Things To Do

I have 16 photos of my 3-year-old son on what would be his final day of life. In 14 of them, he is wearing a life jacket or puddle jumper, time-stamped photos of my boy, grinning proudly as we unknowingly marched toward the end. Our precious Levi, drowned in June …

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 …

Think back for a moment about your prom. Whether it was full of fun and frilly dresses — or a nightmare because the dude you were with was expecting to reach third base, and you weren’t ready — it was likely still an event that inspires abundant memories and maybe even a …

Fairly certain I risk losing my Mom Card for this admission: But I’ve never read “The Polar Express.” Nor have I, I guess I should add, ever seen the movie. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to the holidays. My approach can best be summarized by considering Christmas music: If …

By Jackie Shelton, Guest Contributor This season is so different from falls of the past: My kids are grown, my boyfriend’s kids are grown, and we find ourselves able to spend some time together on a weekend afternoon enjoying the abundant cultural opportunities that Reno has to offer. Which is …

When I wrote the book “100 Things to Do in Reno Before You Die,” I wrote about “Thing” #77, arte italia, almost entirely from the perspective of their culinary arts programs — a few times a year, the downtown destination invites revered visiting chefs to cook for lucky attendees in …

I didn’t learn to swim until I was 11 years old. I remember being frustrated when I went to the pool with my friends and I couldn’t hang out with them in the deep end as easily. There was one time, I remember trying to play “lifeguard” with my cousin and …

Today I was confronted by the “what ifs” of my worst nightmare. I walked through the doors of the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation (NNCCF) thinking about the sober reality underscoring the need for this non-profit: It is one of the first places families come after a cancer diagnosis of a child. …

We’re halfway into summer, and the “anyone know of anything free to do this week with my kiddos” questions are rolling in on the mom boards! I hear ya, mommas. Getting the kids out of the house without totally killing your budget can be challenging. Soooo….here are five free, or …

We were recently at a Reno Moms Blog gathering when the talk turned to selfies. Two of the women in the group are masters of the selfie. Most teens are also masters of the selfie, but they likely won’t be as patient in sharing their tips with moms. I needed …