Letters, cards, a binder filled of our love story
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Home Life

The Story of How We Met (The Valentine’s Day Challenge)

Once upon a time I put a personal ad out to find a man. LOL. Yes, that is true although that’s not how I felt at the time. I was on my computer, reading and writing, minding my own business…Then I received a pop-up ad from Match.com in August of 2001. Yes, match.com that is …

My daughter edits my work on the computer.
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Crafts | Home Life | Parenting | Personal Growth | Writing

In-House Editors

Something strange and wonderful is happening in my household… I never pictured this or dreamed it would happen, but I sure am happy about it. My daughters have become my in-house editors and beta (test) readers. My youngest daughter may become my next book’s illustrator too. There I said it…my next book. I’m ready to …

binder for the playlist
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Culture | Parenting | Writing

The Playlists Birthday Project

Some of you may recall that back in September of 2020, I came up with an idea to give 13 playlists to my daughter who was turning 13 in October. I wrote about it here and made a plea for music requests to be sent in. The project turned out to be a huge hit …

The words "A Slower Pace" are written over a field of grass
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Parenting | Personal Growth

Treading through Life at a Slower Pace

“I feel like I’m leaning back or going to fall,” my oldest daughter said. This was her first time on a treadmill. She held onto the sides with a firm grip. A machine that seems so normal and easy for me to use was strange (and a tiny bit scary) for my teenager. At least …

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Home Life | Parenting | Personal Growth | Writing

Good, good, good, good distractions (oom bop bop)…

I’m sitting in my kitchen typing on my laptop at the dinner table, trying to think of something good to write about. This is my first blog post of 2021. My youngest daughter Lana is at the table next to me writing a folk tale for a class assignment that she did not finish on …

The numbers, 2020, falling down
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Culture | Home Life | Parenting | Personal Growth | Writing

When You Look Back at 2020, What Will You See and Think?

I was having a conversation with a great writing friend yesterday and we were reflecting on this year, 2020. We spoke for an hour catching up on each other’s lives, talking about our children and how we’ve written or journaled a lot this year. She asked me, “How do you think we’ll look back on …

Po the Panda and his master teaching him kung fu
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Culture | Personal Growth

There is No Secret Ingredient

Recently our family watched the adorable animated film, Kung Fu Panda again.  What a precious movie this is!  I adore the overall message in this film.  It really had me thinking deeply for several days.  Yes, a cartoon!  What’s wrong with that?  At the end of the movie, Po (the Kung Fu panda)’s father tells …

Daily poetry
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Poetry

Poetic Challenges and Freedom

A local writing group and network I belong to called The West Florida Literary Federation (WFLF) is hosting a poem a day challenge for the month of November in 2020. Many writers participate in national novel writing challenges at this time of year, but our group wanted to focus instead on poetry. Each day we …

Learn to accept compliments
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Poetry

Merit Thief

She thanked me for the gift.I begin my reply. Wish it was more, I write.Wish it was better too. About to hit send…Stop.Why can’t I accept thanks? Why be a merit thief?Why give away value? Delete. Delete. Delete.You’re welcome, I say. Send. ———————————————————– This is a poem I wrote after I caught myself about to …

grits served on plate
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Culture | Home Life | Parenting | Personal Growth

Three Types of Grits and The Importance of Each

“What’s that?” my eight-year old daughter asked me, pointing to my bowl a few days ago. “Grits,” I replied and put a spoonful in my mouth. “What’s grits?” she asked and turned up her nose. “It’s….” I started to reply. “It’s from corn. But it’s more than that. Let me think so I can explain.” …