Author Archives: Ann Kirsten
A Blanket of Snow
We’ve had such perfect snowfalls this season. Each one of them dropped just enough snow to cover my yard. There’s always a peace that seems to fall along with the snow and I find mys...
Ann Kirsten Jan 15, 2024
Beat the January Blues
I don't know about you, but after the holidays are over I tend to fall into a funk. In comparison to the bright fun of Christmas, January seems dark and boring. After years of fighting the blues, I've...
Ann Kirsten Jan 08, 2024 photo credit: iStock/Albina Gavrilovic
Leaning Into Peace for 2024
My friend (a counselor) has noticed time and time again that her clients go through the same things at the same time even though they don't know each other. If one is feeling tired and overwhelmed, he...
Ann Kirsten Jan 03, 2024 GettyImages | Oatawa
Messy Christmas Pageants, OshKosh B'gosh, and Hissing
My son's history with Christmas pageants has not been exactly merry. It all started when he was only six months old. A church in Seattle asked if they could "borrow" him to represent the baby Jesus in...
Ann Kirsten Dec 22, 2023 GettyImages | Mark Murphy
Christmas Meltdown
My mom had a saying and I heard it hundreds of times while I was growing up: "It will never be seen from a galloping horse." She meant that it was okay if things were less than perfect. I did not appr...
Ann Kirsten Dec 18, 2023 GettyImages | South Agency
Rethinking Christmas
I spent the vast majority of my adult life running myself ragged trying to give my family perfect Christmases. I went way above and beyond, because I thought that's what good moms did. I bought differ...
Ann Kirsten Dec 15, 2023
Oh, Christmas Tree!
For children, Christmas trees are magical things. And, although each family has their own traditions and styles, kids always think their family's tree is the most beautiful of all. When I was growing ...
Ann Kirsten Dec 11, 2023 GettyImages | Fermate
December Cookie of the Month: Christmas Tree Brownies
ARE brownies a cookie? Do we care? Their wonderful chocolaty deliciousness could win over even the harshest critic and that's why they are our December Cookie-of-the-Month. Well, that and the fact tha...
Ann Kirsten Dec 06, 2023
Team Jackets
Last week, I was walking through a large store. A silver-haired lady struck up a conversation with me about her cat. I kept looking around to see if she was talking to someone behind me, but there was...
Ann Kirsten Dec 04, 2023
When Your Thanksgiving is Less Than Perfect
We all have visions of what Thanksgiving is supposed to look like. There are supposed to be loving and supportive friends and family gathered around the table. And, that table is supposed to be filled...
Ann Kirsten Nov 22, 2023