Meet Brianne Sanchez

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Brianne Sanchez familyHi, I’m Brianne.

I’ve been blogging since pre-Facebook early 2000’s era journalism school (shoutout to LiveJournal!) and mothering since 2013. I’m excited to combine my love of words and my quest to expand my local mama network as a contributor to the Des Moines Moms Blog. Although I’m originally from the western suburbs of Chicago, I’ve lived in Des Moines for a decade now and am a huge cheerleader for Iowa.

My husband, Joe, and I met when we were both working at the Des Moines Register (you might recognize my byline from Juice Magazine). We got married in 2010 and had our son, Emmett, in 2013 and daughter, Eileen in 2015. Joe and I inherited a Shiba Inu dog, Wilbur, before they were a meme and I’m told he could live another 10 years.

I work outside the home full-time in community relations, and still freelance for publications like DSM Magazine as my side-hustle. We live in the Drake Neighborhood and are part of a babysitting co-op that makes our parenting community feel close and supportive, even though the majority of our family lives out of town.

Still, on a weekly basis I’ll look at my husband and ask how people – any and all of us – can juggle the logistics and expenses of having a family. I’d say my husband is the half of the parenting teamBrianne Sanchez that is more naturally patient, calm and nurturing, which is clutch for me. And then he has to go out of town and one of my kids comes down with hand-foot-mouth and I just sort of throw my hands in the air and call my mom begging her to come in from Chicago.

I prioritize getting outdoors, reading and participating in the events and festivals that make this city fun over cleaning. So, I fully admit that if you stop by my house unannounced, you might think there had been a struggle between a laundry monster and the dishwasher. How about we just meet up at a park or patio instead, OK?

I wouldn’t say that I subscribe to a particular parenting style or philosophy, so I’m trying to raise my kids to be humans who are both curious and kind. I want philanthropy and volunteerism to be part of my children’s upbringing from a young age, and to expose them to a wide range of ideas and opportunities. That said, there are days when an Octonauts marathon on Netflix is my sanity-saver.

I love making connections for people and tend to process my experiences by writing about them, so thanks for reading my posts and sharing your thoughts! 

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Brianne
Brianne Sanchez is a writer and community engagement professional who calls herself an “Iowan by Choice.” A transplant from Chicagoland, she moved to Des Moines in 2007 and acquired a house, husband, dog, son Emmett (June 2013) and Eileen (October 2015), which means she now has deep roots in this place. Brianne blogs at bsinthemidwest.com and is a frequent contributor at DSM Magazine. When she finds free time, she spends it crafting, reading, hiking, biking and volunteering, but never cleaning.

2 COMMENTS

    • Hi Jen! I had a really great first job writing for a weekly entertainment paper that helped me explore the city and meet a bunch of people my age. Making friends as an adult is hard! What do you feel like is missing here? I feel like we have most things Chicago offers, but on a smaller scale/more accessible, and there’s a lot of opportunity to start something if you don’t see it. I’m bummed the direct flight on Southwest was cancelled but I’m fortunate my family is willing to make the drive to visit!

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