Twice this week on TV I have watched two of the most famous and influentially powerful men on the planet discuss their children. I witnessed an entirely different side of these two. One of them has been performing before packed crowds in sold-out venues for decades, and the other was once the ruler of the free world. Read more

Parking space hunting, gift list rechecking, present wrapping, cookie baking, and school program attending have filled the days of this month. Christmas lights have been strung, stockings have been hung, and the cookies have been iced. Company events have commenced with white elephant gifts purchased, wrapped, and exchanged. Read more

“Scarlet, are you really that cold?” I would hear my Minnesota-born-and-raised father dressed in a shirt and shorts ask his Floridian bride. Growing up, there would be several occasions where I would find my mother curled up on the couch by the fire, wearing two layers of fuzzy socks, thick sweat pants that would drag as she walked, a sweatshirt, and to top it all off, she would be decked out in a full winter coat.  Read more

Is God asking you to do something or calling you to step into a position that you and those around you know that you can’t do? At first we are surprised and taken off guard. “He’s picking me?” we question. Like a kid at recess being chosen for the kickball team, upon hearing your name you glance to the left and to the right. You know the odds are against you even making contact with the ball much less running to first. Read more

“Mimi, you got anything in the garage that we can ride on?”

“Like toys? No, not really. Well, the double stroller I used to take you on walks with. Remember we used to go around the block in it?” Read more

There is something about the emotion I feel when I attend a “froufrou” event. Froufrou is an adjective describing something “very heavily decorated and fancy.” I’m sure you’ve attended a women’s event or bridal shower of this sort. You know, the kind where every “t” has been crossed and every “i” dotted. From gorgeous stemware to layers of linens on the tables down to the background music and the elaborately prepared meal, no sense has been overlooked. Immense preparation and forethought goes into the planning of such an extravaganza. Read more

Is it just me, or are any of my middle-aged readers constantly having to get their roots dyed? Seriously, if more than four weeks go by, I have a white stripe down the center of my dark head and can be easily mistaken for Cruella de Vil or a frisky skunk. Read more

Countless hours of my childhood were spent running around the park of Disney World. My dad started working there the day they opened and was still getting free tickets thirty years later. Most of the tourists’ children spent their once-in-a-lifetime trip making sure they had conquered Space Mountain and enjoyed the classic rides like Dumbo, but for those of us who were employees’ kids, we got to know all the ins and outs of some stores that often got overlooked by visitors on a mission. Read more

“Hello?” “Have you not had that baby yet?” my dad asked in his Alabama-born accent. “Nope.” I’m sure he could sense my deflated mood across the phone line. “Do you think that I would have already had the baby and not called you?” I snipped with a little chuckle to mask my frustration.  Read more

Brown grass. Cracked skin. Dry throat. Yep, you know exactly what I am talking about. These are things that have to be hydrated in order to function properly and maintain a healthy state. If too much time passes, desperation for even just one drop of water is at an all-time high because it is simply a necessity. Read more