Messy Hospitality

“I’M SO ANGRY AT YOU”!   My son’s yell echoed up from the lower level and bounced around the walls of the living room. My husband and I shared a glance before he made a beeline for the stairs and the gaggle of kids downstairs while I glanced...

Confident to Lead

Do you lack confidence to lead? It is normal to  have feelings of inadequacy, concerns of competence, and worries about overcommitting when contemplating a leadership role. Fear is the basis for these concerns, feelings, and thoughts. Although you know that fear is...

Wooden Mary and the Eighty-Eight Gifts

Every year I say I’m going to get my Christmas shopping done before December. This year, for the first time, I actually bought a few gifts before Thanksgiving. But here it is almost Christmas, and I still sit at my computer, searching Amazon for the perfect gift for a...

Bye-Bye Bah Humbug

You remember Ebenezer Scrooge, the famous character in Charles Dicken’s classic novel, “A Christmas Carol”, right? His most famous line about celebrating Christmas was, “Bah, Humbug!” In other words, he was so busy working and making...

Quick and Easy Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers

It’s almost Christmas, and New Year’s Eve is right around the corner. Perhaps there’s a party coming up to which you’ve been asked to bring an appetizer to share. It’s possible you are a bit worn out from all the fa la la, so what can you make that’s quick and easy...