Do I? Do you? Say, "I love myself." Right now. See how it gives you the absolute willies? It's exceptionally uncomfortable to say that. Try looking in the mirror and saying that. Barf. It makes me think of the Stuart Smalley character from Saturday Night Live, and I just cannot take myself seriously. Cannot. What does it EVEN MEAN to love yourself? I give myself permission to take Continue Reading
To My Daughter on Day 1 of Motherhood
Dear Kate, Congratulations, honey, on the birth of your first baby! This is what I wish someone would have said to me when I first pushed out little Luke. Take these words to heart. I love you and believe in you. 1). You can do this, and do this well, with grace, humor, and wisdom, and love….even if you doubt yourself a hundred million times, which you might. Which you will. You CAN do Continue Reading
Let’s Not Drink the Parenting-A-Teenager-Is-Awful Kool-Aid
It’s the weekend before turning in Freshman Class Schedule for our son, Luke. Parent Orientation was a few days ago. My firstborn is going to HIGH SCHOOL. Crazy soon. How could that be??? I still remember everything about high school. More than I even want to remember. I can time travel back in an instant when I listen to my beloved 80’s music. I remember my first real kiss on the dance Continue Reading
The Very Horrible, Terrible, Amazing Mom
I am two different people. I'm sweet-mom, doing the mothering duties, roles, and wearing 12 hats with a smile on my face. I'm just humming along beautifully like a productive little dwarf whistling while I work. I'm in love with my husband, kids, dog and cat, and life in general. I'm nice. Nice mom just doing the nice mundane stuff. And there's the other me. I'm grumpy-mom who is so Continue Reading
Confessions of an Exercise Addict
I haven’t exercised in 8 weeks. GASP! EEK! I did go for a short jog-walk twice, but that doesn’t usually count for exercise-freak-me. And I am totally ok with it. I don’t miss it. Which is WEIRD. And I am not anxious about NOT working out. Which is also even WIERDER. And I’m thinking I may even want to give up my gym membership. Now we are talking crayyy-zee. For all who know me well, Continue Reading
Pretty on the Outside But…. (a repost)
This is a repost from a well-received, well-loved January 2014 blog post. Note: we did NOT--for the first time--send out a card for this past Christmas. We can just use this one. HA! We haven't changed that much--except for Luke, age 14, who towers over me now. Don’t judge us by our Christmas card. We look pretty perfect. Like the quintessential all-American family. Don’t Continue Reading