Jess Wygle
Jess is a born and raised Iowan who has lived in Vinton for the past 10 years. She has two children, 10-year-old Landon and 4-year-old Fynnlee. Jess attended Kirkwood and UNI and now operates an in-home daycare. She considers herself an independent author and has self-published a few eBooks. She enjoys attending Landon’s sporting events, spending time with her family, as well as writing and reading in her free time.
Going Makeup-Free: My Daughter and Me
I am a plain-Jane mama.
I don’t usually put an excessive amount of effort into my appearance. Enough to feel good about myself, but nothing too time-consuming.
It's not because I’m a slouch. Admittedly it’s due...
I’m a White Woman, And I’m Sorry For Not Speaking Up
As a Midwestern white woman, how do I speak up?
I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to be proper and diplomatic right now. I don't really know my place.
As someone...
No, I’m Not Dating – And That’s Okay
I’ve been single for over two years now.
Surprisingly I get asked often if I’m dating. But it’s never an innocuous “Are you dating?” It’s always followed by "yet".
“Are you dating yet?” As if there...
The 1995 Rule – A Necessary Lesson in Humility
Let’s be honest: most all of us want better for our children than we had as kids. We’ve all thought about it. We’ve all aspired to it, or at least attempted this much. Whether...
What It All Means: Reflecting on My Surrogacy Journey
It’s hard to quantify, impossible almost. How could I possibly comprehend the magnitude of this surrogacy?
In the last weeks of my surrogate pregnancy, I was able to travel to Chicago to spend the weekend...
A Case of the Grumps and Finding Your Way Back
It doesn’t happen often. I consider myself a very agreeable, patient person. It takes a lot for me to be grumpy, to set me off or get me worked up. Sure, I can get...
Table Talk: Interactive Social Suppers
I grew up in a family where the TV was a way to bring us all together. We’d have movie marathons on the weekends, had a TV in more than one room of the...
Yes, My Christmas Decorations are Up Already: Christmas in November
At 27 weeks pregnant, I was looking down the barrel of the third trimester. So, when midnight struck on November 1st, I knew it was now or never to get my Christmas decorating done.
I...
Streaming Guilt-Free Shows For Kids of All Ages
Winter. Is. Coming.
Our days of carefree outdoor time with our little ones are numbered. Sure, some autumn and winter days will allow for us to shoo our kids outside to play. Those days will,...
I Almost Lost Someone I Love to Suicide
I’ve lived a fairly charmed life. It's not filled with extravagance, mind you. My family never went on exotic vacations. We didn’t drive the newest, most luxurious cars, or wear name brand clothes. Rather,...