On every tropical trip, my family walked over to the extravagant Hyatt hotel in the late afternoon on Tuesdays and Saturdays. (We stayed in condos nearby; we were too messy to spend a week cramped in one tiny room!) After strolling around the lush gardens and lagoon-style pool, we claimed couches on the terrace for the evening entertainment. Read more →
My family will be sleepwalking through security and snoring in our seats at the airport on Monday. With a 4 am wake-up call, we’ll need plenty of caffeine to make it through the morning, but after a 5 hour flight, we’ll pick up our luggage and start working on our tans in beautiful Hawaii! Read more →
Two weeks ago, a knock-knock-knock on the door set off my doggie alarm, and the two of us raced to see who could answer it first. (Even with two legs against four, I still won!) An old high school friend stood on the other side. She had tagged along on her husband’s mini road trip and snuck off during his boring work training to visit me! Read more →
Although not much of a picky eater growing up, I hated when foods touched on my plate. I only classified a few combinations as “acceptable”: butter and mashed potatoes, maple syrup and pancakes, chocolate sauce and ice cream. But I nearly threw a tantrum if… Read more →
Growing up, my grandparents flew out to visit us once or twice a year. During every visit, Grandpa would bang around in the kitchen one morning after drinking his coffee, pulling out measuring cups and mixing bowls to make his famous Cowboy Coffee Cake. Read more →
One Saturday during high school, my friend showed up on my doorstep holding a square white shoebox. “My boyfriend baked cheesecake!” she bragged as I peeked inside. “It’s amazing; he’s practically a gourmet chef!” Read more →
Some days are just bad days. The “I-slept-through-my-alarm” days. The “I-spilled-orange-juice-in-my-lap” days. The “I-stepped-in-old-chewing-gum” days. The “I-put-my-shirt-on-inside-out-and-went-to-the-office-like-that” days. The “I-drove-off-with-my-latte-on-the-car-roof” days. Read more →
The last time I visited my parents, I begged them to eat at our favorite breakfast restaurant. The hour-long drive dragged on a bit too long with three hungry people in the car, so we placed our order the minute a waiter set menus on our table. Read more →
On our childhood Saturday mornings, Mom mixed up batches of Mickey Mouse pancakes for my brother and me while we watched our favorite TV shows. During the commercial breaks, we rushed into the kitchen, doused our plates with maple syrup, and cut up the pancakes (ears first!) into as few bites as possible to shovel into our mouths. We needed lots of sugar energy to dance along to Gullah Gullah Island and Blue’s Clues! Read more →
