Laura
Laura is a mom of three who works full-time from home as a Development Director for a children’s charity. Laura grew up in Maryland, spent her 20s living in Southern California and South Carolina, and has spent her 30s and now 40s in Iowa, moving to Iowa City in 2010. Laura loves dancing, reading, baking, and music. She and her husband Ryan started dating in college (gasp – over 20 years ago!) and they have been sharing life’s adventures ever since. Their biggest adventure is, of course, parenthood. With three kids, the action is non-stop - which is just the way Laura likes it.
Blessing Bags: One Simple Way Your Kids Can Make a Difference
Every year, as the weather turns cooler and fall turns to winter, I feel so thankful, so grateful that my family and I have our cozy warm house to come home to. We walk...
When Miracles Happen
It should have been my baby’s 1st birthday. But it wasn’t. There was no birthday cake, no balloons, no party. Just me, feeling sad about what could have been, what should have been. I’d...
The Working Mom Balancing Act
They say the life of a working mom is a balancing act. For a couple of minutes tonight, I was literally balancing my child, my work phone, and a child’s potty full of pee....
How to Potty Train in One Day
With all three of my kids, we’ve done the potty-train-in-one-day method. I’ll admit it: The first time I heard about this, I kind of rolled my eyes and said, “Yeah, right.” Then my mother-in-law...
7 Books to Add to Your Kids’ Book Collection
I love children’s books. Discovering that has been one of the fun, unexpected pleasures of being a mom for me. I had no idea how much I would enjoy books for the under-five set....
Favorite Indulgences from a Food Allergy Mom
At my house, two of my three kids have food allergies. We try to manage meals and treats with a severe egg allergy, a milk allergy, and a wheat sensitivity. There’s no doubt that...
I Just Want to Be In Control
Ever had a bedtime battle? Yeah, me too. It happened ALL the time at our house. And it made me crazy. One night, my son said he wanted to pick his own bedtime and...
I’m Never Scrapbooking Again: My Method for Remembering Milestones
A friend who is a few years ahead of me as a mom told me, “Write everything down now. My kids ask me all the time about when they were younger and at this...
Life Lessons from My “Sainted” Mother – Thanks, Mom!
Back in my hometown, my mom is sometimes called “Saint Bonnie.” While that moniker might get the occasional laugh from her three kids, it’s more true than not. She runs a nonprofit health clinic and...
Getting Started with College Savings
My daughter told me recently that she wants to be an ice skating instructor who teaches people to ice skate WITH their puppies. I love it! My oldest, however, has a different kind of...