Marlena Renner
Marlena is mom to 6-year-old Joshua and has been married to her husband, Andy, for 10 years. They reside in Alton, Illinois where he is the head athletic trainer for Alton High School. Her parents both grew up in Kirkwood, and even though she spent most of her childhood in Montgomery City, MO, she had a feeling she would end up in St. Louis someday. She worked in minor league baseball after college, eventually landing for a season with the River City Rascals. She worked for the St. Louis Blues, Stifel Theatre, and Enterprise Center for 13 years before the pandemic stopped so many things. Today she is the email specialist for Caleres, which means shoes … all the shoes.
It’s National Book Month – Get Inspired for Your Next Read
What is better than a good book? To help celebrate National Book Month this October, I've compiled a list of some of my son's favorite books, along with a few selections from my personal...
Spina Bifida Awareness Month: Meet Katelyn
As October is Spina Bifida Awareness month, we are resharing a post from 2022.
"Can I ask why you're in a wheelchair?"
It's a pretty simple question and one that I should have asked years ago.
I...
Racing to Indianapolis
Another summer, another opportunity to turn one of my husband's conferences into a family vacation spot. This June, we found ourselves in Indianapolis, IN. We hope you find our list of places to go...
Omaha: One Last Road Trip This Summer
Looking for a road trip destination? We are re-sharing this post about Omaha that ran in August, 2022, for inspiration!
Another month, another conference for my husband, Andy. This time we found ourselves in Omaha,...
Prepare For National Pokémon Day on February 27
I don't know when Pokémon ™ entered our world, but according to an in-depth conversation with Josh, it was approximately two years ago. The complicated names of dinosaurs were replaced with just-as-complex names of...
Alton: A Food Tour to Savor
Dining out in Alton, IL just got easier, thanks to these recommendations!
It started as a simple question, “Where can you eat in Alton?” And as I started rattling off my list of favorite things...
National Read a Book Day: It’s Not Just for Bedtime!
Happy National Read a Book Day! This is quite possibly one of my favorite unofficial holidays on the calendar. Full disclosure: almost every day is read-a-book day for me.
I do not know when my...
Exploring the Capitol of Lincolnland
Learn about Lincoln and have some family fun in Springfield, IL!
My husband Andy and I have a common theme on vacations: find Abraham Lincoln. From Independence Day fireworks at the Lincoln Memorial in D.C....
International Harry Potter Day: Our Wizarding World Weekend … At Home
May 2 is International Harry Potter Day!
Sometimes we have the best of plans, and then something happens. In this case, the plan was Harry Potter day at the library. The something that happened was...
Seven Ways to a Mother Earth Approved Bathroom
Have you ever noticed how much plastic is in your bathroom? From shampoo and conditioner bottles to soaps and face care products, plastic is everywhere! I have been changing what we buy and use,...