We Are the Sum of Our Choices

It's that time of year in Wisconsin. Yesterday, we got about 4 inches of snow and ended up shoveling the driveway a couple of times. My youngest son is still home from college, and he was helping shovel with me. I was busy in the driveway, listening to my audiobook and pushing snow out of the way. He was working on the sidewalks. From time to time, I'd look up and see him out of the corner of my eye and smile. He's so tall now, like an actual, legitimate adult. That still b

My favorite part of the Milwaukee airport is right after you get through security. There's a place where you can regroup and re-organize after you've taken things out of your bags to be scanned. It's called the "Recombobulation Area" Part of why I like it is because it's a fun word to say. Every time I see that sign, it makes me laugh. I guess the opposite would be discombobulation, which is why we need to recombobulate in the first place? But I also like it because it gives

I received a fun, promotional gift this holiday season that reminded me of something really important in life. Shortly after my divorce in 2012, I stumbled upon a book by John Maxwell, called "The Difference Maker." It's an easy read, and much of it is what I would consider common sense. Things we should already know and just instinctively be doing. But as most of us have learned through the course of our lives, some of the simplest habits are the hardest to implement. The

I bought a wonderful, hand-carved wooden flower in Nassau when we were on our cruise. The vibrant colors caught my eye as we were walking through the crowded shopping area. At first, I was unsure how I would even transport it home in my luggage. Until the woman at the shop showed me that it came apart. What looked like a solid work of art was actually a fragile collection of pieces, skillfully put together to look like a whole. The petals, the leaves and even the butterfly an

I went out to do some last minute Christmas shopping yesterday and the stores were packed. People rushing, trying to find gifts for their family, friends, coworkers, even the mailman. Many of them looked frustrated and unhappy. That made me sad. This is supposed to be a happy time of year. Where we spend precious moments with our loved ones, listen to beautiful music, enjoy the warmth of a cozy fireplace and wear our favorite sweaters. I'll be honest...I don't enjoy the gift

I have this wonderful calendar on my dresser. 365 days of inspiration. Some weeks are so busy, I forget to turn the pages. The other day, I looked over at it and it was still on November 7th. I flipped 20 pages forward to the current day. And this is what I read: "I aim to pause, soak up the present, and be grounded in it." How ironic that this is the current page after 20 days had flown by and I barely remembered them. In this world of constant information, where we are con

It never fails. As soon as I get settled into wrapping presents, the tape disappears. Anyone else have this problem? I've got everything nice and neat around me. Wrapping paper, labels, tape, pen, tissue paper. I use the tape to wrap the first gift. But then, when I turn around to grab it for the next gift, it's gone! It's one of the great mysteries in life, I think. And practically a Christmas tradition at this point. I bought extra rolls of tape this year. Just in case. No

I broke down and bought a cover for my flat-top stove this week. If you read last week's blog, you'll understand why. It's heat-resistant and will protect both my stovetop and the things on top of my stove. Which will (hopefully) keep them from melting. And it expresses one of my favorite sentiments. Bonus! I like how it adds a little color and character to my kitchen. In fact, last night, I ended up using my air fryer and steaming vegetables in my microwave just so I wouldn

It was late. The party was winding down. The remains of our scary appetizers on their fun Halloween platters were scattered across the kitchen counter and the flat top stove. We were saying goodbyes to some who were leaving and laughing about the events of the night. And then... "What's that smell?" someone asked. A hint of burning plastic... A mad scramble to find the source revealed that somehow, one of the burners had gotten turned on. And it happened to have a plastic bo

It was a gorgeous day along Lake Michigan. We were just about to start our run, and I wanted to snap a quick picture of the Hoan Bridge in the sunshine before we did. I took out my phone, opened up the camera, put it in portrait mode and clicked the button. The picture that came out wasn't exactly what I was expecting. But it was interesting. The camera had put the focus on my finger, which I had accidentally put in front of the lens. The bridge faded into the background. I a

I have this amazing friend who knits super cool things. She made me an awesome pair of fingerless gloves a couple years back. I love them so much! Last winter, I wore them a lot, keeping them in the pockets of my favorite coat. Until one day, when I reached in the pockets and realized I only had one of them. I had lost the other. I looked everywhere for it. It made me so sad to think that it was gone forever. This summer, when cleaning out my car, my boyfriend found my lost

When is the last time you danced for no reason? Just let your happy show? A few weeks ago, Brian and I were out running errands. We came up to a stop light and there was a woman on a motorcycle in front of us. We had to do a double-take. She was wearing a giant, fuzzy, rabbit head over her helmet. Or at least that's what we think it was; it was hard to tell because we couldn't see the front of her very well. And she was dancing in her seat. With full-on arm movements and