When I was growing up my mom did a fabulous job making Christmas a special time for her five children. Now that I have six of my own, I appreciate the time and effort it took for her to give us such warm and comforting memories. Her example is what motivates me to keep on […]

Oof. I’ve been up since 2 am. Elinor woke up at that time fussing – Juliet just got her molars so that must be poor Nori’s problem. And then Ben came in to our bed. And then Ben peed in our bed. And then I was just done sleeping. Might as well get up and […]

Chris and I have been re-framing Sundays lately. Fed up with the constant go go go, we really need a true day of rest. Our ancestors somehow figured out how to do properly take a break every Sunday, so there’s no reason we can’t do the same. The other Sunday the sun was shining so […]

Last week I questioned the Homemade Mothering Facebook community on a supremely first world problem: Need some people with minimalistic sensibilities to weigh in: should I keep this? I never use it, but I love the *idea* of using it. Homemade cookies, cake and pie (which I *love* to make!) would look so cute in […]

Every week, for the past 40 weeks, Ben has asked to make pumpkin bread. Last year we bought the mix from Trader Joe’s and it was the perfect activity for him – easy to make, easy to mix and perfectly tasty. It is a seasonal item, and sweet Ben has waited oh-so patiently for our local […]

My parents have 18 grandchildren. Considering how young they are, I’d say that is quite an accomplishment. The only issue with having such a large family is that we can’t easily gather to celebrate all the birthdays. So, my sister Colleen offered to host a big birthday/end-of-summer party at her home in honor of my […]

A few weeks ago I took the kids strawberry picking. It was on my summer bucket list, and I am so glad we checked it off before I broke my ankle. We stumbled upon the strawberry farm quite unexpectedly. The kids and I were driving home after a weekend at Notre Dame when we (almost) […]

It has been exactly 18 days since I broke my ankle. With life still happening around me, I am doing everything I can to maximize my chances for a speedy recovery. I am basically just waiting to heal. When I met with my orthopedic doctor for the first time, I made it very clear to […]

Like many American households with a third grader, lately we’ve been listening to the glorious sounds of that iconic elementary school whistle, the recorder. When Evie came home with it the other week she was ELATED AND THRILLED AND BEYOND EXCITED. Ever since, it has been Hot Cross Buns 24/7. I love her enthusiasm and […]

Most Sunday mornings Chris can be found stocking up on meat for the week at Whole Foods. He likes a hearty breakfast every day – eggs scrambled with veggies and bacon – and until recently he always picked up a pound of maple bacon to get him through the week. But, much to his dismay, […]