In my youth, I was perplexed at how the holidays brought out the “lunacy” in people.  I discovered there were, and still are, three main ingredients that trigger this insanity. It’s the retail merchants who break out the holiday merchandising displays combined with daylight savings and cooler fall temperatures that propel otherwise normal people down…

I was reminded the other day while walking through the parking lot at Costco of one of my most useful safety terms for children…”Touch the car” meaning my car. A little girl all dressed in pink approximately 3 years years old was wandering down the middle of the area of the parking lot with no…

Now is a great time to remind your kids about social graces and kindness.  Going back to school is often filled with the challenges of new friends, teachers and personalities.  Being uncomfortable with the unfamiliar can cause kids to talk about people and situations in a negative way.  This has the potential to influence the…

It is almost 4th of July when we take time to celebrate our country.  We gather with friends and family to enjoy and appreciate the freedoms we have in the United States.  Many years ago while at a firework celebration my heart was touched and in awe. It wasn’t the music playing while the sky…

Re-live the joy of summer and connect to water! Most of us have fond memories of a childhood moment where we had the freedom to lollygag and play in the water. It doesn’t matter if it’s the beach, a lake, the pool, a fountain or the garden hose.  Just do it!    Take some time…

Small children are often told “no” in order to shape their behavior and keep them safe.  We don’t allow them to wander the street or scream endlessly at the top of their lungs while at the dinner table.  We tell them “no” and redirect. Then, there comes a point when a child proudly announces with…

Ready? Set. Go!!! Christmas and Hanukkah are fast approaching. You have probably been bombarded with advertisers telling you how much money you can save if you spend!  Layaway has been resurrected and you can do all your shopping online. Your email and mailbox are competing for your retail attention. There are decorations, trees, candles, and…

Fathers who take time to nurture, teach, support and love their children (no matter how old they are) are truly a gift to the universe. Thank you to the men in my life who have allowed me to experience and be witness to their dedication, inspiration and love.

Periodically something really touches my heart and I find myself continuing to process the experience or how I feel.  The film Amour is not action packed, suspenseful or humorous but accurately portrays the struggles of an aging couple.  The love was obviously shared over decades and then the heartbreak of bearing witness to the mate…

Recently I  stopped to chat with  one of our Villa Park neighbors and recognized she had entered the land of “where is my life.” Over the past year there has been significant health issues with her husband and his mom (now on hospice), her own physical problems, along with 2 children under the age of…