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PHOTOS: Rio de Janeiro’s finest flaunt their feathers at Carnival

PHOTOS: Rio de Janeiro’s finest flaunt their feathers at Carnival

See why this Lent tradition is still one of the biggest and gayest parties around. These photos will make you book a trip for next year… Source: PHOTOS: Rio de Janeiro’s finest flaunt their feathers at Carnival

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Provincetown wants Bostonians to celebrate Pride Weekend P-Town style

Provincetown wants Bostonians to celebrate Pride Weekend P-Town style

Provincetown Pride Weekend takes place June 3 – 5, 2022, though every day in P-Town is Pride day in our book… Source: Provincetown wants Bostonians to celebrate Pride Weekend P-Town style

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Pack your cowboy boots for a hot and friendly weekend in Nashville

Pack your cowboy boots for a hot and friendly weekend in Nashville

Ready for some southern hospitality and a foot-stompin’ good time? Grab your cowboy hat and head on down to Nashville… Source: Pack your cowboy boots for a hot and friendly weekend in Nashville

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This small Midwest town should be your next weekend getaway

This small Midwest town should be your next weekend getaway

Source: This small Midwest town should be your next weekend getaway

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Lately, when I’m visiting with other parents, the common topic is how fast time is flying and how quickly our homes are emptying. How are they 18 already? How is he already off to college? How is it that our children are getting married? You’re a grandma? We used to chase toddlers and fill sippy cups, just waiting for a break. Now we’ve stopped chasing. We give them their space as we yearn for…

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The Numbers are Dwindling

The Numbers are Dwindling

Yes, I’m dramatic and yes, I know some moms are thrilled to get to the empty nest. However, I’m not one of them. Believe it or not I think that might be the blessing of a bigger family.   Too Aware of Time You’d think it would be the opposite. You’d think after raising six kids I’d be paying them to leave. Instead, as the numbers dwindle and I continue to make way too much for dinner now that…

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Grocer Store - It's Over

Grocer Store – It’s Over

Dear Grocery Store, I want to break up. It’s been well over 20 years now of dealing with you and the love is just gone. As the time nears to see you, I cringe. Thoughts of meal planning haunt me and I wonder when it will end. My heart races with anxiety rather than passion, and that isn’t healthy for either of us. I find myself aimlessly walking up and down your aisles, unsure of why I came and…

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Hope in the New Year

Hope in the New Year

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Midlife, Chaos, and Snacks

Midlife, Chaos, and Snacks

As we sat around Friday night, discussing constipation, spinning vinyl, and indulging in salty snacks in the form of Velveeta and such, I knew we had finally made it…that point in life we hear about when we are young…promised to be full of excitement, chaos, and dramatic decisions. We are here. It’s midlife. And it’s all true. There have been short bursts of those promises of excitement, chaos,…

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Interview..."Embrace Your Family Dynamic "

Interview…”Embrace Your Family Dynamic “

https://www.facebook.com/107385113990921/posts/463685045027591/

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Dust Off Your Goals

Dust Off Your Goals

http://”//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=apronsheelsan-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0345518101&asins=0345518101&linkId=76a797620f9b4a117de535103a3af222&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=fff…

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Saying Goodbye to The Tooth Fairy

Saying Goodbye to The Tooth Fairy

Charlotte named her most recent loose tooth, Gerald. He took so long to come out, she got a little attached. She brought him to me in a ziplock, as I lay in bed wondering why there was a ziplock hanging over my face. She suggested I just give her the dollar, or better yet a treat from Target, since she now knows the tooth fairy is a sham, but she’d still like credit for the valiant effort of…

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The world is scarier than most of us have ever seen it, but passionate people are being created...including, and especially, our children.

This is my favorite time of day. The sun is setting, and I love the light in the living room. Dinner is cleaned up, the kids are busy with bike riding, costume design, piano playing, and slime creation. I’m thinking a glass of wine for myself might top it off perfectly.

Some days my head spins with responsibilities…work, kids, homeschool, doctor’s appointments, driving lessons, groceries,…

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Unstoppable Strength

I just received the news from a dear friend…his mother has passed. From what I heard, an angel on earth, full of spunk, love, and a great sense of humor, has left us. I never had the honor of meeting her, but I sure enjoyed the stories of her strength, and contagiously joyful spirit. She was the type of woman everyone wanted to be around, and I know the world she touched will never be the same.

I…

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If you are lovingly following along on my motherhood/midlife journey, you may have figured out that my oldest daughter, has blessed me with a grandchild…oh and her husband helped. Let’s give credit where credit is due, shall we?

My beauty, Carolann, recently had her 26th birthday. Not sure how that is possible since I am forever 39…but, whatever. Details.

I like to say that my two oldest children raised their father and I. By the age of 21, I was married and pregnant – somewhat in that order.

Thankfully I knew it all (sarcasm), needed no one’s help (more sarcasm), and miraculously knew how to be a mom (still more sarcasm), even though nine months before, my greatest concern in life was, where’s the next party, and how’s my hair? Funny how that works. Enough about immature me – let me tell you about the most beautiful woman I know…

I have been embarrassing Carolann since she learned how to be embarrassed. I am an in your face, give me a kiss in front of everyone kind of mom. An extroverted mom with a few introverted children. I am pretty sure when they grow up they realize mom just really, really adores them. But at about age 13, mom is basically nuts.

As my firstborn, my daughter made it clear that no one in her life would ever be telling her what to do. Damn, I love that about her. And I knew exactly where she got it from. (I’ll never understand how my mother survived me) Just sayin’.

To me, one of the most fascinating things about motherhood, is seeing personalities in our children at a very young age. None of my children have really surprised me as they enter into their late teens and then adulthood, as far as their personalities, hopes, and dreams. I am in awe every time I hear of their latest idea or adventure, and each time I think…well that makes sense.

For Carolann, I had no doubt, she’d be an incredible mother, and motherhood would become her greatest passion. She is intelligent, elegant, kind hearted, stubborn in the best of ways, and could be anything she wants. She chooses motherhood, and every sacrifice that comes with it, and I admire her greatly for it.

Let me just set this all aside for a second and tell you how amazing the Nana business is. You see, when I first heard I would be a grandmother, I was over the moon. However, looking in the mirror, I thought, I need something a bit cooler than the word “grandma.” So I settled on Nana and I love it. The thing is, now that the cutest two year old on earth knows who I am, he can call me granny, old lady, grams, whatever he wants. Just let me kiss those cheeks!

He can also color on my walls, eat all of my dessert, rearrange my furniture…I actually have no idea what I wouldn’t let him do, as long as it isn’t dangerous. You hear it throughout life, wait until you become a grandparent! Well, it’s true. There is no stress on me if he’s tired and cranky, spills his drink, eats candy for dinner…it is all just pure joy and I giggle every second I am with him. So yes, I highly recommend it.

Here is what I wasn’t expecting as I became Nana. I wasn’t expecting to feel an even deeper admiration for my daughter, as I see her glow with pride at her son’s daily new accomplishments. Her smile can light up a room when he looks at her with one of those looks only mommy gets. That look of, I’m okay as long as you are here, mom. I see him look at her that way, and my heart bursts with love for them both. I like to think I did something right to create a woman who has embraced motherhood with every ounce of her being.

Beyond Nanahood, having an adult daughter is absolutely fabulous. I’m certain there were those who thought I was way too young to have a child in my early 20s, but I’d say it was one of the greatest blessings of my life. Sure, I had to grow up quick, but that’s not always a bad thing. Now, the reward comes as we share the same taste in clothing and things, understand each other’s humor, and occasionally get accused of being sisters…which of course makes my day, and makes her laugh. It won’t last forever, so I’ll take it.

Mothers with an adult daughter will understand – the unexpected friendship that comes when that moody teenager grows up, is just that – unexpected, and so very wonderful. Then that daughter becomes a mom, and there is an instant understanding. Finally, she gets it. She gets that I would die for her…because she now feels that same intense love for a sticky faced toddler, as I have always felt for her.

                        The Friendship of a Daughter If you are lovingly following along on my motherhood/midlife journey, you may have figured out that my oldest daughter, has blessed me with a grandchild...oh and her husband helped.

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I’ve heard it said that raising a son is like a slow, painful break up. I have to agree with that. Today my Luke is 17. I’ll say, my, until it is no longer appropriate. i.e…when a woman steals his heart. He stole mine 17 years ago.

Thank you for humoring me six times a year as I reminisce during birthday season in my home. I call it a season because I have no children’s birthdays from January – June. Two in July, one in October, two in November, and one in December. By the way the two in November are right at Thanksgiving time, and the one in December is three days after Christmas. I drink a lot around the holidays.

Raising a son is different than raising a daughter…obviously. For mothers, as our sons begin to really grow up, we start to feel a separation. I could sit down next to my 26 year old daughter, and play with her hair while we talk if I wanted to. It wouldn’t be weird to her. I don’t actually do that, but you know what I mean. We can snuggle up and giggle about life if the mood strikes and we desire to. With a teenage son, not so much. Although I want to. The bond never ends, but it is only natural for a son to start to break away so he can learn to live his life on his own.

I want to lay my head on his shoulder, let the tears flow, and beg him not to join the National guard next summer as he wants to. I want to tell him I’ll always take care of him, and he need never leave home. I’d also suggest that driving is over rated and I will happily drive him anywhere he needs to go. Please just stay off the road.

But alas, I will not do those things. I will suck it up and pretend that my heart isn’t full of fear, as time keeps flying by…tormenting me with each passing year, each growth spurt, each lower octave of his voice, and each step toward complete independence.

My Luke has a heart as big as his 17 year old bulky biceps. For a mom, when a son is strong, yet compassionate and empathetic, our hearts ache as we have to let them out into this world. Am I right, moms? In our eyes it is like throwing the perfect, untarnished man to the wolves. Please don’t hurt him. Please world, don’t break that beautiful heart.

He may die of embarrassment when he reads this. Sorry Luke. Mom is a writer – comes with the territory.

When he was a toddler, I had to rock him to sleep. Rather, I had the privilege of rocking him to sleep. I always had long hair, and he loved to hold onto my hair when I rocked him. If my hair was up, he would point to it, make some sort of grunting noise, and I would smile and let it down, because as mothers we cater to their every whim. Fine with me…just let me rock you in that chair for as long as possible.

To this day we tease him about it. And to this day, once in a while I catch him twirling his own hair when he is tired. It takes me right back, and I see the cutest little toddler, obsessed with John Deere and dirt.

He’s still adorable in my eyes and always will be. He still loves things with wheels – he’s just moved on from tractors, and prefers things like Mustangs and motorcycles. I intend to hand down my minivan to him some day. Sorry bud.

I am terrified that he is military bound, but not surprised at all. I have seen it coming since he was about 4 years old. He’s bound and determined to be a Marine, and I am sure he will excel at that. He is tenacious and I have encouraged that spirit in him. Not even for one second will I try to talk him out of it. That isn’t my job. My job is to give him guidance, wings, and support him as he flies in his direction…not mine.

I think some parents miss out on a great joy when they push their children in the direction they think they should go. There is nothing more fulfilling to me than to see my grown children find their way. That’s the goal. The goal is to give them confidence to do life on their terms.

So this morning I got up bright and early to hang the traditional, “Happy Birthday” sign over the table, put Luke’s favorite meal in the crockpot, and bake him his gluten free chocolate mint cake, which he requested. On a side note, I hold the world’s record for baking the most chocolate mint cakes each year. By December I can’t eat another bite.

We will sing happy birthday this evening, and he will open his gifts, which now consist of cards full of cold, hard cash, because that’s what 17 year old’s want. We will smile and giggle, and he will roll his eyes as we all sing, because it is always sung too slow and sounds awful. I try to pick up the pace but no one follows. I give up.

As I smile and giggle, I will be crying inside. I am so proud of him, and I love watching him grow into this amazing person he is becoming…patriotic, caring, protective, unselfish, and determined. But I just don’t know where the time went. Life’s great mystery, right? Where does it go? I remember the delivery room like it was yesterday. We never found out ahead of time what we were having. I liked the surprise. When the doctor announced, “It’s a boy!,” Luke commenced to peeing on the nice man. His tenacious spirit was made known within seconds of being born. He’s been making me laugh ever since.

We’ve been through a lot together, bud…potty training, stitches, scrapes and bruises, heartache, break ups, school closings, disappointments, celebrations, and many more to come. I’ll always be your momma, and I’ll always think you’re perfect. Happy birthday.

  ≠©Melissa Nicholson All Rights Reserved

  The Slow Break Up I've heard it said that raising a son is like a slow, painful break up. I have to agree with that.

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How to Homeschool

How to Homeschool...let's all support each other this school year, no matter our choices. Our worlds have been turned upside down.

I have received quite a few requests lately, asking how to homeschool. The reason for the sudden interest, is of course the pandemic we are living in, and some tough decisions parents and schools are trying to make about school in the fall. So I thought why not do some writing on the topic, as it may be helpful for some of you out there.

The question, “how do we begin homeschooling?,” is quite a…

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