I work really hard to ensure my kids eat healthy foods. Okay, I try to ensure my kids eat healthy foods. Both of them have inherited their momma's sweet tooth, but the rule is they cannot have dessert until everything on their plate is eaten. Even their vegetables. No, especially their vegetables. The other night, … Continue reading Harry Potter and Green Beans
A Cow and A Lantern…or a Comet and some Craps
One hundred and fifty years ago today, on October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire ignited. Burning over a period of two days, the blaze destroyed thousands of buildings over an area of three square miles; killed an estimated 300 people and left over 100,000 more homeless: and caused an estimated $200 million in damages, … Continue reading A Cow and A Lantern…or a Comet and some Craps
The Sinful Exhaustion of My Heart
My ten year-old fights sleep. As an infant, he went down without so much as a peep. I rarely had to rock him, he never needed a pacifier, and, if he did cry, it was only because he needed a diaper change. Babysitters and friends would constantly gush, "You're so lucky! He sleeps so well!" … Continue reading The Sinful Exhaustion of My Heart
The Green Light on the Battlefields of France
Love it or hate it, The Great Gatsby is considered by many, including yours truly, to be the greatest novel of all time. As widely misunderstood and panned as it is praised, both the novel and its author owe its fame to a couple of World Wars--even though, interestingly, neither directly touched the conflicts that … Continue reading The Green Light on the Battlefields of France
Peace in the Valley of Facebook
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. As a military spouse, I live far from my family, and most of my friends are scattered across the country. I love how social media allows me to still connect with them, stay engaged in their lives, and--let's be honest--share funny memes. As a writer, I love … Continue reading Peace in the Valley of Facebook
Like A Chicken Without A Head?
On September 10, 1945, Lloyd Olsen went outside to kill a chicken for his wife, Clara, who was preparing the evening meal. This was a normal routine for the couple, who had a farm filled with chickens just outside Fruita, Colorado, and survived the slim times off the sustenance their animals provided. Today, however, was … Continue reading Like A Chicken Without A Head?
Summer Hiatus!
#historyfriday and #wellnesswednesday are on summer hiatus until September, but stayed tuned for news and exciting updates as the release for my debut novel, "If It Rains," approaches!Enjoy your summer, friends, and happy reading! 🙂
Waiting for Wizards
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."This sentence, uttered by Gandalf the Grey in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, comes as the famous wizard arrives in the Shire for Bilbo Baggins birthday party. Bilbo's nephew Frodo has seemingly been waiting hours … Continue reading Waiting for Wizards
The Flying Fool
In 1919, Raymond Orteig, a French immigrant and hotel owner in New York City, attended a dinner organized by the Aero Club of America honoring the World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. Rickenbacker had received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Medal of Honor for his bravery, as well the Croix de Guerre from France … Continue reading The Flying Fool
Party Lines and Prayer Time
When I was younger and would complain about not being able to use the phone, my parents would remind me about their youth and "party lines." In a nut shell, their telephone line was connected to several other families' telephone lines. If you wanted to make a call, you often had to wait until one … Continue reading Party Lines and Prayer Time
