Meet Mandy

Finding beauty in our everyday life with simple living, motherhood and small acreage homesteading.

Hi There, I’m Mandy!

Welcome to Abundance in Rest, my tiny slice of the internet where I passionately share encouragement for simple living, from scratch recipes, handmade projects and our family’s small acreage homesteading journey.

My husband, Mark and I, recently purchased our 6 acre “dream-stead” in small town Iowa. We have 5 children ages 8 and under who keep us busy. We’ve always craved that homestead life, and the perfect opportunity for land recently presented its self. So, at 3 weeks postpartum with baby #5, we completely uprooted our lives and are now city folk turned country. We’ve made it our goal to grow our skillset and begin a homestead, jumping in headfirst and sharing our failures, successes, and lessons learned along the way.

About Me

I’m a small town Iowa native who grew up right along the Mississippi River. As an adolescent we moved around quite a bit, even spending some time in Arkansas, before coming back to Iowa where I met (and married) my high school sweetheart.

I’m a nature enthusiast. One of my favorite activities is sitting and soaking up the sun. My downtime is usually spent barefooted in the garden, or taking a slow and easy hike at a local trail with my kids.

I’m a health nut. I’m passionate about feeding my family whole, nutritious (but tasty!) foods. You’ll find a number of things fermenting on my counter at any given time, including a sourdough starter, kombucha, and sauerkraut. In my cupboards you’ll find homeopathic remedies, essential oils and various natural supplements.

I love learning new skills and trying new things. From soap making to building a DIY quail hutch, I love the adventure of gaining more knowledge and creating something new.

A Few Fun Facts

I have 5 children, and have had two home births.

I hate the feeling of wearing shoes. If it was socially acceptable, I’d probably never wear them!

I went to college to be a nurse, and passed the NCLEX while pregnant with my first baby. I had every intention of returning to work. About a month after having him my husband and I both decided I would be staying home. I haven’t regretted it once!

I’ve always loved school and learning. I’ve carried that into adulthood and now homeschool my own kids. Something about curriculum choices and planning unit studies takes me right back to that back-to-school shopping excitement I felt as a kid.

I love to workout! Weight lifting is another passion of mine, but has been on hold while I grow our family.

I’m the oldest of 4 kids and have always wanted to have a big family of my own. When asked as a kid what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would always say “a mom”. I’m thrilled to be living my dream!

I’m So Glad You’re Here!

Follow along to see our small acreage homesteading journey, get simple living tips, DIYS and tutorials, wholesome recipes, and motherhood encouragement. You can also find me on instagram, facebook and youtube, where I share our daily life.