A symmetrical evergreen bedecked with ribbon garland, white lights, and glass ornaments sits in the front window giving off a subtle pine scent. The soft sounds of carols play throughout the house, mixed with the crackles and pops coming from the glowing embers in the fireplace – the perfect counter to gently falling snow outside….
Archives for 2012
Wish Lists
It’s that wonderful time of year – those weeks where we head to the stores or our craft rooms or kitchens to buy/create an item from a loved one’s list of wishes. Our goal now, and in the weeks ahead, is to fulfill a wish (or wishes) for every person on our shopping list. But…
Can’t See the Dangers For the Quirks
My 1999 Chevy Prizm was full of character – all those idiosyncrasies that you only find in a vehicle that’s seen a lot of years and thousands of miles. The interior light didn’t work. The heater moaned in cold weather. The front end shook at speeds over 65 miles an hour. The brake pedal squished…
Why Do I Do This?
Three times a year I put myself through the finger-numbing task of creating and decorating my daughters’ birthday cakes and treats. It’s often a four- or five-hour process, during which my shoulders cramp up high around my ears as I hunch over my masterpiece. My tembles throb from the effort of concentration. And my hands…
Celebrating a New Book
I’m so excited for my friend, Sharla Fritz. I’ve had the privilege of seeing her new book, Bless These Lips, come together chapter by chapter in our local writer’s group. This week she’s been celebrating the launch of the book (with a fun giveaway – check out the details below) and today is my turn…
How to Be a Milk-&-Hot-Cookies Mom
Let’s face it: being a mom takes a lot of work. Being a great mom takes even more. Or so we think… What if being a great mom wasn’t so tough after all? I think sometimes we make it harder on ourselves by creating this image in our minds of the perfect mom. And then…
A New School Year & The Dreaded “H” Word
Yesterday my children started school. And they arrived home with homework… for me. I always forget this is coming. So many forms for me to complete, even after all we filled out already at registration. There’s the personal inventory of my child’s personality and academic/social strengths and weaknesses (which I keep swearing I’ll photocopy to…
15-Minute Wealth
What would you do with 15 spare minutes? Would you go on Facebook and see what your friends are up to? Check email and read through all the ads? Fold a load of laundry? Vacuum? Weed the garden? The possibilities of how to spend 15 minutes are endless. And that’s the problem we face every…
Sharing Mother’s Day – An Obligation or Celebration?
For moms, Mother’s Day can be laden with expectation. We expect to be pampered and coddled – breakfast in bed, a trip to the spa, dinner at a fancy restaurant. But what we don’t expect is to be lost in all the craziness of family obligations. Yet for some women with family living nearby (or…