Van Halen? Mom, isn’t that some old-fogey band from way back?

posted 08:57 AM 06/10
Permanent Link | Comments

The soundtrack of my childhood was made up of my dad’s favorite country music artists: Marty Robbins, the Oak Ridge Boys, John Denver, Hank Williams Sr. and Eddy Arnold.

Sometimes, we’d visit our grandparents, and Uncle Gary would let my sister and me wear his headphones, and listen to disco music on his “hi-fi.” But most of the music we heard came from the 6-foot-long Curtis Mathes television and stereo combo in our living room. It was extra fancy because it had a record player and an eighttrack tape player. And the only records or eight-tracks we owned were classic country and gospel music.

Music as we knew it changed when I was about 10 and my sis was about 13, and our parents surprised us with AM/FM radio alarm clocks.

Read more …

Tailor your Mother's Day gift to your mom

posted 04:10 PM 05/08

With Mother's Day on May 12, it’s a great time to celebrate everything you love about your mom. And if you want to do something more than a card and flowers, or are in search of an idea to spoil her now or later, try one of these gifts of experience, organized by popular television shows. Simply find your mom’s favorite show, and try the activity.

Suggestions for the world’s greatest instruction manual

posted 11:40 AM 04/29

How to help your child with sixth-grade algebra without using your fingers to count, complaining about “new math” or having a panic attack and crying.

Take time to figure out right camp for your child

posted 11:47 PM 04/13

Day camp or overnight camp? Horseback riding or computer programming?

Summer camp primer: Is your child ready?

posted 03:56 PM 04/09

Day camp or overnight camp? Horseback riding or computer programming? Families have so many options for summer camps; choosing the right one for your child can be overwhelming. I talked with Chelsea Hendrikx, a spokeswoman for the American Camp Association’s regional office, to get her advice on selecting camps and dealing with separation issues.

8 ways to keep the kids busy (without resorting to electronics)

posted 11:49 PM 03/30

Looking for something to keep the kiddos busy this spring?

Coping with the yearning for another baby

posted 02:12 PM 02/06

We decided to stop at three children because my husband doesn’t want any more children, and I don’t want to find a different baby daddy. It’s a touchy subject. I’m not opposed to sticking with three, but sometimes the fact that a fourth has been ruled out makes me a little sad.

Kids aren't the only ones who have to toughen up for junior wrestling

posted 04:03 PM 01/23

We’ve survived numerous dance recitals, horse exhibitions, youth soccer and T-ball games. But I don’t think anything could have prepared us for the world of junior wrestling.

BUSY MAMA: I resolve to be less stressed about my resolutions

posted 11:45 PM 01/12

Here’s what I love about January: Thanks to the tradition of resolutions, it’s essentially a clean slate.

Stretch budget as end of 2012 nears

posted 07:32 AM 11/11

I love a good bargain. Thanks to reused materials, hot-glue-gun skills and creativity, we only spent about $10 a kid on Halloween costumes. We probably could have gotten by cheaper, but our 5-year-old insisted that he needed a new plastic ax to spiff up last year’s knight costume.