I’m a born storyteller. A real ham. As a child I loved to make up plays and perform them for my family, often getting my younger sisters into the act. I started taking classes and performing in teen groups when I was 13 and found a … [Read More...]
Featured on the Dishwasher
I Got Dumped by My Best Friend and Lived to Tell About It
The kids finally had their baths and were watching a movie. The craziness of the day was settling down. I knew this would be the best time to call Jill. It was 7:30 on a school night, surely she would be home. I missed speaking with her. … [Read More...]
More from the Dishwasher
When We Lose Our Mommy Super Powers
It’s a hard pill to swallow, but my mommy super powers, the tools I’ve used to banish monsters under the bed, thwart toddlers before they painted their bedrooms with diaper cream, or prevent a child’s head from being used as a torpedo, … [Read More...]
The Bittersweet Joy of Watching My Daughter with Special Needs Turn Sweet 16
This week is my daughter’s 16th birthday. We aren’t going to be helping her study for her driver’s permit. Nor are we having a big party, complete with fancy dress and a hair and makeup appointment, like many other girls in our area have when they … [Read More...]
Counting Down the Top Three Posts of 2017 with Kathy and the Dishwasher: The Number One Post of 2017
Happy New Year! As we say goodbye to 2017, I want to thank you for all your support this year and for having some fun with the Dishwasher and me as we counted down the top three posts from this year. We have now reached our most popular piece of … [Read More...]
Counting Down the Top Three Posts of 2017 with Kathy and the Dishwasher: Number Two
Wishing all who celebrate a very Merry Christmas. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been going crazy getting things ready for your family. Take a deep breath. Thanks for spending a little of your precious time with me and my possessed dishwasher. … [Read More...]
Still More From the Dishwasher
Counting Down the Top Three Posts of 2017 with Kathy and the Dishwasher, Number 3
I can’t believe that 2017 is coming to a close. Every year seems to go faster than the one before. This is the seventh year for the Dishwasher and me. When I started this blog, my oldest son was in sixth grade. He’s now in his first year of college. … [Read More...]
The Year I Almost Ruined Christmas for My Son
When my husband and I became parents 19 years ago, we decided that when it came to Christmas gifts, we would follow the three gift rule. As our family grew with two more kids, this tradition has continued to work for us. I can narrow my search … [Read More...]
After 19 Years of Being a Mom, Sometimes it Still Feels Like it’s My First Day
“Mom, you are being so mean to me. You are so much nicer to Peter. You love him more than me.” I looked at my soon-to-be 19-year-old son, my first born child, and simply said, “No, of course I don’t love him more. I adore you both.” … [Read More...]
How One Little Cat Taught Me How to Be a Mom
My husband and I rarely jump into anything blind, whether it’s buying a new car or getting a throw pillow for the sofa. Months of research and discussion go into any decision we make. So when we were three years into our marriage and felt ready … [Read More...]
My Recipe for How to Enjoy Thanksgiving as a Parent Without (Completely) Losing Your Mind
Thanksgiving is a few days away. Everyone I know is putting the finishing touches on menus for the big holiday feast. Recipes for the perfect turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie can be found in magazines and on TV talk shows and blogs. But, nowhere … [Read More...]
Learning to be Your Own Fairy Godmother
When I was seven years old, I saw the Disney version of Cinderella, and the inner princess in me was born. I loved the sewing, singing mice, and the fairy godmother who turns rags into a beautiful gown and a pumpkin into a coach pulled by six white … [Read More...]
Dear Santa: A Mom’s Christmas Wish List
Dear Santa: Hi, I hope this letter finds you and Mrs. Claus in good health. I bet you’re wondering why a middle-aged married woman with two teenagers and a tween would feel compelled to write to you. After all it’s been quite a few years … [Read More...]
I Had to Say Goodbye to a Dear Friend This Week
“Please, please, please, tell me that’s not my toddler running around our front yard in a diaper. We just moved here. What are the neighbors going to think?” I said this as my husband and I were pulling into our driveway. I was tired … [Read More...]
When Dad Does Everything Better, A Mom’s Lament
I’ve been a parent for almost 19 years. For 12 I’ve been the mom of three, and I’ve never minded when my kids occasionally tell me they hate me. In fact I’ve been known to thank my little detractors whenever they utter these three words. I … [Read More...]
How My Daughter’s Love of Princesses Help Us Connect Beyond Her Special Needs
From my earliest memory, I have had a deep passion for all things pink, sparkly, and shiny. But I was born to parents who never fully appreciated nor indulged my girlish ways, which is my proof that God has a great sense of humor. My mother … [Read More...]
