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The Measure of Success

I was talking to a dear friend of mine late last night. We both were expressing our frustration with the men, or lack thereof, in our lives. We both have had such a strong desire to find a good man to share our lives with and have tried our best to live worthy of such a man; a man who would love and support us, who would be a good father and husband. I realized before long that we had both equated our success in life to whether or not we would ever marry. We both had such an intense … Continue reading →

Get Kids Involved in All Aspects of Scrapbooking

My 7-year-old has been scrapbooking since she was a preschooler. She started by helping me place stickers on layouts. Eventually, she learned how to stamp, and then mastered the art of adhering mementos to the page. These days she designs her own memory albums using a variety of embellishments; however, she is still working on including her own photos on the layouts. I am a huge advocate of getting kids involved in all aspects of scrapbooking, especially picture-taking. The boom in digital photography has made it much easier for children to snap scrapbook worthy shots without a ton of training. … Continue reading →

A Baby Blessing

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In the LDS church, we believe that we should be baptized when we are old enough to know right from wrong. As little babies, we don’t sin simply because we don’t know right from wrong. We also don’t believe that by being born we are born with sin. So, in our church, we do not baptize infants. But, having a new infant is still a very special time. That little life brought into a new home is so magical. You can’t help but feel how close they are to their Heavenly Father, and you can’t help but worry about the … Continue reading →

Estate Planning and the Step Family

For too many of us, estate planning is the thing we’re always going to get to but often don’t. It’s like flossing, but with exponentially greater potential for harm. I understand why we procrastinate, believe me I do, but a failure to act in this department can have a devastating effect on your family. Our financial planner had been after us to create an estate plan for a year; as we began preparations for an extended trip through Mexico, it seemed irresponsible not to have something in place. We contacted an attorney who came highly recommended, and blithely scheduled an … Continue reading →

For The Daddy-To-Be

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When the topic of pregnancy comes up, 99% of the time, all the information, advice, and attention is given to the woman. After all, it is she who is carrying the child, dealing with the symptoms of pregnancy, and going through the unforgettable experience of childbirth. But what about dad? Today’s pregnancy blog is just for you, daddy-to-be. I want to give you a little credit for weathering the storm of our mood swings, driving to the store to get us ice cream and pickles at 3am, listening to us complain about our round ligament pain, and letting us squeeze … Continue reading →

The Present Box

In a traditional family and an occasion arises that presents are called for, the other parent steps up to the plate, usually, and takes the child shopping for the celebratory parent. They might also help them to make a gift and/or a pretty card for the event. There is no problem. In a nontraditional family without the mother/father thing happening, the grandparents most likely will take over this responsibility for the absent parent. What happens when there is no other parent or grandparent? What about a friend or another close relative? You might not have that either. What next? First … Continue reading →

Do You Have a Favorite Child? (1)

Of course we love all our children the same. Or do we? When we are asked this question by our children we usually give the standard stock answer: “I love you all the same”. But the truth is parents often favor one child over another. If it is a barely discernible preference, the parent may be able to conceal it reasonably successfully and no major harm is done, especially if the preference involves only a short space of time. However, when the favoritism is consistent and blatantly obvious and continues for years, parental favoritism can one of the most harmful … Continue reading →

Appreciating Your Spouse’s Friendships

Last night as we sat down to dinner, the phone rang. We had a long day out wrapping up the Christmas shopping and doing a huge bulk session of grocery shopping to fill our freezer and be prepared for the coming winter months when getting out of the driveway is sometimes impossible. Needless to say, the kids were tired, hungry and cranky, and I had just dropped a box of organize shelf-stable chocolate milk on my toes, trying to get it down the basement stairs. So, my first instinct was to ignore the phone, but my husband got to it … Continue reading →

Let the Dancing Begin!

Finally! After a long summer my toe-tapping, tutu wearing, twirling toddler (okay, she’s more preschooler than toddler) will once again get to shimmy and shake with the best of them. ABC’s hit show “Dancing with the Stars” kicks off its seventh season next month and now we know, which celebs will be waltzing their way to that hideous mirror ball trophy. Take a look: Toni Braxton–The 41-year-old Grammy Award-winner has been paired with season one “DWTS” champ Alec Mazo. Lance Bass– The 29-year-old former ‘N SYNC singer will be two-stepping with Lacey Schwimmer a new addition to DWTS. (You might … Continue reading →

Downsizing Hollywood Style

Of course, “downsizing” is relative when you’re talking about people who drop $500 a day so their dog can get a massage. So when you see headlines screaming: “Candy Spelling is Scaling Back” don’t get ready to hand over your hanky just yet. The bazillionaire widow of TV mogul Aaron Spelling and the mother of reality TV star Tori Spelling is selling her world-famous 56,500 square foot Holmby Hills estate (better known as Los Angeles County’s largest home) and moving into a paltry 16,500 square foot penthouse. According to the Los Angeles Times, Spelling just shelled out $47 million of … Continue reading →