Author Archives: Ann Kirsten

Perhaps the best tool my husband and I have found to keep our marriage viable is humor. If you can laugh at yourselves, those pesky "big issues" in a relationship shrink down to a manageable size. Thi...

As we head into spring, the rains have come and I'm trying my best to look upon them with joy. After all, they are necessary to prepare the earth for rebirth. The flip side to this is all the gray and...

We all have those things we feel we MUST do every day. For some, it might be making the bed. Others might feel bad if they don't cook a meal or bathe the kids. I think if we're honest, we have whole l...

My husband and I were folding our laundry side-by-side the other night and I couldn't stop smiling. We are just so opposite from each other. As my husband folded his many pairs of navy-blue underwear,...

My youngest grandkids got their first umbrellas this week. They were cause for much excitement. All the old rules and wives' tales went out the window as they used their umbrellas inside, outside and ...

When my kids got to the preteen/teen phase of life they needed some gentle reminders that mom was still in charge. And, because each of my children are wired differently, I accomplished this in a uniq...

Well, January is over already. I've written about January many times over the years. Some years I am motivated to start the new year with goals, and some years I am exhausted and just want the world t...

I read an interesting article the other day. Someone on Reddit asked the question: "What are some truths that parents refuse to accept?" Being a parent myself, I instantly felt defensive. The answers ...

You know how people pick or hear a word for the new year and that's their focus for improvement? Words like: organize, faith or health? Well, I didn't want to pick a word for 2022. 2021 was hard enoug...

I had the most stimulating conversation the other day. He and I were in a quiet room with no distractions, and I actively listened to his life story. To say he has led an amazing life, full of adventu...