Let's Do This | Staci Style Teams with The Press

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When The Crittenden Press first asked if I’d consider joining its team as a lifestyle columnist, my initial reaction wasn’t excitement – it was pure panic. Me? A lifestyle columnist? The same woman who can’t get anywhere on time, has a laundry pile so large my family lovingly calls it Mount St. Laundry, and is famous for starting new projects even though there are already three unfinished ones begging for attention? Surely they meant someone more… put-together. More adult. More June Cleaver and less Frankie Heck. More Ethel Tucker and far less – well – me.

After sharing the news and receiving a round of lovingly sarcastic comments from my family, encouragement from my friends and a few heart-to-hearts with Jesus, here we are. Anyone who knows me knows two things: I rarely back down from a challenge, and “no” is not a word I practice often. Still, before anyone assumes I’m about to provide polished, Pinterest-worthy instructions on folding fitted sheets or organizing a pantry by color and can height – please rest assured, I am not qualified for that level of adulthood, and most everyone around me agrees. If you don’t, then I have somehow fooled you, along with Chris and Allison Evans at The Press.

Yet, somewhere in the conversations with friends and family, I realized that maybe that’s exactly the point of view people need – a point of view from those of us who are surviving but not necessarily thriving at all times. For those of us wearing mismatched socks and not caring who notices. Those of us who will invite you to dinner at their secondhand-but-newly-repainted kitchen table. Those of us who show up to birthday parties with a pretty gift bag holding a $20 bill only because the Facebook reminder popped up an hour earlier. Those of us who will cook you a homemade meal with old pots and pans. Those of us who can offer you a coat, gloves and a snack at a freezing baseball game, all because we haven’t cleaned out the vehicle since Obama was president.

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Those of us whose houses are clean and hair is done – but never both at the same time.

If anything, I’m more of a professional chaos coordinator and seasoned disguiser of all things broken, dusty or a little junky. I can make things look pretty. I can cook a good meal. I can start DIY projects with Olympic-level enthusiasm – finishing them is a different story. I can throw together a cute outfit like I’m in a hurry, which works out well since I’m always in a hurry. I don’t gentle parent, but I do parent with love, humor, a raised eyebrow and the occasional “Lord, give me strength” whispered into the abyss. And usually, with all that going on, life turns out pretty fun – and gives me plenty of material to share with all of you.

Since announcing this new gig, I’ve been asked, “Where do you find the time?” and “How do you keep up with everything?” Here’s the honest truth, though it may not be the most clever or well-thought-out answer: I just do. I run on little sleep and large cups of caffeine, but I genuinely enjoy the chaos that life throws my way. I literally wrote this article while shuffling between birthday parties and basketball practice – typing sentences in five-minute bursts and reminding my kids not to lick the icing off someone else’s cupcake. If there’s a perfect time to do everything I do, I haven’t found it yet. But I’ve always enjoyed sharing my life with others, and God gave me a way to share it with another group of people I may not otherwise reach. Though I may feel underqualified, when He says do it – you do it. Who am I to turn that away?

So no, I’m not the expert who will guide you to spotless counters or serene morning routines. But if you need someone to remind you that a good life doesn’t have to look perfect – and that the best stories often come from the biggest messes – then you’ve found your people in me. Trust me, I’ve learned many lessons and skills through the ability to look past the mess I created while laughing at myself in the process.

If you see me in public with two kids parkouring off the grocery store shelves and you have an idea for a topic, stop me and tell me. Even though my life is sure to provide plenty of material, I welcome all ideas. After all, Ryan Blackburn’s favorite place to wait is the grocery store parking lot because, as he often reminds me, I like to talk – to everyone.

If you follow me on social media, send me a message. If we aren’t friends on social media, we should be. I share recipes, family happenings and plenty of embarrassing stories that will make it worth your while.

It’s 2026 – the year I became a writer(ish), heavy on the “ish.” I’m excited, honored and only slightly unprepared.

But that’s never stopped me before. Let’s do this!