Family

Most of us ponder the meaning of life. In all my trips around the sun, I found that this last one gave me the most insight into the simplest way to find the meaning of life. It all started with some conversations I had with my parents and my in-laws. They’re …

When I read Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In years ago, I definitely was inspired. I made a conscious effort to Lean In to so many areas of my life. I volunteered for stretch projects at work. I joined the board of a charity. I volunteered at school. I took project management …

I avoided yoga for most of my life, but when Yoga Pod opened close to my house, I went to check it out and bought a 10-class pass. After taking one class, I just knew – I need more of this in my life.   I exchanged that 10-class pass …

I like to imagine “balance” as this peaceful state of mind. It’s this feeling that everything is occurring in symbiotic coexistence. My life, my work, my personal happiness, it’s all at this serene, cue ocean wave white sound noises. That’s what balance is, right? It’s the perfect (by definition) system, …

They say you can lose your identity when you become a mom, and I do feel that way, because I spend all day every day with my toddler daughter helping her learn and grow. The weekends when dad is home from work, I hope he takes her out of the …

It’s finally here: date night. You’ve arranged a babysitter that is either your extended family that you’ve secured through begging and desperation, or it’s your Next-door neighbor acquired babysitter that comes complete with references, CPR training, and several comments agreeing that they are the best. In all reality, your babysitter …

My husband and I spent a recent Saturday morning attending a free positive parenting course, put on by Robin Brocklesby, founder of Embrace the PATH. Robin put together three free courses to expose parents in our community to this parenting model and see what the interest would be in doing more …

“My mother-in-law is a complete nightmare,” said my friend for the fifth time in the same conversation. In response, I gave a sympathetic smile and a few words of encouragement, and then thought about my mother-in-law. The “monster-in-law” sentiment can be an all-too-common scenario for many, and I feel fortunate …

A lot of people are not too excited about holidays, with added stress and expenses and family drama. And I’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t seem to enjoy or care about Thanksgiving. It gets kind of overshadowed by the heavy hitters of Halloween and Christmas, but it has …

This past weekend, we surprised our 2-year-old with a “Day out With Thomas,” put on by the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in Virginia City. It’s a 25-minute train ride, and many of the activities can fill a whole day. Here’s what I learned: Ideally, you want to show up about 45 …