When JB and I learned we were having a boy, I immediately started daydreaming about how I would decorate the nursery. As I scoured the internet and magazines for inspiration, the only thing I knew for sure was that I didn’t want it to look babyish.

Some of you are probably scratching your heads right now. She doesn’t want a baby’s room to look babyish? So I’ll explain.

My goal is to create a comfortable space for my son and for myself. …

From celebrities to friends to fellow bloggers, everybody seems to be pregnant right now… including me! You may be even more surprised to learn that I’ve been sitting on this secret for 32 weeks. That’s right, I’m having a baby in July!

During my first trimester, I realized I wanted a space to document my pregnancy, but it was too early to reveal the news on my personal blog, Somewhere in Middle America, or here. So I created Bunny & Dolly …

If we’re being honest here, I have to admit that my husband does most of the cooking in our marriage. Occasionally I’ll prepare a simple weeknight dinner, and I can whip up a quick batch of scrambled eggs for breakfast, but my husband enjoys following (and creating his own) complicated recipes. So, I let him! After all, a wife should support her husband’s interests, right?

{image courtesy of author’s personal collection}

This past weekend, my husband discovered a carton of buttermilk and …

When I was a kid and my mom was in a hurry to get dinner on the table, she’d whip together a dish we called “Egg Spaghetti.” I believe she learned it from a friend of hers who was Italian, although I’m not even sure if it’s a traditional Italian dish. Basically, you scramble some eggs with some spaghetti. Sounds easy, right? Somehow I’ve never been able to make it myself. Either the eggs don’t stick properly to the noodles …

When my husband and I first moved in together, we were both working full time, and evenings were a time to relax. After dinner we’d curl up on the couch to watch some TV or I’d write blog posts while he played video games. Boring tasks like cleaning the house, doing laundry and going to the supermarket, were relegated to the weekend. We didn’t have a schedule for these recurring responsibilities; we just did them when we felt like them …

Earlier this month, my husband surprised me with a Kindle for Chanukah. When I opened the box I was at a loss of words for two reasons:

I didn’t realize we were exchanging Chanukah gifts.
I didn’t really want a Kindle.

You might be asking yourself, “Well, why wouldn’t they exchange gifts for Chanukah?” First, Chanukah is not really as a big a deal as Christmas. That’s just the honest truth. Yes, as children we were slightly spoiled with presents, but, as I’m …

When my mother-in-law was in town a couple of weeks ago, my husband and I decided to throw a dinner party so she could meet our closest friends. We chose a fall-themed menu, but instead of baking a pecan or pumpkin pie, my MIL suggested we make maple-cashew mini-tarts. She had just come across the recipe and wanted to give it a go. Although we didn’t stick to the recipe exactly, the mini-tarts were delicious and super easy to prepare.

Following …

Crate and Barrel dog items by somewhereinmiddleamerica on Polyvore.com

On a recent trip to New Jersey, my husband and I took a quick trip to Crate and Barrel to check out a sideboard for the dining room that we had been admiring online. Since we don’t have a Crate and Barrel in Omaha, we always take advantage of being within 30 minutes of one. We decided to pass on the sideboard but the visit wasn’t a complete waste of time because …

Over the past couple of months I’ve started taking baby steps in the kitchen, attempting recipes with few ingredients and easy steps. One of my favorite things to make is hummus! Seriously, there is nothing simpler than dumping a bunch of ingredients into a blender. The first time I prepared hummus, the only challenging part was finding the best recipe to follow.

My sister had once told me about a healthy hummus recipe she liked that used yogurt in place of …

Every year I visit my dermatologist for a full body skin exam. Being fair-skinned and freckly, I’m concerned about at a higher risk for skin cancer, so I let my doctor take a look at every spot, freckle and mole — even the ones that never see the light of day. I check myself regularly, too. I’m a bit compulsive about that.

After getting the “all clear” from my doctor, I asked her the ideal skin care regimen. Every month, beauty …