A Fractured Bone and Broken Plans

The Life Altering Impact of a Broken Bone

My daughter was supposed to be in Ecuador last week on an environmental service trip with other college students, doing some reforestation and working at a high school. Instead, she spent her spring break at home in Montana on crutches with a broken foot. After so much anticipation and planning for this trip to South America, her disappointment was palpable.

Being home, however, was healing. The swelling, pain and bruising of her foot diminished greatly over the week and she caught up on some much-needed rest. She had not planned to be home at all this spring, so

Easter is early this year

I feel like Easter sort of snuck up on me this year, but that it is probably because it did! Even last week felt like it was just too close to St. Patrick's day to dye eggs and put out Easter decorations!

Easter does not occur on the same date each year.  

It can be observed anywhere between March 22nd and April 25th, depending on the timing of the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. With Easter falling on March 27th this year, that is nearly a month early compared to some other years. So - if you weren't feeling ready for Easter, perhaps it's because it really is very early, compared to many other years. 

Not all schools take their spring break at the same time, and Easter does not always coincide with those breaks. This year, Easter weekend marks the last few days of my daughter's break from college and the first

"An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind."

- Mahatma Gandhi.

Wouldn't our world be a better place if we all used words, not weapons?

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Did You Forget to Wear Green?

All those of Irish decent (and many other people) wear the color green on St Patrick's Day. But do you know why? 

Today I'm sharing a little history about this tradition. And a suggestion for a quick and easy way to keep yourself from getting pinched if you forget to wear green on St. Patrick's Day.

The Wearing of the Green

In the late 1700's, when the Irish rose up against the British, wearing the color green or a shamrock was forbidden, as it was considered a rebellious act. People who were non-compliant with this rule were

The Common Denominator of Pi & Blogs - plus a Pie Crust Recipe

Today is Pi Day and I am (sort of) talking math, as I illustrate the common denominator between pi and blogging. If you don't like arithmetic - don't click away yet! I am also sharing a wonderful pie crust recipe on this day of π!

3.14.16

March 14th has become known as "Pie" or "Pi" day, thanks to the ingenuity and creativity of math teachers attempting to better engage their students in the subject of math. March 14th -- or  3/14 -- is Pi Day because the infinite number of Pi (3.14 ...) begins with the same numbers as this date. 

Pi can be written with an endless number of digits after the four in 3.14, although it is most commonly used in mathematical calculations as 3.14159. Celebrating Pi was an extra big deal in 2015 when the date could

How to Make a Soft and Flexible Cold Pack For Aches and Injuries

It is very easy to make a soft and flexible cold pack, to keep ready in your freezer, for when someone suffers an ache or injury.

Picture this:

• You have a migraine headache
• Your daughter has a black eye
• Your grandson's little index finger got caught in a cupboard door
• Your son just had his wisdom teeth extracted
• Your husband twisted his ankle and it is very tender and swollen
• OR, maybe you just have huge bags under your eyes from a sleepless night!

You know that a cold compress may help, so you pull an ice pack out of your freezer. Then, you

A Pleasant Stay at a Hotel in Houston

I received some compensation to write this post, but it is an honest review and all opinions are my own.

~~*~~

My family had a pleasant stay at the Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks hotel in Houston last week. Houston did not feel as "Texan" as I expected, perhaps because we spent most of our time at an event that could have occurred in many other places.

My husband, son, and I flew to Texas to watch my daughter and her college team compete in the Western Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championship meet. 

Swim meets can be exhausting (whether you are a swimmer, coach, official or spectator) and a good night's

How to Get Every Last Bit of Lotion Out of the Bottle!

Are you tired of wasting money because you can't get every last bit of your lotion out of the bottle it was packaged in? Do you find it frustrating to have to bang the bottle against your palm, hoping to use up the rest of the product that the pump dispenser can't pull up?

I've never been able to solve the problem of wasting the dredges of my lotions - until last week!

While getting ready to fly to Houston last week, I needed to refill my travel-sized jar with my