You see this little nugget? She's now big enough to understand we don't eat yellow snow, and she's no longer wearing bibs. These things may seem inconsequential to you, dear reader, but they about ripped my heart out the other day. Let me explain. As I was cleaning out the pantry, I ... » Learn More about A Bib, Baby Carrier, & Socks
DIY
The Time I Ruined My Own Engagement & The Dog Ruined Christmas
A few days before Christmas 2004, my boyfriend of two years took me to a Christmas lights display. It's no secret that I'm like a toddler in an empty refrigerator box when it comes to Christmas, so the venue was perfection. The icing on the cake was that a portion of the entrance fee went to local ... » Learn More about The Time I Ruined My Own Engagement & The Dog Ruined Christmas
Questburgh Escape Room
This is my very favorite time of the year! The mounting anticipation of Christmas morning, so much yummy food (my Dad’s seafood Fettuccini Alfredo is perfection), and neighborhoods dressed to the 9’s have me swooning every December. It’s an exciting but oh-so busy season. I try to slow time down by ... » Learn More about Questburgh Escape Room
A Non-Family Friendly Review of the Polar Express
I bought the tickets in July--I booked the hotel room so early I actually forgot where we were staying and had to call every hotel in the Dennison, Ohio area to confirm our reservation. I get dumb when I'm excited. Finally, the day was upon us. Dressed in Christmas PJs, we headed to the Polar ... » Learn More about A Non-Family Friendly Review of the Polar Express
This Time, Baby, I’ll Be Bulletproof (it’s a song)
Leading by example, my Mom has taught us life is too short—laugh! Finding the funny in the face of struggle has saved us on more than one occasion, like the time a priest stuttered his way through Grandma’s wake. He called my Mom—who was mourning her Mom—by the wrong name so many times it just got ... » Learn More about This Time, Baby, I’ll Be Bulletproof (it’s a song)
If You Take My Mom To Target
My Mom is not a shopper, which makes me wonder if I was switched at birth. You can imagine the teenage angst that was my Mother's refusal to shop with me. Ask your friend's mom; she loves the mall! But she would hand over her Visa, and all was forgiven. This year, though, she requested my ... » Learn More about If You Take My Mom To Target
Look How Far She’s Come!
This time of the year always finds me extra sentimental and nostalgic. Thank you, Mom, for passing down these stellar traits. Pay no attention to the woman sobbing in Target; holiday weeping is hereditary and she can't help it. Whether I'm reminiscing about the good ol' days over dinner with ... » Learn More about Look How Far She’s Come!
Free Store Penn Hills
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” In short: whenever you need a gratitude check, focus on bettering the people of your community. Many of my family's service activities are an extension of my daughter’s incredible Girl Scout ... » Learn More about Free Store Penn Hills
The New Face of Romance
A first true love is butterfly wings beating against the brain, clouding good judgement and all reason. An all-consuming, borderline obsession coupled with a physical ache that plagues the body. It's the kind of excitement rivaled only by a young child's on Christmas Eve. In a word, our first ... » Learn More about The New Face of Romance
Things I’ve Learned Thanks to My First Colonoscopy
Originally published in December 2015 Stomach troubles have plagued me for as long as I can recall. When I think of all the things they've ruined for me, one particular example comes to mind... My boyfriend had taken me to a romantic seafood restaurant then to see the Pittsburgh ... » Learn More about Things I’ve Learned Thanks to My First Colonoscopy