About fifteen minutes before this breathtaking sunset, I stood next to three people at the bottom of a small hill in Laguna Beach. It was an older couple–same age as my parents, about sixty-five–and their adult daughter. The daughter was explaining to them how far the walk would be to get to the beach. “Just up this little hill and to the right,” she urged
Read MoreI’m the last child. The only girl. The little sister to two older brothers. Growing up, I didn’t give much thought to my allotted place in the family–I was fine with it, except every once in a while I’d wondered what it would be like to have a sister. I can shoot a three-pointer and change my oen tire on my bike, but I’m a
Read MoreMe and Debbie After my daughter was born, all I wanted was to be a stay-at-home mom. I imagined I’d spend my days pushing my daughter in a stroller through the park in the mornings, scrapbooking our family memories when I could sneak in some “me time,” as she napped in the afternoon, and then I’d prepare a pictorial-worthy family meal every night. It didn’t exactly happen
Read MoreI knew it was coming. “What sports do your kids play?” I had just met a few new parents at our neighborhood park and I was prepared and waiting for the question. It’s like the “what’s your sign” of the new-parent hookup. I don’t know when sports became the definitive activity in our kids’ lives, but I can say for certain—they have. What your kids are “in”
Read MoreAfter spending a week at my mom and dad’s house with my family I was overcome with one, albeit immature, feeling: NO FAIR! The first morning my mom had already prepared the breakfast table with every sweet delight that was banned from my house growing up — Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, enough sugar cereal to fuel a 7- and 10-year-old through more than a morning’s worth of tantrums
Read MoreI broke my back riding a blue-eyed horse named Nevada in the desert of Arizona and I’d do it all again in a second. I know. It sounds like the first line in a country song and has enough optimism to make an Oprah studio audience stand up and cheer, but it’s true. I was out for a ride with my girlfriends and a wrangler from
Read MoreI always wonder how other couple’s relationships work–what they talk about, if they brush their teeth side-by-side in the mirror every morning, how they decide on big-ticket items. It’s the little things couples do in public that make me stare and stand too close, trying to eavesdrop on their conversations. Like at Trader Joe’s the other day, a couple was standing in front of the boxed
Read MoreMy six-year-old son, Ben, wildly tore off the wrapping paper of his gift. He knew what it would be, the only thing he asked for: “A real magic kit.” He pumped his fist to his side “Yes” when he saw the little boy wearing a black top hat on the box. It was the gift. The only gift he really wanted and now he had
Read MoreDesigner dog: $2,500, check … “Juicy” dog sweater: $45, check … Leather collar with matching leash from Muttropolis: $130, check … Dog tag to identify your dog in case she gets lost: $5, but wait…ummm, can’t find it. I was shopping with my family at The Irvine Spectrum one night and we eyed this adorable teacup Yorkie sniffing a potted palm. She was dragging her designer
Read MoreI feel sorry for my coffee cup. I do. My husband says he can tell how my day fared by the state my morning cup ‘o joe. Here, let’s use this example. Below is a breakdown of a typical day for a mom’s coffee cup. 6:30 a.m. Pull coffee cup from un-run dishwasher and hastily rinse. 6:32 Abandoned cup in sink while I make two breakfasts and
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