Dear Springfield Mama

Spring got a second wind this week after that historic hail storm, and it won’t last long. In this episode, I’m sharing 7 things I want to do with my family before the heat takes over in Springfield, Missouri. Nothing extravagant or expensive! Just a little inspiration to fully sink into spring, whether that's outside, in your neighborhood, or around your table.

In this episode, I unpack how streaming, short-form video, and the modern content economy have created a world where family movie nights have lost their luster. We’ll talk about attention, abundance, and why limiting your options to Springfield's brick-and-mortar alternatives might bring something back to your family's movie nights.

For the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time in Springfield’s parks, walking them, writing about them, bringing my son along and wondering about their emptiness. The more I’ve learned, the harder it’s been to ignore the difference between what these spaces are now… and what they used to be. There was a time when our parks were full of life. There were bandstands, skating rinks, carnivals - places d...

Why start a local parenting newsletter in Springfield, Missouri? In this first episode of the Dear Springfield Mama podcast, I share the story behind the project. A decade ago, I was a journalist in San Diego. Today, I’m a stay-at-home mom raising a little boy in the Ozarks, a life I never quite expected. Leaving journalism left a surprising void. I missed feeling connected to a place. I missed kn...