Stories, moments, and little updates from the Eight Takes family — the stuff that doesn't fit in a product guide.
I had such a cute idea. This is how most parenting mistakes begin. I decided that James and Kate, my two three-year-olds, could have a sleepover with me in the guest room.
September 4, 2026
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Will is not allowed to play Geometry Dash on his computer. This seemed like a fairly straightforward parenting decision. We turned on parental controls. We blocked the game. We deleted the game. Except the game kept coming back.
August 28, 2026
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There is nothing quite like sending your kids back to school and immediately remembering that back-to-school also means back-to-school germs. We made it approximately five minutes. 😂
August 26, 2026
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There are six kids in our family, which means most of our adventures involve a lot of people. A lot of snacks. A lot of shoes. A lot of opinions. And usually at least one person who needs something at the exact moment someone else has finally stopped needing something. So every once in a while, it feels really special to do something completely different: take just one kid. This time, it was Will.
August 17, 2026
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There are some family days that take weeks of planning. And then there are the ones where you grab swimsuits, throw a boogie board in the car, head to the beach, and somehow get exactly the afternoon you needed.
August 15, 2026
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Our favorite souvenir from Japan wasn't something we packed in a suitcase—it was the memories we brought home together.
August 5, 2026
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We’re sitting in the airport, rolling our suitcases toward a flight to Japan… just the two of us.
July 30, 2026
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There are two kinds of restaurant dinners with kids. The first exists mostly on Instagram. Everyone smiles. Nobody spills. The crayons stay in the box. The second is real life.
July 26, 2026
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Some days don't need a big plan to become unforgettable. Today it was just a mommy-and-me manicure.
July 25, 2026
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The swing that's rocked all six of our babies suddenly feels a little too empty. I have a feeling it's going to stay up just a little longer. ❤️ Has anyone else had one baby item they just couldn't put away?
July 19, 2026
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The funny thing is that I don't notice the change day to day. Growth happens so gradually that your brain updates without you realizing it. Then one random afternoon, you stand next to your child and think... "Wait...when did this happen?"
July 18, 2026
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It started innocently enough. James had recently discovered one of those tiny remote-controlled helicopter drones. You know the kind—the featherweight little helicopters that somehow seem to defy physics while bouncing happily off walls, lamps, and ceilings. He was absolutely obsessed.
July 10, 2026
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