Nicole jumps at the chance to travel the globe but finds comfort upon returning home to the comfort and familiarity of her native Rochester. After attending the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities for her undergraduate degree in architecture, she skipped her graduation ceremony to marry a guy she met at a waterski show when she was 19. Nicole returned to the “U” to pursue her master’s degree, and this time walked in the ceremony despite giving birth two weeks before graduation. Her baby girl is now 12 years old, with a 10 year old biological brother and 10 year old adopted brother recently home from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In what is clearly a trend to fully integrate all aspects of life, she and her husband involve their kiddos in everything from politics to rehabbing old buildings. She feels strongly that work and travel and family and marriage are best enjoyed simultaneously, and that life is all the richer that way.
As a working/ volunteering/ care taking mom passionate about kids, women’s health, historic preservation and the arts, Nicole sits on several committees and boards in the Rochester area and loves nothing more than providing baked goods and themed cakes for any of the aforementioned causes.
Nicole thrives on copious amounts of coffee, a love/hate relationship with running, and searching real estate listings daily. Check out Nicole on Instagram for shots of her bulldog Lucy or follow her design blog Old Spaces New Places.
Meet the Rochester Mom Contributor Team
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Amanda is a lifelong resident of the Rochester area (except for a brief three-month period in which she tried to live in the Metro area, but the traffic was a bit overwhelming. Please don’t make her go back there). When she's not navigating the labyrinth of parenting a teen (Noah, born in 2004), a tween (Bethany, born in 2006), and an elementary student (Bradley, born in 2010), you can find her rocking out as the worship leader at Homestead Church, and with her band Sterling and the Silver Lining. Amanda’s other hobbies include going on Paranormal Investigations, reading, painting, and sleeping.
April is new to the Rochester area, originally from Wyoming (the state). She enjoys a good cup of coffee (fresh roasted from her coffee roastery, Liturgy Coffee), cooking new things, and reading an interesting book. She is newly diagnosed with an autoimmune disease but refuses to be defined by it and draws her inspiration from her daughter (age 10), who has a genetic disorder diagnosed three years ago. She also has a son (age 12) who is a genius at the piano. One of her favorite quotes, as you will see on her blog, is "God is good. He is with us. He is faithful". She is a pastor's wife and loves her church family at Homestead Church. She loves giraffes, sparkly things, and high heels.
Blair is a wife to Rodney and mommy to Kyus (2016). She grew up in Red Wing and has lived in Rochester for 15 years. Blair works full-time at the Mayo Clinic as a Psychometrist (she tests people’s thinking). She finds mental health and psychology extremely interesting and loves learning about wellness. In her spare time Blair likes to do all things relaxing. This includes, but is not limited to: napping, going for walks, taking baths, and watching reality television. On the weekends you can find her thrift shopping, and attending fun events around town with her family of 3. Blair loves to make people laugh with her sarcastic and blunt personality, and she doesn’t take life too seriously.
Raised in Tennessee, Claire has been a resident of Rochester for nine years. She and her husband Rob have a nearly three-year-old daughter, Frankie (Frances, Franks, the Frankster Gangster) and reside in the Kutzky Park neighborhood. Professionally, Claire owns Finery Bridal Chic, which is in downtown Rochester. Helping brides find their perfect gown is a lifelong dream that was realized a year and a half ago when she opened the store. Becoming a mom not only taught Claire an immense amount of patience but also appreciation for all moms out there. She truly believes that as long as you’re trying, you’re doing great. While not parenting, Claire and Rob love being foodies, introducing Frankie to new restaurant experiences whenever possible and cultivating her love for reading, music and dance. Most Friday nights she can be found in front of a crime documentary, with a glass of wine. Cheers!
Elise grew up in NW Iowa and met her husband, Jeff, while attending Luther College. Over the past 12.5 years, the two have been lucky enough to try out a few different communities in SE MN before settling in Kasson. Elise is blessed to be the mama two energetic boys: Luke (2016) and Gable (black lab 2009). She treasures any amount of time spent with friends and family; whether it be in person, on the phone, texting or any social media avenue. In her spare time, you can find Elise devoted to her full-time career in laboratory science, developing leadership skills, and networking across her interests.
Erica was raised in Stillwater, MN and never thought she would leave the Twin Cities area. However, this extroverted librarian was on the hunt for a new challenge. At the end of 2018, she convinced her high school sweetheart, their two-year old son Milo, and their three cats to move to Rochester. She has been having a wonderful time exploring the area and later sharing her treasured finds with loved ones. In her spare time, Erica is constantly binging audiobooks and podcasts, wrangling her toddler, working on sassy embroidery and trying out new recipes (but dreads the clean-up). She has decided her new life’s goal is to convince friends and family, one by one, to move to the charming city of Rochester.
Things Heather loves: blue skies, green grass, trees rustling in the wind. Heather is a country girl through and through. She grew up on 10 acres of rolling countryside in SE Iowa. Over their 7 years of marriage, Heather and her husband (Ted) have lived in 3 different states. But Heather grew tired of the big, grey city so, in 2013, they moved to Rochester (Ted’s hometown) for some green Minnesota living. Fast forward a few short years and she now has two bustling boys – Everett (3) and Judah (14mos). Heather also loves food. Full disclosure - she eats ice cream nightly! She is a registered dietitian and is passionate about how she feeds her family. In order to stay home with her boys, only a year ago she became a licensed family childcare provider. She feeds her daycare family with the same enthusiasm. Her goal is to provide readers with practical tools so they may also feed their families well. Need help feeding your kids? Check Heather out at Flourishing Friends!
Heather is a Rochester native but considers herself a "country mouse" meant for small-town livin'. Her hubby has been her rock and anchor since high school, 1998. Her children Murphy (2010) and Delaney (2016) are her biggest blessings and let's be honest, her biggest challenges. On an average day, she wears a variety of hats: wife, mom, furparent, high school English teacher, friend, coach, homebrewer/beer snob, music enthusiast, bookworm, Potterhead, Disnerd, coffee junky and more. She is food-motivated, but nothing brings her peace like listening to the waves lap the North Shore, couch cuddles, or sitting in her PJs playing games with friends.
Jenna was born in Rochester, boomeranged around a bit, and moved back to establish family roots in the community. Jenna married a boy she liked in H.S. – Go Rockets! Rescued a pup named Gretzky (2012), and flipped a house into a home. Their son Driver Jax joined the squad in 2018, and it’s been all boy ever since. Jenna has a degree in Education, specializing in Early Child Development. But paper aside, unless it’s Bristol, Jenna loves creating bright and vibrant artwork. She is an adopter of the ‘hygge’ lifestyle, except when it comes to fashion. On special days you will find Jenna teaching children the importance of creative messes in Neon Green Studio, family road tripping out west, and listening to house music.
Jessica lives in Plainview with her husband and 3 kids. They moved there from Louisville, KY when her husband got a pastorate job. Before that she lived in the Twin Cities where she was born and raised. Since having her first baby in 2012 she's been a stay-at-home mom and is now busy homeschooling! To balance out her busy at-home mom life she tries to find creative outlets, some of which have included furniture painting/restoration and creative writing. She survives on coffee and chocolate and has a big wanderlust. You can get to know her more, and read about the debut novel she is working on over on her personal blog or by following her on Instagram.
What does life with adult sons look like? Jodie and her husband Brian are finding out! After over two decades of raising her sons Benjamin and Christian, Jodie is new to life with an empty nest and abundant free time. Since her sons are off on their own adventures, she and her husband have turned their skills toward raising honey bees and are excited about contributing to the pollinator population. Jodie is a two time surrogate to two boys who are busy teaching their parents just what life with boys can be like! Jodie's sons are her greatest pride, so being able to help 2 families have that same joy is an unexplainable gift. Four pregnancies 20 years apart was enough, so Jodie retired as a surrogate, but remains in the birth world as an independent birth and postpartum doula with Balance Doula Services. Nurturing women during childbirth and supporting them during their first days and weeks as mothers is a natural way for Jodie to continue welcoming new life into the world. She also works as a patient care coordinator at Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness. There she is able to work directly with a large population of pregnant and postpartum women as well as their children and families. When she isn't behind the desk, she's seeking out ways for RCW to be active with community outreach opportunities and family wellness focused events.
Kahla hails from Wisconsin, but heard the siren (loon?) song of Minnesota calling as she selected a college. Then, after eight years living in the Boston area for graduate school, her family moved to Rochester in the summer of 2010. Kahla and her husband have two children: one daughter and one son. They enjoy spending time outside, especially on Rochester’s hiking and bike trails. She loves finding inexpensive ways to pass time, and also enjoys her favorite form of recycling: shopping at thrift stores and yard sales. An avid reader her entire life, working as a school librarian is the perfect fit for her outgoing, book-loving personality. She also enjoys running, baking and knitting. She loves spending time with her family, book club, and running group.
Kim is a Rochester native and mom to three wild boys: Gavin (2011), Caleb (2014), and Levi (2017). She and her husband David can be found shuttling kids to hockey practice all winter and playing outside with them all summer.When not working at Mayo Clinic or chasing her boys, you can find Kim in her gardens, out for a run, or creating in the kitchen. All of this is made possible, of course, by one too many cups of coffee.
Kristina is a born and raised Michigander who transplanted her roots to Rochester in late 2016. Kristina is married to David, a Rochester – area native, and they have two dogs, Breezy (golden retriever) and Stormy (black lab). They are expecting their first baby November 2019 after traveling the road of infertility. Kristina works from home for her family’s business in Michigan along with helping her husband run his two local businesses and owns an Etsy shop, Michisota Designs. Kristina is a Midwestern through and through. She loves Midwest winters and summers, prefers the unsalted life, cherishes her garden full of vegetables, and believes “Up North” is the greatest place to be. When Kristina is not working or researching all aspects of being a first time parent, you can find her traveling home to Michigan, strolling the sidewalks with her dogs nightly, cruising the Mississippi on their boat, or exploring the northern woods on a snowmobile. You can follow along with her on Instagram here.
Born and raised in Canada, Lucy is relatively new to Rochester. Her and her husband Richy moved here in 2015 after he accepted a position at Mayo Clinic. They bought a now over 20-year-old camper, and have been exploring the USA on State at a time. This French Canadian speaks French at home or while camping, with her hubby and son Eliot. Sometime she speaks French/ English to her newly found friends. Lucy is a social butterfly. She will challenge you step out of your comfort zone and take on any and every event that is kid related or not in this city. They have been watching our city grow fast before their eyes, and enjoy navigating through the change. She loves to try new things because how else do you figure out if you like it, or are good at something if you don’t try? Engaging people is Lucy’s passion. She takes this on by baking, volunteering, and giving back to this community. Lucy was an office manager in Montreal and loves to organize and host events. She loves people. Having a husband that is Bi-Sci-Fi means the dogs in their lives are named after Star Wars or Star Trek, this includes the newest member of the family. Miss Nimoy is 100% American and a Golden Retriever, she is a great companion for their son Eliot. Eliot has an interesting middle name, when you meet Lucy ask her about it. Lucy has had three miscarriages and as painful as it is to talk about, it helps Lucy heal and feel closer to people who also experienced loss. We are never alone and Lucy makes an effort every day to connect with people and be a part of her community.
Mamisoa, a native of Madagascar, grew up in Australia, Papua New Guinea, the U.K., the U.S., and Kenya because of her missionary doctor parents. She moved back to the U.S. to attend college and earned a B.A in Communications from Waldorf University (where she met her husband Matt) and a M.A. in Leadership from Augsburg University. She’s glad to have established roots here in Rochester with Matt and their children Gracelyn, Maeva, and Isaac. By day, Mamisoa is a marketing and communications professional within higher education. She has a passion for Christmas, elephants, and cooking. She cherishes family meals, laughter, and birthday celebrations. She is a firm believer that birthdays should always, always be celebrated.
Marnie and her husband, Brent — Minnesota natives and high school sweethearts — call Rochester home with their two boys, Gordon (born June 2017) and Crosby (born July 2019). A stay-at-home Mom, Marnie finds herself babbling, giggling and singing like a baby all while teaching her sons how to grow. To stay sharp and connected, Marnie freelances for marketing communication services where she exercises her brain in new ways. A passionate do-it-yourselfer, she finds herself behind a pair of safety goggles, prepping for wood, tile and art projects. Marnie loves designing spaces and shopping for home decor and her pantry is full of homemade canned goods. Her happy place? Up North at their family cabin on Lake Carlos near Alexandria.
Masuka was born in the USA when her parents were students and grew up in Nairobi, Kenya. She has been married for 23yrs to her childhood sweetheart Robert and have three children Michael, Benjamin and Victoria. Besides managing a busy household, Masuka is also a registered labor and delivery nurse at Olmsted Medical Center. She loves her job and for fun she loves to paint rooms and has been learning how to speak Korean. Masuka and her identical twin are married to brothers. In the summer, Masuka and her children can be found jumping and doing somersaults on the trampoline in the backyard. She says she will do it until she cannot do it anymore.
Megan wants to live in a world full of strong women, with a self-replenishing stash of dark chocolate and where “because I said so” actually is the answer. Over 12 years ago she made Rochester her home. She aptly uses her degree in physics to over-explain the answers to her childrens’ questions and do ridiculously elaborate science projects with preschoolers. She is sherpa, chef, chauffeur and loving mother to Cara, Gillian, Jayce, and Addison. Being a mother of multiples and children spanning a decade in ages keeps her minivan rolling. She believes fiercely in the importance of nature, strong community, service to others and good coffee; she tries to experience them each day. When not embracing motherhood, she loves to travel. When not in Rochester, she is most likely sinking her toes in sand somewhere.
Molly has lived in Rochester for eight years. She resides blissfully with her husband Adam, one-year-old Fritz and pup Henry. Molly works for a digital agency managing a large media partnership. At work, she is Type A, but when it comes to momming she lets the five-second rule go out the window. Though not a long-tenured mom, Fritz has shown Molly that she was always meant to be a mama. She has cultivated a passion for all things mom and baby and loves trying out new baby products and lines. She also loves connecting with other mom's - especially those with little ones around Fritz's age. When not working or folding tiny human clothes, Molly loves reading, shopping, Sauvignon Blanc and hanging with her gals.
Natalie grew up in Rosemount, MN and moved to Rochester 6 years ago to work as a nurse. She has been married to her amazing husband, Jason, for 12 years and a mom to a vivacious, spunky and strong-willed daughter Gwen (4). Natalie is a postpartum depression survivor and a strong advocate for family mental health. Natalie currently works as a nurse in surgery at Mayo Clinic. She enjoys being a big nerd and embracing her quirky side. When she is not chasing Gwen around, beating Jason in cribbage, or belting out Disney songs, she can be found with a glorious hot cup of coffee or a glass of Salem Glen Moondance and reading a good book. She loves to hike, travel, read, be outside and dance like no one is watching. Her favorite season is fall because it is a reminder that change can be beautiful.
Parvathi is relatively new to Rochester, having moved here in 2016 after accepting a job as a Product Manager at Mayo Clinic. Born and raised in India, Parvathi has led a nomadic life, living in several cities/countries before finding her way to Rochester - the tenth city where she has made a home! Rochester holds a special place in her heart since it’s here that her son Narayan (age 2) was born. Parvathi has been married to her husband Shiv for 10 years, and together they are attempting to raise their son to be a truly global citizen, proud to embrace and celebrate his multicultural roots. Parvathi is also a passionate environmentalist and is constantly striving to live a life that is gentler on our beautiful planet. You can follow her eco-friendly journey on Instagram. In her spare time, she likes to cook, play board games, plan parties and trips, and compulsively read up on world affairs. Read Parvathi's Posts
Tricia considers herself a 'newbie' to the community, having lived here for just under two years. She and her husband, Rodney, have decided to put down roots and call Rochester home with their daughter, Collins (2) and Baby Girl #2 (due in June). Rodney and Tricia met on Match.Com, had a beautiful destination wedding in Colorado last summer, and have fallen in love with this community (weekly Farmers Market trips being their favorite). She currently owns and operates a Boutique Social Media Marketing Agency, The Hello Social, and helps client’s nation-wide level up their online presence! She is as extroverted as they come and has made it her mission to surround herself with genuine friends since coming to Rochester. Although business is busy, she will always find time for snuggles with her girl, coffee dates with her husband, and happy hours with new friends. She also enjoys taking her pups on walks, annual trips to Colorado, and indulging in pancakes every Sunday morning. Tricia would love for you to follow her journey on Instagram and encourages you to reach out for a coffee date if you’re local!
Tricia was born and raised in Stewartville. After spending her college years, and then some, in Wisconsin, she moved back to God's country in 2011 to marry her hubby Tony and begin their family. She stays very busy with her two boys, Charlie (2013) and William (2015), and daughter, Lucy (2018). Tricia is a mom on the go. You can usually find her with a babe strapped to her back or a stroller in tow in search of the next adventure. This family of 5 enjoys exploring the amazing state parks Minnesota has to offer, especially along the Northshore. When Tricia is kid free, she enjoys crocheting, reading and perfecting her bread baking. After 5 wonderful years in the classroom, Tricia took her teaching hat off to stay at home with her kiddos and run an in-home daycare. Even though Tricia keeps her family hopping, she makes sure they take the time to thank God for their blessings every day.