Hi, I’m Trisha, and I’ve thought about what I wanted to say in this first post probably more times than I’d like to admit.

Starting a blog feels like inviting someone into your home for the first time. You want everything to look just right, but eventually you realize the best thing you can do is open the door and say, come on in.

So, welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.

A Little About Our Family

I’ve been married to my husband, Garrett, for nearly 19 years. Thinking back to those early years, I think we both pictured our lives a little differently, but the life we have built is one I would never trade, and I’m glad he’s the one by my side through this adventure.

After a few years of marriage, we decided it was time to grow our family. Little did we know we would struggle with infertility for five years. Those five years were some of the most difficult of our lives, but also some of the best. In those years we strengthened our marriage and made sure to enjoy the little moments together.

In January of 2015, we were asked if we had ever considered adoption, which was something we had discussed early on as we talked about growing our family. That question led us to our oldest daughter, Harper, who was born a few months later.

We started the adoption process again in 2021 and, a few months later, welcomed a baby boy we named Luca. He was part of our family for nearly four months. We found out a few months in that his birth mother hadn’t been honest about who the birth father was, and he had been looking for the baby since his birth. This was devastating for our family, but we will forever be grateful for the time we were able to love and care for this sweet baby.

Our daughter Poppy was born a few years later. Her birth mother saw our love for Disneyland in our profile book, which was one of the reasons she chose us. When we got the call about Poppy, we’d had a Disneyland and Oogie Boogie Bash trip planned and paid for months in advance. Of course, that call came just a few days before the trip. So one of Poppy’s first trips was to the place that helped bring us together as a family.

After Poppy was born, we discussed whether we felt our family was complete. We felt uncertain about closing that chapter, but the adoption process can be such a rollercoaster emotionally and financially, and we really didn’t want to go through it again. Garrett made the joke, “Well, if we got a call out of the blue, then I would consider it.” That call came about two months before Poppy’s first birthday. Poppy’s birth mother was pregnant again and wanted to place the baby with us. We said yes, began the adoption process again, and started preparing to welcome a new baby.

Holland was born a few months after that call. She was born with some critical complications. She passed away at a week old. We are grateful for the time we had with her while she was here and for being with her when she left this life. She is just as much a part of our family as our other children. Her life changed ours forever, and she is woven into so much of who I am as a mother.

Our road to becoming a family has included infertility, adoption, tremendous joy, and unimaginable heartbreak. It hasn’t been the story I would have written for myself when I was younger.

But it is ours.

And that has a lot to do with why this space means so much to me.

Why The Main Street Mama?

If you know me, you probably aren’t surprised that Disney found its way into the name.

There is just something about Main Street that I love.

It’s the anticipation when you first walk through the gates. The music playing in the background. The families walking together. The traditions. The nostalgia. The feeling that for a little while, you get to step away from everything else and enjoy being together.

But The Main Street Mama isn’t only about Disney.

It’s about that feeling you have.

Over the years, I’ve realized that some of the best memories our family has made haven’t come from big, perfectly planned moments.

They’re often the little ones.

Something baking in the kitchen. A tradition we’ve done so many times that the girls know exactly what’s coming next. A family movie night. A Disneyland day we’ve been counting down to. A printable I stayed up too late making because I had an idea in my head. A completely ordinary day that somehow becomes a memory I wish I could bottle up and keep forever.

Those are the moments I want more of.

And they’re the reason behind the words you’ll see around here often:

Creating Magic in Everyday Life.

What You’ll Find Here

I created The Main Street Mama as a place to share the things I genuinely love and use in our own family.

There will definitely be plenty of Disney tips, planning ideas, favorites, and things I’ve learned from our trips.

But you’ll also find recipes from our kitchen, family traditions, printables and resources I’ve created, adoption stories and resources, everyday motherhood, and probably a few things I’m still figuring out right alongside you.

I don’t want this to be a space where everything looks perfect.

Our house isn’t always clean. Motherhood definitely doesn’t always look magical. Plans fall apart. Kids have meltdowns. Dinner occasionally comes from a drive-thru. And sometimes life is just really, really hard.

I’ve experienced enough of both the beautiful and the heartbreaking to know that creating magic doesn’t mean pretending the hard parts aren’t there.

For me, it’s about choosing to notice and create the good in the middle of all of it.

So, Here We Go

I’ve dreamed about creating this space for a long time, and hitting publish on the very first post feels both exciting and a little terrifying.

I don’t know exactly what The Main Street Mama will look like a year from now.

But I do know what I hope it becomes.

I hope it’s a place you come when you’re planning a Disney trip and need a little help. A place you find something fun to do with your family. A place you discover a recipe that eventually becomes one of your family recipes.

A place that gives you an idea, saves you some time, makes you laugh, or reminds you to enjoy the season you’re in.

And most of all, I hope it’s a reminder that we don’t have to wait for a vacation, a special occasion, or someday in the future to make beautiful memories with the people we love.

There’s magic to be found in ordinary life, too.

Sometimes we just have to create it.

Welcome to The Main Street Mama. I’m so happy you’re here.

— Trisha