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.
How to Have a More Eco-Friendly Holiday Season
The winter holidays are my favorite, but as someone who tries to be environmentally conscious, the excesses of the season can be challenging to navigate. Between the food, gifts, decorations, lights, and travel, the...
Arts and Crafts Studios for Kids in Austin
My 3-year-old recently went through a phase where she would ask me, every day, to do a “crafting.” I came to dread the question because I could only buy so many of those cute...
Where to Take Grandparents Visiting in Austin
I love Austin, but having moved from the sightseeing and museum hot spot of Washington D.C., it took me a little while to uncover the best places to bring grandparents who came to visit...
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...
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...
Best Places to Splash in the Creek in Austin
I love getting outside with my kids as much as possible, but it becomes more challenging in the summer in Texas. Of course we love pools and splash pads, but that can get repetitive...
10 Best Central Texas Staycations for Families
Central Texas Staycations? Sign me up! I am not one to travel far from home on a "vacation" with my kids. We take a 3-hour plane ride every summer to visit family, the longest...
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...
Mother’s Day Experience Gifts in Austin and Central Texas
I always tell my husband that for Mother’s Day, I don’t want any gifts. I just want time to myself. (And maybe flowers.) One Mother’s Day I stayed at a hotel downtown for a...
Heirloom Portraits Gave Me More than Just a Family Photo
Despite what diaper commercials and well-meaning passerby at the grocery store have told me, I do not cherish every moment of motherhood. I don’t know how anyone could, because in between moments of joy—witnessing...