How a Hit #Netflix Series is Helping me Parent This is a 3-Part Series on the Need to Establish Smartphone Monitoring, including (but not limited to) a Stranger Things list of what to do and NOT do. (You can read Part I HERE.) Okay, okay, I get it. Part 1 was written eight years ago and you're thinking...What the heck, Margaret?! Why's … [Read more...]
Stranger Things & Scary Smartphones: How a Hit Netflix Series is Helping me Parent [infographic]
Part I of a 3-Part Series on the Need to Establish Smartphone Monitoring, including (but not limited to) a Stranger Things list of what NOT to do Hey friends, I'm collaborating with Scott Reddler, a software developer and father of three from Florida, to bring you this series on a series (i.e. Stranger Things) and the need for open … [Read more...]
13 Reasons Why I Watch TV with My Teens…
...and Why We WON'T Be Watching 13 Reasons Why Warning: This post is not for everyone, as it addresses some hard cultural topics like suicide, rape and homosexual sex. True, I often aspire to be a lighthearted Erma Bombeck-esque blogger. This is not, however, one of those times. I am a very modern mom in that I am constantly telling my teens to … [Read more...]
Words of Advice from a Grateful Heart: Ten Funeral Tips for the Grieving
This blog post has been on my heart since the funeral. Many of you are or will be going through this process with your parents. With that in mind, I'd like to share ten funeral tips to hopefully help you along the way. * * * We buried our beautiful mother on May Day, four short weeks ago. We laid her to rest on the Feast of St. Joseph the … [Read more...]
Rest in Peace, dear Mama
We’re never ready to lose the people we love, even when we know they are ready to go. My dear sweet Mama passed away on Monday morning—peacefully, in her sleep, around 9:00 a.m. in Breckenridge, Minnesota. It was a bittersweet departure, as she was to be joining my father that day at his Assisted Living facility. God has a greater plan, … [Read more...]
My Mom, my Sisters, and the Brothers Karamazov
A Reflection on Death and Dying I'm just going to cut to the chase here: I finally finished The Brothers Karamazov! In record time, only four short months! Okay, I'll stop gloating now. My husband asked me how it went. "Did you enjoy it or did you basically just slog your way through it?" "Both," was my answer. "I loved it and … [Read more...]
The Gift of Being…
Forgive me, will you, for taking a whole week to write this post? I've been dragging my feet about doing so because it means dealing with matters of the heart... ...and my heart is tender when it comes to these two. In my heart, I am still their little girl, and this little girl doesn't want to lose them. First, though, the … [Read more...]
A Bold Move by My Daughter
Alternately Titled: If she can do it, so can I! (Only, maybe, not quite so short. ) When Cate suggested getting a haircut, I was all like "Yeah! Sure! You wanna do shoulder length with maybe bangs?" As it turns out, she had plans of her own, so off her hair goes (4 ponytails worth!) to Children with Hair Loss. Isn't that sweet … [Read more...]
