Katie
Katie moved to Portland from Chicago 5 years ago. She has a 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son as well as a 21-year-old stepdaughter. She is a freelance advertising producer, blogger, and avid school volunteer constantly adjusting to find balance. When she isn’t shuttling kids to sports or navigating college applications she can be found at one of Portland’s amazing coffee shops reading some YA fiction or out for a run contemplating life and why Portlanders don’t like to cross the river.
You can follow Katie on Twitter and Instagram @iportlanded and read her occasional musings on her personal blog at Portlanded.net
Where Tweens Go to Find Their Balance
It seems like just yesterday I was stretching my daughter like a mini human Gumby in her baby yoga class. In early elementary school, we enjoyed some special time at a Saturday mother/child class....
Five Sweet Ideas for Valentine’s Day
Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to be creative. From turning old shoe boxes into extraordinary Valentine's boxes to stuffing confetti into balloons with a pencil eraser, my kids love making Valentine's Day crafts.
I...
Five Places to Learn to Ski Near Portland
It's hard to look at that beautiful white-capped mountain in the distance as I drive east these days and not think about winter fun. Just over an hour away lies the snowy adventure of...
Eight Hot Topic Books to Read With or Without Your Older Kids This Summer
I enjoy books in many genres, but young adult fiction is by far my favorite section in any bookstore. For years our house had their books and my books. With my daughter entering middle...
Have Yourself a Not So Bummer Summer
When my daughter was in first grade, we decided to mark the end of school by watching Judy Moody and the Not So Bummer Summer. The movie got terrible reviews but we were enjoying the book series, and...
Are You Ready for Teacher Appreciation Week?
Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up May 7-11, 2018. In my 7th year of being a room parent, this is one of the easiest events to plan. Teachers work hard inspiring my kids all year...
The College Scholarship Mistake I Won’t Make Twice
When I married my husband, my stepdaughter was only seven-years-old. She was a sweet little girl who loved American Girl Dolls and gymnastics. Today, she is twenty-years-old and a sophomore in college. Not only do I...
Confessions of a Reluctant Football Mom
As a woman who has always been more NPR than NFL, I was shocked when my eight-year-old son came to me this summer and asked me to sign him up for football. Sure, we...