Video – How to Volunteer at a National Park

Kay, a veteran parks volunteer – and fellow GypsyNester – discusses how to apply, where one lives at the parks, what is expected of volunteers and, most importantly… CONTINUE READING >>

Kay, a veteran parks volunteer – and fellow GypsyNester – discusses how to apply, where one lives at the parks, what is expected of volunteers and, most importantly… CONTINUE READING >>

Fear Conquering & Self Defense

I must confess I have anxiety concerning this GypsyNesting stuff. I have strong ideas about the way I want to live my life, but by nature I’m not exactly the bravest person around. I’m a bit of a worrier. Okay, a lot of a worrier. It doesn’t help that half of our family and friends think that this whole GypsyNesting thing is quite mad.

In order to alleviate my fears, I decided to take a self defense course to fight the urge to cop out and just “grow old gracefully.” I wanted to be able to protect myself in that dark alley that was… CONTINUE READING >>

I must confess I have anxiety concerning this GypsyNesting stuff. I have strong ideas about the way I want to live my life, but by nature I’m not exactly the bravest person around. I’m a bit of a worrier. Okay, a lot of a worrier. It doesn’t help that half of our family and friends think that this whole GypsyNesting thing is quite mad.

In order to alleviate my fears, I decided to take a self defense course to fight the urge to cop out and just “grow old gracefully.” I wanted to be able to protect myself in that dark alley that was… CONTINUE READING >>

Facebook and Memory Lane

About a month ago, a thought popped into my head. What ever happened to Tamera? Where did that gangly, sweet and truly unique little girl with the pig tails and big glasses that I went to Junior High with end up? What did she become?

We were the original Valley Girls. We hung out with boys who skateboarded, went to the beach every weekend and said “Like” and “You know” like, way too much, you know? I wonder if Tamera finds it ironic, as I do, when she hears today’s college girls speaking like this, while most of us old school Valley Girls don’t anymore? Actually, I’ve managed to completely kill off the “likes,” but the “you knows” keep sneaking in… CONTINUE READING >>

About a month ago, a thought popped into my head. What ever happened to Tamera? Where did that gangly, sweet and truly unique little girl with the pig tails and big glasses that I went to Junior High with end up? What did she become?

We were the original Valley Girls. We hung out with boys who skateboarded, went to the beach every weekend and said “Like” and “You know” like, way too much, you know? I wonder if Tamera finds it ironic, as I do, when she hears today’s college girls speaking like this, while most of us old school Valley Girls don’t anymore? Actually, I’ve managed to completely kill off the “likes,” but the “you knows” keep sneaking in… CONTINUE READING >>

Honey, Who Are We Again?

I’ve read that one of biggest pitfalls to having kids is that couples tend to forget who they were prior to breeding (though I personally think the the loss of perky breasts is high on the list). As a Gypsy Nester, one who is looking forward to life after kids, I thought I’d share a secret.

David and I offset this pitfall with “date nights.” Admittedly, most of our date nights were spent talking about the kids, ordering soda water to get the baby puke off my little black dress and worrying that the nanny cam may have malfunctioned. Difficult as it was to apply lipstick while avoiding chocolate covered toddlers… CONTINUE READING >>

I’ve read that one of biggest pitfalls to having kids is that couples tend to forget who they were prior to breeding (though I personally think the the loss of perky breasts is high on the list). As a Gypsy Nester, one who is looking forward to life after kids, I thought I’d share a secret.

David and I offset this pitfall with “date nights.” Admittedly, most of our date nights were spent talking about the kids, ordering soda water to get the baby puke off my little black dress and worrying that the nanny cam may have malfunctioned. Difficult as it was to apply lipstick while avoiding chocolate covered toddlers… CONTINUE READING >>

My Dirty Little Secret

 David and I have one chick left in the nest. He graduates from high school in June. And I am marking the days. I keep a gigantic calendar and mark a red X each day. For my son’s sake (and to avoid horrified looks from house guests), I keep the calendar between the mattresses of my bed.

I’m fully aware how bad this looks, so I will explain myself. I LOVE MY KIDS! But, when June 8 rolls around, I will have spent almost twenty five years of my life raising them. I deserve this dirty little secret.

This callousness does not make me impervious to the emotional milestones along the way. I recently received my son’s cap and gown picture taken at his school. My heart literally … CONTINUE READING >>

 David and I have one chick left in the nest. He graduates from high school in June. And I am marking the days. I keep a gigantic calendar and mark a red X each day. For my son’s sake (and to avoid horrified looks from house guests), I keep the calendar between the mattresses of my bed.

I’m fully aware how bad this looks, so I will explain myself. I LOVE MY KIDS! But, when June 8 rolls around, I will have spent almost twenty five years of my life raising them. I deserve this dirty little secret.

This callousness does not make me impervious to the emotional milestones along the way. I recently received my son’s cap and gown picture taken at his school. My heart literally … CONTINUE READING >>

Thanks for Joining us from Happiness After Loss!

Hello and thank you for joining us here!

We hope that our talk inspired you and that you are finding further inspiration through all of the speakers at the Happiness After Loss Summit.

In gratitude, we’re giving away an audiobook version of Going Gypsy: One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All to three lucky guests at the Summit!

Click here to enter >>

Hello and thank you for joining us here!

We hope that our talk inspired you and that you are finding further inspiration through all of the speakers at the Happiness After Loss Summit.

In gratitude, we’re giving away an audiobook version of Going Gypsy: One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All to three lucky guests at the Summit!

Click here to enter >>

We’d Love to Visit Your Book Club, Bookstore or Event!

We’re honored that you guys are reading Going Gypsy: One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All.

The idea of you discussing our book makes us all tingly inside.

We’d love to visit your book club!.. See more info

We’re honored that you guys are reading Going Gypsy: One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All.

The idea of you discussing our book makes us all tingly inside.

We’d love to visit your book club!.. See more info

C’mon Get Happy! Meet Me in Charleston!

Change is an unavoidable part of being a woman “of a certain age.” I’m not taking about THE Change – that’s another subject altogether.

I actually prefer the word transition. Change seems too vague, too out of our control, and sometimes too overwhelming.

Our transitions are what define us; how we handle life’s crazy twists and turns – and how we choose to come out on the other end.

I’ll be speaking in Charleston, South Carolina on October 3rd with two fascinating women, Sharon Becker and Jennet Robinson Alterman about grabbing life’s changes by the collar, showing them who’s boss, and turning our transitions into happiness… SEE MORE ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL EVENT >>

Change is an unavoidable part of being a woman “of a certain age.” I’m not taking about THE Change – that’s another subject altogether.

I actually prefer the word transition. Change seems too vague, too out of our control, and sometimes too overwhelming.

Our transitions are what define us; how we handle life’s crazy twists and turns – and how we choose to come out on the other end.

I’ll be speaking in Charleston, South Carolina on October 3rd with two fascinating women, Sharon Becker and Jennet Robinson Alterman about grabbing life’s changes by the collar, showing them who’s boss, and turning our transitions into happiness… SEE MORE ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL EVENT >>