Anne
Anne is a kinda crunchy, kinda unapologetically corner-cutting mom who has lived in Iowa City since 2004. She is a graduate student in Library and Information Science at the University of Iowa and works in the Children's Services department at the Iowa City Public Library. Before going back to school, she was a stay-at-home mom to her two daughters for several years, and took her children to the library multiple times a week. Basically, she has lived at the library for about a decade. Which is fine, because her biggest passion in life is books. When not reading, Anne also enjoys hiking, low-budget road-tripping, and drinking craft beer on a patio.
10 Best Iowa City-Area Sledding Hills
Now that the ground is finally covered in a layer of wintry white, it's time to make childhood memories by bundling up and hitting the sledding slopes. Read on for the skinny on the...
16 Cozy Winter Picture Book Read-Alouds
Winter is a great time to snuggle up indoors with a stack of books and a warm mug of hot chocolate as the snow falls gently past the window (or just covers your car...
Why I Go to Church (Even Though I’m a Skeptic)
Every Sunday, I wake early. I rouse my (often complaining) children, groom them as little as I think I can get away with and still be socially acceptable, and take us to church. My...
The Lazy Homeowner’s Guide to Painting + Infographic
Until recently, I had never painted a wall in my life. I was both completely clueless and totally intimidated. Finally, after Googling "how to paint a wall," I spent a month painting every room...
But It’s the “Good” Cancer!: That Time I Had a Thyroid Tumor
I was so healthy I hadn’t even been to the doctor in ten years. I hadn't had so much as a cold since the Clinton administration! But my new health insurance was forcing me...
Literature for Little Listeners: 8 First Chapter Book Read-Alouds
You started with board books when your children were infants, and have graduated to longer picture books now that your child is older. If your child is three or four, it might be time...
My Daughter Got Bitten by a Tick, and It Sucked: Lyme Disease Prevention and...
I sighed down at my daughter in the midst of a crowded IKEA store. "You really can't walk?" I asked doubtfully.
"I can't put any weight on my right knee," she answered tearfully, sinking onto a display...
As Nice as New: A Guide to Thrift, Consignment, and Secondhand Shops in the...
Updated March 3, 2021
There's nothing quite like the thrill of a thrift score. Uncovering a treasure at a bargain price not only saves you money, but is environmentally-conscious in that you are recycling already-manufactured...
Spring Cleaning Wisdom: Don’t Bother Organizing It. Just Get Rid of It.
I get rid of my children's toys while they sleep, and I'm not even sorry about it.
You might say this is unfair, unacceptable, and wrong. You might be right. But I'm willing to accept...
Sex and Death: Books for Tough Conversations with Young Children
It can be difficult to know what to say when your child is looking to you for guidance on a sensitive topic. The moment feels weighty and the impact of your words magnified, as you...