Looking for inspiration + ideas for things to do with kids in Metro Detroit? Tried and true suggestions that real moms actually do? Here they are! Hungry Howie’s appreciates Moms and joins LittleGuide Detroit in spotlighting a local Mom each week in the #MomLife series. To take one thing off her plate and give her more time for fun, Hungry Howie’s is giving each week’s featured Mom a free pizza dinner for her and her family to enjoy. Thank you Hungry Howie’s for being the Official Pizza of Moms.

Are you following @jessgrune on Instagram? Local blogger, Jessica, is a mom to three kiddos and shares amazing homeschooling ideas and family fun on her blog + Instagram.

Meet Jessica

I’m Jessica, a stay-at-home mama to my three wild children. Eli is 9, Emaline is 7, and Alice is 4.  My husband, RJ, and I have been married for almost 14 years. We’re definitely a team when it comes to parenting and I try to only get a little upset when my kids prefer RJ since he’s the fun parent. We love spending time together as a family–going on walks around our neighborhood after dinner; squeezing into my bed to read together; playing board games and being rowdy over who is going to win.  

I love reading fiction, eating Mexican food, and being outside with my kids. I dislike when streaming shows only release one episode a week, my kids waking up before 7 am, and bridges (looking at you, Mackinaw Bridge). We just went to the UP for the second summer in a row and I love it so much up there, I just wish it wasn’t such a long drive.  

I started blogging at aMonkeyandHisMama.com when Eli was one, as a sort of creative outlet, and although it’s kind of fallen to the wayside as our life has become crazier, I still love sharing about motherhood on Instagram and the little community I’ve built there.

Favorite Ways To Spend Family Time:

  • Walks around our neighborhood
  • Vacations
  • Hiking

 

Favorite Places To Go:

Favorite Bedtime Stories:

Favorite Family Friendly Restaurants:

Best Park/Playground: Rochester Municipal Park (Rochester)

We love Rochester Municipal Park. The playgrounds are great and my kids love to play in the creek in the summer. We love walking along the trails and venturing over to Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve to explore {and my kids love to climb along the creek and on precarious things.}

Best Family-Friendly Annual Event: Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School at our church, Faith Troy, is the first thing that comes to mind. My kids always have the best time and are sad that it’s only one week long. 

Your Mom Must-Have: Stain Remover (and my parents)

Stain remover is the first thing that comes to mind. I know it’s lame but I pride myself on being able to get all the stains out of my kid’s clothes and letting them just be kids and get messy.  Also, they aren’t really a thing, but my parents. We live only a mile away from them and they are both retired so they are amazing and so helpful.

Best FALL Destination or Event: Westview Orchards (Washington)

We love Westview Orchards in the fall. Nothing tops those warm cider mill donuts and they have so many fun things for the kids to do in the fall. We always get our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch there in October and pick all the apples in September.

“Pat Yourself on the Back” Accomplishment: Homeschooling!

I’m super proud of myself for homeschooling last year. I was the person who never, ever wanted to homeschool. I didn’t think I could do it. I didn’t think I would be good at it. I loved our public school. I know loads of teachers and respect them so much. But then Covid happened and distance learning in spring 2020 was not good for any of us, so my husband talked me into trying homeschool for our kids and we actually loved it. It was super hard some days, like trying to teach my 9-year-old multiplication while my 4-year-old wanted my attention, but we did it and we’re getting ready for another year of it. I definitely could not have succeeded without my husband, RJ, really diving in and figuring it all out and convincing me to do it.

Our #MomLife Series is Presented by Hungry Howie’s – the Official Pizza of Moms!