Three years ago, I wrote about the value of a high school diploma. On this morning of Second Son's high school graduation, I'm proud to say he was one of the students who decided to flip the bird at me and cross over to the other side of the room.

Friday was the last day of school for my kids. Sweet Pea came over the Grandma’s Thursday evening with permission to stay the whole weekend, so she got to attend PDD’s awards assembly with me Friday morning. PDD received a total of 5 awards at the assembly: Honor Roll, Citizenship (her first time receiving this one!), Reading Achievement (for reading more...

I imagine everyone with a blog is writing about the inauguration of President Obama today. I’m no exception. I purposefully scheduled no appointments this morning, intending instead to watch the festivities on TV since I can’t be there in person. Though I did end up taking a few calls and helping a couple of clients, at 10:30am, I walked away from the...

When my good friend Lisa sent me this recipe, I thought it was perfect for people like me, who are not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not too dry. Give this a try. Ingredients: 8 – 15 lb. turkey 1 c melted butter 1 c stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good.) 1 c uncooked popcorn (ORVILLE REDDENBACHER’S LOW FAT) Salt/pepper to...

Today is Oldest Son’s 21st birthday. He’s officially “grown” now. One down, two to go. It was not Labor Day the year he was born, but I find it rather fitting that it’s Labor Day this year, because mothering him is much more a labor of love today than it was back then. So it goes, I’m told, by those whose babies are grown now....

PDD with her sparkler in the dark on the 4th of...

Me and mine (from left to right: PDD, Second Son, Oldest Son) taken at my parents’ house yesterday afternoon. (I never pass up an opportunity to get impromptu family pics of my brood. Already, it’s getting difficult to get them all together in one spot.) My younger sister and her family – in Oklahoma on vacation this week (they live in...

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Remember the art program PDD attended at the end of the school year? Well, when we went to her ‘exhibit’ the last week of the program, we found out that the art museum has special program on the second Saturday of every month (that’s free!) where families can go and participate in art projects. Second Saturday in June we participated in a scavenger...

In continuing birthday festivities, I had dinner with my two BFFs, Patsy and Kelli. We caught up, talked trash, laughed and solved the world’s problems over great Italian food and wine, peach frescos and margaritas. These two women have known me for years and have loved me through all kinds of self-created hell. They cheer me on and encourage me. They accept me...