Minnesota Ice Castles
The Minnesota Ice Castles are back after a year off.
Celebrating My Daughter’s Heavenly 16th Birthday
When I turned 16 my mom threw me a surprise birthday party with pink balloons on the ceiling, a house full of my friends, and lots of food and cake. I had just finished my shift at Dunkin’ Donuts but when I walked in the house everyone shouted “Surprise!” while I gasped and giggled. It…
Elf on the Shelf Plays with Food
Our Elf on the Shelf, Lily Cute, sure seemed hungry this year. It seemed like every morning she was eating as much sugar as Buddy the Elf. In fact, one morning she was eating Buddy the Elf cereal out of an espresso cup and had a bowl set up for my daughter. In the past…
How to Help Grieving Parents
No matter how or why a young person dies, losing a child is out of nature’s order and incredibly challenging to comprehend. It makes no sense to those of us left behind. Unfortunately, I have been on both sides of the fence. My husband and I are grieving parents. Our fifteen-year-old passed away unexpectedly in…
Last Minute Elf on the Shelf Ideas
In a dream world our Elf on the Shelf is a proactive planner. She has a thick book of ideas full of magical wonder. In reality there is a good chance our Elf on the Shelf has had to pull last minute ideas for any number of reasons. Whether she has pulled last minute ideas…
Funeral Flowers Keepsakes
Losing a child is the most unimaginable, painful event a parent can endure. I know. My husband and I lost our 15-year-old daughter Maddie unexpectedly this past May. She was a dream daughter. We were and still are devastated. Never did I think we’d be spending time creating funeral flowers keepsakes for one of my…
Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant
Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant in Kansas City is one of the most memorable family dining experiences. The restaurant was started by Fritz Kropf and his wife Virginia in the 1940s but Fritz’s experience dates back to the 1920s, as his father owned Kansas City burger restaurant, John’s Place. Today, there are three Fritz’s locations. Two are…
Hurts Donuts
Hurts Donuts is my family’s must-do when we visit Branson. This is one of 20 locations over several states but the only one we’ve visited. If you appreciate creativity in your baked goods this is it. The doughnuts are art on the inside and out. This is not your traditional donut shop. Hurts Donuts has…
More Minneapolis Murals
My teenage daughter Maddie and I love touring Minneapolis murals. The music scene is hot in Minneapolis, especially considering legends like Prince and Bob Dylan have roots in Minnesota. We are working on a Minnesota Prince tour but in the meantime, one of the murals on this tour has a nod to Prince. Minneapolis is…
Family Friendly Branson
Back in the late nineties, I didn’t consider Branson, Missouri a traditional family-friendly destination. My Grandma Rosemary and I road-tripped from Pensacola, Florida to Denver, Colorado. The only stop my grandmother insisted on making was Branson, Missouri. She had heard it was a fun town like Las Vegas only without the casinos. She was right….