Lugging Luggage and Our “One Trip Rule”

No matter where we go or how we get there, one constant always remains – packing.

So we thought we’d explore the pros and cons of lugging luggage through airports and beyond.

And share with you our always-adhered-to “One Trip Rule”… CONTINUE READING >>

No matter where we go or how we get there, one constant always remains – packing.

So we thought we’d explore the pros and cons of lugging luggage through airports and beyond.

And share with you our always-adhered-to “One Trip Rule”… CONTINUE READING >>

Rebuilding Together: How to Help the Seniors in Your Community

There is strength in numbers, so by banding together we can accomplish much more than as separate individuals.

Together our team of volunteers completely repainted the home of a retired nurse in need – in one day!

We weren’t the youngest chicks in the coop – but we were enthusiastic, and relentless…. CONTINUE READING >>  

There is strength in numbers, so by banding together we can accomplish much more than as separate individuals.

Together our team of volunteers completely repainted the home of a retired nurse in need – in one day!

We weren’t the youngest chicks in the coop – but we were enthusiastic, and relentless…. CONTINUE READING >>  

Taking Time for Tapas… Eating Our Way Across Spain

What would a visit to Spain be without sampling the tapas? Incomplete we’d say.
But then tapas are a culinary style that is right up our alley…

CONTINUE READING >> 

What would a visit to Spain be without sampling the tapas? Incomplete we’d say.
But then tapas are a culinary style that is right up our alley…

CONTINUE READING >> 

Un-nesting. Could it be Blissfully Real?

I’m constantly searching for material that dispels my internal anti-mantra, “You are a bad mommy. You shouldn’t be so happy that your children have left the nest. You are a bad…” In my latest frantic search, I came across a theory that I love. Un-nesting.

Suzanne Koven, M.D. writes in her post for Psychology Today entitled “The Un-Nesting Instinct”:

Celia’s story started out sounding pretty familiar-a cliché almost. She was fiftyish and going through menopause and, in addition to the weight gain and hot flashes, she found herself irritable and sad. Her children, she told me, were a particular source of sadness. “You mean because they’re growing up, moving away?” I asked. ‘No,’ answered Celia, ‘Because they’reCONTINUE READING >>

I’m constantly searching for material that dispels my internal anti-mantra, “You are a bad mommy. You shouldn’t be so happy that your children have left the nest. You are a bad…” In my latest frantic search, I came across a theory that I love. Un-nesting.

Suzanne Koven, M.D. writes in her post for Psychology Today entitled “The Un-Nesting Instinct”:

Celia’s story started out sounding pretty familiar-a cliché almost. She was fiftyish and going through menopause and, in addition to the weight gain and hot flashes, she found herself irritable and sad. Her children, she told me, were a particular source of sadness. “You mean because they’re growing up, moving away?” I asked. ‘No,’ answered Celia, ‘Because they’reCONTINUE READING >>

No, We Won’t Buy You a…

Our main goal as parents was to end up with happy, healthy, self-sufficient adults.

We can’t tell anyone how to do this — everyone’s different and Lord knows we made our share of mistakes along the way — but we can offer an insight that we’ve gained through our own offspring’s transitions from childhood to adulthood.

Don’t give kids everything they want, just everything they need.

A whole lot of what they want is stupid crap and… CONTINUE READING >>

Our main goal as parents was to end up with happy, healthy, self-sufficient adults.

We can’t tell anyone how to do this — everyone’s different and Lord knows we made our share of mistakes along the way — but we can offer an insight that we’ve gained through our own offspring’s transitions from childhood to adulthood.

Don’t give kids everything they want, just everything they need.

A whole lot of what they want is stupid crap and… CONTINUE READING >>

Empty Nest Egg

Where did you live when you were first starting out? I’ll bet it wasn’t quite the Taj Mahal.

Our first place was a one bedroom, former screened-in porch that had all the weather proofing of the average wiffle ball. It was a veritable private zoo of insect vermin — and we were glad to have it. We were proud and happy to be on our own.

Who are we to deny our offspring those same pleasures?CONTINUE READING >>

Where did you live when you were first starting out? I’ll bet it wasn’t quite the Taj Mahal.

Our first place was a one bedroom, former screened-in porch that had all the weather proofing of the average wiffle ball. It was a veritable private zoo of insect vermin — and we were glad to have it. We were proud and happy to be on our own.

Who are we to deny our offspring those same pleasures?CONTINUE READING >>