My first morning back from my 5-week trip to California, I did an Instagram/Facebook post sharing the morning view from my living room in Hawaii... ^^ deck reconstruction (still) in progress... ;) Along with the photo, I shared this caption: When we are on the mainland, the conversation
Parenting and Family
When Your Kid Argues about Everything {5 tips}
Hi Friends! I'm just barely back from nearly five weeks in California. It was such a fantastic trip, with some great surf, (Luke had some great heats, and took 2nd place in the National Air competition! :)) and a thousand more memories made. While I unpack suitcases and hug my boys a repeatedly
Birth Order: What Middle Children Need Most from Their Parents
I seem to have a pretty good sample for a study on birth order... Josiah, 15 (below, left), Jonah (on the right, below,) 13, and Luke (center, below) almost 11. Levi, who arrived six and half years later, throws me for a bit of a loop. I always say he must fall somewhere between a first
What to Expect When Your Son Starts Puberty
Aloha Friends! Luke and I are all settled here in San Clemente, Ca., gearing up for a weekend surf contest (Luke) and a series of speaking engagements (me. :) ) If you happen to be in Orange Country, check THIS POST for a list of speaking times and locations, with links for more info! Before
3 Genius Responses to Peer Pressure
Teach your kids these 3 genius responses to peer pressure. I grew up in the 80's, when Nancy Reagan's Just Say No to Drugs campaign was a total thing. Everyone seemed to be talking about peer pressure, and Just Say No applied to any and all kinds of it: Drinking, drugs, sex, you name it. There
Five Ways to Avoid Mother’s Day Disappointment
5 Tips for avoiding Mother's Day Disappointment Aloha Friends! So...I was not planning to publish this post again this year. Since I wrote it a couple of years ago, and shared it again last year, I thought I'd take a year off. :) But the Today Show Site just published it on their
Why I Love the Enneagram, and How it has Helped my Family
Talking about the Enneagram Personality test, and how it has helped my family Hi Friends! I hope you're all well! :) I've enjoyed a little break from blogging for the past couple of weeks, during which time I: 1. Watched Luke surf his way to 2nd place in the Hawaii State Surf Championship!
What a Mom Needs Most from Her Family: 25 Things
I recently came across this post from 3 (short) years ago, and with Mother's Day right around the corner, I couldn't help but think HOW MUCH we moms could use this right now. I mean, really. Because if there is one thing I've learned in my nearly 19 years of being a mom it is this: PLAN AHEAD.
