1. Say “no” with no explanation 2. Change your mind 3. Speak your truth 4. Cut toxic people out of your life 5. Rest when you’re tired 6. Make no excuses for how you survived a trauma 7. Love whomever however you choose (with their consent, of course!) 8. Make changes in your life that … Continue reading 20 Things You’re Allowed To Do

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I have struggled with boundaries - setting and keeping them - and that I have done a ton of personal work to be able to utilize them in my life. In general, it feels empowering to stand in solidarity with myself. … Continue reading Don’t Get It Twisted

Photo by J. Howerton My sweet partner, J., took this photo a few years ago when we were visiting my hometown. He blew it up and had it mounted as a wall hanging for me the following Christmas. I decided to put it on our bedroom wall in the spot I see as soon as … Continue reading Beach Dreams

What is it about a major haircut that gives a person such a boost of fresh energy? I got 8 inches chopped off my hair today. It had been about 14 months since I’d set foot in a salon, and I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to ask for - or get. I’ve … Continue reading Finally, a Haircut!

My daughter turned 21 today. I’ve been a mother for 21 years. Before she was born, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted kids. I mean, I was a teacher and spent all day with 150 kids who belonged to other people. I wasn’t sure I needed any of my own. But once my daughter was … Continue reading Mamaversary

When my kids were babies, I remember thinking that parenting would be so much easier when they got older. No more waking up to feed them in the night, no more carrying them around, no more deciphering what their cries meant. Of course, now that they’re 17 and almost 21, it has been beaten into … Continue reading Growing Pains

Today is World Kindness Day. This is a great thing because maybe it can counteract any whacky Friday the 13th vibes. Wikipedia defines it as follows: “World Kindness Day is to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us. Kindness is a fundamental … Continue reading World Kindness Day

One of my very favorite things to do is clean and organize. My partner and I spent the afternoon today working our way through all the kitchen cabinets and drawers. We love to cook, and we’ve accumulated a lot of gadgets we don’t really use, and when he moved in, we ended up with doubles … Continue reading Cleaning and Purging

I absolutely hate meal planning and food shopping. Because I didn’t work outside the home when my kids came along, this was one of the household tasks I took on and have continued as a single person and again with my current partner. Five million meals later, I’m here to tell you I still don’t … Continue reading Hello Fresh Review