Category Archives: Parenting

The Economics of Being Cool — and Frugal

Being frugal is chic these days. It’s exhilarating to go to bed knowing that you’re weird and out of step, and then burst into the kitchen the next morning as a dynamic, exciting, creative, green living, Chic woman of power and wisdom! … Continue reading

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Saving Money in the Grocery Store — One Weird, Workable Idea

Years ago, with four children in tow, I spent one day a week doing the grocery shopping. The night before I scoured the ads, marking this place for brown sugar and butter, that one for grapes and toilet paper, still … Continue reading

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Flu in Your House? Make FAST, cheap, chicken soup

Recently two members of our household (not me, not yet) succumbed to some sort of tummy ailment that precluded eating, and once they were on the mend and agitating for something more substantial than chamomile tea, I made this soup. … Continue reading

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Laugh at Life’s Challenges

Cancer, unemployment, chronic pain, financial straits, the general insecurity of our nation’s future — there are a lot of challenges in life, and some of them are around for the long term. Other challenges, seemingly minor, still impact our daily … Continue reading

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“Performance Art” in Real Life

The idols are falling left and right. So one day I read that Lance Armstrong, the celebrated tour de France bicyclist, admitted to Oprah  that he had been using banned, performance enhancing drugs. Then the next day, there’s more performance … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Beauty, blogging, celebrities, children, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Encouragement, Family, grandparenting, Growth, home, homeschooling, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Motherhood, News, Parenting, Personal, Random, Relationships, success, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Married — 30 Years — with Children

We started out young and dumb, and next week will find us middle aged and wiser. Tuesday the Norwegian Artist and I celebrate 30 years of marriage. One man, one woman, who decided to throw our lots in together and … Continue reading

Posted in Art, blogging, Business, children, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Encouragement, Family, grandparenting, Growth, home, homeschooling, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, marriage, News, Parenting, Personal, Relationships, success, Uncategorized, walking | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Black Friday — Shopping Can Be Fun, Really

Any of you with teenagers know that you’re frequently unpopular with them for major issues like, say, breathing, and for awhile, our policy of not buying CDs, DVDs, or digital detritus really affected our poll numbers. “But it’s what I … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Beauty, blogging, books, Business, Christmas, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Economy, Family, home, Humor, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, News, Parenting, Personal, Random, Relationships, shopping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mr. Smith Stays out of Washington

Tired-of-Being-Youngest is attending culinary school, which I assure you is just as delicious as it sounds. I can’t wait until spring quarter, when she studies Baking and Pastries, and am sure that I will work off all of her homework … Continue reading

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Let Freedom Ring — Start with School Lunch

Well, so the election is coming up, or sort of happening, the excitement of an actual election day long watered down by a two or three or four-week voting “process.” Somehow, it’s just not the same thing, sitting down at … Continue reading

Posted in Art, blogging, children, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Education, Family, Food, home, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Motherhood, News, Parenting, Personal, Politics, Random, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

“The Least of These” Are Great Indeed

Wisdom comes  from the strangest places. I have just finished reading my latest novel, The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, which is admittedly a children’s book that the Toddler and I enjoyed before naptime, but there’s more substance to it … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Beauty, blogging, children, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Encouragement, Family, grandparenting, Growth, home, Humor, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Motherhood, News, Parenting, Personal, Random, Relationships, religion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments