For many of us Americans, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer season.  So it can be easy to forget how Memorial Day came about in the first place, and why it is important for us to continue to commemorate and celebrate it.

According to the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Memorial Day was initially known as Decoration Day, and the first major observance of it was held at Arlington Cemetery in May 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War. Read More →

I have always been a big fan of watching the Olympics.  I find it so exhilarating to watch the top athletes from all over the world compete with each other and showcase their amazing talents in their respective sports.   And every time each Olympics comes to a close, I can’t help but feel a bit of sadness over it.    Even though I know that there will be another Olympics in a couple years, I still feel a sense of loss in seeing the current Olympics end.  There are probably others who feel this way too.   That got me to thinking about WHY we feel this loss  —  after all, it’s ‘just” the Olympics.  Or is it? Read More →

As we come upon another Super Bowl weekend, I can’t help but think of my favorite part of every Super Bowl — the COMMERCIALS.  And the ones that always seem to get into my “Top Ten” each year are the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials.  I am pretty sure that many other people would agree with me.  In fact, I just read an article by Gabe Zaldivar of the Bleacher Report, about the new Clydesdale commercial for this weekend’s Super Bowl.  It’s about a relationship between a puppy and a Clydesdale.  You can go on YouTube to see it, and let me just say that I needed my box of tissues when I saw it (and apparently, so did Mr. Zaldivar…) Read More →

As the holiday season comes upon us once again, I am starting to feel the stress of adding even more things to my already-long To-Do List.  It seems that this is a common feeling among many people during this time of year, and especially among moms.

Many of us moms get caught up in planning for holiday parties and get-togethers, family photo shoots, gift exchanges, holiday menus and recipes, etc.  — on top of all the usual daily events, such as work, after-school activities, housework, homework, and making dinner.  We compare ourselves with other moms, wondering whether and how we can keep up with them and all the extra stuff THEY can fit into their daily schedule. Read More →

Many of us may remember that old childhood poem that goes:

“John and Jane,

Sitting in a tree,

K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

First comes love,

Then comes marriage,

Then comes the baby

In the baby carriage.”

In my past experience, this poem was usually recited by pre-teen girls, in the presence of another pre-teen girl and/or her male crush, to tease them about their (sometimes mutual) attraction to each other. Read More →