It has been a long few weeks. Ever since Mack’s ear infection in Mexico last month we’ve all taken turns being sick.  Last week was brutal for me – stuffed nose, cough, exhaustion.  I was finally emerging from the fog last night when severe pain suddenly struck my lower back.  Argh! As any mom knows, [...]

Chicago can’t seem to make up her mind.  After a brisk October, November has been relatively mild. Some days are close to 60 degrees, while others barely get out of the 30s. Regardless of the temperature, I like to take the kids outside everyday for some fresh air and exercise.  The other day was downright [...]

As I’ve written about many times before, we don’t buy many beverages.  No pop, no juice, a little milk, that’s it.  For the most part, we’re all quite content with the delicious water that comes from Lake Michigan via our kitchen sink.  Not only is tap water easy on the budget, but there’s no sugar [...]

At the last minute, Chris decided to go out to a party with some friends tonight.  As much as I love spending time with him, I had a few crap TV shows to catch up on our DVR, so I didn’t mind a quiet night to myself once the kids went to bed. But, a [...]

We live in the middle of a big city, so I don’t have the space for the lush and abundant garden of my daydreams.  But, I happily make do with my little window herb garden.  All summer we’ve enjoyed basil and rosemary and chives.  Actually, the basil and chives have been put to good use, [...]

I found my new favorite summer drink!  Last summer I couldn’t get enough of my Pimm’s Cup, but the summer of 2011 might turn out to be the season of the Moscow Mule.  Like a Pimm’s Cup, the Moscow Mule is made with a generous pour of Ginger Beer, a non-alcoholic brew that is strong [...]

While we were in Mexico last month we all responsibly enjoyed a few cocktails or local beers every day while lounging by the pool or enjoying lunch on the beach.  On more than one occasion, my mom mixed up a few rounds of cheladas, a refreshing beer cocktail made with cerveza and lime.  I had [...]

Sometimes I feel like the luckiest wife in the world.  Not only is my husband extremely smart, unbelievably driven, completely hilarious and adorably genuine, but he knows how to mix really good drinks.  His cosmopolitans are my absolute favorite, and coming in at a close second are his mojitos. The other night he mixed up [...]

Both kids are napping…the dishwasher is busily humming away…bed linens are twirling in the dryer…bathrooms still need to be cleaned and the floors could use a good scrub…but I deserve a little moment to rest, right? The perfect treat for this snowy February afternoon would be a cozy cup of chai tea, but my body [...]

Holidays are always a fun excuse for me to do little things to let people know how much I care.  While Valentine’s Day gift-giving is traditionally reserved for the love-in-your-life, why not branch out and share the love by spreading some love? Today I made a batch of homemade hot chocolate to share with some [...]