Chicago can’t seem to make up its mind.  Earlier this week it was sunny and in the 90s, but this weekend its cloudy and high 60s. Weather changes like this make it hard to know how to dress the kids in the morning!! Fortunately, I’ve got our stroller packed for summer just in case the […]

While pushing our kids on the swings recently, my neighborhood friends and I were talking about Costco.  They couldn’t believe I don’t have a membership to the big warehouse retailer; I couldn’t understand why their small families need to buy anything in bulk.  I asked them what they purchase from Costco, and everything they buy […]

The 28 Day Healthy Eating Challenge I’m doing for Whole Foods is coming to an end. When I first started it nearly a month ago I had a hard time shifting gears on my already healthy eating habits.   I always strive to make smart choices when it comes to the food I serve myself and […]

No matter how hard I try to avoid plastic bags, they always seem to creep into my home.  Considering that nearly 1 trillion crappy plastic bags are produced worldwide every year, its no surprise that avoiding them is tough, even for an eco-freak like me who keeps a stash of re-useable bags in the car […]

We just returned home from a fun family road trip through Michigan. My husband normally works on the weekends, so with the Memorial Day holiday we jumped at the chance to enjoy some time together. We spent the first night of our trip along the shore of Lake Michigan in a fancy resort.  As soon […]

Fox News Chicago interviewed me yesterday for a story about the way McDonald’s markets products to children.  As a Homemade Mother, I never serve my kids fast food.  When we’re on the road I like to plan ahead and pack meals – something as simple as a sandwich with homemade peanut butter travels well and […]

In keeping within the plant-strong guidelines of the 28 Day Health Challenge I’m testing out for Whole Foods Market, I made a hearty and tasty homemade lentil stew for dinner tonight.  Loaded with carrots, celery, tomatoes, lentils and my homemade vegetable broth, it was a comforting supper for a dreary and rainy evening. To serve […]

Today marks the halfway point of the 28 Day Healthy Eating Challenge Whole Foods invited me to try.  I have now gone two weeks without any meat, dairy, eggs, sugar or oil, and I’m starting to feel just fine.  The first several days were tough – probably because my body was going through sugar withdrawal! […]

I spent 45 minutes yesterday completing a task I had been ignoring: cleaning out the fridge. In my fantasy world, this chore would be completed on a monthly basis.  In reality, I probably get to it once every two or three months. Now that Evie is old enough to help herself to certain things in […]

Chris and I are on day 10 of the 28-day Healthy Eating Challenge Whole Foods Market asked me to try.  Using the lifestyle outlined in The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn, we are avoiding all animal products, dairy, eggs and oils for four weeks.  The first few days were really tough, but every day […]