This coming winter, when I’m complaining about the snow, ice, cold temperatures, limited daylight hours, chilly houses, extra outerwear requirements, bare trees… (and the list goes on…) and I ask, “Tell me again why I willingly live in the Northeast?” (because that question is inevitable…) Remind me of Northeast summers… And specifically, Northeast summer sunsets… Because to me, summer is… [...]

I would have given the world to see 4-year old Ben so excited about jumping off the diving board all by himself. But all Ben wanted was a SpongeBob Popsicle to celebrate this amazing feat… What I wasn’t prepared for, though, was Ben’s desire to jump off backwards.  No way.  And his first swim to the side of the pool [...]

We’re having a heat wave, A tropical heat wave, The temperature’s rising… Ah, the truth of the lyrics of Irving Berlin’s Heat Wave. Until the last lines… It isn’t surprising, She certainly can can-can. Can-can?  This body can hardly walk two feet without sweating buckets. And this leads me to my Im-perfect Bathing Suit. The temperature entered 3 digits here [...]

There’s nothing like seeing your kids love the beach as much as you do… Although, I don’t usually wear my pants as low as Henry’s…

GIVEAWAY from my Reddi-wip Backyard BBQ Party! You can WIN this great summer extravaganza GIVEAWAY from Reddi-wip: 1. Reddi-wip Coupons 2. Reddi-wip Recipe Cards 3. Green Picnic Basket 4. Harry and David Fruit of the Season Membership 5. Wire Fruit Bowl 6. Gardening Seeds 7. Beautiful Gardening Kit 8. Junior Herb Garden Kit All of my guests left with a [...]

I can still tell you every detail of my First Leaps of Summer from when I was a kid… first leaps off a diving board into a pool or off a float in a lake or into a wave in the ocean. I loved summer as a kid. I loved summer when my kids were kids. And I love summer [...]

I always get nervous around this time of year because I know that summertime brings big-time diaper rash for my guys. This summer I’m particularly focused on my only diaper wearing little man, Henry. My 4 sons have the most sensitive skin in the world, and I have to admit, I think they get it from me. My mother has [...]

Hey, why waste a perfectly good winter sledding hill just because it’s summer?  All you need are a couple ‘a grandchildren, a couple ‘a Tonka trucks and a Grandma!

The sun is spectacularly spectacular today, as it was yesterday as well.  Everyone seems to be smiling more and stepping a bit lighter and a lot happier. As I’ve written before, I don’t complain much about the weather because it’s truly is something I cannot control.  But 30-some-odd days of rain, clouds and thunderous storms do tend to crawl into [...]

The sun’s been peeking through the clouds here in New England… at least enough for swimming lessons in semi-frigid waters. Ah… And it was on the way home from “the pool” today that I learned a new word from one of my grandsons. DIVINGSAUR. Swimming lessons include a modified/assisted “jump” off the diving board, and Audrey’s 3-year old, Alexander, asked [...]