Just Say What You Want
Mother’s Day is quickly approaching, which means many of us moms are creating our lists and dropping hints left and right. Similar to Valentine’s Day, there is a lot of pressure to have the perfect day and receive the perfect gift, but what exactly does that mean? ...
A Blended Holiday
The holidays descended upon us quickly after my husband and I married in midOctober and began our new life together. My expectations of a joyous holiday season faded as the reality of combining two households with different traditions settled on us. I wasn’t prepared for the chaos and heartache that accompanied our first Christmas together. ...
Be a Secret Santa
I was 11 when my mom shared her idea. Friends of ours were struggling financially and although one of their boys was working at a Christmas tree lot, they couldn’t afford a tree of their own that year. My mom’s idea was to buy a tree for them anonymously so they wouldn’t feel obligated to return a gift. My mom’s plan went off without a hitch! My heart soared when my friend excitedly told me that her brother’s boss told him to pick any tree on the lot and bring it home. It was a “Secret Santa” gift for his family. ...
Bay-Tripping
Can your family afford $1,200? According to Travelocity.com, that’s the average price a family of four would pay to fly from Chicago to Tampa this summer. Tack on the price of a hotel, rental car, and meals during and it could jump to well over $2,500 for a week’s worth of fun in the sun. If you include the cost of visiting area attractions, the bill could easily skyrocket past $3,000. ...
Checking It Twice
The holidays are upon us, which makes it prime time for toy buying. In fact, more than half of the three billion toys and games sold in the United States each year are purchased at Christmastime. Fortunately, toy makers are more diligent about safety than ever before, which means there are fewer out-and-out dangerous toys on the shelves. Still, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 217,000 children are treated in hospital emergency departments nationwide each year for toy-related injuries; nearly half of these children are younger than 5. ...
On Thanksgiving, It’s All About the Stuffing
My mother Margaret has always been a skilled, if not groundbreaking, Thanksgiving cook. Her stuffing recipe came right off the Pepperidge Farm bag and was embellished only with a little extra celery and pepper. ...
American History
I am not a big fan of Black History Month. Please don’t get me wrong — as a history teacher, I both love and value the powerful stories and great examples that are often highlighted as part of Black History Month each February. I’m not a fan because I dislike that the highlighting only lasts a month, and because I dislike the limiting practice of calling these important stories, contributions, and examples “Black” history. ...
Boos Without the Hoos
Halloween is the time of year for tricks, treats, costumes and sweets. But this night of spooky fun for your little ghouls and goblins also can be dangerous. ...
