amymjones
Amy is a thirty-something working mom with two children, Dylan (5) and Olivia (3). She met her husband Jason of nearly 10 years while attending St. Ambrose University and they happily settled in the Quad Cities. Amy believes it takes a village for her family to survive and thrive and enjoys sharing and connecting with others. Learn more about this adventure at her personal blog, AuthenticallyAmy.com.
30 SECRETS TO PARENTHOOD (THE STUFF YOU LEARN ALONG THE WAY)
As parents, we learn a few things along the way. There is nothing like experience to teach us what we really need to know to survive babies, toddlers, and school-agers. (I don't have teenagers yet...
THE SWEET SPOT OF PARENTING
The first years
When I had a two-year-old and a new baby, people would tell me, “Enjoy these days. They go by fast.”
These words of advice were shared with good intentions. They were shared...
MY FIVE FAVORITE MEALS TO SHARE WITH NEW PARENTS
There is so much excitement when a new baby arrives! That excitement was shared by our family and friends. We were touched by the number of meals that were gifted to us when both...
EVERY SUCCESSFUL MOM DOES THIS ON SUNDAY
The internet is ablaze with lists that tell you what every successful leader/teacher/manager/person does on Sunday/Monday/Friday to have a successful week or weekend. I always click on them thinking I will find some magical...
ENJOY THIS OUTDOOR WINTER ACTIVITY FOR ONLY $2 (OR FREE)
It only takes my family a few weeks of cold weather and we start getting wiggly and cranky. We start looking for ways to stretch our legs, and there are some great indoor and...
WHY I BLOG FOR QCMB
I often hear, "Why do you blog? I could never do that!" First, we don't all have to do be good at everything and we don't have to try everything. Second, we all have different talents...
FAMILY-FRIENDLY QUAD CITY TAKEOUT OPTIONS
It's the chore that never goes away. Dinner creeps up on us every single night! We all have to eat. And then there is the pressure to have balanced, healthy meals (for good reason).
I...
HOW I’VE EVOLVED AS A PERSON SINCE BECOMING A PARENT
The experience of having a small, fragile human being rely on you every single day is life-changing. When I was pregnant, people would say this to me and they struggled to put it into...
PARENTING LESSONS I LEARN OVER AND OVER AGAIN
Parenting is the gift that keeps on giving. Each day I learn something new, laugh at something that is beyond my control, and worry and wonder if we are doing this right.
There are lessons that...
A CREATIVE WAY TO EXPLAIN YOUR JOB TO YOUR CHILDREN
Like most great ideas, I didn't plan to have this great conversation about my job with my kids. It was by accident, but sometimes we have to grab those opportunities when they present themselves.
How...
ARE YOU PART OF THE MAMA DRAMA?
People are people. We do good things. We do bad things. Sometimes we do both. Sometimes we really have no idea what we are doing. We just do and then things happen.
Most of us...
QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK YOUR CHILDREN
Sometimes I cringe when I hear "parenting" come out of my mouth. I am smart, educated, thoughtful, and attentive to my children. It's hurts to admit this, but the words that I use with...
