I was so eager to try some new recipes in the crockpot after being inspired by A Year of Crockpotting that I did a little online search and came up with this highly recommended stew: Crockpot Chicken & Quinoa. It looked soooo good in the photograph. The instructions were easy. I even shocked myself by having on hand in my cupboard a box of quinoa and in the freezer, … [Read more...]
15 Everyday Ideas to Borrow from the French (and Belgians)
While in Europe, I informally interviewed some relatives about differences between American and French (and Belgian) women. The conversation was intriguing, and we ended up generating clothing styles and eating habits that I can share with you here. By incorporating these simple, practical ideas into our lives, we may end up feeling just a little more … [Read more...]
Is Google Making Us Stoopid?
The cover article for the current issue of Atlantic magazine (July/August) is entitled “Is Google Making Us Stoopid?” Hm. Is it?Author Nicholas Carr writes:“As the media theorist Marshall McLuhan pointed out in the 1960s, media are not just passive channels of information. They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems … [Read more...]
Jesus, Be the Lord of My Life Today in New Ways
A couple of months ago, someone introduced this prayer to our church and invited people to commit to praying it for 30 days. Our little family happened to miss almost every weekend service at church that month, so we didn't end up joining the covenant.Later, I asked for a copy.Here it is:Jesus, be the Lord of my life today in new ways.Change me any way you want.Wash me … [Read more...]
The End of Fun as We Know It?
Until Robin pointed it out, I didn't realize that there was a traveling carnival bopping around the blogosphere called "Fun Monday." It's shared by several bloggers, so there isn't one central location (though Robin decided to set up a clearinghouse of all the previous Fun Mondays here).Today's Fun Monday invited participants to post photos or descriptions of their … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Bring Balance to Your Face
My face can't be symmetrical. In fact, I don't even want it to be. But am I inadvertently creating imbalance to some features through activities that could easily be adjusted? Are there ways to bring a little more balance to the teeth, eyebrows and smile? Imbalanced vs Balanced Teeth One time I was looking at a picture of Katie Couric. Here's one that will suffice to … [Read more...]
6 Questions to Ask Yourself
I like to explore why I make certain choices or feel strongly about various issues. So I find that a few questions like these get me thinking and writing and praying. Sometimes I use variations on these questions with my friends, generating some interesting discussion. I'd love to sit and have tea with you so we could explore these six questions. They're not only great … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Enjoy Everyday Fun with Chores
Daily life can be such a drag, so blah. The chores can be tedious. The drive to work, dull. Some days can be reduced to scrub, swipe, fold, wash, rinse, repeat; others, to conquering an overwhelming to-do list or in-box. One way to approach the daily grind is simply to take a deep breath and dig in, applying self-discipline, determination, willpower, and grit. … [Read more...]
7 Keys to a Happier Mother’s Day
Sure, we hope to be honored in some way on Mother's Day. And some of us will. For some of us, Sunday will be a day of extravagant gifts and champagne brunches. Some of us will have creative spouses and industrious children with lots of resources and initiative--we'll have scones and strawberries for breakfast in bed, and chocolate truffles with lunch. Or our … [Read more...]
13 Tips for Finding Free Time for Mom (without multi-tasking!)
Finding free time for mom—at least, for this mom—used to seem impossible. People would suggest multi-tasking as a way to gain time, but multi-tasking simply doesn't work for me. Research reveals the inefficiency of multi-tasking; as quantity of work goes up, something suffers. A 2008 report called "Cramming the Most into Time" on ABC World News with Charles Gibson affirmed … [Read more...]
Five Days of How-To Posts: A blog experiment offering helpful information in bullet-point form
What makes a post popular?On my blog, which is an unfocused mish-mash of ideas that flit through my mind at any given moment, the all-time top posts are as follows: Castile Soap for a Simpler Life (and blemish-free face) Thick and Chewy, Fast and Easy Pizza Dough Overnight Crockpot Steel-Cut OatmealWhat am I doing posting about the perils of my attempts to multi-task?Why … [Read more...]
Multi-tasking Doesn’t Work for Me
Multi-tasking has never really worked for me. I've tried. Over the years, I've felt like there are many times when I've had no choice but to do a dozen things at once. But when I do that regularly—when multi-tasking is my mode of operation, nonstop, every day, from sun-up to sundown, I get agitated. I feel all frenzied and harried. I leave one of the two or seven … [Read more...]
Yann Martel on Life of Pi, Interpretation, Stillness, and Art
A couple of years ago, urged by a friend, I read Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.It left me fascinated, and a little confused. I guess I'm not so good with obscure stuff. So I was quite interested that the Festival of Faith & Writing brought him to speak. Would he explain the book for the slow-of-brain?The evening began with an amusing glitch. Martel was introduced by a … [Read more...]
Connections and Conclusions
As I stepped into the room where Phyllis Tickle was speaking, our eyes met and, in her words later, "I jumped! Did you see me jump?" She remembered. She remembered the transatlantic flight we shared in 2005, and the descent that led to my child's airsickness. She remembered how my husband and I mopped up vomit as the plane landed. She remembered handing me a paper … [Read more...]
Can Wii Ever Go Back to Pong?
One of my daughters received an invitation to a Wii birthday party. I mentioned it in passing to The Belgian Wonder as we were leaving church."A what party?" he asked."A Wii party," I said, swinging my arm around as if I were holding one of the handsets."Oh! I was thinking the other kind of 'whee,'" he said. "Well, I guess it's the hot new thing, isn't it?""They'll have a … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- Next Page »