Joanna Goodman
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Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean fighting for a reservation or forcing a version of romance that doesn’t fit your season of life. Sometimes the most meaningful date nights are the ones that feel intentional and unhurried, rooted in connection instead of performance. Kansas City offers so many beautiful ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day that […]

Valentine’s Day looks a little different once kids enter the picture — and honestly, that doesn’t make it worse. It just makes it fuller. Instead of rushing to find a sitter or squeezing in a late dinner reservation, Valentine’s weekend can become a chance to slow down and celebrate love in a way that includes […]

December in Kansas City is one of my favorite things — the lights, the coziness, the bustling energy, the way the city starts to feel smaller and sweeter. But if you’re anything like me, you also know how easy it is to overload this season. So here’s your gentle reminder: this is a MENU, not […]

What to Expect, How Long It Takes, and the Cozy Details That Make It Magical If you’re looking for a winter tradition that feels peaceful, beautiful, and genuinely worth bundling everyone up for, the Powell Gardens Festival of Lights might be the most charming holiday walk in the Kansas City area. Every year, the gardens […]

There’s something magical about Kansas City in December — the way even the busiest parts of the city slow down just a tiny bit, the way the cold air feels softer when you’re bundled up and on the hunt for the best lights. Every year, my family makes a whole evening or two out of […]

The Smallest of Saturdays means the world to your local businesses when you choose to celebrate the holidays by pouring back into your own city’s families – our small businesses! Think small this Saturday and shop local. I’ve gathered some favorites from a few of our city’s neighborhoods and towns for you to enjoy, wander […]

Many Kansas City families have called it a tradition for as long as they remember. The Plaza Lighting! What began as a small strand of 16 colored Christmas lights, lit on December 25th, 1925, has grown into a major holiday tradition. Those first lights were hung above a doorway of the Mill Creek Building by […]

Christmas is coming — and if you’re anything like most Kansas City moms, you can already feel that mix of excitement and overwhelm creeping in. There’s the shopping lists, the decorating, the class parties, the travel plans — and somewhere in all of it, that quiet hope to slow down and actually enjoy the season. […]

Every year is different, but right about now is the time we’ll whip out our family recipes or Pinterest dreams and start thinking about Thanksgiving, including the meal we’ll serve and gather around. Whether you’re planning to cook the whole Thanksgiving feast from scratch, go for a hybrid with some homemade sides and some ready-to-go, […]

I’m not good at gate keeping some of my favorite locations that Kansas City has to offer for your photo sessions. If you’re a photographer, take it and run with it. Every photographer will see and photograph differently in each location. If you’re one of my mamas (or hoping to be) – just know I’ve […]