I think the title of this post is straightforward enough: I am a big fan of teaching kids independence (in my classroom as much as at home) and I thought I’d share which tasks we’ve assigned to our girls (ages five and seven) in the hopes that perhaps I can make your life easier too! […] Read more…
Chances are, you’re already watching Scandal. But just in case you’re not, I feel the need to spread the word. While I am fairly up on entertainment and had certainly heard two years’ worth of buzz regarding the Shonda Rhimes drama (I love her work; having seen every episode of Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice), […] Read more…
For your amusement: more goodies that have been dug out of basement storage! Photos of the first two weddings I was in – the first as flower girl for my mom’s cousin Lisa in 1981, and the second as bridesmaid for my Aunt Sue in 1991. I vividly remember the minister putting a quarter on […] Read more…
I love nonfiction, and Gretchen Rubin’s “The Happiness Project” is one of my all-time faves. It recounts her year-long journey to become happier, with month-by-month goals, and every time I read it, I feel like I’m visiting with a friend. I chose this book for our book club’s next selection, and have threatened my fellow […] Read more…
Do you have a child between the ages of 9 and 11? I’d love to get some input for an article I’m working on about disciplining kids in this age group. What “little kid” discipline techniques don’t work anymore? What behaviour issues begin to crop up at this age? What strategies work well now? Do […] Read more…
As the original Bachelorette, Trista Sutter found love on reality television with Colorado firefighter Ryan Sutter. Still happily married after ten years, this mom of two (son Max is 6, daughter Blakesley is 4) has recently published a book, “Happily Ever After: The Life-Changing Power of a Grateful Heart”. It isn’t a memoir (though she does […] Read more…
Christmas is my holiday because of my mom. For as long as I can remember, she has made it special with tunes playing (Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton and Roger Whittaker), treats mixing (Sweet Marie bars and butterscotch marshmallow squares), fire burning (okay, Dad gets credit for that one) and fun wrapping (there were always codes on […] Read more…
On Wednesday morning, six moms bravely descended upon my classroom to assist with the Grade 3 Christmas Craft morning. Here’s what we accomplished (with my new Mariah Carey “Merry Christmas” CD playing in the background – my first teacher gift of the year – and the Holiday Yule Log video playing on the SmartBoard. I […] Read more…
Preface: My “adventures in freelance writing” posts are intended to be “self help” for those aspiring writers who may be less experienced that I am, but will likely fit more into the “humour” genre for those pros who have been around the (writer’s) block a lot more often. Feel free to chuckle at my many […] Read more…
So, how’d you sleep last night? If your answer is “Oh, it was a full eight hours, uninterrupted, and I woke up this morning feeling fantastic!” then you don’t need to the read the rest of this post. But please leave a comment and share your secret! For the rest of us, a good night’s […] Read more…