About

Hi! I’m Nell. Here we are as babies before babies.

Whole Parenting Family came to be when one day my mom remarked “Gosh, you’ve read a lot of books on parenting, natural child birth, breastfeeding, cooking, gardening, and diapering. Why aren’t you running one of those online blog things?”

So I started a blog in mid-winter of 2011. I was still working part-time as an attorney, mothering my 7 month old boy, and running a household. But creative writing has always been my first love, long before law school (aren’t all lawyers aspiring authors?), so returning to my roots wasn’t that hard.

My husband’s name is Anthony. We met in law school. He’s dreamy, smart, sassy, funny, and the best father in the world. We live in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in an old turn-of-the-century house with a big back yard and wrap-around porch.

We’re blessed with five kiddos, toddler to teen.

I’m passionate about affirming and supporting women on our journeys, especially moms with young kids. My heart just kinda goes lub-dub for you ladies.

I struck up a substack for dusting off my writing skills. Subscribe if you like short essays with lots of descriptions!

I worked in Catholic women’s ministry for nearly a decade, and now am enjoying a hiatus from formal work, freelancing as an editor and writer, sewing a bit, periodically appearing on radio shows, podcasts, and speaking events. Mostly I’m at home with my kids, though, using my attorney skills as a cross-examiner. DID YOU FLUSH THE TOILET? REALLY? WHY IS THE TOILET PAPER OUTSIDE THE BOWL?

Find me on instagram, facebook, and never ever twitter or pinterest.