In the first month of the year, I attended three funerals. One for an almost 92-year-old force-to-be-reckoned-with woman, with whom I shared a birthday; one for a friend’s brother, only 31 years old; one for another friend’s mother, who recently turned 65. I attended each of these services for...

For the second time in United States history, a President will serve for two non-consecutive terms. It is only the third time Inauguration Day and MLK Day coincide (the second inaugurations of presidents Bill Clinton in 1997 and Barack Obama in 2013 being the other two occasions).  Homeschooling allows...

“What exactly is the function of a rubber duck?” Arthur Weasley asks Harry in the movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. One of the original purposes included checking the temperature of bath water. In recent years, a couple of my favorite YouTubers have determined, “Ducks...

Can you believe we’re in the last month of the year already? As such, it seems only natural to reflect. I’ve chosen a “word of the year” over multiple New Year’s Resolutions for many years. My word focus often goes in a different direction than I planned. As a...

Do you have specific holiday traditions? I believe in making the most of every day and creating memories. Whether it’s an official holiday or a movie marathon, these memories often start in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking and making treats. However, my treat-making started because of food allergies. It’s...

Both Thanksgiving and Christmas were my Grandmother‘s forte. She prepared the turkey, dressing, and most sides for many years. She enjoyed this time, even when it was stressful. She would complain or fuss about some things, but go on about her work (sometimes, we thought she fussed for fun)....

This was NOT a good year for our tires. Actually, the trouble began at the end of 2023, with a bolt in a tire. In February, we had our first “changing a tire on the side of the road” incident. I was able to pull into a gas station....

Many years ago, I heard a song by Hallal, called “Broken Things.” The song begins with the plight of the farmer, pushing the plow and fighting the elements. The farmer is weary from the work. The chorus says, “Oh Lord who uses, broken things/ Who through broken clouds, gives...

One Sunday morning in June of 2023, I woke up to a weather alert on my phone: areal flood advisory. This didn’t make any sense. When we checked the forecast the night before, there was no chance of rain for ten days (as far as the app lets you...

As I think about, pray about, and teach about the election this year, I am not focused solely on Super Tuesday. I’m not even worrying about the outcome or its implications. Rather, my focus is teaching my children about OUR election. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,...