• My Kid Has Mad Skillz

    Exactly Like Tijuana, But Different.

    If you ever went to Tijuana, Mexico before it became overrun with guns and gangs, you know that it was a great place to practice your negotiating skills while picking up huge bottles of vanilla extract or silver jewelry at garage sale pricing. Walking down the streets past all of the shops that were crammed together like nobody’s business, you quickly noticed that though you might find the perfect Mexican wool blanket in one stall, another one of equally beautiful design could probably be found two doors down, making “Let’s Make a Deal”-style negotiating a normal occurrence. The shop owners would beg you to come closer: “Hey Lady! Such a…

  • Random Thoughts,  Travels

    When College Smells Like Chocolate

    The last time I updated you on the older boy’s college search, it was to tell you about the local community college and how our tour guide was, shall we say, probably not the best person for that job. Since then, we hadn’t, until Friday, made any actual visits, but the brochures and various other paperwork are cluttering up our mailbox on a daily basis and one of these days we’re going to have to reformat my lovely college information filing system. On Friday we drove over the northern border to America’s Dairyland in order to visit a private college which is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in…

  • Family Fun,  Random Thoughts

    (He) Don’t Need No, No No No Parental Guidance Here*

    *(Thanks, Judas Priest!)As children grow, there are certain milestones associated with different ages. Turning ten means you’re out of single digits. Turning twelve means you are likely to be left home with younger siblings as the babysitter. Turning thirteen means that you are officially a teenager (and, if you’re Jewish, you become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah). Turning fourteen means something, I’m sure (can’t think of it). Fifteen is the glorious year during which you can get a driver’s permit. Sixteen is when you can get a driver’s license. Eighteen means you can vote. But what about seventeen? No need to wonder; I’ve got your answer right here. About ten…

  • Family Fun,  My Dad Has Mad Skillz,  Too Funny To Ignore

    Once Upon A Tine

    Well, my Dad is back by popular demand! If you missed his guest post last week, I encourage you to go back and read it, here. This week, he’s sharing the other big story from his childhood that has kept us in hysterics since we can remember. I hope you enjoy it! (Aw, actually, I *know* you will enjoy it.) ONCE UPON A ‘TINE’ (Or, ‘Tine’ heals all wounds…’ almost!) As I continue my journey down memory lane, (which I don’t normally like to do, unless it’s about tormenting my older sister) another pleasant story about HER and me comes to mind and never fails to make me smile. This…

  • Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  Family Fun,  Reflections on Parenting,  Travels

    There’s Just No Getting Rid of the Elephant in the Room.

    If you know me at all, you know that I take scads of pictures. I’m no talented photographer like my sister, but if you are at the same event or outing as me, you can rest assured that my face will be behind my little old 6.1 MP digital camera*. It’s great for documenting family history, but I often find myself reflecting, as I’m snapping pictures, on the fact that having my face behind a camera so often really does take the focus (no pun intended) away from truly enjoying that moment with my family. It’s almost like I’m momentarily an outsider, looking in. There is no greater example of…

  • Working On My Fitness

    And On the 31st Day, She Rested.*

    Halleluyah. I finished the 30 Day Shred yesterday. Good thing, too, because my body is, as Jillian would say, “Scuh-REEMING” for a break. The month actually flew by for me, because I was busy in general. It seems like I started only a couple of days ago. How’d I do? Well, I did as well as I expected to. Adding this workout every. single. day. was difficult mentally sometimes, but because I am sort of obsessive once I make a goal, I did it. I can’t review this DVD and how would work for just anybody who might want to try it, because people start off at all different levels…

  • Family Fun,  Food,  I'm Apparently Old.

    Going Balls-Out On His Birthday

    When the boys were little, I made them rainbow cakes just as I do these days. The difference back then was that I knew what the cake theme would be for weeks. In some cases, months. (’cause that’s how I roll) Their birthday parties were planned according to a theme down to the very last detail, and I enjoyed every minute of doing it. We had parties in the following themes: rocketships, cars, Blue’s Clues, Magic School Bus, trains, and many more than my aged mind cannot remember at this moment. They were all glorious. As they got older, birthdays didn’t become any less important but, post-Bar Mitzvah, we just…

  • Best Thing Ever,  Confessions,  Family Fun,  I'm Apparently Old.,  Jim Has Mad Skillz,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz,  We Are An Awesome Couple

    When Holidays Collide: Happyfather’sbirthday!

    Today is a very special day. Yeah, sure, it’s Father’s Day; everyone knows that. In our house, however, we’re celebrating something in addition: The older boy turns 17 today! WOW! Take a moment and absorb that reality with me. How is it even possible that Jim and I, being so youthful (and great-looking) ourselves, could have a son who is 17? No idea? Me neither. Anyway, this is only the third time that Father’s Day has fallen on the boy’s birthday (including his BIRTHday). The last time was in 1998. To be completely honest, though I have photos in the closet of that birthday, I can’t remember it. Instead, I…

  • Family Fun,  Too Funny To Ignore

    Dad, Meet Everybody. Everybody, Meet My Dad!

    In trying to decide what to post on the Friday before Father’s Day, I hit upon a rare stroke of genius. The posts that I write about my Dad are always pretty popular, not because of the writing but because he is such a character. For as long as I can remember, my Dad has been a big hit with all of my friends. He is hilarious (well, most of the time anyway) with a dash of twisted insanity, like how he used to enjoy making my kids cry when they were babies. But that’s another story. Anyway, I thought to myself, “Hey, Melisa with one S! (because that’s what…

  • Family Fun

    No Need To Be Impressed. YOU Can Make Them, Too!

    The younger boy did me a favor and filmed me* making a tissue paper flower. Try it. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is! Really! (and there’s a little bit of mom-son banter, as a bonus!) *I also took video of him doing a “how to” on duct tape wallets…but it turned out to be 3 minutes too long for Youtube. Wah. We’ll do it over again; I want to post it on Saturday in case any of you need a last-minute Father’s Day gift!