Desserts Kid-friendly Kids Recipes

Football Sugar Cookies – Perfect for Game Time!

It’s no secret with my family – I love making sugar cookies. I have a giant collection of cookie cutters that I have collected over the years. We have used them for cookie making, play-dough cutting, ceramic templating, and crayon outlining.  The kids and I have used them for all kinds of crafts over the …

Entrees Recipes Side dishes Vegetables

A Tasty Way to Eat Your Veggies ~ Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

One of my daughters’ friends just messaged me asking me for this recipe. She said she searched my blog but couldn’t find it ~ so here it is! This pasta bake has been in my repertoire of easy, yummy, and fancy enough to serve to diner guest for a few years now.  I first made …

Decorating Family Home Kids

Honoring the Artists in Your Home: Setting Up a Family Art Gallery

I come from a family of artists.  Below is an oil painting done by my great-uncle, Roland Mousseau. I have always loved art, and creating art.  How lucky for me – that when I was a child I had Uncle Rollie! When I was young, Uncle Rollie graciously became my pen-pal! We never met in …

Book Clubs Family Friends Inspire

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

In our lives we cross paths with many different folks. I love meeting new people. and for this reason, I am a mingler at parties. I enjoy striking up conversations.  Actually, I like to ask questions.  I tend to be a better listener than talker. We all have stories to tell and I love to …

California Great Restaurants Travel

A Manhattan in Venice

One of the aspects of travel that I really enjoy is the exploration of new neighborhoods. I love meandering through the shops and finding hidden gems. Our weekend cottage was off Abbott Kinney Blvd in Venice,CA. This street was named the “Coolest block in America” by GQ magazine.  Indeed, it offered great shopping and dinning …

Family Home Kids Mealtime Organization

Planning Meals for a Blended Family

It’s Thursday evening, and in my world, that means time to go grocery shopping.  Our family is the modern-day Brady Bunch, but unlike the television show, we share custody of the children.  With one son out of college and living on his own and three daughters away at college, we really only have the two …

Family Mealtime Recipes Salads

For Today’s Potluck ~ Wild Rice, Chicken and Tarragon Salad

One of the fun things we do at the school I teach at is to organize staff potlucks.  The sunshine group picks a theme, places a large sign-up banner in the staff room, and everyone plans to bring something in. Today is a salad potluck day, and I signed up to bring one of my …