Saving Monarch Butterflies By Stephanie Campbell: My family and I had the most incredible experience last summer! A friend gave us a weed from her backyard. What is so exciting about a weed? Well, this plant was a milkweed and it had a small white dot on it. The dot was actually a caterpillar egg.
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Surviving the Holidays By Lorilyn Geiger-Hookway: Raising kids today is hard enough. But then…. just as we've survived Halloween, here come the parental challenges of "The Holidays." Seriously, Halloween can leave us on significantly shaky parenting ground as we approach the big gift-giving holidays. It can be sneakingly challenging.
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Thanksgiving Tears By Vicki Schultz: It's going to be a very good Thanksgiving," my doctor said, her voice reaching through the telephone line and giving my heart a squeeze. I looked at my husband in the bed beside me and started to cry. "So the baby's not affected?" I squeaked into the phone.
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Suburban Fried Chicken By Denise A. DiPonzio: It started as a competition between my mother and myself: which of us would become the next Martha Stewart? Then it grew into a hobby and eventually a way of life. I am talking about domestication.
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Capturing the Words By Janet Schwan: "Once upon a time dere were tree little pigs…" and the story would continue in my mother's lovely French accent. Soon Mom's stories and picture books gave way to school and I followed her around the house with my own little books asking, " What's dis word, Mommy?" imitating her accent.
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The First Day of Tween School By Anna Seip: It's the first day of middle school, and I'm sharing the only bathroom in the house with a tween. Puberty has barely begun in my house, and I'm already tired of it. This time last year, I was begging him to take a shower once a week. Now all the sudden, he's asking for acne cream and deodorant. I make a mental note to get an estimate to build a half-bath in the basement.
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A Father By Any Other Name By Anna Seip: Ever since I was a little girl, I always knew I would grow up to have a son named Marshall. That's the name of my stepfather, the man who raised me and my brother. Calling him "Bud" was less formal and avoided the issue of whether or not to call him "Dad." Of course, years later we call him Bud and Dad interchangeably.
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Let's Paint the Driveway - summer fun activities by Janet Schwan: Summer's almost here and our school-aged kids will soon be out for break. Got to have a plan or they'll make their own plans! That's what I imagined when I was working in daycare, so I jotting down suggestions for myself on how to keep the kids busy. Here's a few of the great things we did that the kids loved!
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Clark Kent vs. Superman - Who Would You Rather Have as a Dad? By Vicki Schultz: Having a dad who can fly would be cool–not to mention the x-ray vision and super-strength–but when it comes to the everyday there-ness a kid needs from a parent, Clark Kent would beat Superman, hands down. Here's why...
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How Young is Too Young to Drink Coffee? By Jared Scott Tesler: A twelve year-old is old enough to do a lot of things. But should drinking coffee be one of them? In my opinion, the answer is no.
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Not All Dollhouses Are Created Equal By Jared Scott Tesler: Not all dollhouses are created equal, and their looks are not deceiving. A dollhouse's color and construction convey its intended audience, which is why little boys tend to stay away from those that are pink and pretty. But, should they steer clear of dollhouses altogether? Not necessarily.
................................................................................................................................................................................. The Wonderment of Santa Claus By Erica Walther Schlaefer: Every day we hear stories in every facet of the media that make us question humanity. Without these stories invading our lives, we just might be able to see the good in people. What we need to do is lower the volume on the barrage of negativity and make an effort to notice the good news in life – the good deeds that are not reported.
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