Disclosure: with many thanks to the American Cancer Society for sponsoring and compensating my writing about ways in which we can help give cancer the virtual bitchslap it deserves! I love this picture of my twin brother and me: it was our birthday (yesterday!) and this is where I would joke about our age, insisting that we were actually celebrating another anniversary of our 29th birthday. I've never been very comfortable with numbers, most especially when used as the "only" tool in defining a person's worth, but today I am putting all thoughts of vanity aside and outing myself: I've... Read more →

Confession: I am a DIY fan girl (not to mention, pretty gosh-darned fond of acronyms) and I may or may not have openly admitted to having a slight crush on Mike Holmes. By openly, I mean blogged about my crushing on Mike Holmes, maybe more than once. Aaaaaaaand, by slight I mean, just short of tackling the poor man in public and demanding that he sign my good knee. Which, these days, would not ONLY get me arrested (rightfully so, because, you can't just go tackling people in public, especially strangers who make a lot more money than you do,... Read more →

Some parenting-type experts will agree: most teens have no idea how to have real conversations, because they are too busy texting on their cell phones. I am NOT one of these parenting-type experts: in fact, I really do wonder if any of them...you know...actually live with teens and I'm just going to embrace this moment (sorry, I'm a hugger) and share a little parenting-type secret with you, okay? Wait. For. It. Teens do NOT talk: sometimes, even when they are spoken to, and I most humbly suggest that you just go ahead and not expect any serious eye contact, anytime... Read more →

Working in social media, I get to watch a lot of "how to" videos (YES, it's a job!) and I have learned some really interesting stuff along the way: like, how some parenting sites can make raising teens (and tweens) sound sooooooo...I don't know...wash, rinse and repeat. So, I was undermining my teens' privacy the other day and started thinking to myself; you know, maybe it would be a whole lot easier if someone showed me what NOT to do...and...HEY!!!!...wait a minute...I can do that!!! So, I present to you, the second in a series of "how NOT to" vlogs.... Read more →

Our youngest daughter is turning 12, next month -- pausing to allow for the "OH, BUT HOW?!?" and the "MY BAYBEEEEEE?!?" to come through, okay, I'm good now, thanks!!! -- and, as fourth in line, MY BAYBEEEEEE (whoops, that one slipped right through, sorry!) she's learned to sit back and observe, as her older siblings get grounded for one reason (or twenty), so that she knows EXACTLY what she can or cannot get away with. Aaaaaand, she will test us...in theory...just in case. I'm just beginning to get used to her turning eleventeen Long story, short: not only have we... Read more →

You like? I made this life list, myself, with many thanks to the American Cancer Society for sponsoring and compensating my writing about ways in which we can help give cancer the virtual bitchslap it deserves! The American Cancer Society is celebrating their 100th birthday this month (5/22/13) and, in honor of the many brave battles being fought (and/or lost) by way too many of my family and friends, I have the extreme privilege of partnering with the ACS in helping to amplify their most recent effort in helping us to celebrate MORE of life's special moments, like: More proud... Read more →

Not unlike most days, her morning does not start out very well: in fact, she cannot remember the last time she did not have to holler at someone: GET UP!!! GET READY!!! HURRY UP!!! ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING?!? DON'T FORGET YOUR LUNCH!!! YOU'RE GOING TO MISS THE BUS (AGAIN!) WAIT, SO WHOSE BACKPACK IS THIS?!? Then her phone will ring; she immediately recognizes the number and begins to feel the first pangs of regret when wondering, "What now?!?" Another migraine; she will listen and then she will silently nod her head, as the nurse asks for a... Read more →