Amanda Wagner
2020’s Greatest Lesson
There is no question 2020 was challenging in many ways. And those challenges are far from behind us. But it also provided a meaningful lesson… focus on what you CAN control.
Like many, last year...
The Expectations of a Working Mom
Are expectations in life essential? Can they become too high or unrealistic? Whose expectations matter most – yours or those of someone else? What about when you know you expect too much, but don’t...
I hear you have a lot of kids…
“I hear you have a lot of kids and another on the way.”
That was the first thing my new department head said to me in our initial one-on-one meeting. And if I’m being completely...
Doing Hard Things
For many, myself included, work, life and home sometimes feel hard right now. It’s the demanding nature of each… the never-ending to-do list, the lack of variety and change of routine. But I also...
A Sense of Routine for a Working Mom
We are all seeking a sense of routine. Whether we are working from home (both with or without childcare), facilitating distance learning while parenting younger siblings or just managing an overwhelming workload in general,...
The Season of Yes
No doubt, this is a strange time for all of us. It requires adjustment, sacrifice and reassessed priorities. This is a season where we are finding value in family, determining what really matters and...
At-Home Self-Care While Distancing
Life has looked different for many months. Whether working from home, caring for children, supporting distance learning or some combination of the above, there is little time to be alone or take care of...
Reigniting a Workout Routine During a Pandemic
I don’t know about you, but the last few months have been out of the ordinary. From a bout of Influenza B in February that lasted weeks and affected the entire family to the...
Finding Comfort
A little over a week ago, I went into my restaurant to get things set up for the day. While the weekend hadn’t started off great (thanks COVID-19), Saturday was pretty solid. A group...
Managing Sickness as a Working Mom
Life as a working mom is simultaneously rewarding and challenging. It's about supporting your family and, hopefully, doing something you enjoy at the same time. But it’s also another thing to manage amidst the...
The Mama Resources You Didn’t Know You Need
Maternal health is something you often don’t think about until after the fact. You prepare for baby, buy everything you need (and more), and perhaps even ask family and friends to help after the...
Ready, Reset, Go
As mamas, we manage a lot. From work and home, to activities and everything in between... routine is something we cling to, but often falls by the wayside. When opportunities pop up to reset...
A Kind Heart
According to Elizabeth Stone, parenting is “to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Like most moms, I’m probably a bit overprotective. I want my children to experience all...
Community, Not Comparison
Exercise hasn’t always been a priority in my life. There was a time when it wasn’t even on my radar but I wanted that to change. We moved to a house in Edina with...