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 […]

Yesterday morning was a quintessential Saturday in our house.  I went to the gym, came home to find Chris and Mack playing an iPad game together while Evie and Vivian kept each other busy.  With everyone calm and occupied, I knew I had a few minutes to fix a nice breakfast. This recipe happened by […]

Last weekend my little girl turned 5. FIVE. She has grown into such a thoughtful and sensitive and smart young lady, and I could not possibly be more proud. Chris and I took her out to a special lunch at Birchwood Kitchen, where she felt like a grown up as she sipped fresh lemonade and […]

It has been a long few days.  I was sick on Saturday, Chris had to work all day Sunday and the kids started summer camp yesterday so we’re all trying to figure out a new routine.  Oh, and sweet Vivian has a sharp tooth cutting through her top gum, and the poor little dumpling wails […]

I owe this blog post to my daughter Evelyn.  While we were in Wisconsin last weekend the kids requested that we make s’mores together. I had been telling them about this campfire treat all winter, and now that summer is here they were desperate to try it.  Wisconsin seemed like the perfect place. As we […]

School is almost out and summer is on the way.  I’m so looking forward to slowing down our family’s pace a little bit.  The kids are growing up so fast, and I just want to savor this time in my life, a hard thing to do when the every day hustle and bustle overwhelms me […]

Here in the city, when the wind blows in just the right direction at just the right speed, the scent of melting chocolate fills the air.  The Blommer Chocolate Factory sits in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, but just about every part of town has been touched by its aroma.  Its sweet! Whenever I catch a […]

I am so excited! Tomorrow the kids and I are driving to Indianapolis to meet my best friend and her daughters.  She lives in Kentucky now, and Indy is the perfect halfway point for us.  We’re staying at a hotel with a pool, so the kids will be in heaven.  Its the perfect way to […]

Whenever Mack and I have some time alone, the first thing he asks to do is make cookies.  We have a steady supply of homemade chocolate chip cookies thanks to his enthusiasm, so when he asked to bake on Friday I thought it would be fun to try something different.  A sneaky jar of homemade […]

Shortly before Christmas I saw a fun idea for easy homemade doughnuts floating around Pinterest.  It involved nothing more than a can of pre-made biscuits and some oil.  At the time, I pretty much ignored the pin because canned biscuits just don’t work for me.  They contain 4 grams of heart-stopping trans fats – ewwww. […]