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Lara Krupicka

Lara Krupicka

The Reluctant Naturalist

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You are here: Home / Archives for love

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The Appeal of ‘Just Once’

Filed Under: Choice, Holidays, Life Hacks, Parenting Tagged With: bucket lists, Children, expectations, love, motherhood, priorities, treasure

A handful of years ago, when my daughters were preschool- and elementary-aged, I surprised them with a Valentine’s Tea. I set out my china, made tiny cucumber sandwiches cut in the shape of hearts, baked cookies, and brewed up some hot tea. When they arrived home at the end of the school day, instead of…

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The Date Night Passport: A Bucket List for You & Your Sweetheart

Filed Under: Bucket Lists, Holidays, Relationships Tagged With: bucket lists, free, goals, love, Planning

The last date night I had with my husband was the day after Thanksgiving. He won tickets to Muriel Anderson’s annual hometown concert. So the two of us went. It was an evening of fantastic harp guitar music with accompaniment by artists Paul Wertico (from the Pat Metheny Group) and Jeff Coffin of Dave Matthews…

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Help for Spring Break, Spring Cleaning & More: March/April Articles

Filed Under: Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: Children, family, family adventures, love, magazines, motherhood

The kids are bickering, the house is a mess, and you’re just wishing you could get away from it all. Does that sound like your family’s spring break? No? Maybe yours goes more like this: the kids are bickering, your car/hotel room/suitcase is a mess, and you’re just wishing you could get away from it…

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The Best Question to Ask Your Mom This Mother’s Day

Filed Under: Bucket Lists, Relationships Tagged With: bucket lists, family, love, motherhood

What would make Mom’s day? If you’re in the midst of shopping and preparing for Mother’s Day, that question is probably on your mind. And maybe you’ve even asked the mom in your life that question directly (or had it asked of you). But asking that question doesn’t always make the celebration any easier. Often…

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Celebrating Amidst Imperfection

Filed Under: Hopes, Planning, Uncategorized Tagged With: expectations, family, future, love, Planning, tradition

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….

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Why Do I Do This?

Filed Under: Choice, Crafts, Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: Children, family, Good food, love, treasure

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…

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Celebrating a New Book

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Books, love, treasure, words

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…

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How to Be a Milk-&-Hot-Cookies Mom

Filed Under: Life Hacks, Parenting, Time Tagged With: Children, Good food, love, motherhood, time

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…

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Sharing Mother’s Day – An Obligation or Celebration?

Filed Under: Choice, Culture, Relationships Tagged With: expectations, family, love, motherhood, obligation, tradition

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…

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Treasure and Valentine’s Day

Filed Under: Culture, Relationships Tagged With: love, obligation, treasure

The other day one of my daughters asked me what my husband and I would be doing for Valentine’s Day. I gave her a blank look. Frankly I hadn’t thought about it yet. And even more frankly, we haven’t ever really made a big deal out of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Which got me thinking about…

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