Lori and Ava Ubowski

About Side By Side

Pretty and practical interactive journals are a popular and enjoyable way to reflect through writing, doodling, list-making, and more. Wouldn't it be even more fun to share that experience with your tween daughter, and in the process share your life and faith with each other?

Side by Side: A Catholic Mother-Daughter Journal by Catholic musician Lori Ubowski and her daughter, Ava, is a unique journal that allows the two of you to communicate in a new and exciting way. Beautifully designed and rich in spiritual content, each page contains thought-provoking prompts that help you share your thoughts and faith while strengthening your connection with each other.

Published by Ave Maria Press, Side by Side is a unique gift journal that celebrates and invigorates the spiritual bond of mothers and daughters by focusing on important qualities and virtues in the lives of female saints and biblical figures that are essential to healthy relationships: kindness, honesty, courage, patience, openness, appreciation, and confidence.

Stories of holy mothers and daughters from Church history provide additional opportunities for the two of you to share and pray together. Each page is designed to draw your hearts closer to each other with prompts such as Write about a time you were really proud of me or What is your biggest worry right now?

This vibrantly designed journal is meant especially for mothers and their preteen daughters. Whether you work through the book from front to back or pick the chapters you like best, the two of you will begin a one-of-a-kind, private adventure. There is also ample space along the margins to sketch, color, or express yourselves in other creative ways.

Lori & Ava

Lori Ubowski is a Catholic musician and speaker who has served in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee for many years. She and her husband, Adam, lead worship and speak at parishes, retreats, conferences, liturgies, and other events through their music ministry, Out of Darkness.

Ava Ubowski is an honor roll student and the oldest of three children. She is active in student government and band, and plays volleyball. Ava also sings, dances, and plays piano and violin.

Lori regularly contributes to the Any Given Sunday blog of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and the Women In the New Evangelization blog. She has spent time cohosting an American Family Radio morning show and cohosted the live feed of the 2015 National Catholic Youth Conference. The music of Out of Darkness is heard on a variety of Catholic radio stations throughout the country, including regular play on The Catholic Playlist.

Praise for Side By Side

"Beautiful."

"This journal is a beautiful way to build the mother-daughter bond."

From the foreword by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet
Authors of Divine Mercy for Moms


"A lovely gift."

“In an age where a lot of moms and daughters spend their side-by-side time on their phones and social media, this journal is a lovely gift for a mother and daughter to cultivate their relationship in an intentional, fun, and beautiful way."

Jackie François Angel
Catholic speaker, recording artist, and author


"A gift."

"I can't say enough about Side By Side. It's a gift to have such a project encouraging mothers and daughters to have true and meaningful conversations. Having two daughters myself, I know that what our girls crave most from us is time and listening. This beautiful book offers mothers and daughters a chance to connect, reflect, and learn from each other."

Sarah Hart
Catholic recording artist, song writer, and speaker


"Practical help."

"For every mom who has ever wondered what on earth was going on in her preteen daughter's mind, here's some practical help. Even for great communicators, there are some important things that don't come up in everyday conversation: important things, but also fun things and touching things. Side by Side offers useful way for moms and daughters to connect in meaningful ways without pressure or awkwardness. Write down your thoughts, share them with each other, and create a beautiful keepsake in the process."

Danielle Bean
Brand manager of CatholicMom.com


"Grow closer to Christ together."

"What a wonderful way to strengthen the mother-daughter bond and grow closer to Christ together. I look forward to using this side-by-side journal with each of my daughters."

Liz Outzs
Founder of The Little Catholic Box