Gretchen Pierce
Gretchen is a former communications manager turned stay-at-home mom to son Shepherd (Dec. 2016) and daughter Rosemary (Oct. 2019). She grew up in Minnesota and the D.C. area but is so happy to call Austin home, even in the summer. Gretchen and husband Ryan also have two high-maintenance fur babies, Hank and Gracie. She is a wannabe minimalist who enjoys tennis, creative projects, lake time, and spending time outdoors with her kids as much as possible.
White Parents, Talk to Your Kids About Race on Martin Luther King Day (And...
Looking back on my elementary school years, I have a few memories of learning about the civil rights movement. I remember drawing a smiling picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in second grade,...
Am I A Grinch For Wanting A Minimalist Christmas?
Am I A Grinch For Wanting A Minimalist Christmas? For quite a while now, I’ve struggled with my relationship to “stuff.” Deep down, I want to be a minimalist. And by minimalist, I don’t...
Austin Experiences to Gift This Holiday Season
As someone with aspirations for a more minimalist Christmas, I’m all about experience and activity gifts for the holiday season. While my kids get plenty of toys as well, I love giving a gift...
19 Kid-Friendly Hiking Trails in Austin
I took my son on his first hike at 17 months old. The trail was very short, but—shocker—I still had to carry him most of the way. I wasn’t much of a hiker pre-motherhood,...
Best Play Date Spots in Austin Where Parents Can Actually Chill
Play dates are great for kids, of course. They provide opportunities to socialize and explore new surroundings. But play dates are important for parents, too. For me, play dates help break up the monotony...
Where to Play Mini-Golf in Austin
Mini-golf in Austin is truly a great activity for the whole family. Even the youngest kids can have fun chasing balls around and marveling at the various obstacles, while the grown-ups can unleash their...
When Mama Has the Back-to-School Blues
My son’s entrance into kindergarten has loomed large in my head for the past couple of years. But I always swatted away any negative thoughts by telling myself that his first day was far...
Parents, Let Your Kids Go Barefoot!
My kids are always barefoot at the playground (and pretty much whenever they are outdoors).
Sometimes another child notices their feet and tries to take their own shoes off, too. Their mom or dad usually...
Splash Pads in South and Central Austin
Ahh, summer in Texas. Whether’s it’s 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., it’s brutal out there. My 2-year-old went outside with a freezer pop and had a meltdown because it instantly, well, melted down. I...
Date Night in Austin: 33 Out-of-the-Box Ideas
For a lot of us parents, date night doesn’t happen as often as we’d like. So when it comes along, it can be fun to step outside the box and go beyond your typical...
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