A few weeks ago, Evie had her friend Bella over for a play date after school.  The girls came through the front door giggling and marched right upstairs to the bedroom where Vivian had just awoken from her nap.  After a couple minutes, I went up to retrieve Sleeping Beauty, only to find that she […]

Here in our house, Veteran’s Day is a pretty important holiday.  Chris served as a Captain in the Army, and even though he returned from his deployment 8 years ago, we still feel a very real connection to that time in his life. To make the day extra special this year, I employed the kids […]

Over the past couple months, the news has slowly emerged that we are expecting our fourth baby.  I’m not a big “announcer” and I don’t like attention directed at me, so I am always a little quiet about sharing news like this.  Plus, I am guarded and anxious when it comes to the baby growing […]

Halloween was just the other day, and despite the steady rain the kids and I ventured out for trick-or-treating.  Had we let the weather deter us, I’m pretty sure Evie and Mack would have been heartbroken for the next 364 days.  A combination of rain, sleet and snow couldn’t have kept them inside! We wandered […]

I just stumbled upon a news story about a new Pennsylvania law that makes it a crime for someone to touch a pregnant woman’s belly without her consent.  I would think (hope?) common decency would stop people from touching a woman’s body without her permission, but now a man in Pennsylvania is facing harassment charges […]

I recently rediscovered Mad Libs, those goofy fill-in-the-blanks story books that teach kids about nouns, verbs and adjectives.  I remember them fondly from my youth – my friends and I would write in potty words and laugh for hours. When we took the kids on a road trip this summer, I purchased a few Mad […]

One of the best things about living in Chicago is that we walk e v e r y w h e r e.  The grocery store is less than a block away. The library is right around the corner.  Lake Michigan is a mere 10 minute stroll from our front door.  I feel so lucky […]

Ugh. I just returned from a trip to the grocery store with Evie and Mack. As we walked into the store, I told them that I would get them each a chocolate milk if they behaved.  They both were fine as we shopped.  When we got to check out, I realized I forgot the broccoli, […]

Chicago has enjoyed a spectacular September.  Refreshingly cool mornings, sunny afternoons and sneaky 80 degree days scattered throughout.  As someone who laments the end of summer, this slow entry into autumn makes me very happy. Last weekend we decided to take full advantage of the delightful fall weather and spend a morning at the idyllic […]

I spent three hours this weekend in a dank church basement. It was a sunny, beautiful fall morning, and while Chris and the kids enjoyed the farmers’ market and park, I sat in an uncomfortable chair learning about child sexual abuse, not the most comfortable of topics.  But, attending the session is a requirement for […]