Niki Smith
Niki is an Iowa native who now lives with her husband Ryan, daughter Riley, and son Merritt in Johnston. She is passionate about paid leave for working parents, thrifting, and Beyonce. Niki is the Marketing Campaign Manager at Homesteaders Life Company in West Des Moines. She is also owner of Bee Thrifty, which consigns designer clothing for clients on Poshmark. Niki is a two-time graduate of Drake University with a bachelor’s in journalism (2008) and a Master’s in Communication Leadership (2015).
3 Ways to Celebrate All Women on Mother’s Day
One Mother’s Day as a newly married woman with no kids, I walked into Lutheran Church of Hope and was handed a pink carnation. I didn’t think much of it and figured they were...
Why I Exclusively Pump – and Pumping Tips for you
Of all topics about parenting, I was surprised that exclusive pumping gets the most blank stares or strongest reactions from fellow mothers.
Exclusive pumping is breastfeeding without nursing. I only express my milk and don’t...
Coping with Gestational Diabetes
At 30 weeks pregnant I was hit with the news that I gloriously failed my grueling 3-hour Gestational Diabetes test.
During what was already a rough pregnancy for me, this was an added unwelcome complication.
I...
How to Make Your Disney Trip Magical
Hi, I’m Niki, and I’m a Disney addict.
The magic has consumed me since I was a kid. It was always a dream of mine to visit the Magic Kingdom. Last spring I was invited...
Rent the Runway: Maternity Edition
I’ve used Rent the Runway (RTR) before for galas, fancy dates, and holidays. Each time I have loved the dress and the ease of the service. I follow them on Snapchat and once I...
Easy Ways to Encourage Kids to Give Back and Volunteer
I’ve been philanthropic in some way since I was very young. When I was 8, I scraped together literal pennies to donate to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. I collected them in...
Second Pregnancy and Baby: What You Do and Don’t Need
I’m pregnant with my second child, and this time around I’ve got it all figured out. Hahaha, JK!.
I have been searching my baby brain for those things I loved with my first pregnancy, and while...
Totality Cool: How to Watch the Eclipse Safely
My nerd is showing. When my husband and I starting dating nearly 10 years ago, we made a date to travel to Kansas City to watch the solar eclipse scheduled for August 21, 2017.
True...
Decorah: The Most Beautiful Vacation Spot in Iowa
We all know Des Moines is awesome and we have a new accolade or ranking to celebrate nearly every week. But do you know about the beautiful town of Decorah, Iowa? It was named...
Meet Niki Jobst Smith
Hello mom-blog lovers! I’m excited to join the team and start collaborating with this network of warriors. In my guest post about going back to grad school while I was pregnant, I mentioned the importance...