Articles

Ann Brasheres is the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series for young adults. This is her first novel for adults. This story is one of a beach-community friendship traingle among three young adults for whom summer and this place have meant everything. Sisters Riley and Alice have been returning to their parent’s…

My motivation for moms today stated…Smile often and let kindness be a cloak you wear as an example to your children. I needed to hear that today. I used to have a saying, “Smile at everyone you meet” and I truly tried to live by that. Sadly I think I have gotten away from it.…

Bennett and one of his many lego creations. Tonight I had the rare opportunity to spend over 3 hours with just our middle child. First of all I was thrilled that he chose to spend the evening with me rather than going into town with his dad and siblings. I get one on one time…

Randy Pausch was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer when he gave his “Last Lecture” on childhood dreams. His lecture wasn’t about dying, but the importance of overcoming obstacles, enabling the dreams of others, and seizing every moment. This book is about living and what we want to be our legacy. Randy Pausch as since passed…

Bennett and Patrick as the Van Horne Vipers! Reagan, their cheerleader! Last weekend I officially became a soccer mom. Soccer was something that I was never sure about. We didn’t have soccer where I grew up and neither did my husband. We just didn’t understand it. We have been to a few of our nephew…

Last week while watching the Republican Convention, we had our own little convention here at home. Patrick decided to run for Student Council at his elementary and chose the position of Room Representative. So, a campaign poster was made and a speech was written. He even got a “campaign manager” to spread the word to…

Stanley in Space is the story of Stanley Lambchop and his family. The President of the United States has chosen Stanley and his family to become the first humans to fly in the STAR SCOUT, a new top-secret spaceship. Stanley’s most exciting adventure is about to begin. He’ll meet the Queen of England, have a…

I recently read the article “Memo to Mommy” in my Parents Magazine. Many of them were lessons I needed to hear and thought some of you might need to as well. These are all lessons as if your child was saying them to you. Stop freaking out about the mess! There’s always time to clean-but…

We are so fortunate to have wonderful neighbors. We spent many nights this summer in any one of our backyards chatting, watching the kids play, and enjoying some wine, sometimes by a fire with some smores. After choosing this community 4 1/2 years ago, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. So, anyway, back to our…

A synopsis from the book: Everything that shaped him happened near that river…Now its banks are filled with lies and greed, shame and murder. Adam Chase has a violent streak and not without reason. As a boy in Rowan County, he saw things that no child should see, suffered wounds that cut to the core…