Somehow fall has happened. I have no idea what happened to September. Well, that's not strictly true. I spent it sending my kids back to school where others could try to teach them something while I traveled. Before you call me a bad parent, I was traveling for mostly professional reasons. I actually went to … Continue reading Writing Retreats in Order to Advance
As we pass by Memorial Day and enter June I find we are living in a strange Purgatory. Summer is here, for all intents and purposes. The kids have summer swim team practice after school at the local pool. Baseball and soccer practices are ramping up and the minivan carpools are being sorted and finalized. … Continue reading Summer … Almost
Today I reached a major milestone. Something I wrote has been published in the Washington Post. It was a short piece. 100 words or less defining motherhood. Out of who knows how many submissions mine and nine others were selected to run in the Style section under the On Parenting heading. You can read it … Continue reading I’m in the Washington freakin’ Post!!
All last year my amazing husband made me a garden. I helped, but it was mostly him doing the hard labor of a 1920's prisoner. I designed the plans - to scale, thank you very much - of 2 different gardens. One for veg and one for fruit. All summer long he augered in the … Continue reading Gardening!
I have, after almost a year of writing, finished the first draft of my first fiction novel. Time to pop the champagne and have a celebratory dinner out. But I'm not as thrilled as you would think. Sure, I am happy. And I'm proud of myself. This took a lot of my time and effort … Continue reading The Book It’s Meant to Be – Thoughts on my First Draft
I have a new article up at AFineParent.com. This one is all about how raising your kids to be competent adults by giving them responsibility now. Not only is this article full of great research, but it give you a little view into my family life. Here I am. Folding laundry. The ball and … Continue reading 4 Life Skills That Will Teach Kids How to Shoulder Responsibility
I'm a bit late on this, but lateness seems to be one of my main characteristics recently. I am late for lunches out, late to appointments, late in getting my children to bed. I'm just late. I am also late in my own personal deadlines for this book I'm working on. I am writing a … Continue reading Lateness and Effort in Writing
This summer has sucked for writing. Absolutely sucked. I have gotten nothing done. I wanted to have a draft of my book finished by the end of this month, but I am miles away from that now. I'm trying to write today, but am finding it impossible. Why? The kids. The house. The garden. I … Continue reading Summer Writing
I was watching a re-run of the Foo Fighters singing on Carpool Karaoke and I started to get all nostalgic. Not because of the Nirvana connection. You see, Dave Grohl saved my marriage. It was eons ago. Probably 2BC. BC = Before Children. We didn't have kids, but I wanted them. I wanted it badly. … Continue reading Dave Grohl Saved My Marriage
Okay. Today I'm trying to be hands off, yet supportive with my kids. It's easier with one than the other and that has to do with how much confidence I have in their competence. And that is my fault. Backing up, I went to an incredible talk by Jessica Lahey, the amazing author of The … Continue reading Hands Off, Yet Supportive
My honest opinions. Day to day life, and how I go about handling it. An outlet for creativity.
by Elle Renee
"A Word of Substance"
Traditional Veg Recipes
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sailaway from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain
I want to be rich. Rich in love, rich in health, rich in laughter, rich in adventure and rich in knowledge. You?
Cultivating coziness one idea and project at a time
