When my youngest, Anna started kindergarten, I thought we'd both be thrilled. She had talked all summer about using her new lunchbox and riding the bus like her brothers, and after having been home for 12 years with kids, I was ready for a quiet house. When the time came to go, she walked right... Continue Reading →
It was easy to think I knew everything about being a parent before I had kids, and even after I had just one. Sometimes people did things differently than I would, and in many instances, different meant wrong. It wasn't until I had three kids of my own that I found out how many people I had misjudged, because not only is each child different, but each... Continue Reading →
If you're looking for a fun way to keep your kids occupied this summer without spending a lot of money, Geocaching may be your answer. My kids and I found our first Geocache last year and since then we have discovered more than 100 caches in the St. Louis area. Since I remember being confused about Geocaching when I first heard... Continue Reading →
Last year for six months, the sound of a tug boat -- sometimes a tug boat blowing into a foghorn -- traveled from my son's room and filled our whole house. In 5th grade, he was told to practice his saxophone every night for 20 minutes, and he refused to miss a night, even when we said it was okay to miss... Continue Reading →
Growing up, there weren't many days that I didn't see my mom putting on makeup. It wasn't just in the mornings before she went to work, but also on days she spent at home doing laundry or cleaning. When guests were coming over in the evening, she'd be in the bathroom until the last minute, still touching up or powdering her nose when they arrived.... Continue Reading →
I'm waiting for the explosion. My boys are playing together, shooting baskets into a little hoop on the back of the door in their room. I can hear them laughing, having fun, high-fiving....then there's some muffled commotion....and here it comes. "OOWW!!" The door flings open, and the youngest boy is chasing his brother down the hall into the living room. He... Continue Reading →
I was 16 when I burst into my mom's office at the school board building, beside myself with confusion and sadness. "I don't know where I belong!" I cried. After bouncing back and forth between Catholic and public high school three times, I still didn't have an answer. It's not that I didn't have friends.... Continue Reading →
On a beautiful fall morning last week, I took my daughter to the zoo. I planned to enjoy the day with only her, away from her two school-aged brothers who demand my attention as soon as they get home. But instead of being focused on her, I was preoccupied by all the other mommies. The younger ones.... Continue Reading →
While raising my kids for the past 12 years, I've been fortunate to be able to work from home. It's part time, and it's not making me rich, but interviewing interesting people and writing blogs for businesses keeps me in tune with the real world -- and challenges me a little more than it does to... Continue Reading →
As I mowed the grass today, I thought about the man who lived on my street when I was about 8 years old. His grass was perfectly manicured - every inch of it the same height and color, the most beautiful color of green there is. He was always telling us kids not to walk... Continue Reading →
Who Stole My Bon Bons? 