This week, Jason, Lucy and I attended the wake of a friend of ours who lived just 13 years. Just by hearing that you may say, "How tragic," but I would say back to you that actually, Jesse lived morein his 13 years than most people live in 85. Being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was three, he approached his childhood with an attitude of appreciation for life and persistence that he could (and would) be able to do all of the same things a kid without the disease could do. …
9 Decisions You Can Make With a Rock, Paper, and Scissors
Remember the childhood game that settled every argument? No, not thumb wrestling (or even arm wrestling, for that matter.) I'm referring to "rock-paper-scissors." Sure, it's fun to flip a coin or draw straws, but nothing says childhood like this favorite classic. If you don't know that rock beats scissors, then you might need to reconnect with your inner 8-year-old and think back to the simpler days of childhood - the days when disputes were so inconsequential that silly hand gesture games could resolve them in less than a minute. Oh, if only adulthood could be that simple. …
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Tame Adultitis by Tackling Life’s Little Annoyances
Jason and I often get asked the question, "How does a person contract Adultitis?" Well, there are the obvious ways we all dread: the major u-turns in life that you can't avoid, like when someone hits your car or when you're up all night with a sick kid. Adultitis is also severely contagious, so if you're around others who are living with the disease, you might want to run for the hills -- seriously. But most of the time, the way you come down with a case of Adultitis is a direct result of the teeny tiny annoying moments that pop up in your day. …
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What Grocery Shopping Can Teach You About Life Balance
I am the worst grocery shopper -- ever. I’ve found that many of the reasons I was able to teach kindergarten effectively all fly in the face of being a good grocery shopper. Being easily distracted with a short attention span and the endless aisles of marketing mayhem do not serve me well. It’s a mess. Thank goodness Jason took over all of our shopping (and cooking) when Lucy was born. (Yeah for Lucy being born!) The worst is when I would make one of those quick stops -- you know the kind: “I’ll just run in for a few things.” Ha! …
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6 Ways to Avoid the New Year’s Blues
Do you ever get the blues this time of year? I sure do, and I have a feeling I'm not the only one. On January 1st, you start the year with a natural high associated with a new beginning. A restart. Whew. Finally, permission is granted to try again. Thanks New Year, I needed that!... right? You get a nice dose of self-forgiveness and a recommitment to those dusty goals. It's a great feeling. Then, the Christmas tree goes back into the basement and the work week starts. Yikes. Nothing has changed. The to-do list is still impressively long. The temperature is not pleasant. The scale still …
61 Ways to Put the Brakes on Holiday Stress
1. Watch a funny Christmas movie. (We recommend Elf, Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story.) 2. Get cookies from the best bakery (or friend) in town. 3. Hire a neighbor kid looking for a few bucks to take care of your shoveling. 4. Organize a gift exchange, instead of buying for everyone. 5. Better yet, make it a white elephant gift exchange. 6. Keep up on your sleep and exercise. Quick naps and short walks can do wonders! …
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Watching Angels Dance
Lucy is one year old today. Happy Birthday, Lucy Ruth! She's in that cute stage where she reaches out for things that she wants. Typically, her reach is accompanied by a grunt, as if to say, "gimmie that!" On Sunday morning in church, as I held my bundle of energy (not unlike wrestling a cat), I couldn't help but observe her noticing something. Unlike other parts of the service, she wasn't reaching for the guy's coat in front of us or the bag of mini-marshmallows his four-year-old son was inhaling one by one (which was hilarious, by the way). …
What is YOUR Cardboard Box?
Thanksgiving week is interesting because one minute you're feeling thankful and blessed for all you have, and the next minute Black Friday strikes with everyone wanting more and more and more. For me, shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving is like going to a funeral the day after a wedding. What a buzz kill. The fact that a 34-year-old Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death last year at 5am by a bunch of shoppers just makes me sick. Why is our society so crazed for stuff? I have the answer. It's simple and really sad. Stuff makes people happy. (At least that's what our actions …
Drinking From the Fountain of Youth in Chicago
When I was five, I was the "character" in my family. Being the youngest daughter of four girls, I innocently sought after (and claimed) the attention of my family with my super silly dances and crazy mismatched outfits. The crazier my moves, the more reaction I received, which I loved! Over the subsequent 15 years, I slowly found myself growing up and becoming an "adult." Sure, I loved the later bedtimes, but the bills and responsibilities were not cool. Life became more serious: earn the diploma, land a job, pay down debt, be responsible...yadda yadda yadda. Finding that inner …
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The Best Way to Prevent H1N1
People are freaking out about the swine flu! Talk of it is everywhere. Heck, it's a national emergency. Vaccinations! Hospitalizations! Deaths! I am in agreement that this is serious stuff. I'm taking precautions, believe me. However...dare I say there is a silent epidemic sweeping the globe that is far deadlier than any flu? There is, indeed! It's sneaking into almost EVERY household without even the thought of a vaccination. …