Real Life

When the pandemic forced schools to shut down last spring, we had to shift gears quickly and find a way to educate our oldest child from home. Our kitchen table quickly became schoolwork headquarters. It wasn't perfect, but like...

Last year I participated in a study on the impact of COVID-19 on working mothers. I don't remember every question from the phone interview, but I do remember one answer in particular. "No one misses me," I blurted out. I...

Winter break cemented a truth for me. I like having my kids under the same roof, but not alone (for long stretches of time). So, while everyone else was happy to have their kids back in school after the...

This is not click-bait, I really do pay my kids to read. For a long time, before bed, we had a great routine. Brush teeth, go potty, put on pjs, snuggle, read, sing songs, go to bed. Somehow we lost it. 2020...

I was going to write a column of advice for 2022 graduating seniors. I thought I was uniquely positioned to do so; after all, one of those graduating seniors is my own daughter. And I've been on earth for...

With the holidays coming up it's time to shop for gifts! I love shopping for the kids in my family, but you know what I don't love? Buying another junky toy that will end up in the landfill. So what...

Nothing says summer like a trip to the beach! Even though we are far from the coasts, you may be surprised to know there are several available in landlocked Iowa. Check out this guide to beaches and lakes in...

Despite my propensity to strong emotional responses to SO many things in my life, I tend to “wait and see” during a crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis. And as a result of this crisis, the start of the...

There was a reason my four-year-old had his own phone. It just wasn't a good one. When my husband and I got new phones, we kept the old ones for an upcoming vacation. It would be our first flight in...

I'll admit it . . . I'm a social media junkie. I'm the mom who is constantly posting photos of my kiddos, our travels, and the chaos of our daily lives. I enjoy seeing what my friends and family...