So, my friend is about to have a baby, and she was worried that her baby shower was going to be as empty as a deserted island. Why? Because her "village" is far away and she's a transplant in the current state she resides. As a fellow transplant, I completely understand her anxiety about not having a support group in the challenging world of motherhood. I come from a huge family. My mom had six brothers and sisters and with the exception of one, they all lived close enough to

Ah, the dawn of a new year! The end of the Christmas season hit me like a snowball to the face this time around. My mother would be appalled if she saw my tree still standing, but I tell myself those decorations are for the winter, not just Christmas. I'll get around to taking it down in a couple of weeks... definitely before Valentine's Day! The elves made a hasty exit on December 21—caught the flu and bailed on our cross-state journey to my hometown. They skipped their flu

Like many brave parents, I've embarked on the epic quest of delivering 24 days of elf-tastic fun with our Elf on the Shelf! This year, our elf, Cookie, brought her brother, Coconut, along for the ride! What a blast we're having. And by "we," I really mean me. My daughter giggles at the elves' shenanigans and I continue to weave the story behind their daily escapades. My son? He's blissfully unaware, just happy to watch Moana 2 on repeat. Ice Fishing with an ornament hook...fo