Leslie Bartula
Leslie graduated from the University of Notre Dame where she met her husband, Matt. After living in Chicago (and its suburbs) for 10 years, they relocated to DFW and have lived in Richardson since 2016. She is a stay-at-home mama to three boys (May 2014, February 2016, and October 2021), one girl (July 2018), and a crazy pup. She spends her free time running, reading, cooking, gardening, and adding projects to their home improvement list. You can catch her with a cup of coffee in her hands (or being reheated in her microwave) all day long. Follow along on Instagram @villa_villebartula.
Building Community as a Dallas Mom
I was reflecting recently on the amazing groups of moms I am in contact with every day. Sometimes the number of unread messages on GroupMe is overwhelming, but at the end of the day,...
Easy {and Adorable) Thanksgiving Place Card Craft
Growing up, one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving was helping my grandma set her table. She always had a handful of those paper accordion decorations to unfold and place on the table, paper...
Monthly Declutter Schedule :: One Space a Week
I think most of us have a "landing zone" problem. You know, the space where things go until you can deal with them?
First Week of School Easy Meal Plan
Knowing that both moms and kids will be exhausted the first week of school, I'm going to do my best to take off one thing from your plate. Here is an easy meal plan for the first week of school.
Keeping Younger Siblings Busy During Big Kid Activities
A key element to getting a lot of these ideas to work is novelty. Keep these items in the car (or garage) and only bring them out during games and practices.
The “Best” Dad :: Which Dad Type Is Yours?
Reflecting on the many amazing dads I know, most of them fall into one (or more!) of these categories.
10 Must-Packs for Your Next Vacation Rental
Having stayed in vacation rentals several times in the last few years with my kid, I discovered some surprisingly helpful items.
Plan an Easy Easter Brunch
A lot of this can be done ahead of time to make your Easter morning even easier!
Toddler-Friendly Diaper Bag Roundup
I'm currently on the hunt for a smaller diaper bag that I love just as much but won't have me knocking into things all the time.
Enjoy a Kid-Friendly Mardi Gras
Just because we live in Dallas doesn't mean we have to miss out on Mardi Gras fun! These simple, at-home activities will get the good times rollin'!
5 Benefits of Participating in Team Sports in Early Elementary
In addition to the obvious benefits of exercise and teamwork, my husband and I discovered five additional benefits of participating in team sports in early elementary school.
10 Ideas to Start Reading More
Over the last few years, I've managed to fit a lot more reading into my life, even with new babies, all the kid activities, and trying to maintain our home. Here are my best tips!