Laurie Elliott
How Best to Help a New Mom
Offering help to a new mom is something we all want to do, but sometimes we don’t know exactly what to do. New moms might not even know what to ask for because they are overwhelmed...
What’s Great About the QCA: Raising Kids in a Small Town
Raising kids in a small town is just right for us...My husband was raised on a farm south of the Quad Cities, and I was a small town girl, growing up in Milan, adjacent...
Nature is Healing
Nature is healing. Who can say that they’ve taken a walk in the woods or watched the sunrise from a deserted beach and not felt calmer – more at peace? Science is starting to...
Pawsitives of Teaching Children Pet Care
With families spending more time at home together in 2020, many people have added a pet to their household. Teaching children pet care can begin as young as two! If you’ve added, or are...
The Power of Positivity: How to Practice Positive Thinking
Positive Thinking = A Longer, Healthier Life
This “Living with Covid” era has us all running the gamut of emotions – there’s some fear and foreboding, annoyance, irritation, and short–temperedness involved. Now infection rates are...
Making Memories and Strawberry Jam
My kids are grown now but we still are making memories and strawberry jam together every summer. We love reminiscing about when they were little. I hope you try making it this year too!
Making...
What Your Kids Are Learning From The Pandemic
It might feel like you're failing this "homeschooling" thing, that the only thing your kids are learning from the pandemic is to use less toilet paper. But while that is a good life skill,...
How to Help the New Mom!
Offering help to a new mom is something we all want to do, but sometimes we don't know exactly what to do. New moms might not even know what to ask for because they...
Winter Hiking with Kids!
There’s something different about hiking in the winter. I recommend you try winter hiking with kids. You'll find the snow muffles the usual noise – you hear your breath and the snow crunch under...
My Family of Four is Just Perfect!
My family of four is just perfect
Every family is 'perfect"
To begin, I must mention that any family is perfect – an ‘only’ child as I grew up, to 10 siblings, which is the way...
Winter Family Fun! – Cross Country Skiing
Cross country skiing has been a part of our winter family fun scene since my kids were old enough to try it. At that time, the Wapsi Center in Dixon, Iowa was the only...
School Readiness for Young Children: Preschool Skills
“I did it myself!” Every time I hear this, it brings an immediate smile to my face. As a classroom aide, I spend 8 hours a day with 2-4 year olds, who learn about...
English
Arabic
Hmong
Spanish