I wrote this piece a few weeks before my dear aunt Fran lost her battle with cancer more than two years ago. Even after all this time, I find myself stopping to call her whenever my mother is driving me a bit crazy, or my kids are doing something I know she would love. This week would have been her 76th birthday. Though my mother named me Katherine, she has always had … [Read more...]
True Love Ways
It seems as if it was just yesterday that I was anxiously awaiting Valentine’s Day because I had a strong feeling that my boyfriend was going to propose. That was 24 years ago. Now that boyfriend is my husband of almost 23 years and the father of my three children. I was thinking of how far we had come from that young couple who was planning our life together, when I … [Read more...]
Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas
Yesterday I took my life into my hands and entered my husband’s storage room, I mean office, to take the boxes of ornaments out so that we could finally get our Christmas groove on. I know, I know. Many of you have had your trees up and houses decorated for weeks. My two sisters decorated their homes shortly after Thanksgiving. Joe and I have always danced to the beat of … [Read more...]
When “Santa” Makes a Mistake
When my husband and I had our first child 17 years ago, we decided that, when it came to Christmas gifts, we would follow the three gift rule. We joked that it if it was good enough for the infant Jesus, it surely was good enough for baby Tom. As our family grew to three children, this tradition has continued to work for us. I love that I can narrow my search down to a few, … [Read more...]
My Recipe for a Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is days away. Everyone I know is putting the finishing touches on their menus for the big holiday feast. Recipes for the perfect turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie can be found on numerous TV talk shows, magazines, and blogs. Nowhere have I seen a recipe for preparing the most crucial element of a great holiday meal: Your kids. After celebrating 16 years of … [Read more...]
