My mother’s all time worst word in the English language was the word suck. She could not tolerate this word and utterance of it meant sure punishment for my sister and I growing up.
I’ll never forget one day in my teenage years when I was so angry with my mom that I told her she [...]

This blog was written by my co-editor Cheryl Clemens:
I’m always thrilled when my friends reach a milestone — getting engaged or married, expecting a baby or even an upcoming graduation.
But last weekend was a first for me. I attended the engagement party for a friend’s daughter.

That’s right. I now have friends whose children are old [...]

Our guest blogger today is calendar editor and freelancer Laura Cech.

When I stopped working full-time, I traded one evening rush hour for another.
This one starts when the bus arrives, continues through the frenzy of homework and dinner preparations and doesn’t wind down until the dishes are done, lunches are made and baths are finished.
I’m more [...]

Recently, the neighbors in the big blue house across the street moved out. They were the seasoned neighbors. The ones who had been there before we moved in. The ones who had older kids. The ones who organized the snow blower club, and who served up a chili dinner every time it snowed. The ones [...]

Last week my oldest son told me it didn’t seem like we loved him any more.
It had been a rough week, and I had become angry with him quite a bit. I expressed disappointed with everything from his not listening to me, to his leaving two sweatshirts at school, to an altercation he had with [...]

It became clear the other day that my youngest, Jonah, knows exactly where his place in the family is.
We were on a hike and at a high point along the way he proclaimed “I’m the Jack of the World!”
He knows he’s not the king in the family — that would probably be his older brother. [...]

This blog is written by my co-editor Cheryl Clemens:
Slender I am not.
I’m 5-foot-9 and fluctuate between a size 14 and a size 16.
After 40-plus years, I’ve finally accepted that I’m never going to be a girl who looks good in skinny jeans. I don’t love my body, but I don’t hate it anymore, either.
But I [...]

Today’s blog is written by our calendar editor and writer Laura Cech.
My son recently drew a family picture. It didn’t include his new baby sister.
“Where’s your sister?” my husband asked.
“Oh yeah,” he said.
So far, big brother’s response to the baby that has invaded his world has been to ignore her. Except when she cries. Then [...]