Last year I experienced my first holiday gift exchange party. And I learned something valuable: Niceness doesn’t win. Niceness won’t get you the wine cooler. It doesn’t get you the 6-pack of tomatillo hot sauce or the 5 tropical flavored margarita mix. But what it will give you is the bird feeder that nobody wants.
My Weekend With Erma Bombeck: Making Friends, Finding The Funny And Sharing French Fries
My love for Erma Bombeck began when I was just a kid peeking over my dad’s shoulder while he was laughing and reading one of many of her books that we would collect over the years. I was hooked. “My theory on housework is, if the item doesn’t multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the […]
15 Tips For Less Holiday Stress & More Holiday Zest
Do you find your self running in circles, screaming like a wild woman,“The holidays are coming! The HOLIDAYS are coming!” days before the crush of mass gifting and familial eating are to begin? You’re not alone. Hanukkah, based on the Jewish calendar, moves around every year, unlike Christmas or New Year’s, and sneaks up on […]
10 Things Only A Mother Could Say
My beautiful, funny, spirited Mom turned 83 this year. In honor of her – because every day should be Mother’s Day, right? – I would like to share some of her “mommy wisdom.” Though we didn’t always see eye to eye, her words are worth their weight in gold. Thanks Mom for caring. I love […]
What The Heck Was I Thinking: A Fauxmoir
I’m not really writing a memoir, but if I did, these could very well be the chapter titles. Once again, I’m joining North West Mommy and her posse for their Monday Listicles. This week’s topic is 10 Chapters in a Book About Me. Here are the chapter titles of my fauxmoir, “What The Heck Was […]
Tips for when your college kid comes home for the holidays
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring, and Summer break are when many parents of college age offspring, look forward to their student coming home with hope, excitement and a little trepidation. You hope you don’t say too much, ask too much, or commit the worse crime of all, give unsolicited advice. It is such a strange and awkward […]
10 Little Things I Love About Being A Mom
Parenting is tough stuff. There are sleepless nights in the beginning, with a brief period of rest during prepubescence, and then sleepless nights again when they’re teenagers. The young kids think you’re a superhero, and the older kids think you’re only there to ruin their lives. Aside from that, becoming a mom was the best […]