Kara Knaack
75 POSTS
38 COMMENTS
Kara originally hails from northwest Iowa where she met her husband, Lance, through a 4-H fashion show. After a decade of living in central Iowa, Kara is still figuring out which way is north. Wearing the hat of “wife, mommy, employee, chef, ribbon tie-er and family calendar organizer,” Kara knows a bit about juggling life and work. Kara became a boy-mom in June of 2011 to Lucan and a girl-mom to Gracelyn in December of 2014. Most days you can find her mixing up metaphors and oversharing life’s moments via social media.
Kara enjoys yoga, reading, gardening, cooking, sewing in straight lines and singing along to musicals. A spender by nature, but thrifty by necessity, Kara is always in hunt of a bargain. She’s an active member of Northpoint Church and a resident of Grimes. Her vision for life includes “doing the best we can with what God gives us.”
Easiest, Cheapest, BEST Sensory Activity EVER!
My philosophy for kids activities: cheap, easy, and fun. Double bonus if they actually keep kids engaged for longer than it takes me to clean up the aftermath.
I found the motherload of all sensory...
Dear First-Time Mom Kara–CHILL OUT!
Dear First-Time Mom Kara,
CALM DOWN. Seriously, calm down. You are on the fast track to nutso-Kara, and no one wants that.
Right ... so first-time mom Kara is not a fun person. In ideal, pre-baby conditions,...
Take a Des Moines Staycation
We are a stage in life where taking a family vacation is hard. Taking a vacation with just the two of us -- no kids -- seems nearly impossible. When Lance and I had the...
Des Moines Moms Blog’s Pregnancy and Postpartum Guide
Des Moines Moms Blog is thrilled to be releasing the 2016 Pregnancy & Postpartum Guide. The goal of the guide is to be a one-stop resource for moms trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or...
Saying Goodbye to the Soul-Crushing “Shoulds”
Dumping the “Shoulds”: Things I Am NOT.
My friend Katie wrote this wonderful post four years ago, and it resonates with me to this day. There are times when I find myself aching with the guilt of...
Gardening with Your Kids
One thing that is important to both my husband and me is that we teach our kids where our food comes from, which is not a grocery store. Living in the Midwest, and in...
Featured Business Post: Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt + a Giveaway!
This featured business post is brought to you by Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt. All opinion are our own.
My eldest's birthday is in June, and I'm always looking for fun and creative birthday party ideas. As...
2016 Summer Camp Guide in Des Moines
Presenting Des Moines Moms Blog Ultimate Summer Camp Guide!
Have you started to panic about what you are going to do with your kids for 90+ days this summer? WE HAVE. While I love my kids,...
Kara’s Birthday Wish List + 2 Giveaways!
In true only-child fashion, I celebrate my birthday the entire month of March. In my pre-budget heyday, that meant that I could justify any and all purchases I made during March. Now that my...
Mom Confessions
In a quest to be completely real, I'm going all out and sharing some of my deepest, darkest mom secret confessions. I like to think most days I'm doing okay at life -- no...