Nice, France: What I learned in fourth grade and what you can do now
I was in fourth grade when I learned about Nice, France, and I learned it because of a rock. Mrs. Boggs was our teacher and she ran a very tight fourth grade ship. She was no nonsense, and not overly sentimental. On her very orderly desk, there was one item that looked out of place […]
New Queen of Katwe featurette offers heartwarming optimism
I’ve been excited for the Queen of Katwe film for a while now, but now more than ever I find myself drawn to this heartwarming true story of how a young girl goes from selling corn on the streets of Uganda to becoming an international chess champion with the support she receives from her family […]
Why we love Great Falls Park in Northern Virginia
That National Park Service (NPS) is celebrating its 100th birthday! I have a knack for finding National Park Service sites that are not actually National Parks. Weird, I know. But I thought I’d share one of my favorites with you: Great Falls Park in McLean, Virginia. It’s classified a park, not a National Park, probably […]
Similar but different: American vs. British English
Between celebrating the Fourth of July this weekend, and listening to the Hamilton soundtrack quite a bit lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the United States achieved independence from the United Kingdom. The two countries are similar and yet very different from one another, and our language is the perfect example. Both countries […]
July Stitch Fix Review
New month, new Stitch Fix! Hard to believe that 2016 is more than half over and that it’s July already. I found out last month that the stylist to whom I’ve grown quite attached was leaving the company due to her husband’s move, and I was curious to see what a new stylist sent in […]
A Gobblefunk Glossary to go with Disney’s The BFG
Do you speak Gobblefunk? Gobblefunk is the language comprised of silly words that Roald Dahl created in his book The BFG to give the title character his unique voice. You didn’t really think a giant who is 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell talked like you, did you? Of course […]
Finding Dory recipes that are fun and healthy
I thought about signing my kiddo up for cooking camp. I found a camp for her age group and got excited, until I saw the price. Yikes. We decided that we could buy a ton of ingredients for a fraction of the price of cooking camp, and have a lot of fun getting culinary and […]
Review of the Marina Grand Resort in New Buffalo
Watching sunset over the water, wiggling my toes in the sand, checking out a harbor full of boats, dining al fresco, and a slower pace of life are some of my favorite parts of summer. People are surprised to hear that I can get all that more just a few hours from my home in […]
The Chocolate Piñata at Uncle Julio’s is a big hit
I discovered Uncle Julio’s when I first moved to the city of Chicago. The margarita swirls were (and still are) amazing and it was a wonderful place to celebrate. Fast forward 15 years, and I’m still celebrating at Uncle Julio’s, but now I’m doing so with my family, including my daughter, and at a new […]
Get ready for Shark Week with a giveaway and shark trivia
Shark Week is coming! The most fin-tastic week of the year starts this Sunday on Discovery Channel! Shark Week takes viewers on a week-long journey to the depths of the sea to uncover the secrets of the these often misunderstood and downright amazing sea creatures. I have two ways to help you get ready for […]