How did THAT happen? Suddenly it’s August and the dog days of summer. I feel like summer just began, yet I’ve seen friends in Arizona already go back to school. Yikes! Meanwhile, here in Michigan, we won’t return to school until after Labor Day. That means I still have a few weeks left to enjoy [Read More]
Seen and Unseen on our Family Vacation
“Ocean in view! Oh the joy!” wrote William Clark in 1805, thinking he had reached the Pacific Ocean. Alas, that famous member of the duo, Lewis and Clark, was looking at an estuary of the Columbia River. This got me thinking about all the things my family saw, thought we saw, or wanted to see, but [Read More]
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5 Things I Love about Independence Day
The Fourth of July, aka America’s Independence Day, is right around the corner. You may have noticed it’s coming due to the preponderance of Red, White and Blue gear and foods that shout at you from store shelves. Or the fact that summer weather has officially arrived. Or perhaps the creative Fourth of July pins [Read More]
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Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall
It’s that time of year again, when summer turns to fall. As I look back with fondness on this past summer, I can say with confidence that I did it all. Camping? In a comfortable cabin of course. Biking? With the kids to Dairy Queen no less! Swimming? Lots and lots of swimming. Family vacation? [Read More]
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Summer Days Drifting Away
The leaves have begun to turn here in Michigan. It is faint, but noticeable. The mornings are much cooler, too. Fall is knocking on the door and I don’t want to answer. Since I was little, Summer has been my favorite season. It was exciting to be free from the confines of school and weather. [Read More]
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The Funny Business of Back to School
As the cast of Grease 2 so eloquently sang once upon a time, we gotta go back to school. (Whoa, whoa, I gotta go… back to school again! ) Whether your kids return to school in July (seems early to me!) or after Labor Day (hello, Michigan!) or somewhere in between (probably most of you), [Read More]
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Our Summer Adventures So Far
It feels like only 10 minutes ago that we wrapped up another school year and switched gears for summer camp. Yet, here we are, officially knee deep in summer! As Ferris Beuller so eloquently puts it, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around for a while, you could miss it.” So I’m stopping now [Read More]
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Experienced Bad Mom’s Guide to School-age Summer Fun
Summer is finally here in our neck of the woods! As I write this, I’m picturing lazy summer days and nights ahead, filled with family time and magical experiences. Yeah, right. My kids, ages 11 and 8, were bored and/or fighting over absolutely INANE stuff within 45 minutes of school ending. What’s a mom to do? [Read More]
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Our Wild West Vacation Highs and Lows
Sit back and relax, folks, because I’m about to bore AMAZE you with my wild west vacation highs and lows! We spent last week in Wyoming and Montana and here’s how it went. The Highs My family of four had a great time tooling around the lower loop of Yellowstone National Park. We saw Old [Read More]
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What is Your Favorite National Park?
I’m on vacation with my family this week, frolicking with bears and wolves in Yellowstone National Park and visiting the wilds of Montana where my parents spend their summer. I’m also probably busy yelling at my kids to stop fighting in the back seat of our rental car. Such is life, no? But while we [Read More]
