Life is What Happens to You While You’re Busy Making Plans

It was a Friday evening toward the end of summer. The sun was not quite setting, but was on its way there shortly, the sky a pinkish hue dotted with scattered cotton balls of clouds. I decided that if there was a chance to get the lawn mowed before a weekend of forecasted rain, thisContinue reading Life is What Happens to You While You’re Busy Making Plans

The Sunday of Summer

With a quick flip, the calendar recently turned to yet another month. The Norman Rockwell painting of “Magician” (or sometimes referred to as “Card Tricks”) accompanying the outgoing month of July on our kitchen wall calendar, gave way to this month’s “Dreamboats” – two young women look longingly at movie star photos.  And, like theContinue reading “The Sunday of Summer”

Seven Relatable Parenthood Moments with Bandit Heeler

“Flowers may bloom again, but a person never has the chance to be young again.” This Chinese proverb reminds us that we won’t have this moment again, and that refusing opportunities to connect with our childlike sense of wonder, imagination, and just plain carefree fun, even for moments, will only become rarer as the yearsContinue reading “Seven Relatable Parenthood Moments with Bandit Heeler”

Grown-Up Time Outs

I lost my temper this weekend. Our kids were being especially challenging. Refusing to eat any food option for dinner, nearly hitting the baby with their feet/legs from constant rolling around/gymnastics across the living room, and an answer for absolutely everything to counter any suggestion mom and dad may have. At one point, a smallContinue reading “Grown-Up Time Outs”

Customer Service – the Real Superheroes

If you’ve ever watched the holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street, you’re likely familiar with the buzz created when the real-life Santa Claus (mistaken for an actor playing the role) is put into the throne at Macy’s with the intention to push overstocked toys and instead starts telling parents and children alike where to findContinue reading “Customer Service – the Real Superheroes”

Everything’s not awesome (and it doesn’t need to be)

Everything’s not awesome. It was a lyric that turned the catchy earworm of a song, “Everything is Awesome,” from the first installment of The Lego Movie on its ear in a dramatic turn in philosophy. Everything’s not awesome Things can’t be awesome all of the time It’s not a realistic expectation But that doesn’t meanContinue reading “Everything’s not awesome (and it doesn’t need to be)”

Putting down the lists OR A healthy perspective thanks to Conan

Make the most of your time. Enjoy what we have. It all goes by fast. We hear this stuff a lot. All the time. Yet, it often seems to fall on deaf ears, even for the most well-intended of us. I mean, it’s hard not to get distracted in today’s world isn’t it? With aContinue reading “Putting down the lists OR A healthy perspective thanks to Conan”

We did the mash…the folded monster mash

Here in the northeast, it’s supposed to be pretty snowy this weekend, and with no plans for us set in stone, we’re likely to be hunkering down inside as much as possible, watching the birds at the feeder in the backyard and likely a ton of PBS Kids programming. Maybe I’ll even make some popcorn.Continue reading “We did the mash…the folded monster mash”