We recently returned from a week-long trip to Jamaica.  While it was hard to pull the kids out of school for a few days, Chicago’s bitter cold has been painfully brutal this winter.  And, with little #4 due just a couple weeks before Spring Break, we knew that January was the best time for us […]

I happen to think that one of the great, simple joys in life is a hot homemade lunch. There is something so calming about taking a few extra minutes to prepare a special midday meal.  When food is enjoyed properly – at a table, in real dishes rather than in front of a laptop or […]

Like most of the country, Chicago is shivering through bitter, bitter cold. Today we set a record for this date when we passed -15 degrees. Yikes! School was cancelled today, so the kids and I enjoyed an extension to the two week Christmas break that started back in December.  Evie invited a friend over, and […]

We’re halfway through winter break, so the kids and I are trying to keep busy (and warm!).  The first week of break absolutely flew, with Christmas right in the middle, and I have a feeling this week will go by too fast, too.  It has been nice to shake ourselves of the usual routine in […]

A few weeks ago, while watching the excellent PBS program “Mind of a Chef,” I learned about a really cool artisan salt maker called Jacobsen Salt Co.  They harvest pure salt crystals straight from Oregon’s cold waters using traditional methods, and the chefs on the show were more than enamored with the product.  I couldn’t […]

One of my favorite afternoons during the crazy holiday season came a few days before Christmas when our absolute best friends stopped by for a visit.  They moved to Kentucky 2 1/2 years ago, and despite the distance we’ve managed to stay close.  Laura and I talk on the phone at least once a week, […]

I can’t believe Christmas came and went so fast!  I must say I am kinda happy it is over.  I am totally exhausted and ready for a break from the nonstop holiday excitement.  We had so many things to do and places to go during the past month, and like most moms I put pressure […]

It’s no secret that our family loooooves pancakes.  At least one morning a week the kids groggily and hopefully request a warm stack of homemade pancakes for breakfast, and because I love them, too, I am more than willing to oblige.  Some days Chris makes his soon-to-be famous Lemon Pancakes, but most days we rely […]

Now that I am approaching my third trimester, some of the typical pregnancy ailments are starting to strike.  In addition to the exhaustion I’ve felt almost every day since we found out the news back in July, I now have heartburn at night and occasional leg cramps during the day.  Oh, and there are moments […]

Chris doesn’t cook a lot, but breakfast is a specialty of his.  Lately, he has been fine tuning a recipe for lemon pancakes, and it is quickly becoming a treasured weekend ritual in our home.  His lemon pancakes are fluffy on the inside and delightfully crispy on the outside. Such a treat! We enjoyed a […]