Caretaker Stories: Feeling Guilty

I’ve been composing this post in my head since I read about the Utah State University study on the relationship between caretakers and Alzheimer’s patients. I was one of the primary caretakers for my grandmother — who among other health issues has Alzheimer’s disease — for the better part of three years. It’s hard, frustrating, stressful, exhausting work, and eventually I had to stop. I packed up and moved across the country to have a fresh start in a new place, surrounded by friends. And left my mother doing the majority of my grandmother’s care. When I was still there, … Continue reading

Selfishness and Dishonesty Taken to the Extreme

I was horrified when I read this article about a man who infected the woman he claimed to love, and who he later married, with HIV. According to reports , he did not tell her he had the virus when the couple first ‘began a sexual relationship in 1996.’ Instead he knowingly and willingly passed the disease on to the woman he supposedly loved without telling her. By the time she found out, it was too late. This has to be the height of selfishness on this man’s part. Obviously Judge Thomas Wodak thought so too, He said ‘the fact … Continue reading

Marriage Blog, I Bid You Farewell

An adventure that began two years ago in Pets, then expanded to Marriage a little over a year ago when I first introduced myself here, has reached journey’s end. Today I’m writing to say farewell. Dale should be rejoining you all very shortly. She’s already back to posting in Christian so I imagine it won’t be long before she makes a reappearance here. You’re also going to get a new face to Marriage, but definitely not to Families.com. Mary Ann Romans is one of Families most prolific bloggers. She’s written in different categories over the years and is currently covering … Continue reading

When Fishermen Become Celebrities – Part II

A few weeks ago, I was talking about the Discovery show “Deadliest Catch.” In that blog, I left you with the fact that the injury rate on a crab fishing boat is almost 100% and that if you worked on a crab boat, your chances of dying is almost 30% higher than that of the average worker. The pilot episode of “Deadliest Catch” said that during the main crab seasons, that almost one fisherman is lost each week the crews are out. What causes such a high rate for injuries and causalities? Those on the boat (including the captain) often … Continue reading

Beta Fish, Hermit Crabs and Bulbs, Oh My!

Have you ever bought your child a toy, or a gift that they were so excited about that you just had to step it up a notch? Yesterday afternoon, my three year old daughter and I went to Target. They have this great new little dollar section in the front of the store that I refer to as the “bribe aisle”. She was an angel yesterday while I was picking up a few odds-and-ends, so when I finished shopping, we made a bee-line for the bribe aisle. She started shuffling through fake earrings, princess tiaras and plastic shoes. Suddenly she … Continue reading

Top Fisher Price Toys

While there are some incredible toy and media manufacturers around, Fisher Price definitely ranks near or at the top. For a long time, Fisher Price has been a household name, providing young and older children with educational toys. In fact, the company was first founded in 1930, which has been going strong ever since. Below are just a few of my recommendations for Fisher Price. -Tumble Time Tigger – Perfect for babies, this Fisher Price toy provides tons of fun with lively and energetic entertainment. The Tigger can dance around to music, as well as perform handstands, cartwheels, and much … Continue reading

Bible Stories: The Calling of Disciples

In Matthew 4:12-25, immediately following the temptation of Jesus, the Bible describes the calling of some of the disciples of Jesus. In the section of scripture the Bible explains the calling of Andrew and Peter as well as James and John. Andrew and Peter (also called Simon, a good point to explain to children) were brothers who worked as fishermen. (As a side note, you might want to consider combining the material found in Matthew chapter four, with the material found in Luke chapter five, which gives a more detailed account of the calling of Andrew and Peter.) James and … Continue reading

Killer Cats on the Loose

One of the most popular news stories to break last week was a new estimation of the deaths attributed to domesticated house cats.  We’re not talking people deaths, but the deaths of small birds and mammals; that might seem insignificant, but the number is in the billions.  Researchers from the Smithsonian and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that although the worst offenders are feral and stray cats, one in three domesticated cats also kills animals in its neighborhood.  Those cats average two kills a week. When it’s well-fed, domesticated cats doing the killing, they’re not usually keeping these … Continue reading

Learning When to Zip It

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve spilled a lot about my kid on this blog. A. Lot. Perhaps too much. Whereas it may not seem like it, I really do filter the information I share with the world about my child. For every one thing I reveal here, there are hundreds of personal tidbits I would never dream of publicizing, and as my daughter gets older, I plan to zip it even more. Even if she becomes an Olympic gold medalist. Ahem. Especially, if she becomes an Olympic gold medalist. You have to wonder if swimming superstar Ryan … Continue reading

Make It a Memorable Father’s Day

Forget about the striped tie, fishing pole, and Chia Head; rather, give dad something he can cherish for years to come this Father’s Day—-a scrapbook celebrating his life. When it comes to organizing a memory book honoring dad, the possibilities are endless. If this is your first stab at theme scrapbooking, consider going the traditional route with a basic chronological design. With this technique you simply document your father’s life from birth to present day. Your layouts should include childhood photos taken at birthday parties, Christmas, Easter, and other holidays. Also, look for pictures that capture major milestones in his … Continue reading