Day 2 of Christmas cookie baking! Butterscotch Haystacks were a favorite in our household when I was growing up. Like yesterday’s Cornflake Wreath recipe, today’s cookies require no baking and are quite easy to make while juggling two little ones. My sister Caitie always made them, and even today while I made a batch at […]

When I was growing up my mom, sisters and I would spend an entire day every year baking Christmas cookies. We made dozens of several different varieties, and once everything was baked we’d assemble cookie plates for our aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends. Now that I have my own little family I am continuing the […]

My grandparents recently gave us the most wonderful gift: three pounds of wild Alaskan salmon! With our tight grocery budget, a treat like fresh salmon is usually only a twice-a-month thing for us. Thanks to Grandma and Papa’s generosity, we’ll enjoy three extra special meals. I came up with this recipe the other night. I […]

We woke up this morning to snow! Lots of it! Along with the snow came some chilly temperatures, so we spent most of the day inside. By 11 am Evelyn was getting antsy. I knew I should keep her busy or else she would A) beg for cartoons, B) wake her napping brother, or C) […]

After what was perhaps one of the loveliest falls in recent memory, winter has decidedly settled upon my bustling city. Christmas lights adorn the trees that line the streets, snow fell a few days ago and a thin ice sheen covers part of the river outside our apartment. Evelyn and Mack seem thrilled with this […]

With two little ones, Christmastime is both special and stressful. While blog-hopping the other day I stumbled upon a post at Dandee Designs about what to give kids for Christmas. The author suggested a somewhat catchy mantra to recite when gift shopping: Want. Need. Wear. Read. Kids get four gifts – something they want, something […]

On Sunday we took a family stroll to do some shopping along Michigan Avenue. Despite the crowds and hot stores and long lines Evelyn was a very good girl. To thank her, I let her choose a treat for herself on the walk home. It was no surprise to me that she asked for a […]

I am not a very crafty person. AlthoughI have no idea how to turn something like a toilet paper roll into a bird house, I really enjoy the idea of crafting itself. Working with loved ones to create something unique and creative – what’s not to love about that?! Today while Mack napped Evelyn and […]

Living in a big city offers many eco-boosting benefits: we walk every where, we have an extensive farmers market system and and we live in a reasonably-sized apartment that doesn’t require a ton of energy to heat and cool. With that said, I am still bummed that I can’t compost our food scraps. I’d estimate […]

My sweet little Mack is eight months old today. Time is really flying! For the past couple months I’ve been busy in the kitchen making special foods just for him, and it feels like deja vu – I swear it was just yesterday that I was doing the same thing for Evelyn. Unfortunately, he isn’t […]