Mom’s Chicken Gumbo

  Today is the first day of school for my kids!  It’s been a long fun summer but, even my 7-year old admitted he’s “ready for school to start.”   The night-before-the-first-day-of-school dinner is always important.  It’s become a tradition (started only last year) to reclaim the structure of mealtimes and scheduled days – both seemingly elusive during the fluid summer months. I wanted to make a hearty dish, one I knew would appeal to both my kid’s tastes and somehow calm their jitters. I uncovered Mom’s recipe for Chicken Gumbo … [Read more...]

Back to the Basics: Saying I Love You To Your Kids

Love one another and you will be happy.  It's as simple and as difficult as that.  ~Michael Leunig The first few weeks of every new school year is always back-to-the basics, for parents and kids.  The kids are getting acclimated to their new teachers, the new constellation of children in their classes, new rules, new schedules, etc..  Parents need to re-establish their routines: wake up time, multiple breakfasts, transport to school, dealing with the cluster fuck of after school schedules and pick ups and pressured dinners and homework … [Read more...]

So Long Summer, Hello Whatever-Comes-Next

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter  It seems like just yesterday we were kicking off Memorial Day weekend with the traditional burgers-and-dogs barbeque, watching our pale-faced kids enjoy the warmth of the sun and the extra day light hours.  Last night we were doing the same, except we were toasting to the end of Summer 2011 in our fleeces, watching our sun-kissed children roam around in our neighbor’s backyard!  As with the end to every summer, I’m left scratching my head wondering where the time went.  Last … [Read more...]