Starting tomorrow at 6 am Chicago locks down. Again. But, this time it is different. Schools can stay open (although the city’s 400,000 public school kids have been 100% eLearning since March). People are allowed to leave home for work…but no one is supposed to leave home. Restaurants are closed indoors, but warm and cozy […]

Chris took some of the kids camping in Wisconsin over Labor Day weekend. They canoed for 10 miles, camped on a sandbar, weathered a middle-of-the-night thunderstorm, then returned home exhausted but exhilarated. I would have loved to join them, but a trek like that with 4 year old twins just isn’t my idea of a […]

My 11-year-old daughter recently pointed out that I haven’t written on Homemade Mothering much lately. She loves reading posts on this site – especially ones from when she was little. It really is our family’s record book. But, lately, life has just been so BUSY. So full. Which, I am absolutely grateful for because we […]

This was the first official weekend of fall, and here in Chicago, the weather could not have been more glorious. Clear blue skies, warm sun, temperatures in the high 60s and 70s. Chris thought it would be a fine time to take the kids on our annual apple orchard outing to County Line Orchards, and […]

Every week, for the past 40 weeks, Ben has asked to make pumpkin bread. Last year we bought the mix from Trader Joe’s and it was the perfect activity for him – easy to make, easy to mix and perfectly tasty. It is a seasonal item, and sweet Ben has waited oh-so patiently for our local […]

Winter is coming. For the past week, the weathermen have been warning us of frigid temperatures headed our way. It is hard to believe, though, as today’s high reached a sunny 65 degrees. After school, the kids and I visited a new park along the lake shore. It felt like spring! Oh, how I want […]

Monday was so glorious! A high near 80 degrees!! The decidedly un fall-like weather kept us outdoors nearly all day. After school, the kids spent the afternoon splashing around with the hose. Maybe winter will skip us this year?! Despite the summer temperature, I prepared a fall dinner. I had planned the week’s menu before […]

Chicago enjoyed some blissfully mild weather this past weekend. On Saturday we took a nice family walk to Lincoln Park along Lake Michigan. No coats, no hats, no problems! Sunday was equally as nice, so I wanted to take the kids on another trek around our city. Unfortunately, Chris had to teach a class, so […]

Earlier this week our car started making a rather suspicious squeaking sound. Coupled with the “check suspension system” warning that popped up, I knew it was time to take it in for service. The nearest service center was about a mile from home, so the kids and I dropped it off and stepped outside intending […]

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 […]