Everyone needs a break now and then from the demands of life. I find the beach to be the perfect place to veg. I took this picture about 20 years ago on a vacation. This is the Island of St. John in the Caribbean. This is the one place where any spirit can soar. Peace, tranquility, and beauty.
Milk Substitutes and Coupon
What makes a good milk substitute? That depends on the point-of-view! For my kids it was taste. For me it was no casein. (Casein is the protein that is hard to digest in about half of the autistic population.) Obviously, I had to find a substitute that met both requirements. Cost was a consideration, but it was not a priority.
Milk = Opium
The Holy Trinity Simplified
Most Catholics would agree that the Holy Trinity is difficult to understand. Not my youngest. A year ago, my then eight-year-old, was asking questions about it. Like a good home schooling mom, I saw opportunity knocking, and approached the topic.
How to Improve Your State of Mind
The Proposal
Today is our twentieth anniversary of our engagement party. Yes, we invited over 800 of our closest friends for this special event. NOT. Twenty years ago Mike asked me to marry him in front of these 800+ people at our employer’s Christmas party. He pulled me on stage, got down on one knee, and proposed. Guts.
After 15 Years, My Son Can Talk!
“Fowler.”
Fifteen year old Ryan received an invitation to a Christmas party about two weeks ago. He asked if he could go, and after seeing who sent it, I responded, “Sure.” He then gave me the invitation. “What am I suppose to do with this?” I inquired. He looked at me with the expression of “duh”. I informed him that I was not going to call. “If you want to go, you call.” I knew I had a few weeks before any action really had to be taken, so I was not worried about him missing the party.
The invitation positioned itself quite nicely in the middle of our fridge, beckoning me to make that call. I had to resist. Well, today WE had two VICTORIES! #1) I didn’t give in, and #2) Ryan made the call, just out of the blue. He was well spoken, concise and clear. This was his first time responding… He didn’t waste a word. Not that he ever does. The job was done. YEA!
Celebrate Successes Often
Time to Smell the Roses
How My Family Simplified Christmas Gifts
Five years ago I searched through every closet, corner, and crevice, looking for items I could give away to make room for the incoming treasures that Christmas might bring. After three months of purging, my home was that–a home. It was not full of antiquated toys, books, and clothes. We had space to live and breath! Suddenly, dusting was easy. WOW.