Party planning is not what it used to be. Back in my own 1980s birthday party heyday we played games like Drop the Clothespin in the Jelly Jar and passed out home-popped popcorn in brown paper bags as favors....
I recently attended an educational webinar produced by a large sales company. Drawn to its description that advertised, “flexibility, endless possibilities, and big financial rewards,” I was curious to learn more. Within minutes, the top agents shared their “sales...
It’s 12:51 p.m. on a Tuesday. The kids are finishing up their lunch and my husband's car is rolling in the driveway. He is fresh off of a 9-hour shift at work and has been up for 12 hours....
I will be proud if my kids grow up to be garbage men. Louder now for the people in the back! Yes! It’s true. Frankly, I’d be proud if my kids grow up and work in any trade. Plumber, electrician, carpenter,...
My husband works for the federal government. When mention of a government shutdown due to the inability of Congress to agree on a budget starts circulating, we pay close attention. News related to this event becomes monumentally important. We...
Before I started college, I never really thought much about the profession of nursing. But once I hit twenty one that all changed. I was one of those early twenty-year-olds that every parent hopes they never have: the early...
As I write this, we have been in a state of emergency for 185 days. I know that because it started the day my second child was born. In those past 185 days, I have learned something very important...
I'm always on top of finding deals when it comes to acquiring clothing for my kids. It helps that children's clothing is typically less expensive, however it's also become second nature to me to really dig for the best...
I was born to older parents. In the 70s, it was unusual for couples over 35 to start building their families. I’ve always grown up knowing that my parents would probably need longer-term care sooner than those of my...
I don’t know what I’m doing. There. I said it… Are you happy, world??? This dad’s life is basically a series of hot messes that I’m desperately trying to contain with Kirkland brand disinfecting wipes. Shout out to Costco for...
Your home office is a breeding ground for paper. It seems to multiply overnight causing the piles to close in around you. It doesn’t have to be this way.  I will share with you my learned insight about paper clutter.  I’m...
Lately I've been contemplating how I feed my family. I work hard to stock my kitchen with healthy snacks. Soda is a rare treat, baked goods are typically homemade, and I (almost) always home-cook meals. I try to avoid high fructose corn...
In my adult life, I’ve always worked full time. If not more. Sometimes, I was also working part-time and volunteering, too. So much of my identity and sense of both value and worth were tied to my professional life....
After a short writing hiatus, yours truly is back. Did you miss me while I was gone? Speaking of "being gone" my 7 year old son burst into tears a few weeks ago right before bed saying that he was...

In + Around Vermont

Moving to the Vermont Gayborhood of Our Dreams

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My wife and I, with our then 2-year-old, moved to Vermont in 2021 from rural Missouri.  While we had great friends and community in Missouri,...
A featured image for a blog post about hating fall.

Why I HATE Fall… Y’all