Hi there! I’m Ilene.
I’m a wife, Mama to 4 little ones (girl, boy, girl, boy) and a homemaker at heart.
Once I read a quote that said something like, “we don’t remember life in days, we remember it in moments” and that simple statement struck me as SO TRUE!! When I became a mama, one of the things I REALLY wanted for my babies was to make sure they had fond LASTING memories of their childhood as they grew.
Until recently, I had lived my entire life in Southern California (excluding my college years). I grew up on the skirts of wine country and for our very close-knit Italian family, the proximity to grape vines, sunshine, and ocean was ideal. A bit of paradise! Recently, my husband had a career opportunity that led to our making the incredibly tough decision to move our family from San Diego all the way across the country to North Carolina. (ahhh!!) Oh my goodness; what an adjustment it has been!!!
When we were home in California and surrounded by family and friends, fun and happy memories were easily made just by being with the people we loved. Without the tremendous support of family surrounding us, I thought I should be more intentional with our time. I soon realized how simple it could be to help my kiddos create those lasting memories out of the little moments we share everyday… and I realized that I was already doing it!!
If you’re looking for inspiration and ways to help your family create lasting memories through delicious recipes, handmade projects, and easy holiday traditions; you’re in the right place! I hope to share bits of inspiration so that you, too, can make enduring memories in your home from life’s simple moments!
Come along as we create SMILES FROM SCRATCH.