We Are the Sum of Our Choices

Close to 9 inches of snow fell last weekend where I live in Wisconsin. A blanket of white, bright against the sunshine, welcomed me...

To life. And the ability to wake up another day and breathe. To the opportunity to learn something new at nearly every turn. To the...

The path we were hiking was snow-covered and slippery in spots, but mostly flat and smooth. The white of the snow glistened in the...

When I get my nails done, I usually choose a nice, stable, solid color. There's a beautiful purplish wine that I gravitate toward most of...

It's always an adventure when I come home from grocery shopping and open the back of my SUV. No matter how carefully I drive, things...

Flip flops. Tennis shoes. Knee-high boots. More tennis shoes. Strewn across my front entryway. There are only three of us who live here...

I tried something new for our family Christmas Eve celebration this year. Found it on Pinterest, of course. It was simple, only four...

It’s a week before Christmas and I’m mostly ready. Bought the last gift yesterday (I think!) And I'm almost finished wrapping already....

I picked up this cup at Goodwill the other day. I didn't need any more cups. But it spoke to me. It made me pause and think about all of...

The first thing you see when you come through my front door is the island that separates the kitchen area from the living room. There are...

I have a motivational sign on my desk in my office. It sits next to my fake plant (you know why it's a fake one if you know me). There...

In a city not far from Seattle, there is a playground in a cute little park. Next to the park is a path that circles around a beautiful...

I don't have very many pictures of me in mid-flight. But this one was fun. We were exploring Seattle, taking the day to wander. After...

Sometimes I think it takes an entire lifetime to find our sense of direction. Maybe longer than that even. Left or right? Straight ahead...

They show up in random corners, between fenceposts, and in the woodpiles in our backyards. Thin, silky lines of thread spun in intricate...

I paid 79 cents for this painted rock at Goodwill the other night. My son laughed at me when I bought it. But then again, he laughs at a...

There's a snowman hanging in the corner in my living room. He's been there since Christmas... Two years ago. Every once in awhile I spot...

Fall is my favorite season. The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors, I can wear boots and jeans... There's just something about...

It was a Wednesday night in the Smith household. Work was busy that day, productive, but busy and mentally exhausting. I had no desire to...

I try not to buy things that don't come pre-assembled. I'm just not mechanically-inclined that way (and I hate to ask for help). But...