For most of 2016 I ignored the pesky ten pounds I’d put on when I stopped my long-established routine of stepping onto the bathroom scale every morning. I can’t remember exactly why or when I abandoned the one weight-management habit that seemed to work; but I’m guessing the extra pounds were payback for the smug attitude I had developed when the same number flashed up at me every morning for years. Continue reading “Most Dieters Focus on What They Hope to Lose…But the Real Surprise is in What Can Be Gained”
And So, The Countdown to the Summer of 2017 Officially Begins . . .
I always have mixed emotions with the arrival of spring. Don’t get me wrong; I love the longer days, the warmer weather, and the explosion of color that’s replacing more of the gray shades of winter each day. But spring is petal-to-metal busy around here. The next eight weeks is when Tim and I transition our home from a winter sanctuary to the welcoming lake house so many friends and family help us enjoy each summer. Continue reading “And So, The Countdown to the Summer of 2017 Officially Begins . . .”
World Down Syndrome Day: My Thirty Year Perspective
I did not invite Down syndrome into my life; it crashed my party. In that devastating moment when my hopes and dreams for my newborn daughter were ripped away, I couldn’t imagine anything could be worse. Fast forward thirty years, and hindsight, as it often does, has replaced the pain and fear I felt in those early days after Stephanie was born with appreciation for an amazing journey that with all its challenges and flaws has made us a stronger family and me a better person.
Today is World Down Syndrome Day and I suspect the average person woke up this morning not knowing that; I certainly had no idea. Continue reading “World Down Syndrome Day: My Thirty Year Perspective”
The Hometown Where I’ve Never Lived
We’ve all been there, you plan a family beach vacation for spring break and ten days out you start compulsively checking the weather app on your phone because you know how iffy March can be for Carolina beaches. You watch with frustration as the forecast deteriorates each day from a pleasant 75° and sunny to a dreary 42° and rainy the night before you leave; at which point you frantically repack the suitcases removing all the shorts and t-shirts to make room for sweaters and long-pants. Continue reading “The Hometown Where I’ve Never Lived”
I’m Striving For Moderation . . . Unless We’re Talking About Ice Cream
I don’t consider my relationship with ice cream to technically be an addiction; after all, I just went ten weeks without it. But it is most certainly the biggest challenge my willpower faces, with other favorites like chocolate, Egg McMuffins and wine far easier for me to resist. Now that I’m easing up on the strict diet I embraced earlier this year, my occasional over-the-top love for ice cream might present the only real glitch in the otherwise smooth transition to a more moderate approach to healthy eating.
Since my newly revamped lifestyle is intended to allow me to enjoy living on my own terms, I’ll go on record right now that two key elements of the life I cherish are eating ice cream when it pleases me and fitting into my skinny jeans. Continue reading “I’m Striving For Moderation . . . Unless We’re Talking About Ice Cream”
Dear Millennials: Good News! History is on Your Side
Balancing a household budget and ultimately making ends meet for a growing family has never been easy. Add in the expectations to save for a house, college for the kids and that distant notion of retirement and I’m sure it seems impossible. Some of my favorite people happen to be millennials that are challenged with this classic problem right now, and I can assure them this dilemma is not unique to their generation.
But there’s no arguing millennials were the group hardest hit by the Great Recession. These college grads saw the number of entry level jobs shrink, depressed starting salaries and the highest levels of student loan debt in history. It shouldn’t be so surprising that millennials have flocked home in record numbers to seek refuge with mom and dad, often delaying many of the traditional rites of passage into adulthood: career, marriage, children, homeownership. Continue reading “Dear Millennials: Good News! History is on Your Side”
Retirement Lessons from a Six-Year-Old
One of our local morning shows ran a segment providing tips for a fulfilling retirement. The life coach being interviewed gave the advice touted in hundreds of magazine articles and books; much of it centering around the familiar stopping to smell the roses and finding new purpose sort of themes. Having just spent a couple of days with my grandson, Caleb, it struck me that quite possibly the best role models for making the most of our senior years are young children.
Here are four lessons I learned this week from my six-year-old retirement mentor: Continue reading “Retirement Lessons from a Six-Year-Old”