This is a momentous Mother’s Day, yet another Mother’s Milestone. I am the proud Mom of 2005 model brand new teenager. Although he sometimes gets frustrated with my slowness to absorb his new young “man-ness”, this marvelous change enhances us both. You may have to check back with me in a few years, but I…
Family
How to Imperfectly Parent Your Teen
I am about to be a proud Mother of a new teenager. How do I parent a teen? Hmmm? Here is a little word of caution. Do not read on, if you are embarrassed by buggers, the mention of underwear and kissing. Just move on to the other parenting blogs with better tips and less boy…
The Importance of Windshield Time With Your Teen
The whirling blur that pops in after school grabs a snack and runs out again claims to be my son. How do you get a little private time with the busy teen? Even the classic “windshield time” in the car, now fights the onslaught of portable devices. With the advance of our personal devices, (cell…
Stop Beating Yourself Up–Parent Better with Stress Management Tools
I recently contracted an awful head cold from a water park excursion in Texas. Playing, splashing and sliding at the park proved a great time for the family, but getting on a plane the next day sealed the fate of my sinuses. Frustrated, I thought “Go ahead start beating yourself up for knowing better than…
Finding the Courage to Encourage Your Teenager
If one more person says to me “well that is just how teenage boys behave,” I will hurl. Whose teenage boys? In what country? In what decade? It reminds me of all the wise tales women shared with me during my first pregnancy. Everyone wanted to tell me about having a baby–especially the gory, awful birth gone…
How to Save Your Relationship with Your Teenager
Why am I spending the precious $100 on something as frivolous as breakfast at the Village Inn on Sunday morning? Answer: to save a life–mainly my life and my teenager’s life. Between closing a business, moving and starting to blog my budget is stretched tight. $100 a month is huge for me–a lot of cash…
Are Teens Really Stupid? Parenting Teenagers Guide
My almost teen said to me the other day, “Why do people not like teenagers?’ That broke my heart! Why do people not like teenagers I thought to myself? Not so long ago a teenager brought the perfect child into the world to save us all. I also thought why are we letting science say…
Five Little Tricks For The Best Gingerbread House Decorating
Run, run, run, running down the side of the gingerbread house! Icing that runs, candy that smears, cookies that break, squeeze the fun out of gingerbread house decorating. Cracked gingerbread cookies still taste yummy but lose the effect. Confronting sticky gingerbread dough to non-hardening frosting frustrates even a seasoned baker. 5 Tips to Produce a…
How to make a Vintage Camper Gingerbread
In 2013 my husband and I focused on restoring our marriage after an almost two-year separation. We chose to restore a vintage camper as a “working together” marriage project. From that sprang the winter of vintage camper gingerbread (need a gift for a Vintage Camper Lover look here). We Need your Vote to Win- Please vote…
How to Make Gingerbread You Want to Eat!
Let’s face it most gingerbread is for looking not eating. If sandwiched next to a chocolate chip cookie the poor gingerbread boys will die of loneliness. How to make Gingerbread you want to eat is a whole different recipe. Building houses and vintage campers with the gingery dough gets my creative juices flowing! But eating…
