Family + Lifestyle

I became a stay-at-home mom in January 2010, when my oldest child was 14-months-old. My husband had already moved to Chattanooga that August, while the baby and I stayed behind and tried to wait for our house to sell....

Life is hectic and as a mom, I am constantly thinking of every little thing that needs to happen around our house to keep things working like a well-oiled machine. (Okay, okay...maybe it’s more like a car that’s 1000...

Dear Readers, Few things fill my heart with joy more than a good Mexican restaurant. To be fair, my heart also skips a beat for decent and okay Mexican food. I am drawn to free chips and salsa, liquid cheese,...

Today is my oldest son's first day of middle school. Like it is for most parents, today is bittersweet, but the bitter part may be a bit deeper for me than it is for other parents. Middle school, which was...

I have been in education for the past 18 years and so much has changed in that time. When I started my first job at a local middle school, most of my lessons were displayed either on a chalkboard...

This summer, we welcomed our third baby -- another boy -- and as the congratulatory messages continue to file in, they are almost always paired with a one million dollar question. If I had a dollar for every time...

Despite the warm temperatures, fall is just around the corner. With fall comes changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, sweaters and hoodies, and my personal favorite, pumpkin patches! My family makes it a point every year to visit one of...

Hey, there Chattanooga! It's Jessica, your local mom, and portrait photographer from Venya Portrait. I hope you all had a fabulous summer with your kiddos, filled with lots of sunshine and memories you'll cherish forever. And I hope you...

I've always loved crochet. I can't even remember learning, but I've known how to make a scarf for a long time. As a young adult, I had a time where I was crocheting with a group of craft friends, and...

In a life where we are always looking to slow down, cultures like the Amish are inspiring to many who are looking for the simple life. With no cell phones constantly buzzing, no technology, growing their own food, and...