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Pregnancy Update – 34 Weeks

Pregnancy Update – 34 Weeks

Oh, how I love the second trimester of pregnancy! We left off in my last pregnancy post at about 17 weeks. That’s about when the morning sickness died off for me this go-around. I am definitely in better spirits writing this Pregnancy Update at 34 weeks! Time has been flying since I last updated you all. I’m now well into… Read More

MOTHER-HOOD 0

Muffin Tin Meals – An Easy Mom Hack!

Muffin Tin Meals – An Easy Mom Hack!

I am so excited to finally bring this post to fruition, y’all! Mainly because it’s easy and won’t take up an extreme amount of my time (#bloggerlife). Haha! But another reason is that I enjoy sharing Muffin Tin Meals with you all on Instagram and Facebook, so I figured it was time to share in a bit more detail here… Read More

MOTHER-HOOD 0

Pregnancy: Surviving the First Trimester

Pregnancy: Surviving the First Trimester

I’m just going to be real honest with you guys here. This third pregnancy has gotten off to a pretty miserable start for me. I hate to actually verbalize that, for fear of coming off ungrateful or insensitive, but it’s just the fact of the matter – this is not a fun time for me. I do feel incredibly blessed… Read More

MOTHER-HOOD 0

Travel Essentials for Toddlers – Build a Travel Bin!

Travel Essentials for Toddlers – Build a Travel Bin!

Today I’m detailing travel essentials for toddlers, and how to build a travel bin! We recently got a minivan just in time to take our first family road trip! Both of those milestones lead to me getting our kids’ prepared for some serious driving time. I created a “travel bin” for each kiddo that we keep in the stow-and-go receptacles… Read More

HOME-HOOD, MOTHER-HOOD 0

A Guide to Buying a Used Minivan

A Guide to Buying a Used Minivan

We recently bought a minivan. It’s now our family’s best friend and her name is Penny (for some strange reason, we name our vehicles, idk). Since I would’ve liked to read something like this when we first started looking for our next family vehicle, I figured I’d write a Guide to Buying a Used Minivan. I’ll just come right out… Read More

HOME-HOOD, MOTHER-HOOD 4

7 Tips for Navigating Negotiations When Buying a Used Car

7 Tips for Navigating Negotiations When Buying a Used Car

Navigating negotiations when buying a used vehicle can be a bit intimidating. Especially if it’s not something you do regularly. When money comes into play, everyone wants to win. With our recent car purchase, we learned a few tips and tricks that I thought I’d pass along to you! We recently purchased our new-to-us minivan. It’s the perfect family vehicle… Read More

HOME-HOOD, MOTHER-HOOD 0

12 Productive Things to Do Outside as a SAHM this Summer

12 Productive Things to Do Outside as a SAHM this Summer

I’m now in this motherhood phase where I have two toddlers that are both pretty mobile and fairly self-sufficient. When we’re outside, they are completely content to do their own thing and prefer that I just stay out of their (exploring) way (most of the time). I am A-Okay with this! This is why we had two under two (haha!),… Read More

MOTHER-HOOD 0

A Visit to the Doctor’s Office During the Coronavirus Pandemic

A Visit to the Doctor’s Office During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Here’s what you can expect from a visit to the doctor’s office during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you’re likely very aware of the growing rise for concern regarding COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in the U.S. (and all over the world, really). And of course, one of our kiddos gets a runny… Read More

HOME-HOOD, MOTHER-HOOD 0

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About Your Blogger

Welcome to Homegrown with Grace! I'm Mackenzy and I'm excited to have you here. My goal here in this space is to help women make the most of their time in the home. I'm keeping things real, so let's embrace the chaos together! - MG Read More…

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homegrownwithgrace

Just a nice Tuesday morning garden walkabout turne Just a nice Tuesday morning garden walkabout turned weeding session after a great midwestern rain storm!🙌🏼🌦️ Just living out all of the granny vibes.☺️👵🏼

Just a little PSA: homeownership takes work, especially out on an acreage. If you’re seeing well manicured landscapes and gardens in your feed, let this be a reminder that there’s also plenty of this happening behind the scenes.

Most feeds are a highlight reel; I like to throw in some real-life. If this resonates, follow along for more! 

Gardening 101 | country life | Iowa mom | Midwest living | rural living | perennial gardens | spring weeding | funny gardener | green thumb | outdoor living | homeownership | dandelions
This is the easiest way to deter carpenter bees fr This is the easiest way to deter carpenter bees from areas you don’t want them. They can be very destructive to wood structures, and while they very rarely sting, they’re pesky little boogers. 

I’ve added @pinesol to a few empty jugs, for the past few years, where they seem to gravitate (our lean-to) each spring and this works well at moving them along to another destination. 

If you’re struggling with carpenter bees in your yard/landscape/property, give this a try! 🐝 You’ll bee happy you did!😉 Plus, it makes your outdoor living areas smell great when you catch a whiff in the breeze!

home owner tips | rural living tips | outdoor living hack | deter bees | iowa life | midwest tips | springtime prep
Consider the Big Picture Calendar a seasonal brain Consider the Big Picture Calendar a seasonal brain 🧠 dump of your life! You can order the Base version if you like to doodle and write things in as you go, or you can do the Customized version and send me alllll the things to print on the calendar for you! I also have a digital download version if you’d like to print yourself! 📆

Whichever you choose, just know it’ll be a helpful tool for planning and organizing your summer season that the whole family can use (husbands love this thing!).☀️🫶🏼

🔍The Big Picture Calendar is a large format, customizable calendar built with academic and activity seasons in mind! I include academic dates on the BPC, as well as other life events you’d like included (with limits). 

This is a “Big Picture” look at your life, so you can visualize when you’ll be busy and need extra support, and when you can prioritize intentional down time for your family. This is not a calendar for lots of details, but it does help lift the mental load with an at-a-glance look at life that the whole family can use! 

✏️Ordering window does close for custom calendars May 18th, but I can do digital downloads and Base versions until June. 

Order today, link in profile! Or message/comment for direct link!🙌🏼
Ah, the “Let Them” theory… I have yet to rea Ah, the “Let Them” theory… I have yet to read Mel Robbins’ book, but I have a pretty good idea what it’s all about. 

In motherhood, you have to a strike a balance between control and fostering independence. One way you can do that? LET THEM wear what they want.🙃 Truly. I promise it’s okay. I promise no one really cares. I also promise I have limits and certain occasions where I require the fam to dress “appropriately” for the occasion, but mostly, my kids dress themselves, and we’re all better off for it. 

It makes my motherhood so much easier and their childhood more enjoyable. 

Getting dressed is one of the first things your kids can do to foster independence and confidence! Give them the boundaries and guidance until they”get it”, and then LET THEM take it from there. 

This is my 3 year old. He’s very independent and very opinionated about what he likes to wear (much like his big sister is). So, I stopped fighting him and he pops out of bed and gets himself dressed each day. Has he mastered “dressing for the weather/occasion”? Nope. But guess what, he’ll figure it out with natural consequences and some reminders from mom. 

Until then, he’ll be wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and cowboy boots just about every. dang. day. Oh, and socks…must. have. socks. 😂😅🫠 

Childhood | motherhood | fostering independence | let them theory | parenting tips | parenthood | toddler life | #iowamom #boymomlife #midwestmom
Enjoy your day, Moms!💛 I’m spending the day d Enjoy your day, Moms!💛 I’m spending the day doing a few of my favorite things - mostly outdoor/gardening related - and it makes me so happy!☺️🌱🌻☀️
I don’t even want to know the kind of person I’d be with the relentlessness and persistence of a dandelion…😂 The sun’s shining, and we’ve almost got this bed ready for some zinnia seeds!🌱

Spring gardening Midwest moment Iowa mom springtime flower garden dandelions
Parents say that they’d die for their kids…I c Parents say that they’d die for their kids…I challenge us all to LIVE for them. Chase your life, friends.☀️🙌🏼

#lifeinthecountry #lifemotivations #motivation #motherhoodinspired #chaseyourdreams #iowamom #millenialmom #midwestlife #midwestmoment #midwestmama #mommotivation #getoutsidemore
If you could smell these lilacs right now…😍🪻Don’t forget to bring the beauty of nature inside this season, my friends!

#lilacflowers #beautyofnature #springflowers #midwestmoment #flowergarden #lilacseason #zone5b #iowaoutdoors
The sights, the smells, the sounds of our home dur The sights, the smells, the sounds of our home during golden hour…they all feel like the sweetest treat for my soul.🧁🪻 Don’t forget to stop and take in life’s simplest pleasures…they’re there, I promise.😊

#simplepleasures #lifemoments #ruralliving #iowalife #midwestmoment #springishere #midwestmom
☀️📆It’s time to get your SUMMER 2025 Big ☀️📆It’s time to get your SUMMER 2025 Big Picture Calendar ordered!📆☀️ 

I like to think of the Big Picture Calendar as a big ol’ brain dump of your life, season by season! Put it on the calendar once, and refer back to it time and time again as you navigate through the season.💡

Don’t let the busyness of summer steal your joy; order your BPC so you can focus on fun in the sun all summer long!

Your future-self will thank you!☺️ 

Link to order is in my bio, or you can message me for a link to the order form! Thank you!😊

#familytime❤️ #familyorganization #chaoscoordinator #calendarmagic #iowamom #organizedmom #summerplanning #midwestmama #calendartime
The next time you visit Pella, make sure you add @ The next time you visit Pella, make sure you add @thistles_pella to your list of stops! My friend, Keisha, with @1oakiowa and I ventured over there and had a great time exploring the town! 

Thanks to Thistles for making this trip extra special with a mini tour of the tulips around town that you can purchase for your own home gardens at pellatulipbulbs.com! 

Which tulip is your favorite? I can’t pick just one, but I’m always drawn to the fringe-edge varieties!😍

@visitpellaia #pellatuliptime #tuliptime #iowamom #exploreiowa #visitpella #midwestspring #midwestmoments #tulipseason #thistlesflowermarket
I had the best time getting a glimpse behind the s I had the best time getting a glimpse behind the scenes of Pella this week, as they welcome visitors for Tulip Time (May 1-3)!💐 It was even more fun to go with my friend, Keisha from @1oakiowa!

Alie, with @thistles_pella, shared so much information about tulips and their rich history in Pella. It was so cool to learn more about the different varieties blooming around town! 

I was even more excited to learn that they have a select variety of tulips that you can order on-line for your very own garden, sourced directly from the Netherlands!🙌🏼 

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve been building my perennial beds from scratch the past few seasons. I’m thinking more tulips are needed! I’ve got my eye on a couple different blends that I saw in-person in Pella!😍

You can order through July 31st, and you should receive them in time for fall planting! Give Thistles Flower Market a follow and visit pellatulipbulbs.com to get your tulips ordered for 2026!💐

#pellatuliptime #tulipseason #tuliptime #pellaiowa #visitpella #supportlocal #supportsmallshops #exploreiowa #springtimefun
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