Last month, my husband and I took a much-needed break in Jamaica. For 5 glorious kid-free days, we had not a care in the world, save for what time the swim-up bar opened or whether we wanted pasta or sushi for dinner. The resort we stayed at was adults-only, but its "sister" property - which … Continue reading The Secret to Planning a Family Vacation
I hear the loud “thwack” and I know it’s not good. Sure enough, this was the sound of yet another toy colliding with the drywall in my hallway, this time with such force that it left a lovely dent motif. The wall, which was painted long ago by the family who lived here last, is … Continue reading This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.Lewis Smedes Most Christmases, I float around in a carb and wine-induced haze, catching up with family and friends with whom I genuinely enjoy spending time. The ham turns out glazed and juicy, the mashed potatoes are buttery and smooth (with … Continue reading Forgive, Even When It's Hard
A quintessential piece of the Christmas season as I was growing up was our family's annual trip to the tree farm. My dad, having brought along his own saw, would lie on the ground and hack down whatever tree his girls (my mom, my sister, and I) had chosen. Once separated from its stump, he'd … Continue reading To Tree or Not to Tree: Making New Christmas Traditions
I’ve long maintained that driving is a metaphor for life. For example, have you ever driven on a two-lane road behind someone who can’t find the gas pedal? Well, life’s like that sometimes. Make the mistake of getting behind someone who's not going anywhere fast, and guess what? You aren't either. Or, have you ever … Continue reading 5 Worst Drivers and How to Deal with Them
I'm a list-maker. I love to make lists for the usual things, like groceries (well, sometimes) or Christmas gifts, and I also write out lists for things I need to do during the day, goals I want to work towards, and pretty much everything else in my life. I do this partly because my memory … Continue reading Prioritize What Matters
A couple mornings ago, my 3 year old convinced me to let him play with the 100-piece Iron Man puzzle he'd gotten as a hand-me-down from friends. It was 6:30 a.m. and I just wanted to drink some hot coffee in relative peace and quiet, so I obliged, knowing full well what a debacle this … Continue reading Go For Great, Not Good
If my brain were an animal, it would definitely be an overly excitable dog on a walk through a neighborhood with an inordinate number of squirrels. I'm thinking some kind of Terrier with wiry, unkempt fur and a high-pitched bark. One minute it's happily plodding along, enjoying the fresh air and contemplating what's for dinner … Continue reading Minding the Squirrels
It was 9:30 pm and we were tired. A few hours earlier, my dear friend and I had carpooled 80 or so miles northeast from the city we both live in to her hometown of Milwaukee. We arrived at her parent's house and, after a quick dinner and a stop at her favorite childhood ice … Continue reading Making Time For Friendship
I'm not great at meal planning. It always sounds good in theory, but I can't seem to make it happen on a regular basis. I'm kind of embarrassed about that because grocery shopping is easier now than ever before. I can pick up my groceries or have them delivered, which means I don't have to … Continue reading Cheers to the Dinner I Didn’t Have to Cook
