Hi there! I’m Jessica, mother to a beautiful mess of a two-year-old girl and I just found out that we’re expecting again. Eek! Three years ago my husband, Eric, and I were on our honeymoon in Spain where we attended a six week rock climbing school and then walked the Camino de Santigo (a 500 mile pilgrimage across Spain). On day 11 of the Camino, we found out that I was pregnant! I’m originally from Louisville, KY but we moved to Austin after our honeymoon so that Eric could get his MBA at UT. Eric is an Army veteran who I met shortly before I left for the Peace Corps in Malawi, Southern Africa. He was leaving for Iraq at the same time and we became pen pals, sharing our experiences and supporting each other overseas. After a rocky first couple of years of marriage and parenthood, our family is now loving our life in East Austin where we enjoy gardening, shopping at farmers’ markets, going on walks, and exploring play areas.
I am a grant writer for nonprofit organizations and recently left my full-time job to pursue freelance work. At the beginning of the year I co-founded Wordvine Consulting, LLC, a grant consulting firm. I get excited about supporting the various nonprofits in Austin that are working to make our community stronger.
But really, food is my main jam. I maintain a blog called BabyTasteBuds to help busy parents learn to create healthy meals for their young children. I am a student with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, on track to become a certified health coach. Plus, I volunteer weekly at Springdale Farm and it is always one of my favorite days of the week. I love trying to concoct easy, delicious, farm fresh recipes for my family but some days I love going to local restaurants or getting take-away meals just as much!
