Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about moms in front of the camera, or rather, moms who hate being in front of the camera. It’s no secret that a lot of moms spend time taking photos of their adorable kiddos, only to balk at the idea of actually being in those same photos with their kids. I get it, I really do. There are times when the last thing I want to do is get in front of the camera … Read More
Reflections On Our Small-Town Life
Five months ago Joe, Ainsley and I packed up our stuff, sold our cute little 1950’s house in Minneapolis and moved back to the place we called home growing up, a small town in the northwest corner of Iowa. Friends, let me tell you I never saw it coming. Pre-baby Madison would have laughed in your face at the idea of moving back to where we grew up, a small, sleepy (and adorable!) town that was miles and miles away … Read More
Motherhood Year 1
Ainsley isn’t quite a year old (just a month and a half to go!) but I’m already starting to think about the first year of motherhood as I plan for her first birthday party. Yes, we’re throwing a big birthday bash for our 1-year-old, yet another thing I said I would never do. (God’s teaching me a LOT about using the phrase “never”) I’ve been making a list of the top pieces of advice I would pass along to a … Read More
An Intention for 2016
Truth be told, I wrote a whole list of intentions down in a blog post and was ready to hit “publish” but as I was laying in bed last night, thinking about the year to come, I paused. My list had a whole bunch of things, like feeling good in a swimsuit and reading more books and what not. Fine intentions, and things I still probably pursue in the year to come. But as I was thinking about what truly … Read More
Let’s Have a Coffee Date
It’s 9 pm on a Tuesday night and I’m sitting in a very quiet salon, under the blowdryer, having my hair done. Usually I’m not one to enjoy being out and about on a weeknight relatively late (yes, 9 pm on a weeknight is late, thankyouverymuch) but tonight it feels pretty darn nice to savor a little peace and quiet. I’m not sure I have a cohesive post in my head right now, so I thought I would share a … Read More
Merry Christmas!
An early Merry Christmas to you, friends! Today I wanted to share a few of our holiday photos that were taken earlier this fall. It’s amazing to me how quickly Ainsley changes. She looks so different now than she did when these photos were taken less than two months ago! Tis the life of a baby, right? There are a lot of reflective, mushy and very true things to say about 2015. It was SUCH a big year for our … Read More
How to *authentically* monetize your blog
Monetizing your blog. Chances are if you have a blog, you’ve either thought about ways to make money on your site or you’re currently pursuing ways to make money. From the start I’ve been in favor of making money on my site; writing a blog and producing quality content is time consuming and sometimes expensive (especially when you’re developing recipes of posting photos of outfits, etc.) so it seems sensible to mitigate those expenses when possible. Just because you make … Read More
9 Months In + 9 Months Out :: The Post-Baby Body
I had been meaning to write this post a bit sooner, closer to when Ainsley was 9 months old. She’s now almost 10 months, but the thoughts remain the same. Before having Ainsley I was really worried about the physical transformation of pregnancy and the toll it would take on my body. Having been so outspoken about our trouble having a baby, I didn’t voice many of those concerns for fear that it would sound shallow and silly in light … Read More
Favorite Baby Items :: 6-9 Months
1. Fisher-Price Baby Grand Piano I bought one of these when Ainsley was around 4 months old and it’s been such a hit ever since! She continues to play with it at 9+ months and loves to stand, play with the keys and play music. It’s one of the least annoying music-making toys she has. 😉 2. VTech Sit to Stand Walker We don’t have this exact version (we have an older one from a garage sale…) but Ainsley has … Read More
Work + Motherhood :: During Cold + Flu Season
The Hofmeyer family has been having a rough go at it lately with illness. I have been told that the first winter with kids is ROUGH – a non-stop merry-go-round of passing around crud from church nurseries and play dates and shopping carts. (PS: I was reminded by my friend Laura not to look for someone to blame when she shared this article!) Over Thanksgiving in Florida with my family Ainsley spiked a high fever from an ear infection. After … Read More
Holiday Gift Guide (for him)
1. Nest Learning Thermostat My husband loves to save money and he loves tech-y things. The Nest combines the two! This thermostat has gotten rave reviews from all our friends who have one, and I’m dying to purchase one when our home remodel is complete. It learns how your live, and then adjusts your thermostat automatically, saving your money and keeping your home a comfy temp. 2. Cell Phone Case/Wallet This cell phone case has a pocket inside that holds credit … Read More
The Daddy-Daughter Connection
When we told people we were having a little girl, I got a lot of comments from friends and family about the daddy-daughter connection that our baby would have with her dad. I’m super close to my own dad, so I was hopeful that Ainsley would feel the same connection with Joe. Over the last 9 months, it’s been so fun to see their relationship develop and grow. Joe will be the first to tell you that the first three … Read More