My baby is a baby no longer. My baby hasn’t been my baby for a while. This weekend our firstborn child, Haley, turns 10 years old. I’ve been arguing with the calendar for months, taking turns with Cindy as we point our fingers to the sky and curse the impossibility. ...

Ho-ho-ho and happy holly Kris Kringle’s jingle bells are jolly Cards and cookies, candy canes Twice checked lists and lots of names Hanging stockings, flocking trees The inside warms the outside freeze Christmas music crisps the air And lights the smiles everywhere December days, they inch on by Going slow ...

My daughter, Haley, is writing a book. Her book, “Mia Maria and Two Times The Kindergarten” is a wonderful little project, though Haley is slightly devastated she missed her first deadline. Yes, she’s only nine, and yes, I did give her a deadline. We’ve been working on Mia since early ...

The holidays are here. Time for family and friends to gather under the umbrella of good cheer and genuine connection. Keeping things simple and sweet is the secret to living a balanced life every day. Our last few Christmases have been hard, juggling life, family and finances. But those years ...

I’m tired, I’m hungry, I didn’t rest I’m grumpy, I’m grouchy, not doing my best I wish I felt better, I should’ve heard what she said When mom tried to feed me and send me to bed I said I wasn’t hungry, and disagreed with my tummy Even though the ...

“Do you think she still believes?” I whispered. “Hard to say,” Cindy scrunched her nose. “I’d like to think yes, but it’s probably wishful thinking. If so, we have one year left, max.” That was last year. This year, it feels like we’re on hanging to belief by our fingernails ...

You know who your children are. It’s a rare parent-teacher conference that shines new light on your child’s character, at least if you spend a reasonable amount of time with them, and are mildly observant. There are two types of parent-teacher conferences: honest and eggshells. Honest conferences leave you with ...

I love Thanksgiving. It’s a beautiful holiday, filled with time to sit, relax, break bread and reflect on all the last year has given. I have wonderful memories of Thanksgiving as a child. The holiday always fell the week of my father’s birthday, making it one of his favorites. His ...

In the land of Stinkmucky, where everything smells From the food on the tables to the water in the wells There lived a young man (maybe you’ve heard) Who went by the name, Finnius McFilthy, The Third Finnius smelled ripe, he was fetid and funky His odor was rotten and ...

“Is there something for me?” chirped my baby bird. The hope in Haley’s eyes always makes my hear skip a beat. She asks this question often, whenever we’re checking the mail together. I never tire of hearing it, though I do sometimes sigh dramatically. No, not today, I say with ...