Thank you. Thank you each and every one of you who commented, called, or emailed after I posted about the death of my dear old pal. I felt so much better knowing that others had gone through this and I wasn't really evil despite my eldest child's claims. We are reminded of her often when we see a little shadow or hear a mysterious creek but, despite missing her, we are starting to move on . What was so wonderful about all of these messages was that they really reinforced in me the power of community. This week I was... More »

Today we said goodbye to Bear. I won't go into the details but, suffice it to say, it was not easy. She had been with us for years and was a fixture in our family. We broke the news to the kids last night and, in a flurry of tears and heartbreak, we said our goodbyes.  We took pictures and my daughter even drew one to remember her by. My son was so angry with me for being the one to take her today. It didn't matter that she was sick or that my husband and I had come... More »

Who gets to decide what is enough and what is too much? I am concerned that all of the “expert” advice may impact our ability to make decisions based on what is right for our families. What do you think? Listen the latest Mom’s The Word video podcast and share your thoughts in the comments below.... More »

Today I'm tired of fighting battles that don't exist and defending against enemies disguised as friends. Today I want to curl up under a rock where no one can find me and take a break for a while. Today I want to hug my children and reassure them that the world is not always this upside down. Today I want to scream from the roof tops pointing fingers and telling truths. Today I will wipe away the tears and start, yet again, to rebuild. Today I swear to myself that this won't happen again. Today I break free.... More »

So, I'm going to be participating in this fab new project with one of my fave brands (details to come VERY soon). To kick it all off I have to respond to this question "Is pop culture responsible for the self-esteem issues facing girls and women today?" My first thought was "of course!" but then I started thinking about personal responsibility and one's home environment and I thought that maybe it isn't so clear cut. I have a daughter. I was a teenager. I know all about the issues of self-esteem from many perspectives but this is a complex question.... More »

Is it me or does school seem to be starting extra early this year? I know, September 1st is a Monday so the long-weekend is early but still. I think because we had such rainy weather here in July and the last two weeks have been gorgeous (mid twenties and sunny) that I kinda feel like summer should be extended. I had a fabulous summer with my kids and am really not ready to have them go back to school. I could use another week or two. I remember a few years ago when they were a bit younger and... More »