I swear, sometimes these kids are going to send me to the looney bin.  Aside from the constant messes and spills, they tend to take things and misplace them.  This happens a lot.  Like, ALL THE TIME. Case in point: yesterday the can opener went missing.  I have no idea where it is.  To open […]

The news out of Arizona this week is so sad.  So, so sad.  Nineteen firefighters tragically died when a wildfire they were battling grew out of control.  They leave behind wives and children and parents and siblings. Some left behind pregnant wives. I am haunted by these deaths.  These firefighters (all firefighters, really) were some […]

  It’s been a l o n g day. A bad nightmare woke Mack up at 2:45, and he stumbled into our room looking for consolation and cuddles. After I brought him back to his bed, I tossed and turned in mine for what seemed like much too long.  At 3:33 am, I decided to […]

Perhaps one of the best parts about living in the Midwest is easy access to farm fresh foods.  My husband, an East coaster by birth, often reminds me that he considered Illinois a “fly over” state for much of his life, and I often remind him that my part of the country fed his uppity […]

It has been a long few days.  I was sick on Saturday, Chris had to work all day Sunday and the kids started summer camp yesterday so we’re all trying to figure out a new routine.  Oh, and sweet Vivian has a sharp tooth cutting through her top gum, and the poor little dumpling wails […]

My sister Caitie recently hosted a super fun birthday party at her house for her son Danny. Despite a bounce house, cupcakes, toys galore and kids everywhere, little Vivian spent the entire party playing at a water table.  It was filled with little rubber duckies that kept her laughing, and by the end of the […]

My cousin Monika from Poland arrived in Chicago earlier this month.  She is spending the summer here – helping my sister and me out with our kids and getting a taste of American life.  Her English is excellent and her zest for life is infectious. We are so happy to have her here! My mom […]

I owe this blog post to my daughter Evelyn.  While we were in Wisconsin last weekend the kids requested that we make s’mores together. I had been telling them about this campfire treat all winter, and now that summer is here they were desperate to try it.  Wisconsin seemed like the perfect place. As we […]

Our trip to Wisconsin last weekend could not have come at a better time.  The last month has been long, and we really needed some quiet time as a family to reconnect and grow. Here in the city, life is wonderful but hectic.  I get so wrapped up in surviving every day that I don’t […]

We returned yesterday from a wonderful weekend trip up to Wisconsin.  My great aunt and uncle let us use their beautiful country house, so we felt like we really got away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  The kids played in the sprinkler, we went for a hike, we made s’mores.  The trip […]