I don’t have the spiritual gift of mercy. After a couple of minutes of comforting one of my children after a boo-boo, I have to fight off the strong urge to say something like, “Look, there’s no bone protruding through the skin.  Unless this thing needs a tourniquet it’s time to get over it and move on.” While mercy is not among my...

Most of us agree we're too busy. But what should get cut from the schedule? I've heard many of you quickly volunteering to give up cooking dinner. I'm deeply moved by your willingness to sacrifice. I have to confess I've wondered if home-cooking is really all its cracked up to be, anyway. My pantry if full of handy-dandy, boxed, microwaveable,...

You wouldn’t believe the destruction five kids and two cats can generate in a family room. It amazes me that there are only seven people in the family, yet I can find three dozen shoes in there at any given time.  It’s like that little cobbler elf is manufacturing tennies under my sofa.  My children keep blaming the cat. There’s a reason...

Words are powerful.  It’s amazing how placing a simple word or two in the wrong spot can convey a completely different meaning than intended. A mistaken accent here, a missed syllable there and you can find yourself in a colossal misunderstanding.  As a matter of fact, even perfectly ordered words can carry sneaky double meanings that can get...

Would it frighten you to know that my five kids consume almost two gallons of milk and a loaf and a half of bread every day? I’m pretty pleased with myself when I can refrain from making pitiful moaning noises at the grocery store as the checker hits “total” and hands me a six-foot receipt. The checker usually assumes I’m stockpiling for...

Any other women having trouble buying for men? The last gift-giving occasion, I asked for a list from my husband. I had a tough time reading it. I kept dozing off. I’d share it with you, but I’d run the risk of snoozing through my own column. I’ll tell you, though, that the highlight was a paper shredder. I’ll provide the list if you’re...

My kids don’t know that people once played solitaire with real cards. When they were teaching me to play computer pinball, they laughed at me when I pounded the enter key to get the ball to go faster.  Of course, I laughed right back when I caught one leaning into the turns on his imaginary race track. The computer is a big part of our kids’...