Parenting

The 4th of July, in my family, has always been a big celebration. My whole family, which sometimes included 50 people or more, would gather at my grandmother’s house in Blue Island. The day started with breakfast on the driveway. My great uncles would fry bacon in a large pan on the grill and then fry eggs in the grease. Inside the great aunts would be making German potato salad, scrambled eggs and toast. It was a flurry of activity and energy with almost everything being don

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can make you grow!

It’s a winter wonderland. Ice covers the trees from head to toe. Rain falls. Water freezes encasing the branches in a thick, shimmering block of ice . A crunching sound fills the air. I look, trying to locate the source of the sound. A tree once solid and strong lays split on the ground. Another crunch and another tree falls to the ground. I stand in awe trying to embrace the beauty of the crystal forest in contrast to the slow, nearly silent destruction of the mighty trees s

I love Christmas lights. I love how the dark nights are made just a little brighter with the lights from a house or a tree. I especially love white lights. Just a simple row of white lights around a tree or framing a house sends a warm glow through my heart. Just as magical for me is the simple glow of a candle. I’m amazed at how such a small light can often seem to warm a whole room or even create a sense of calm and peace. This concept of lighting up a room really hit home