Parenting
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What Makes A Good Teacher?
What makes a good teacher? The answer is simple. A good teacher knows the importance of creating a desire for life long learning. A good teacher knows the value of an education. My Story I didn’t grow up wanting to become a teacher. I had no interest in school and no desire to go to college. Both my grandmothers and my mother were all stay-at-home moms. There was no talk about my future and what I may want to do after I graduated high school. I had no idea what college was like or why I should go. I was taught that it was bad to be a working mom because then…
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Summer Reading List for Middle Grade and Young Adult
Summer Reading List for Middle Grade and Young Adult I’ve been so busy working on my next two books that it’s always a pleasant surprise when someone emails me and asks for an author visit for MYSTIC. I get to be surrounded by happy kids and talk about two of my favorite subjects reading and writing. I have three visits in the next two weeks. Woohoo! I’m ready! During my author visits I always share some of my favorite books. I tell the students that I’d love for them to enjoy, MYSTIC, but I know my story isn’t for everyone. The goal is to find what you love to read. Please feel free to leave a comment…
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Carnegie Hall To The Boston Marathon
When Kai began piano lessons at age five and Arielle discovered wheelchair road racing in middle school, I had no idea, years later, it would lead to a weekend of watching Kai perform at Carnegie Hall followed by Arielle racing in the Boston Marathon. Describing the amount of joy I’ve felt over the past five days is difficult. Walking through New York City, my eyes suddenly welled with tears knowing I needed to cherish each moment. This was a once in a lifetime weekend. I was proud of my children. Proud that they were following their passions. Proud that they had the courage to take on such huge challenges. Proud of the…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Threshold
“Leaving the old, both worlds at once they view, That stand upon the threshold of the new.” Edmund Waller WordPress has a weekly photo challenge. I’ve decided to give it a try because taking pictures slows me down and helps me see every day beauty. This week’s theme: Threshold. Threshold moments are those moments when you come to the realization that everything is about to change. I remember standing alone in a hospital bathroom trying to figure out how to get the tiny gown around my huge belly while also wrapping my head around the fact that I was on the threshold of motherhood. Eighteen years later, I stood in the doorway of my…
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Easter Treats
Arielle and I had to make our Easter treats early this year because this Easter Sunday she’ll be in Boston getting ready for the Boston Marathon! Check out her posts on training for the marathon on NPR. We decided to try making chocolate Easter eggs/nests/baskets. Try being the key word. Here’s where we got the idea: Howdoesshe.com As you can see from the picture we had to do some improvising. The white chocolate was easier to work with than the dark. If you use dark chocolate be sure it’s completely set before popping the balloon. If you’re going to leave the chocolate out on the counter to dry I would give…
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2 Family Fun Activities in Ft. Myers, Florida
2 Family Fun Activities in Ft. Myers, Florida All Island Water Sports It can be challenging finding activities all four of us enjoy. After seeing the weekend weather called for one day of rain and one day of sun I set out to find family activities that didn’t include malls or movies. I found two great ones! Vino’s Picasso and a dolphin tour on jet skis at All Island Water Sports. I live with three adventurous spirits. As for me, I prefer to keep my feet on the ground. However, there is one activity I’ve always loved and that’s riding the waves on a jet ski. While the rest of my family boasts speeds above sixty, 23 miles per…
