I don’t think I am a judgmental person – I firmly believe that God made all of us different because we are all special.  Although I live a certain way, I don’t expect everyone to live like me.  That would be foolish!  However, I am pretty judgmental when I see someone drinking out of a […]

In just a few weeks, on April 22, the world will celebrate Earth Day.  As a Homemade Mother I strive to teach my kids about taking care of our planet every day, a somewhat daunting mission with a 2 and 3 1/2 year old.  They are careful to turn off lights, put trash in a […]

As I have written about many times before, I really really REALLY hate plastic.  I avoid it whenever possible, and I am always looking for ways to cut it out of our lives.  It has become so prevalent in our culture that we easily forget just how awful it is for the planet (not to […]

I’ve been interested in making homemade bread for a while now.  I’ve tinkered with different recipes and tried my hand at new techniques, but my results are inconsistent and sometimes disappointing.  Earlier this month I was thrilled to try out the Average Joe Bread Kit, which  requires no kneading and surprisingly minimal effort.  The delicious […]

I really love the farmers co-op we belong to.  Every two weeks our friendly farmers bring fresh and wholesome food from their Michigan farm to Chicago, and my family and I are healthier and happier because of it. I almost always order delicious eggs with marigold yolks, juicy whole chickens that roast up perfectly, earthy […]

My husband is striving to live a healthier lifestyle and lose a few pounds. He’s always been a very active and fitness-focused person, so his latest efforts are really a refinement of what he’s always been doing. I’m so proud of his willpower, dedication and focus.  He inspires me! Processed white sugar was one of […]

Poor Evie.  She woke up several times last night thanks to an icky stomach bug, and we’ve been cleaning up the mess ever since.  Fortunately, I’ve got some homemade tools in my arsenal that make cleaning up midnight vomit a little easier – all purpose vinegar spray (the same one I use to clean the […]

Like most college students, my roommates and I had a hodgepodge collection of kitchenware in our house.  Mismatched silverware, chipped plates, random mugs – basically, whatever our parents no longer needed in their kitchens came to school with us.  This included a wide selection of scratched pots and pans, some of which were coated with […]

We are leaving tomorrow for a much needed – and, might I say, much deserved! – vacation.  Ever since my husband quit his corporate job 2 1/2 years ago to build his own businesses we’ve been working non-stop.  We’re lucky if we have one day a week to spend as a family. Whenever we leave […]

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing. – Phyllis Diller We live in a spacious but snug downtown Chicago apartment.  With two bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms and space for a proper dining table and home office I know we should feel lucky.  But, with […]