Tips and Tricks

These last few weeks I've spent much of my time scouring the Internet for resources to help my toddler adjust to all the changes beginning within our home. I've created several Pinterest board dedicated to all things toddler, everything...

It's hot, it's sunny, your kids are restless...IT'S TIME TO MAKE A SPLASH! The Iowa City area has some great pools and splash pads where you can cool off, but each has its own pros and cons, depending on the...

I don’t know how, but somewhere along the way, we Do-It-Yourself-ers got pigeon-holed as ambitious, crafty, and talented. It’s just simply not true. I, for one, am actually quite lazy, awkward, and mediocre. This couldn’t be more true when it...

There are a few things that I love about English toffee. It’s sweet, crunchy, nutty, and (my favorite of all) covered in chocolate. But what makes toffee even better is that everyone thinks it’s hard to make, so when I...

“What’s for dinner?” Seems like a fairly simple question, right? In our family, though, this hasn’t always been the case. Over the years, my husband and have I struggled to come up with meals that are truly easy to prepare. Between...

Last time, I took you through the supplies you need to get started on canning, along with a healthy dose of inspiration for why canning is so awesome. This time, I’m taking you step by step through the easiest...

The delicious summer bounty is beginning to arrive. Whether you grow it in your garden or gather it at the Farmer’s Market, summer produce is rolling in and I hope it is rolling in your door! I love how meal...

I have battled acne since my tween years. I remember thinking that the two or three pimples on my chin at age 13 were awfully annoying, but in later years I grew to be envious of these relatively few...

I love family pictures!  Actually, I love family pictures of my kids! --so much so that every year for my birthday I use my birthday money to pay for family pictures for our Party of Five (and, since its...

What is scarier: Toddlers on a plane or snakes on a plane?? I vote toddlers. I recently embarked on a trip to Florida and took our 21-month-old daughter along for the ride. I was excited to visit my grandparents but absolutely...