Blasting Into the New Year, Texas Style

If you’re ringing in the New Year in Texas, you’re going to see some fireworks. The first year we lived here, I admit, we were bewildered by it. But by the second year,...

Chicago (Part 2): Navy Pier At Night

After our self-designated walking tour of Chicago, I was tired, but feeling grateful for finding some good medicine that helped me enjoy our time that day. (I developed a *horrible*...

Now Those Are Some Whiskers!

iPhone apps are just too fun. This silly pic brought to you by Mustache Me (and a sleeping Alice). _______________________________________________ Share this post: Recommend on Facebook...

Meet Chicago Cabby Estaifan Shilaita

Estaifan Shilaita is not named in any tourist pamphlet I’ve seen for Chicago, he’s not listed as a highlight on any Chicago travel website. But he is, by far, one of the best...

Chicago (Part 1): Photos from Our Walking Tour

One thing we discovered right away during our trip to Chicago: it’s the perfect city for walking! (*note: to see the route we took during this day of sightseeing, here’s the...

{How I Wish I Were Going} Home for the Holidays

Another Christmas in Texas. Another holiday without family. To be fair, we missed a lot of holidays with West Coast family even when we were living in Oregon, but still. Living in Texas may...

Why Is Saving Money So Hard?

I overheard my two older daughters talking the other day about how they plan to save up and buy any of the presents they don’t get for Christmas. I chuckled out loud, which brought an...

I Use My Grandmother’s Dishes

Some people have heirloom dishes and keep them in a cupboard, or maybe even packed away in boxes. When I was given pieces from my grandmother’s set of dishes, I knew right away that I...

Wordless Wednesday: Christmastime at the Four Seasons Los Angeles

{Last week I was in LA attending a press junket for the upcoming Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (review & trip highlights coming soon), and we stayed at the Four Seasons Los...

One Mother, Two Women

There’s a “me” I’m worried my kids will never know, and sometimes the thought breaks my heart. If they had seen me during a work trip in Los Angeles last week...