So once you’re an adult, aren’t you supposed to stop being scared of stupid stuff that probably won’t really happen? Not me. I have some pretty weird, irrational fears that have lingered with me for years and I’m not talking about cancer, death, or random crime. Perhaps it’s a sign of a vivid imagination or…
Located just south of the North Carolina border is a wonderful, kitschy tourist trap known as South of the Border. This tacky, delightful, slightly run down destination has caused millions of children to beg their parents to stop each year to see Pedro and all of the sights. From the highway, travelers can see…
One of my most treasured possessions is my Bluebird of Happiness given to me by my mother in law as a wedding gift. I detested this gift as soon as I opened it for two reasons. One, I don’t like knickknacks. Two, I hate birds. They’re dirty, they poop everywhere, and they have scary, beady…
This gilded bronze statue of a winged Lady Victory stands atop the First Division Monument in Washington, D.C. President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the monument in 1924 to commemorate First Division members who gave their lives in World War I. It has since been updated to include the names of all First Division members from World…
T-6 days until I drop daughter number three off at West Point. I keep looking at her when she thinks I’m not looking trying to memorize her face, the casual way she relaxes on our couch, her infectious laugh as she watches a funny Vine video on her phone. We try not to talk about…
This morning my daughter decided I had to take 10 selfies before going into school for our LAST day. Why?? I don’t know. Probably so she could mock me. The requirements? They all had to be different poses or expressions and none of them could be “mean teacher faces.” Why? Well, duh. The point of…
We are finally closing out our school year here in Virginia and are slogging through our final three days before summer officially begins. Grades had to be submitted this morning so we are all just basically hanging out. As an end of the year treat for my students I decided to bring in my griddle…
While it’s true we lived in some very cramped Army housing through the years, our four daughters did always have their own beds. They chose, however, most nights to sleep together just like this. I loved listening them giggle and tell stories in the dark each evening before they finally drifted off to sleep. When the…
“Chronic migraine” is the label given to those who suffer from migraines more than 14 days per month. At my peak, I had 17-20 migraine days per month. Over the past five years, my neurologist has prescribed heavy duty pain meds for me to use as well as a migraine preventative which decreases the number…
For much of my husband’s Army career we opted to stay in government quarters because of the family friendly environment it provided for our kids to grow up in and also because it was less expensive. We loved not having to pay heating or electric bills and if anything broke, we just put in a…
greatsnaps, goodtimes and me 