Blog Carnivals

A little lipstick and independence

My mother taught me so many things, it’s hard to choose which to write about. What always stands out for me was her fierce independence as a young woman. She told me she could do anything as well as the boys when she was a kid and she proved it to them often. She ran away from an abusive father to...

What I Learned from My Mom

When we had Thanksgiving at our house, my mom cooked every dish from scratch. She baked fresh bread, cooked five-course Chinese dinners, and made jam from blackberries that we picked -- and she worked part-time. Though I don't have the patience for the kitchen that she does (and I don't know how...

My mom helped me understand that I should appreciate what I have, while I have it.

My mom helped me understand that I should appreciate what I have, while I have it. Some of that's really small stuff. My earliest memory is being washed in the kitchen sink, and then, my disappointment when we had to move that to the bath. Later, well, I loved having pajamas with the feet in them,...

Lessons from my mom

Always make time to play with the kids. (Or grandkids.) When the family is gathered, my dad often complains that my mom is wasting time "piddling around with the kids" rather than doing something he wants her to do. She usually ignores him, because she figured out long ago that kids grow up way too...