I spent the better part of 1987 and 1988 planning my wedding. My fiancé and I had chosen the church in which he grew up for the ceremony, but neither one of us lived in that town. My job and his grad school took us to different cities, and we were 200 miles apart. To [...]
People who live in the south are said to be down-to-earth folks who care for each other and know their neighbors. You would think I would be on a first-name basis with the people who live in my backyard or across the street. Truthfully, however, I can’t remember their names or where they work. I’m [...]
Before Jack Frost even thinks about nipping at your nose, get in the party-planning spirit and consider a unique way to celebrate the holidays. We’ve all been invited to our fair share of cookie exchanges and caroling parties, and they might be getting just a little stale. If you love to entertain, but are looking [...]
Summer’s over and you’ve stowed away the pool gear, taken care of the back-to-school supply list, and packed a sack lunch for your first grader. And even if you haven’t sent anyone back to school, fall is a great time to regroup and catch up on the things you may have neglected over the summer. [...]
“Best week of my life!” was my son’s response when asked how his week at Camp Manito-wish had been. With those words, I knew that the 16-hour roundtrip to and from the Upper Peninsula of Wisconsin had been worth it. It had been an experiment to see if my 10-year-old was ready to be away [...]
“Be our Guest! Be our Guest! Our command is your request…” We sing along with this rousing song from Disney’s popular animated feature, “Beauty and the Beast,” and probably know all the lyrics from watching the DVD over and over with our children back in the ’90s. Oh, to be that excited about a houseguest! [...]
When I was eight years old, I had Rheumatic Fever—a condition many doctors don’t even diagnose any more. Besides feeling tired at times, I felt great. Even so, my family doctor banished me to my bed for five months. For my family, it was a huge adjustment. My parents lost some of their freedoms and [...]
“Bread, that this house may never know hunger. Salt, that life will always have flavor. Wine, that joy and prosperity may always reign forever.” Everyone feels the excitement as actress Donna Reed gifts a couple who has purchased a new house in the classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” This part of my favorite holiday [...]
If you’re hearing strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” in your future, that means you have a graduation coming up. Whether it’s preschool or college, eighth grade or high school, commencement is a time to celebrate. We gather our friends and family to offer congratulations on a job well done. This spring, I have two such [...]
WE ALL KNOW THEM. Friends who never need an excuse to host an enjoyable get-together. These are the people who have a ready-made party in their pantry, complete with ingredients for a perfect martini and gourmet olives of every origin and flavor. They have plastic cups personalized with their monograms and cute pink and green [...]
