The Thanksgiving table is set. All of the best dishes are sparkling and the good silver is placed by each napkin. The candles are lit. Mom has spent hours in the kitchen making all the traditional recipes. From Grandmothers cranberry salad, to Aunt Marys green bean caserole.

The house smells like holiday blessings. As every one is called to the table and the Thanksgiving Day Grace is given by our Father. Each of us make up a special... more

Tonight my husband and I will be spending our time watching our 8 year old daughter in her Second Grade School Play.

Of course she is the light of our world. When life gives us lemons she is there to turn our sour smiles into lemon aide.

From the first moment we met her and she was placed into her daddy's arms at the tender age of 8 days old. She has given us joy and taught us to believe in Maricles.

She is growing up on us so fast. Her teacher says she is a "social butterfly." Her work seems to always get done and turned in on... more

Everyone should be all geared up and ready for the Halloween Night of Fun. Everyone seems to be dressing up and attending Devils Night parties and standing in long lines to be scared by the ghosts and goblins of Haunted Houses too.

There is a cold chill in the air and winter is just weeks away. I love to see the little kids when they are dressed in big fuzzy costumes that keep them safe and warm.

We have been putting on music and watching spooky DVD's for the past week as a family. Tonight we were talking about old Halloweens of years gone... more

With kids safety in mind. The local churches and community centers in our home town have begun having Halloween Party's for the children.

I loved the idea the Pastor had of making it on what the world calls "Devil's Night" and calling it "Angel's Night." He told all the children to come dressed as their favorite bible characters. Which put a fun spin on the party theme.

Everyone in town was welcome to come and have Apple Cider, Pizza, Apple donuts and of course candy treats.

The community center also chimed in and opened the... more

Well it is time to teach our April how to do a budget. Needless to say if she is wanting to be on her own. She will have to learn to stretch her money and get the main things she will need each day for survival. Before she buys those cool boots she saw that were almost a hundred bucks.

She has been through nutrition classes and has learned to cook. We have gone over good ways to buy nutritious foods and still remain on a tight budget. Substituting canned fruits for fresh fruits so they will last longer.

We have gone over... more

It is that time of year again. When all the little ghosts and goblins dress up in their Halloween bests and come creeping to your door. Frail little voices call out "Trick or Treat" as you open the door with your arms full of candy. A tiny little face peers up at you. Is it a train? a plane? or Super Man?

Kids can come up with some great ideas. Starting early can help busy moms make those ideas happen. Most children go through a phase where they want to be pirates, ghosts, masked killers and brain matter. Some want to be a princess,... more

Well it is another cool Michigan morning and all of our children at our school elementary are off to the ballet.

What a beautiful way to begin the day. All of the children are full of excitement and whispers well ok ....except for the boys (grin). It is nice to know the children will get a taste of the fine arts in life this morning.

My little one is far from a beautiful dancer. She is more into frogs and rocks at this point in life. Give her a pair of jeans and a cool shirt and she is happy and content.

However she does allow... more

It looks like Michigan is in for an early fall. It has been very cold and we have had our share of the wet and rainy days too.

The trees are beginning to take on a beautiful whimsical look of color. The kids are back in school. So the routine of getting up a bit early and rushing the kids off to school has become our new morning ritual again.

My family has been all around me lately. We are doing a few home improvements and the boys have stopped by to see how it is all going. My oldest daughter and her family are staying with us as... more

If your children are anything like the normal every day lazy lumps in my house... You will need creative plans to help choose who does what and when on the chore charts.

We tried to have a family meeting with a chore list. We passed it around and everyone had to pick at least two chores from the list and volunteer to do them. Then the other left over chores would be assigned by mom or dad. Each child ending up with 3 chores per week. Other than general cleaning of their own rooms and the messes they made.

Well it took us a long time to get... more

Fall is finally here. September 23, 2006. It is hard to believe the year has passed by us so fast and summer is now behind us.

The kids are back in school. Football season is on it's way. Home coming floats are being made and Halloween is just a month away.

It is time to warm up the oven and get some fresh home made apple pies cooking. Filling your home with the smell of automn. Cinniman rolls and apple cider. Candy apples and carmel treats.

Going on long walks with your family and finding beautiful... more