Earlier this summer our first born turned 10. 10. A decade. To celebrate this special milestone Chris and I took her to New Orleans. Just the three of us. The original three, as we sometimes say when the other kids aren’t around. The hardest part of the trip? Finding childcare for Mack, Vivian, Ben, Elinor […]

Since we took our family of eight on a two-week European holiday several people have asked me “how did you do it?” So, here’s how we did it: 1. Pack Light: For our trip to Europe, everyone packed about three days worth of clothes into their own backpack (including me and Chris!). To keep it […]

We recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Europe. 12 days. Six countries. Six kids. It was awesome! Before, during and after the trip people told us we were crazy for embarking on such an adventure. The kids are too young to remember it! Not much of a vacation with all those kids! You guys […]

I freely admit that I am a bit of a grump when it comes to Disneyworld. I respect that it is a very special place for lots of people, but waiting in long sweaty lines with lots of sweaty people just is not my idea of fun. Layer in anxious and exhausted kids, and I’d […]

While we were in Florida for our spring break trip, I treated the kids to juice boxes. We don’t normally have them on hand for many reasons: 1) they are expensive 2) they create a lot of waste 3) I’d rather just give my kids real fruit and 4) I think water is the best […]

We just returned from a wonderful spring break trip to Florida. All year we had no plans to travel, but then last month I found ridiculously low airfare – so low that it could not be ignored – so low that it was cheaper than driving! – so we decided to book the trip. I […]

We just returned from a 8 day trip to Isla Mujeres, a tiny island off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.  Its a peaceful haven where life moves at a much appreciated slower pace.  The weather was warm and the drinks were cold, and as a family we were so happy. The trip was blissfully […]

We just returned from a long weekend away from the city. We took a three hour drive to Galena, a small town near the Mississippi River where Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin meet. Rolling farmland, lush bluffs, and wide open skies greeted us as we left behind the everyday stresses that tend to weigh us down. […]