Christmas fun continues! I don’t want to believe that Christmas is the day after tomorrow. The kids really enjoy all the festive decorations and music, and I think we’ll all be a little sad when it comes time to pack everything away. My favorite part of today was when Mack danced for the first time! […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

As a Homemade Mother, I am obviously very devoted to my children. I take great pride in knowing they are well fed, well read, and kissed before bed. However, it is still important to find special time for my husband. He is my best friend, and we really enjoy spending time together. We are living […]

My husband works on Sundays, which is a bummer for him and a bummer for me. We both feel like we’re robbed of a weekend day – he has to go in to the office, and I’m busy chasing the kids, running errands, tidying the house, and preparing foods for the week ahead. I’m looking […]

Chicago has enjoyed a very pleasant and mild October. Today was no exception. With sunny skies and the temperature in the 70s, it was a perfect day for a lunchtime picnic with my family. Evelyn packed her pink soccer ball and Mack packed his smile. I packed sandwiches, fruit, and a jar of sort-of homemade […]