Can’t believe this short and sweet…or shall I say bittersweet…video below was shot three years ago! That went by fast! For those pensive parents about to move a beloved kid out of their familiar and loving home into a new and unfamiliar dorm room, this sweet memory of mine…and some encouraging words are for you! […]
Parents Of High School Seniors…Senior Year Makes Heart Smile & Sob
July 29, 2019 By
Moms (and dads) of teens. This is written for moms, but I sure have seen my fair share of emotional papas who find senior year to be bittersweet on their hearts, too. Read this or bookmark this to read before or during your child’s senior year in high school. It just may be therapeutic for […]
Dorm Room Essentials Plus Stuff You May Not Think Of
July 28, 2019 By
Is your kid college bound? Are you ready?! Some parents feel really ready and for others the transition is tough. For me, I found it to be bittersweet. No matter how your emotions are swaying, you can’t get away from the fact that it is time to shop for the dorm room! I first put […]
Grad Party Planning Tips & Ideas
April 6, 2019 By
For those of you with graduating seniors, I wrote this and did this 3TV segment in 2016 with tips and ideas to have the perfect grad party. Ours went very well! Take a look and happy grad party planning. Manic: Graduation season with so much to do, events to plan and emotions to keep in […]
Smart Simple Spring Cleaning/Get Organized Solutions
March 22, 2019 By
Manic: Clutter! Closet clutter, under the kitchen sink junk, stacks, racks and sacks full of unorganized stuff! I am guilty of having such mountains of unorganized madness and it makes me manic and not managed! Managed: Taking a little bit of time each day this month to methodically to attack the stacks and regain control over all […]
Caring for the Caregiver
March 6, 2019 By
Have a caregiver in your family or a close friend who has suddenly become a caregiver for a loved one? Caring for a beloved caregiver can help that person and the person being cared for tremendously. I recently had the unexpected opportunity to do this and I was struck by the numerous ways a caregiver […]
Another Anniversary! 26 Years & Counting-Why It Works
January 16, 2019 By
Happy 26th Wedding Anniversary to my hubs. What a journey it has been and as we approach a very different empty-nesting chapter in late 2020 (is that really next year?!). I reflect on the peaks and valleys of a long-lasting marriage. Wedded bliss days and some challenging times make a 26-year union so far something […]
Hello 17: My 17 Wishes For My Girl
November 4, 2018 By
In one more year, I will have two adults. I won’t be able to say that I have two children. Umm…that flew by. Hello 17 one last time. One last year of having a kid before she becomes a legal adult. Happy 17th Birthday to my girl! 17 got here fast with speedy-beyond-belief-short years…and some […]
Guest Post: Ways To Help Your Teen Embrace Healthy Lifestyle
September 22, 2018 By
Manic: When your little kids turn into teens and suddenly you can’t control or police how healthy they choose to be every day, especially when they start driving. Managed: I have lived this twice now and it is one of the things I worry about. The nutrition my kids are taking in..or NOT taking in..since they are […]
Going Green Earth-Friendly Family Tips
September 13, 2018 By
Go green and get free stuff from some companies that have great recycling programs like MAC Cosmetics and Apple! I usually do Earth Day segments on my morning show appearances, but since I will be traveling this time, I decided to reshare this helpful article with green tips to honor Earth Day. My parents raised us […]
Super Helpful SAT & ACT Phone App Study Guides
September 4, 2018 By
Here we go again. I have a high school junior again and that means it is ACT and SAT prep time. Class of 2020 parents, the time is now. Stressful, I know. I have two super cool phone apps SAT/ACT study guides that my son found to be very helpful in 2015 when he was […]
Our Creepy & Surprisingly Simple Scorpion Sting Story!
August 13, 2018 By
Manic: Enjoying a dinner out with my husband and a phone call comes in from our teenage daughter telling us that she just got stung by a scorpion! Managed: Thankfully our response, awesome advice from my wonderful mom-in-law and how well our girl took matters into her own hands and took care of the aftermath. Read on […]
For Parents: Senior Year Is Hard On Your Heart In The Best Way
August 7, 2018 By
I can’t believe this is here for me once again. One final time. My daughter, my last one, the baby of the family picked up her schedule today. She starts back to school next week and she is now officially a senior in high school. Cue the tears, some sad, many joyful and some that […]
AZ To DC On A Train: Our Amtrak Family Travel Adventure!
July 29, 2018 By
Manic: Considering traveling from Tucson, Arizona all the way to Washington DC. By train. With six of us traveling together. Hubs, myself, our college guy, our teenage girl and my husband’s dear parents. Was this idea manic or managed? Managed: We did it on Amtrak and my answer, our experience and a few train travel tips are […]
