In one week, my son will graduate high school. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this. For those of you who remember my stories about the Taz from my single mom days, I’m sure this is hard for you to believe, as well. He’s the youngest (and the tallest) in our blended family,... Continue Reading →
Hello out there!
I don't write much here anymore, but I still love this blog so much. It started at a time when my kids were young, and so was I. I was navigating the world of divorce at a time when my mid-20s felt ancient because while everyone my age was finishing college, hitting up the party... Continue Reading →
A fun dinner menu for your family’s meal planning
Every week, we take the guesswork out of dinner planning by putting together a menu for the entire week. I'm lucky to have married a man who cooks, so he and I switch off weeks for cooking. On Saturdays, he or I will create the dinner plan for the week, creating our shopping list from... Continue Reading →
12 ways we keep our blended family marriage strong
My husband and I dated for a few years before we got married, living in separate households and reveling in the excitement of coming together every weekend. We’d both been married before, and were now living as divorced single parents. I longed for the time when we could finally blend our households and things could become much simpler. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening.
Thinking of taking a gap year? Here are a few things you should do in that time.
Malia Obama, oldest daughter of President Barack Obama, is in her senior year of high school, and she has been accepted to attend Harvard University as her college of choice. However, before the first daughter attends her very first college class, she will be taking a year off—otherwise known as a “gap year.” Big in... Continue Reading →
10 Things I Would Tell My 18-Year-Old Self
With a household of young adults aged 15-20, I am in the final years of my hands-on parenting stage, and the empty nest is getting closer and closer. If I think too hard about this fact, I am liable to burst into tears. However, sometimes this revelation is a light in a tunnel of teenage... Continue Reading →
100+ things for your teenager’s Easter basket
When it comes to Easter baskets, kids are easy to shop for. Grab some jelly beans and chocolate bunnies, gather a few small toys, add the artificial grass and voila, you have created the magic of the Easter Bunny. And then they become teens, and the Easter basket dilemma begins. First off, don’t think for... Continue Reading →
10 ways to unplug this weekend
This weekend, Petaluma is encouraging everyone to detach from their devices and join the community for some unplugged fun. From April 10-12, Petalumans will be out and about, enjoying picnics together, enjoying the waterfront, strolling downtown and more. There will also be plenty of unplugged events to choose from this weekend. On Friday, you can... Continue Reading →
Good friends and Prosecco
Every Tuesday, a group of friends and I hang out, taking part in a shared meal before settling in with a video series by Rob Bell, an emergent pastor with some simple, yet huge, ideas. Two months ago, many of the people in this group were strangers to me. But something happens when you spend... Continue Reading →
15 things I want my kids to know before they’re adults
A mom recently made a list of 44 things she wanted her kids to learn before they hit adulthood, which is something we should all think about as we're raising our own future adults. I know for me, there are certainly some major values and skills I want for their lives. So without further ado,... Continue Reading →