Watching basketball has become a tradition in our house. Learn more about my love for the game in this week's blog!

The aloha spirit is alive and well in my favorite refuge of Hawaii. Read this week's blog for a peek into my most recent adventure.

Photo by Unsplash Valentine's Day was last week. I hope you had a good one. I love celebrating love. It provides me with a reason to make and give cards, bake treats, create a special menu, share (but mostly eat) chocolate, or shop for meaningful gifts. But most of all, I love a Happy Ever After . Whether it's a movie, TV show, conversation, or book, I enjoy it most when everything resolves with a happy ending. Soldiers returning home to surprise their family after a tour awa

My dream vacation always centered around Hawaii. Something about the islands proved irresistible. The warm water, marine life, vibrant flowers, sparkling sunshine, and the aloha spirit beckoned to me for years. And the food. I can't forget about the food. Photo by S. Williams My parents had a framed picture of Honolulu on their wall for many decades. It was a beautiful aerial photo, showing Waikiki beach with the majestic Diamond Head crater looming in the background. The gol

I have an old pair of Fiskars sewing scissors. They have iconic orange handles and are still very sharp. I only used them to cut fabric. Until they nearly cut off my son’s thumb. My littles knew not to touch them. We’d talked about why many times. Maybe too many. Perhaps I built up how sharp they were and that the kids weren't to touch them, and it made them irresistible. Who knows? It was an early spring day, and my two girls were out of school on break. My husband was at wo

Photo from Unsplash 2025 is upon us. Happy New Year, friends! I hope 2025 started gently for you. With 2024 a blur in the rearview mirror, I know many of us have made a list of resolutions to apply to our lives. They could include the following. Less screen time. More exercise. Less sugar or junk food in our diet. More time outdoors. Less stuff. More memories with family and friends. Start a new hobby. Stop a habit that isn't serving your best interests. I know I've considere

Music is a powerful tool that has the ability to pull us back in time. It can evoke joy, happiness, and nostalgia, as well as anger, sadness, and angst if the memories are difficult. Music calms fussy babies and provides a beautiful backdrop to a romantic date. It keeps you company (and awake) on a cross-country road trip. It can help you power through a workout and make or break the vibe at a party. Christmas music is in a classification all its own. Stores use it to entice

We reconnected with an old friend, Josh Bauder, last week and had the pleasure and honor of meeting his wife and daughter. Don’t you love it when you can pick up a friendship right where you left off? When conversation and laughter flow like no time has passed. Josh's wife, Chitty, blessed us with her culinary genius and we sat around our table eating and catching up for hours. His daughter, a sweet, shy five-year-old, played contentedly with our dog and the toys we keep for

I. Love. Fall. I'm grateful for the crisp, sometimes frosty air in the mornings. The glorious, brilliant, and ever-changing colors of the leaves. The crunch of said leaves underfoot once they've fallen off the trees. Raking piles of leaves just for the joy of jumping in them and doing it all over again. And raking again the next day because of the overnight windstorm. Pumpkins. Pumpkin lattes. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin doughnuts. The brilliant sunshine still beaming with a barely

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a pet. Usually a cat or dog and sometimes both. Nothing exotic or rodent-like though...

View from flight to Phoenix I recently attended a writers conference. It was the end of September and still 118 degrees in Phoenix. Hurricane Helene was hitting Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee as we flew from North Idaho to Arizona. One of my favorite authors, Dani Pettrey, was giving the opening keynote address. I've read her inspiring and entertaining books for years and was so looking forward to meeting her. She flew in a day early because she was coming from Florid

Fun news! I published my first story! It was an honor to collaborate with a group of writers, including newbies and published authors, on an anthology project. An anthology is a group of short stories published in one book. The authors hail from multiple states and meet weekly through Christian Writers Sanctuary . We are, and I quote from the website, “a group of Christian authors, writers, marketers, and IT professionals who have a desire to see people publish the work God h

Have you ever felt that little nudge? Heard the still, small voice that encourages you to do something? Go somewhere? Make a call? A visit? Send a note? An email? Flowers? I went to visit my grandmother this week at her assisted living facility. It ’s a comfortable place, with a caring staff, good meals, activities, and the opportunity to gather with friends. It has a lovely communal room to gather with family. But I don’t visit as much as I should. It's hard to watch belove

A friend recently mentioned that she longed for a whole day without any responsibilities. A whole day to do just what she wanted without meetings, phone calls, or deadlines. She loves her work and her life. But her heart cried out for a break. It made me stop and think. What would you do with an entire day to do with whatever you pleased? Would you sleep? I know some young mothers who might just choose to do that. A glorious nap without listening for a needy baby. A time to c

" So Many Summers ", a song by country singer Brad Paisley, struck a chord with me recently. As an artist, he creates beautiful word pictures with his music. I have many favorite memories of summer. There's nothing longer than the final afternoon of school before summer vacation. The hours tick by slowly until the final bell rings. Yee haw! Little League. Trips to the lake. The anticipation and nerves of summer camp. Days spent swimming and sunning on the dock. Learning how t

Definition of a reunion: An instance of two or more people coming together again after a period of separation A social gathering attended by members of a certain group of people who have not seen each other for some time I have to admit, the thought of a reunion fills me with trepidation. I'm an introvert and the idea of spending hours talking to people I haven't seen in a long time and don't necessarily know well, is daunting. Sometimes it’s hard to work up enthusiasm to go

I've always loved popsicles and ice cream in the summer. I don't eat them often now. But I have fond memories of enjoying the frozen treats with my children and from when I was growing up with my siblings and cousins. The grocery store in our little town, both as a child and when I had my own children, had a freezer case right up front by the register. Smart marketing but hard on moms. I know I used the same strategy with my kids that my mom and grandmother used with me while

We observed the 4th of July this past week. To some, it was another routine workday. Maybe a day to veg and recharge. Others went camping or boating. Some visited friends or embarked on vacation in a new state. Sports fans watched a baseball game. Many celebrated with a cookout and fireworks. The hiss, sparkle, and boom never fail to bring a smile to my face. Unless it's 2:00am and we just got the grandkids and scaredy cat dogs to sleep. Again. July is one of my favorite mon

I love to bake bread. I learned the basics watching my mom, grandmother and great grandmother. Fresh bread, butter, and honey was a special treat. Special occasions always warranted fresh bread or rolls. My husband and I received a bread machine as a wedding gift many years ago. It was great to have a fresh loaf waiting when we’d get home from work. He will never let me forget the time I forgot to add the yeast. We were having company over for lunch after church, and I was so

Thoughts on stubbornness and procrastination inspired from the life of Kona.