I’ve been excited about today’s post for weeks, you guys! As many of you know, my friend Laura blogs over at Oakland Avenue. Laura and I went to college together and then lived in Minneapolis at the same time for a couple years. While living in Minneapolis, I started reading Laura’s sister-in-law’s blog, Emily Jensen Writes. I’ve been constantly challenged and encouraged by both of these amazing ladies – their heart for the Gospel and for raising Godly children, their … Read More
San Francisco Travel Guide
As previously mentioned, Joe and I had the chance to run around San Francisco for two days kid-free. It was wonderful, it was hard, it was strange. Well, it was all of the above. Honestly, it was just really nice to have two full days (plus a travel day) to spend with my favorite guy, on Valentine’s Day weekend, to boot! Since we both had horrible colds we didn’t get out and about quite as much as we would have … Read More
Thoughts From 30,000 Feet
I’m writing to you from 30,000 feet somewhere between Chicago and San Francisco. Joe had a work training in San Francisco for the week which ended on Thursday afternoon, so I decided to hop on a plane and join him for a long weekend away. It also happened to be Valentine’s Day weekend, which worked out pretty nice. Okay, the way I wrote that made it sound a lot more spontaneous, but in actuality there was a lot of pre-planning … Read More
Dressing Baby // Gap Finds Under $50
Before having a baby, I had no idea how much I would enjoy dressing Miss Ainsley! I swore I wouldn’t be one of those moms who was obsessed with cute girly clothes but I’m totally eating my words. There are just so many adorable options. Our favorites stores for kids clothes are Gap Kids, Old Navy, Crazy 8 and the second hand store when we can score a few good deals on our favorite brand-name clothes. There is also a … Read More
Tips for Work-At-Home Success
In August (when Joe and I moved from Minneapolis to Iowa) I decided to make a big career change and transition from working in the corporate world to working at home in a couple different capacities. The biggest question I get these days is “What do you do?” and it’s always a tough question to answer because I’m doing quite a few different things! Working multiple creative jobs is a little nutty at times, but it’s also been the biggest … Read More
Mom Bods + Bikinis
This summer I’m taking my mom bod to the pool in a bikini. Let me back up and say that because of my very long torso I’ve always been a big fan of the two-piece swimsuit out of necessity. But I sort of assumed that after having a baby you were bound to a life of one-piece swimsuits forever and ever, either out of a duty to modesty or a desire to hide things that had stretched and expanded or … Read More
say what you mean to say
This week (and maybe last week, too) was a very average week. You know those weeks, right? The ones where you intend to do all the things and instead find yourself with a half-accomplished to-do list and a brain that feels all sorts of scattered? Yeah, I’m totally there. The kind of week where you have a little knot in your stomach for a reason you can’t identify. When you’re doing all the “right” things and yet everything seems to … Read More
An Ainsley Update
I realized I talk about motherhood in a general sense quite frequently, but I rarely talk about Ainsley specifically. As she grows and becomes her own little person, I’ve been thinking a lot about her privacy and how much or little to share online. There is a delicate balance to strike, that’s for certain, but I am so thankful for each and every one of you who prayed for her and want you to share in the JOY that she … Read More
Mommy Martyr
Yesterday was not a particularly shining day for me. I woke up feeling flat-out sorry for myself for a handful of reasons that now seem too petty and foolish to list. Most of the time Mondays as work days for me, but I had rescheduled our childcare for the week so we could take Ainsley to a doctor’s appointment in a city about an hour and a half away. My mom was planning on coming along so we could make … Read More
The Food I Eat :: Postpartum Edition
My body has gone through a lot of changes in the past year. I’ve grown a baby, gained 30 pounds, had a baby, lost 35 pounds and now spend a good portion of each day chasing after a little one who is always on the go and on the verge of walking. Personally, I think what I eat is a fairly dull topic, since I tend to be a bit of a robot in terms of my daily food choices, … Read More
Sibling Spacing
When Ainsley turned 9-months-old, the questions about baby #2 started to roll in. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but that sounds a little early to start talking about the (hopefully, God willing) next baby, doesn’t it? I mean, I’m still calling myself a “new mom” and still very much feel like a new mom in so many ways, and people are wondering if I’m thinking about round two? Like most women once they’ve had a baby who starts … Read More
Hofmeyer Renovation: The Before Photos
The light at the end of this home renovation tunnel is now clearly visible. While there were plenty of days in the last few months when I was just over the whole thing, I’ve been doing my best to maintain perspective, be thankful for the gift it is to be able to renovate a home, and the excitement about seeing our vision for this house come together. When we moved back to Iowa we were shocked at how scarce the … Read More