet Will Walk Away – A Mama’s Mini Memoir

August 7, 2019 KimHarms 1Comment

His feet are adorable. I sit here beside my sleeping teenager who is slowly coming out of anesthesia. With an IV in his hand, warm blankets on his lap and cute one-size-fits-all footies on his size 12 feet, I can’t stop looking at him. He just had a procedure that will hopefully give us answers to some health issues he’s been struggling with for almost a year. I worry about his health sometimes, but today I’m content just watching my boy and adoring his feet. So cute in those blue hospital booties. Wasn’t it just a few days ago that…

Breast Cancer Parenting Through Breast Cancer Wildfire Magazine

November 30, 2018 KimHarms

The digital copy of the parenting through breast cancer issue of Wildfire Magazine releases tomorrow! I had the opportunity to write about walking through breast cancer with teen boys for this issue. Carter and Owen were in 8th and 7th grade when I was diagnosed, and were suddenly put in a very tough place where they had to think not only about mortality, but also about their mom’s boobs. We tried to be as open as possible with those guys without overwhelming them with more info than they wanted. I think we did an okay job, but they haven’t reached…

Breast Cancer Backpacking Isn’t All Fun, Sometimes You Want to Cut Off Your Feet

August 28, 2018 KimHarms 8Comment

Life is hitting me pretty hard these days, so I’ve kind of been MIA. But today I need to share one quick little story from my family’s backpacking trip this summer. And I’m going to break my own rule of NEVER posting a first draft. (I’ll probably regret it tomorrow.) I’m giving you an unedited version of what my brain is telling my fingers, because that is about all I can handle right now. Around mile 13 of our marathon 14.5 mile day on the Superior Hiking Trail, after hiking for more than 10 hours in sweltering heat, my poor…