The sky was ominous out my window on Friday October 2, 2015 and it had been raining on and off for what seemed like days. Weeks, even. Saturday came, and more rain. I remember baking batches of pumpkin muffins while the kids played indoors. We were happy, content with the pitter patter as my kitchen filled…
Monogrammed Pencil Cases and Pumpkin Spice: Ready or Not, Fall is Coming
Have you ever noticed that a freshly-cut August lawn has a completely different smell than a freshly-cut June lawn? August hangs in the balance between summer and fall, on the cusp of new beginnings and fresh starts. Even though it may still feel hotter than a thousand suns by 3 p.m., there are certain August mornings…
Beyond Bless Your Heart: When You’re Raised on Southern Phrases
I am blessed (my heart and the rest of me) to have not one, but two amazing grandmas in my life. These two very special- yet very different- ladies have taught me so much. Y’all, there is something to be said for raising a combined total of nine children, bevys of grandchildren and umpteen great…
Home Alone (Um, You…Not Your Kids)
One of the things that jumped that up and slapped me in the face when I became a parent was the fact that I was no longer ever in my house alone. For someone who is a self-proclaimed introvert and finds renewal in solitude (or at least in the freedom to come and go without…
Pick Your Battles, Save Your Sanity
As parents we have numerous opportunities every day to shape the lives of our children and the people we would like for them to become. That’s what it’s all about, anyway, right? Growing your children into responsible adults who are able to contribute in a positive way to our society? My husband always says, “We…
Life Lessons From My Dad
My dad is probably the most difficult person to purchase a Father’s Day gift for. When you ask him what he would like for any special occasion , he will always answer the same way: “I don’t need a thing.” And he does not say it in the way most people do when they really…
You See Me Rollin’: A Girl and Her Cars (Not a Love Story)
I have never really considered myself a Car Person. It has never mattered that much to me what kind of wheels were getting me from Point A to Point B. If someone were to, say, hand over a sizeable amount of money to me, upgrading my vehicle would not come before upgrading my entire footwear…
Three Magic Summers of Youth to Relive Today
I remember listening to the Jimmy Buffet song “A Pirate Looks at Forty” when I was in high school. I pictured that pirate looking kind of like the Gorton’s Fisherman – weathered, ruddy and waaaay old. I mean, back then thirty was pretty much the end of the line and forty was beyond my un-furrowed…
The Sick Day: Your Prescription For Relinquishing Control
This week the unthinkable happened, y’all. Wait for it… I got sick. Yep, I know it is just not supposed to happen to someone who has been rather braggy about only using her sick days for the better part of the last decade to take care of other people, but my number was up and…
You Can’t Do It All: Ten Clone Personas Every Woman Needs
This is the excerpt for your very first post.
Up Early + Often 