I have been up since 2 am. I fell asleep last night at 8:45 (!!), so by the time the twins woke up for their middle of the night feeds and cuddles I had already enjoyed a solid five hours of sleep. By 2:00, I was more rested than I’ve been in a year, so […]

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, […]

March is a busy time for our family. Three of the six kids celebrate their birthday this month, which means lots of baking. In truth, all the festivities can be a bit stressful for me. I want so badly to make every kid feel special on his or her special day, but the reality is […]

Happy St Patrick’s Day! It was a chilly, grey and foggy day here in Chicago, quite reminiscent of a stereotypical Irish morning. As I walked the girls in to school I sweartogod I heard bagpipes in the distance. Pretty sure they came from a neighboring school’s St Paddy’s Day assembly, but it sure added to […]

Long ago, before kids and grown up life (and iPhone cameras), I traveled a bit for work. The absolute best trips were to India. It is, by far, one of my most favorite places in the whole world. Yes, the poverty is heartbreaking and the pollution is incredibly sad, but the magic of the country […]

I had a new friend over for lunch the other day. She offered to come over to just hold one of the twins, and that was an offer I could not refuse! One of the hardest parts of being a twin parent is not being able to hold and cuddle each baby as much as […]

Lately I’ve been including Evie (age 8 ) and Mack (age almost 7) in bill paying. They are old enough to understand what money is and how it is earned, and now it is my job to help them appreciate what goes in to running a household. Someday they will have families of their own […]

Before the twins arrived, I gently prepared myself for what I thought was inevitable: that I wouldn’t produce enough milk for two hungry babies, and I would have to rely on formula to supplement. Breastfeeding was a choice I made for my first four babies, and it was a delightful, easy and comfortable part of […]

A few months ago I read an article about the Danish tradition of hygge (pronounced HOO-gah). The word roughly translates to a feeling of coziness and warmth, of times spent snugly with those we love. Hard to argue with that on a cold Chicago night, right? I immediately wanted this tradition in my house. With […]