After a lovely, mostly sunshiney week away, mixing business and pleasure in a multiplicity of cities, it's good to be home. The kids must have read my notes (see my February 22nd post) because they're all still breathing, food has been rearranged in the fridge and the house appears to be intact!

I had to laugh when a reader emailed me the photo above. It's an actual tag attached to a garment. It's a little difficult to read, but if you look real close, you'll see along the top of the tag a row...
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We all have that one commercial that makes us tear up. We may not admit it, but every time it comes on, we stop what we’re doing and reach for a tissue. A new Suburu commercial falls into this category, and if you’re a parent, it will tug on your heartstrings more than just a little bit.

The TV ad, called “Baby Driver,” features a father handing over the car keys to his daughter as she sets off to drive alone for the first time. If you’ve ever watched your son or ...

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I'm a very hands-on mom. My passion for parenting has turned into a published book, lots of speaking engagements and growing opportunities to write. But...

There are seasons in the life of a mother. I've shed many tears over changing seasons. With five boys, in the old days when one began to grow into a man and sort of detach from needing me so much, I always had another one coming up behind who still had time to sit on my lap and make me feel like a mommy. I didn't realize how much I depended...
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Hubby sent me several articles to review on a variety of topics and while I was working through the list, I bumped into a partial interview by Harper's Bazaar with award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow. She's married to music sensation Coldplay's frontman, Chris Martin, so she lives a big, busy life.

I found it interesting that her parents, Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow, (Blythe is an actress and her late father a director-producer), enjoyed a long marriage. I appreciated her remarks about ...
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Today hubbs and I will be in downtown Seattle for the screening of the short film about Albert Einstein, entitled, Light and Black, produced and directed in Tacoma, Washington by Brian Parker. 8 directors prepared and filmed movies over the last 3 months that they'll be showcasing this afternoon. It's fun to be the first audience to get the opportunity to view the work of these passionate creators, all together in one place, before they're sent off to the whole wide world.

We were asked...
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So, a couple of weeks ago we were planning to go to a show - a lineup of musical bands that was gonna go late. Hubby thought we should take a taxi so there'd be no worries about parking, late-night traffic, etc. etc. A small group of friends thought that was a great idea and decided to join us as they were planning to attend the show too. The meeting place was one of our favorite local eateries. Taxi's ETD was 6:30. So...as is my husband's style, he suggests we leave a 'little early' like 5:3...
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You know me and how I like my walks. In the past couple of years, more inspiration and wholehearted prayer has taken place as I've pounded the pavement listening to my Bible on iPod than I could have imagined. It's also a perfect way to get the exercise I need.

I had the bright idea recently to walk all the way to the grocery store and then take the long way home, carrying my bags so that it would be sort of like weightlifting on the move...reminiscent of the cross-fit training classes my kid...
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Two weeks ago today was my birthday. With taxes and writing deadlines and housework and meal planning...it seems the calendar is on fast forward. How could I possibly already be 2 weeks older?!  Everyone asked "what are you doing for your birthday?" then it was, "what did you do for your birthday?" but I didn't have any big plans and I didn't want any, to tell you the truth! It was a simple but perfect day.

I was already planning to babysit my little doll granddaughter-she's the gift that keep...
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