Photo via Unsplash I’ve been thinking a lot about my new small town life lately. Needless to say, moving from Minneapolis to small town Iowa has been a big change. Sure, I grew up in this small town, but living in a community as a child vs. an adult is a totally different ball game. I’ve phoned my mom a dozen times asking where to get/do certain things. Where do you drop off dry cleaning? (Answer: Joe’s TV and Appliance, … Read More
Ainsley Update: 8 Months
I have pretty much fallen off the monthly update bandwagon completely, but since I talk a lot about motherhood and Ainsley, I thought it was time to give a little update. Although I don’t think I’ll resume monthly updates, my plan is to check in from time to time with all things Ainsley. Development Ainsley has been doing so many new things lately! She is now confidently crawling around the house (she started crawling about a month ago) and pulling … Read More
Avoiding Burnout in Motherhood
Every night I sit in Ainsley’s rocking chair and feed her a bedtime bottle. As I sit in the dimly-lit room, rocking back and forth with my now very big baby in my arms, the day finally slows down. It’s the first time during the day that I really have time to think, process and pause and I realize, every night, that I feel like I’ve been running at breakneck speed all. day. long. Do other moms know this feeling? … Read More
Marriage Matters
We had family photos taken a week ago by a dear friend of mine who is raising money for their family’s adoption. Family photos are my favorite, at least once they are over and done with! Once I have the photos in my hands I’m so thankful we captured this moment in time, when our daughter is tiny and our family is healthy and our lives feel so full. What a sweet season this is for us, after a … Read More
My Skincare Routine: Part 1
Six months ago I sent out a call on Facebook for recommendations of safe, high quality skincare and makeup. One of you recommended I check out Beautycounter. I tried out a few products to start (hey, they give a 60 day money back guarantee, so I figured I had nothing to loose!) and fell in love with the line. Everything I used felt so good on my skin. It was gentle, yet effective, and left my complexion much smoother and more even … Read More
Confident + Kind
As Ainsley gets older I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want her to be. Not about the vocation she chooses or the activities she participates in as the grows, but the important things that make the core of her being. We pray over Ainsley daily, but we always pray for her out loud before bed together as a family. The words that keep coming back to me are “confident & kind.” My prayer for you, sweet Ainsley, is … Read More
Shop Small: Hill Collection Designs
Since I’ve become a mom, I’ve developed a HUGE passion for supporting other moms and women entreprenuers. I know that for me, after having Ainsley I was looking for a way to take my passion for writing, social media and recipe development and transfer that into a career that allowed me a bit more flexibility and allowed me to spend a little more time with Ainsley during the week. It’s a dream to be able to develop recipes at home, … Read More
Twin Cities Health Care Guide
This post is for all you Minneapolis-St. Paul residents! I get a LOT of e-mails asking for recommendations on doctors, acupunturists, etc. I thought it would be helpful to have all my recommendations in one place to help others looking for specific doctors, therapists and the like. Of course, I don’t mind getting e-mails. In fact, I love them! But this round-up will do the amazing people I’ve worked with much more justice than a quick e-mail could do. Feel … Read More
Make Motherhood Your Own
For the last three days I’ve had the JOY to spend three uninterrupted days with women from around the country at The Influence Conference. I met up with my sister-in-law, Amber, and good friend, Laura, for some much-needed girl time, a break from daily routines and time to think about the bigger picture in life rather than the day-to-day tasks. Did I mention this was my first overnight trip away from Ainsley? I had big plans for sleeping, but I … Read More
Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit Giveaway
Hi, friends! I have an exciting giveaway for you all today. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that the Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit was one of my must-have baby products for the first handful of months. I wasn’t kidding when I said that it made all the difference in how Ainsley slept. That girl didn’t like having her arms swaddled, and the Baby Merlin was just comforting enough to help her sleep without causing frustration from not being … Read More
Baby Sleep Contraptions: A Comprehensive Review
Alternately titled: I spent way too much on swaddles and sleep products so you don’t have to. There were so many times during the first three or four months of Ainsley’s life when I would have paid almost anything for a good night of sleep. We bought a lot (and I mean, a lot!) of different sleep “contraptions” that promised a great night of sleep for our infant. Some were super successful and others were a total flop. While I … Read More
When Life Needs White Paint
Sometimes I’m guilty of writing without really thinking about what I truly want to say. I’ll look at photos I’ve taken recently on my phone or camera, pick one that looks cute and write up a post without really thinking about the intention behind my words, because sometimes it’s easier to write about the surface stuff than write about the heart issues that lie deep below the shiny exterior. We’re semi-settled into our new small-town life in Iowa. Nine … Read More