Family
Scottish Date Cake
I have no idea where this recipe actually came from, but it’s one that Tim found after eating something similar at a restaurant back in Ann Arbor. “We can’t share our recipe,” the owner said, “but I can tell you that if you search for XYZ, you’ll find something similar.” I don’t remember what XYZ…
Read MoreWhat I Realized
While I’m grateful that 2019 is behind us, I’m also grateful for the realizations I gained over the prior year. I’m listing them in no particular order. Acquaintance circles might stretch for miles, but the number of true friends a person has is very few. Using people is something that much of humanity…
Read MoreGingerbread
In all my years of baking, I have not once baked real gingerbread nor made any gingerbread people. But my children love most of the gingerbread man book variations out there. So this year when Melina said, “Can we make some real gingerbread people?” I said yes. I would have scoured the internet for a…
Read MoreI Am
Ever since she discovered HGTV, Melina envisions becoming an interior designer. Thanks to shows like Property Brothers, Fixer Upper, and Love It or List It, she talks about open floor plans, wainscoting, and the difference between coffered and tray ceilings. She draws floor plans of houses she might like to help build someday, and her…
Read MoreThe One About the Reindeer
This post isn’t for the wee little beasts, unless you want to answer a few questions that deal with a somewhat more mature subject matter. Two Christmases ago, we bought Zoe and Talia a pair of swants. University of Michigan-themed swants to be exact. What are swants exactly? Pants made of sweater material. Apparently these…
Read MoreThankful
On days when I’m not sure what to write, I sometimes go back to all the words I’ve written (here or on the blog) and see what life was like a year, two years, or even more, ago. I checked to see what was happening around June 8/9 last year; thankfully, I can say, “Not…
Read MoreFear
“I’m scared.” Her eyes opened wide and the tears, which had been perched on the edge of her lower lid, made their escape. Her flushed cheeks glistened with the wetness. I rubbed her back, my hand making slow circles against her cotton shirt. “I know you are,” I said. “But it will pass.” I stopped…
Read MoreAdjusting My Aim
We have five four-legged animals who live with us. As much as I love them, they do require some maintenance. We buy good food and litter for the cats, as well as good food and toys for the dog. We have veterinarian costs to think about, too. I’ve been thinking lately that these friends of…
Read MoreHigher Plane
Back in December 2015, I wrote a post for Literary Mama’s After Page One Blog about writing and healing. I end the piece with, So I held to the singular goal of blogging each day. I put a few words down some days, many words other days, and as I did so, the weight of…
Read MoreOriginal Plan
This past Wednesday was my last day of school until the fall semester. Despite a bad cold, I managed to walk into each of my classes, hand out the comprehensive exam, and sit upright until all students had turned the tests in. I even graded the exams and put the scores into the computer that…
Read More