For more than 16 weeks each year, I am a football widow. Not because my husband is an avid fan, but because he is an excellent collegiate football official. You can learn some interesting stuff hanging around football officials. Believe it or not, I’m not just talking the technical definition of targeting and was-that-offensive-pass-interference-or-wasn’t-it? You
For the longest time, I wanted Christmas my way, in my house. Early on in my marriage, I imagined the fulfillment of this desire would require a death—namely, my mother-in-law’s. I certainly didn’t want that, and thankfully, I didn’t get that. Not for the longest time. “Hurry, hurry! Coats and mittens. Zip, zip. Snap, snap!” Out the door, down
On December 7, 1991, everything changed. Up until that point, my professional plan was to be a working mom so our family could enjoy the benefit of two incomes. But then I held our first-born, Jojo, in my arms and DOINK! In that moment I decided the stay-at-home-mom life was for me. Sure, there were
On the steering wheel, Tony Bear’s knuckles shown white. He glanced over. “Can I speed?” I nodded. “I reckon this is the only time you can.” As he zoomed through the streets of Cincinnati, I whispered. “Nothing’s ever going to be the same again, is it?” He skidded to a stop in front of the
When I first learned about The Mile Ground movie, I quickly donated to the crowd-funding effort for the project. Because it was written by my friend and Morgantown native Jessica Shannon. And because it deals with the opioid crisis–a major threat to my beloved West Virginia. Shannon’s vision is for a film that “…uniquely examines loss, the
A few years back our Thanksgiving feast was a fiasco. Because I decided to be trendy and brine my bird. Nowhere in the directions did Martha Stewart say it would take the turkey three times longer to roast due to its 48-hour soak in salt water. Everything started out fine. The wassail was perfect, all
Are you ready for some Christmas? Either way, you came to the right place. Today you get a bunch of gift-giving tips to make the holiday elf inside of you Happy, not Grumpy. Because grumpy holidays are not fun holidays. Trust me, I speak from experience. Don’t believe me? Click here. Oh, oh, oh, and
This post includes affiliate links. Quick, grab something to write on. Fetch your favorite pen too. And if you’re prone to stress-induced anxiety, maybe find a paper bag to breathe into when the hyperventilating begins. Because according to this super cute site, the days between now and Christmas 2017 are going zoom-zoom-zoom! I know you
(This post includes affilated links.) I don’t remember who got bit first but eventually, everyone did. You could play connect-the-dots on our son’s midsection. Tony Bear’s neck and ears blossomed with thumbprint-sized welts that itched ferociously. In time, both girls also suffered with itchee-owies. I was bitten a time or two. At first we weren’t
Did I do the right thing, say the right thing, when in high school you asked: “Mom, do you think I’ll make it on Broadway?” Thing is, I hate to lie. That afternoon, I moved away from the kitchen table to lean against the counter. “Here’s the way I see it, baby.” I counted on
