Jackie
Keeping Him Close: The Story of a Purse
This is a story about a purse.
My mother-in-law carried one specific purse, a well-made but nondescript brown leather bag, every day for more than 50 years.
Through the births of two children and the births...
“Splurges” That Help Me Be A Better Mom
As a mom of four kids under 12, time is at a premium. No matter how much I lean in, I’ve learned a tough lesson: I can’t do everything, and prioritizing what matters is...
A Family Guide to Geocaching in Wisconsin
My family started geocaching about four years ago. It’s been a fun way to explore the outdoors while “treasure hunting” in some new places. We’ve found caches in our neighborhood, at our local fire...
Milwaukee: I Love You
Nine years ago, a recruiter convinced me to expand my job search to include Milwaukee. “It’s super close to Chicago,” she reasoned, “and there are some great opportunities in Wisconsin."
I hesitated. Milwaukee? Wisconsin? I...
Delicious and Simple Margarita Recipe #NationalMargaritaDay
Salted rim? On the rocks or frozen? Traditional lime or maybe a tropical fruit? Virgin or maybe you have a tequila preference? It's National Margarita Day - time to celebrate with a simple margarita...
What about the stuff? Lessons in becoming a family
Last fall I remarried and gained two “bonus” kiddos. In retrospect, while going from a family of three to a family of six and merging two houses completely full of stuff, I should have...
School Shooting: When My Son Heard A Threat
I had to do something no parent should have to do: Call the police about a rumored school shooting.
On the drive home from school, my son nonchalantly mentioned he heard about a plan to...
A Lesson from an Eight-Year Old on Defining Family
Sometimes our littles provide us with the biggest lessons.
My heart sank when I opened my third-grade daughter’s school folder to find an assignment on immigration. Students needed to interview mom, dad, grandparents, and other...
All the Art Projects by Your Kids:: An Organizational Hack
The start of the school year brings mountains of art projects, school work, and homemade holiday gifts – all of which take up space as the quantities of “art” just keep coming.
When I was...
Delightful, Delicious and Dairy-free Boozy Milkshake Recipes
This post is sponsored by Hudsonville Ice Cream. Hudsonville Ice Cream is about more than just ice cream. For them, it’s all about making life a little sweeter. It’s about the feeling you get,...