It’s both wonderful and crazy that of all my blog posts, “Should I or Shouldn’t I Whiten My Teeth?” has the most comments. I truly appreciate all the thoughtful responses, including the offer for a coupon from Crest. The votes are in favor of whitening. So today I am going to try it. Why? Not […]
Love & Family

Top 10 Things I Want For Mother’s Day
This time of year feels so busy, so rushed, so filled with everything happening at once, both indoors and out, at home, school, work and play. Thank goodness for Mother’s Day right in the middle of it all. I might just get a chance to take a break. Who knows how the day will actually […]

Should I or Shouldn’t I Whiten My Teeth?
Last week I went to the orthodontist to sign up Eve, my 12-year-old, for braces. The place was kind of creepy—everyone’s teeth were so bright and almost neon white. I joked with the hot-looking receptionist that I felt inadequate and out of place. It all made my eyeballs hurt. Suddenly my perfectly normal and healthy […]

I’ve Got a Crush on Simon Cowell
As some of you may know, I’m a fan of American Idol. As others of you may know, I once got to kiss Paula Abdul. But Simon is the one who thrills me. He’s an acquired taste—bitter at first, with a hint of spicy heat as an aftertaste. In the beginning I didn’t care for […]

10 Easy Ways to Talk with Your Daughter about Sex
I have three girls—one who is grown, one who is just going through puberty, and one who is almost 3—and I am a firm believer in talking about sex. My husband and I both came from families where that didn’t happen well…OK, at all. And we were left to our own devices, which is NEVER a good thing when you are a kid. I never want my girls to feel as ignorant and underprepared as I was. Because whether we like it or not, our daughters turn into young women with sexual feelings, and if we love them, we want their experiences to be positive, love-filled ones. Ignorance makes it easier for young girls to be taken advantage of. And these days, unprepared sex can lead to all sorts of diseases and death, in addition to lifelong trauma. And while a vaccine like the HPV shot makes it seem like our girls are safe, not only are there risks associated with the vaccine, it only covers one small aspect of their sexual safety.

Why I Do It
By the time you read this, they will be on their way home: 8 in-laws for the weekend, dinner for 12 on Friday night, lunch for 18 on Saturday, and Easter lunch for 26 on Sunday. It all takes weeks of preparation, none of which my husband quite understands. Massive lists and multiple trips to […]

Murder, Mayhem, and Misery…for Pleasure?
I have officially entered the realm of old-fogy-dom, since I am about to complain about what’s on TV. Last week 13 people were murdered in Binghamton, NY, a town I drive through regularly on my way to my in-laws’ house. It seems that every day we hear that children have suffered abuse, and families have […]

Top 10 Tips for Getting Along with Family During Holidays
This week brings Passover and Easter, so a lot of folks are going to get together with family, whether they like it or not. I’m not a therapist, but as a member of a functional family business and a wife about to host her 9 in-laws for the weekend, for about the 12th time, I […]
Scratch
Raised on America’s first organic farm, Scratch author Maria Rodale learned how to make everyday favorites from, yes, scratch — the way you remember them; the way they turn out best.
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Organic Manifesto
Drawing on findings from leading health researchers as well as conversations with both chemical and organic farmers from coast to coast, Maria Rodale irrefutably outlines the unacceptably high cost of chemical farming on our health and our environment.
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